It’s Saturday morning and you’ve decided to brave centre parking for a ‘quick trip’ to the shops. When you finally emerge, shopping bags in hand, you realise you’re seemingly innocent trip has turned into a full-day shopping marathon. Whether you’re a helpless bystander dragged along for the ride or a shopping native indulging in your weekly splurge, we’ve all fallen victim to this clever retail trick. What trick you say? Put simply, we build stores you just don’t want to leave!

The Right Foundation

When considering the influential factors that make a store great, first consider the retail fit-out blueprint. It’s important that the foundation you build your retail empire on includes a store layout that predicts consumer behaviour, maximizes square footage, prevents theft & fosters positive consumer attitudes. How can a store meet all these requirements? Let’s talk about the IKEA maze.

If you’ve ventured into an iconic blue & yellow warehouse you may already be familiar with the signature IKEA layout. First, the distinct entrance and exit points – like a maze the stores have separate doors, meaning once a consumer enters they must navigate a set path to escape. While this is not the most convenient design, it does serve an important purpose. The path showcases ALL the products that IKEA stocks – quite literally a physical representation of the famous IKEA catalogue. In true Swedish fashion, the homeware giant has an impeccable reason for this specific layout – predicting consumer behaviour. IKEA is aware that in larger warehouses, we tend to stick with the suggested route. As a result, to avoid hassle many of us opt to take items with us instead of backtracking for them later. This clever nudge is a powerful psychological weapon that leads us to make impulse purchases at the checkout. I guess we did need that decorative rattan basket after all!

During our purchase journey, IKEA has thoughtfully provided everything we need for a successful shopping trip. From the cafeteria-style dining hall, built to entertain bored children & refuel tired adults, to the clearly labelled price tags and bags/carts offered. It’s clear that IKEA’s commitment to fostering a positive consumer attitude is only reinforced through their retail fit-out. The popular brand has spared no thought when considering consumer satisfaction and in-store experience.

BUILT BY UNITA | Rebel Doncaster

Considered Retail Design

Once your layout has been perfected it’s onto your retail fit-out design. The relationship your consumers have with your brand is often defined by their in-store experiences. Therefore, refurbishing your store’s design will have a huge impact on customer relationships as well as your sales. Sporting retail giant, Rebel, understands this relationship with 86% of their sales coming from brick-and-mortar stores. The sports apparel + equipment chain have taken things to the next level by rolling out a new store concept in Doncaster, Victoria. The design which was heavily informed by extensive market research, utilised insight from Supercheap Auto’s enhanced store to provide the ultimate consumer experience. Despite COVID-19 restrictions, the investment has paid off with the Super Retail Group reporting an increase of 21 points in comparison to the previous year, while the average IPT jumped by 20% after the refurbishment. In Westfield Parramatta, the Rebel store also saw the introduction of elevated design through of state-of-the-art technology and interactive gaming zones. The popular store boasts a room reserved solely for showcasing exciting new products and brand partnerships. By creating an interactive space through innovative design, consumers are encouraged to spend longer in-store. This willingness to interact with your brand can lead increased sales and repeat visits. So is it time to upgrade your store?

If you’re wondering how your retail business can capitalise on layout & design, but you’re concerned about the process or cost, get in touch with our experts! With over 15 years’ experience bringing retail spaces to life, Unita is here to help you accomplish your dream retail fit-out or refurbishment today.

Ready to lay the foundations for your next retail layout? Drop us a line.