Retail Design – Don’t Overlook your Website

30th January 2012 by barber design

If you’re thinking about retail design you’re probably focused on your physical store, and while that’s of course the best place to start, it’s important to think about your website as well. Customers expect an exceptional shopping experience online as well as off so you need to make sure you can meet their requirements, and having a functional yet appealing website will be a key part of that. It’s important to spend time on website design if you really want to make the right impact because, these days, the web matters.

Having a website that’s as attractive as it is functional can give customers extra impetus to shop with you. They’ll know they’re in for a good experience and if you give them everything they’re looking for – easy purchasing options, contact details, delivery information etc. – you can’t go wrong. But, it’s important to consider your marketing strategy as well. Your website should be an extension of your physical store so it needs to effortlessly blend in with your retail display and branding ideas, ultimately complementing your design ideals to ensure congruence and complete brand awareness no matter where or how you customers choose to shop.

The right website design can make all the difference and can ensure that you’re giving your customers a pleasant shopping experience no matter what method they choose to do it in, and if you want to see the difference for yourself just take a look around. We’re interior retail designers with a difference and can help you create a stunning website that will meet your expectations as well as those of your customers, so get in touch today and you’ll soon have the site that you’re after.

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A refreshing approach to retail design

23rd January 2012 by barber design

If you are keen to revamp the look of your shops, you may need to enlist the help of expert retail designers. After all, such endeavours are not easy and to achieve the best possible effects, it helps if those involved have the technical skill and expertise required, as well as bags of creative flare.

The trouble is, not all design agencies will understand what it is you are after and some have a detached way of working that separates their creative teams from their customers. If you use such a firm, you might find that you spend all your time dealing with administrative staff and struggle to get your message across concerning what it is you are after.

Also, this way of working can be too rigid and it freezes you out of many of the decisions. Therefore, there is a risk that when the projects are completed, you are not entirely happy with the results.

However, the good news is here at Barber Design we are not like other agencies. We are a talented, specialist team of passionate designers who live and breathe creativity. If you use us, you will not be diverted by account managers and so on. Instead, you will get to deal directly with our retail design personnel.

This way of operating is far more responsive and it is effective in terms of achieving the best results. So, to find out more about whether or not we could help you get the perfect retail display, just take a look around our website.

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Starting the new year in style with fab retail design

16th January 2012 by barber design

So, it is the start of another year. At this point in the calendar, after the festivities surrounding Christmas have come to an end, many people start thinking about ways in which they can improve themselves and their lives, and the same is true of business owners. You might have decided that now is the perfect time to enhance your retail space in a bid to appeal more to consumers and thus boost your profits.

Retail design is becoming increasingly important for companies. It is no longer enough to simply sell superb goods or services. Now, it is also necessary to appeal people’s sense of style and taste. And, when people are engaging in retail therapy, they want to enjoy their experiences.

Walking around dreary and outdated stores is therefore not something many people are prepared to do. Instead, they tend to head for outlets that have an attractive and contemporary retail display.

So, with 2012 stretching out before you, now could be a great time to seize the day and make improvements to your store.

Of course, to achieve the best possible effects, it is important to choose a superb team of retail designers and that is where we come in. Here at Barber Design we are perfectly placed to help you transform your shop into an ideal environment for your customers.

There is nothing more rewarding than hearing your tills ringing with the sweet sound of success as people flock in through your doors, and we may well be able to help you achieve this.

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Connecting to your audience with pop up shops

9th January 2012 by barber design

The world of retail is becoming increasingly complex and these days firms have to be extremely savvy in order to exploit the opportunities open to them. One trend that cannot be ignored is the rising popularity of ecommerce. More and more people are heading online in order to source the goods and services they are after.

Indeed, you might be among the growing number of companies that predominantly sell your goods online.

However, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests a coordinated approach to retail that takes advantage of both physical retail spaces and cyberspace is the most effective. After all, consumers like to feel a sense of connection to the firms they buy from and sometimes this is best achieved by entering their stores.

