The craziest shopping day of the year is right around the corner.
Retail managers no doubt have lengthy to-do lists as Black Friday approaches. Updating the visual appeal of their store should be one item on that list.
If you work in retail, there are some simple, quick, and effective lighting tweaks you can put in place right now to provide a better shopping experience for your customers. These things will allow you to highlight certain products you want to move and provide additional security measures. Now is the perfect time to make these updates, before the mayhem of the holiday season descends upon us.
1. Upgrade a great window display
Since customer attraction is one of the keys to great retail, window displays are a powerful tool. However, getting a customer’s attention is even more imperative and difficult at this time of year with the buzz of Black Friday and seasonal decor. As a rule, storefronts should be five to six times brighter than general lighting. By creating a contrast between the storefront and the general lighting of the space, your eye is automatically drawn to the brightest objects or areas first. Consider including additional track heads in your store window or even upgrading your storefront lighting with newer and “brighter” technology.
2. Perform a daily check of light fixtures
Once you attract a customer, you want the shopping experience to be as engaging as possible. If there are any outages, lower-lit areas may cause a customer to glance past showcased product. Additionally, outages can hinder visibility of your security measures. Leading up to Black Friday, do a daily store walkthrough to make sure all fixtures are working properly. To prevent this from being overlooked, add the task to an “end-of-day” closing checklist. Make sure to test any new light fixtures or bulbs before opening for Black Friday.
3. Consider adding case, or millwork, lighting to your store
Integrated lighting can increase a customer’s viewing of the display by up to 75 percent and the product was picked up two times more than the unlit display. Case lighting can be as simple as a small puck light, LED tapelight, or even linear fluorescent lighting. It’s important to consider the integration of the lighting within the case, so the installation looks polished and does not distract from the display.
4. Aim your adjustable lighting
If you’re trying to move large quantities of specific products on Black Friday, then focus your lighting on the showcased displays. As a rule, an area with three times more light than the general light levels in your store will be more noticeable for your customers. Again, if you create a contrast between the showcased product and general lighting, customers’ eyes will be instinctively drawn to the displays. Rather than wasting light by aiming at corners, flooring, or ceilings, aim light toward your featured products. Also, avoid aiming lights directly at a security camera lens to avoid causing visibility issues on the tape.
5. Do final walkthroughs of your store
Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and do final walkthroughs of your store before the doors open for Black Friday. If it looks off to you, it will probably look off to your customers. What draws your eyes? Is it the product you want to highlight? How does your merchandise look? In addition to walking the store, ensure the lighting enhances your security camera views and does not interfere with them.
These simple and effective tips can increase your store’s visual appeal and make the shopping experience more attractive and be engaging to customers during the busiest shopping season of the year. By incorporating these tips leading up to Black Friday, you can enhance the appeal of your store without spending a lot of money.
We hope you find these tips helpful and enjoy a stress-free, successful holiday season.