IS YOUR STORE PROPERLY LIT???

Now that's a funny question to ask a store that sells lamps... or is it??? 

Research shows that proper and well placed lighting increases sales, not to mention safety and security. Customer behavior in retail stores is influenced significantly by perception and a sense of well-being. Light plays an important role in these two parameters. It conveys emotions and creates atmosphere, as well as making it easier for people to find their way around. We want customers to spend more time in the store shopping and ultimately making a purchase... or two!

So how do we get customers to spend more time with us? For years, you have recommended to your customers “the best lamp for the job”, so to speak, based on functionality, décor and illumination needs. But what about your own "house" ... your business? While some of you may have already fine tuned your store's lighting design, here are some tips on how to tweak the lighting in your store to improve your customer's shopping experience and ultimately sales!

• To make customers feel safe and secure, use warm white light. Although making the space seem smaller, it gives the customer a sense of familiarity. Suitable for bedroom or living room vignettes.

• Extend the amount of time customers spend in your store by using intermediate white light. Because it improves one's sense of well-being, it is strongly recommended for general lighting.

• Since contrast makes perception easier and heightens levels of attention, use pinpoint accent lighting that stands out from the surrounding homogeneous ambient lighting. Perfect for accenting signage.

• Put light sources close to the merchandise for greater visibility.

• Organize your light fixtures – chaotic patterns may confuse or fatigue your customers.

• For best brand and feature recognition, place quick turnover and impulse items under highly lit, color-corrected lighting.

• To improve safety, increase aisle illumination with spill light from the accented merchandise areas.

• Use accent lighting to feature merchandise in your windows, because it is often the customer’s first point of contact with your business. 
• Always leave on a light or two.  Even low luminance levels are sufficient to attract the curiosity of passers-by. It may be the spark that brings them in the next day!

WHAT NOT TO DO

• Don't accent everything. Contrast is necessary to create focal points.
• Make sure your lighting is not erratic or spotty. Ambient lighting is needed to clearly see the merchandise.
• Make sure your displays flow. Random fixture layouts cause visual chaos.
• With the year coming to an end, it's a good time to take a look at the lighting in your store to create the right atmosphere, keeping your customers in the store longer and coming back ! The result could be an increase in sales for 2015! Now that's a great gift.

May your holidays be luminous...