With this in mind, you might benefit from taking advantage of pop up shops. These contemporary offerings can enable you to raise brand awareness and encourage loyalty and confidence among your target audience.

If they have seen your presence on the high street, even if only temporarily, they may be much more likely to buy your products or services later on over the web.

And short-term stores like this also get people talking and therefore are superb marketing tools.

Here at Barber Design our team of enthusiastic and talented retail designers are adept at creating superb pop up stores and may well have the perfect solution for you. So, to find out more about our retail design services, just take a look around our website.

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Understanding Retail Design

21st December 2011 by barber design

There are many different aspects which need to be considered when it comes to retail design, and these considerations can vary greatly from design to design. However, there are certain fundamental issues which all retail space designs need to consider:

Understanding the importance of utilising space
Efficient space utilisation is one of the most important aspects of any retail space design. In essence, this means that displays, services, storage and customer movement all need to be integrated into the design in the best possible way.

Understanding target customers
The success of any retail store will depend largely on understanding who the vendor’s target customers are. Basically, this means that retail designers need to create a space that is relevant and inviting to the customers who are most likely to buy the vendor’s products. For example, a high-end retailer that sells ladies clothing for thousands of pounds will not be trying to entice teenage girls into their store as they will not have the money to buy the products on offer.

Understanding effective product display
Visibility of products plays a vital role in encouraging customers to make a purchase. Therefore it is essential that designers ensure they enhance the display areas of products which are the core of the retail market design. The golden rule with merchandise is that the height of a display should be such that every customer should be able to see it. The product is what sells, so retail displays should always emphasise the merchandise rather than any ornamentation.

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Robbie Williams’ Farrell Clothing Range

14th December 2011 by barber design

We here at Barber Design are incredibly proud of the impressive new store environment which our retail designers recently created for Robbie Williams new ,Farrell, range of menswear.

Retail design and concept
Our talented designers worked closely with Rob and his management team to come up with the concept of a timeless backdrop and mid-floor retail display space that pays homage to the decades of the 1950′s and 60′s. We achieved this by including lots of touches based on the craftsmanship of the time such as hand-painted finishes, brass, and classic cars. Furthermore, the use of panelled wood, hand-painted units and an oak-topped feature table helped to propagate the ,timeless, quality of the space even further. In addition, the environment also includes handwritten signage, gloss metalwork finishes, bespoken rugs and vintage mannequins embroidered with the Farrell logo.

Branding
The branding and visual identity for Farrell was created by the Tom Hingston studio. Like most clothing ranges, the Farrell logo design has been created to appeal to its target audience whilst alluding to the nature of the clothing. Quite simply, the logo is a ribbon-like cord based on the Staffordshire knot, making reference to the old craft (and quality) of tailoring and includes the name of the line printed in upper case letters underneath.

The Farrell brand (named after Robbie’s paternal grandfather) is currently available at 10 House of Fraser department stores throughout the country and online via www.very.co.uk

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Loyalty and Brand Diversification

7th December 2011 by barber design

Do you need a credit card? Try Marks and Spencer. Looking for flights? Try Virgin. Need car insurance? Get yourself to Tesco.

If you had said these things twenty years ago, chances are people would have looked at you in a slightly sympathetic way. Of course, all of the above products and services (as well as many more) are now available from the likes of Tesco, Sainsbury, Marks and Spencer, and Virgin amongst others.

But why is this?

Quite simply, once popular retail brands develop a reputation for delivering impressive levels of choice and quality, satisfied customers are willing to remain loyal to them and show faith in any cross-over endeavours that they may undertake. This means that, even though car insurance is far from Tesco’s original grocery roots, loyal Tesco customers who see a point of sale display promoting it in-store will be more likely to invest in it than they would if they saw an independent company advertising the same product.

Some people believe that such habits stem from the fact that the general public have lost faith in traditional public institutions and now prefer to give their loyalty to entities that can repay it materialistically. Other people believe that it is just a matter of convenience and that shoppers simply prefer to source all of their needs from under one roof.

Regardless, next time Tesco’s designated retail designers put up a retail display advertising flights into space; you can be sure that they will go like hotcakes!

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Never forget the changing rooms

21st November 2011 by barber design

With the exception of temporary pop up shops, almost all clothing retailers need to have good changing facilities so customers can try on their wares. However, many shop owners and managers don’t pay quite as much attention to them as they should. Changing rooms that are dirty, cramped, messy, or otherwise inadequate can really let an outlet down.

At Barber Design we consider all aspects of retail display and design, and we understand how to make the whole shopping experience easier and more fun. That includes taking a good look at changing facilities. The first thing to do is ensure privacy and ease of use. A customer might try on one pair of jeans in a tiny, cramped cubicle, but they probably won’t go back a second time. There should be ample space, hooks for clothing, and a feeling of security.

They should also be clean- while we can’t come in and make sure your staff do their jobs, we can make sure all our designs are easy to look after. The changing space should also be bright and attractive, so a customer dressed in your clothing looks and feels as good as they possibly can.

There must also be enough changing cubicles for both men and women. Nobody likes waiting in line to try on a new top or a swimming costume. While it is sometimes necessary to find a balance between the size of each changing room and the number of them, good retail design can really help any shop make the best of the available space.

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Easy retail design mistakes

14th November 2011 by barber design

The best retail designers will almost always be able to improve the look and feel of a shop. The first and biggest step towards creating an attractive, buyer-friendly space is deciding to take a bold step and make real changes, but all too often the inexperienced fall into a few common traps. Here are a handful of design mistakes that should always be avoided:

1. Cheap point of sale display units. Having your shop look stunning on day one is great, but it has to stay looking sharp for months to come. Basic cardboard point of sale materials can be effective if well placed, but they can also succumb to wear and tear very quickly. A display that looks bent, tired, cracked, or faded can quickly bring down the atmosphere in the whole shop.

2. Trying to pack too much into a small space. Customers need to feel free to move and browse. Cramped spaces just don’t feel welcoming. Clear pathways are an absolute must.

3. Hiding products. It should be easy for a customer to find the colour, style, and size they want. That means arranging products in a logical way and making sure sizes are kept in order. Good designs should make this easy.

4. Poor lighting. Nothing makes a great shop look grubby and unattractive quicker than old-fashioned strip lighting. Modern LEDs can be integrated into any retail design. They’ll not only provide bright, natural-looking lighting, but also last a very long time and save you money on electricity bills.

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Getting your shop ready for winter

7th November 2011 by barber design

In summer, it’s easy to make a shop look light, airy, and welcoming. On a bright summer day with plenty of sunshine shoppers are more inclined to be in a browsing mood and will wander into shops just to see what’s on offer. On a cold, wet winter day it’s another story entirely. Unless inside a shopping centre and protected from the elements, they are more inclined to go straight to the shop they need and not venture time and effort on exploring anywhere new.

The good news is that the best retail designers can make any shop into a haven for winter shoppers. When it’s dark and cold outside, stepping into a space carefully picked out with warm lighting and bold colours can be a very attractive prospect. Making the shop interior and shop front look happy, warm, and bright may take a little work but it is one task that can always be accomplished with clever design and the right products.

A brightly coloured point of sale display that may seem too much for summer shoppers could be just the thing to get their attention in winter. Rich, warm colours boost winter cheerfulness, and we could all use a little more of that when it’s sleeting down outside.

Remember, winter retail design isn’t just about Christmas. Here in the UK our winters are long and when chilly February comes around, shoppers will still appreciate good lighting and a warm, welcoming feel in their favourite stores. With our help you could attract more customers all through the colder months.

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