It’s hard to say just how long consumer behavior will be influenced by the pandemic and the safety protocols that arose from it. For at least the immediate future, though, visual merchandisers and store designers will have to continue adapting, creating streamlined layouts that allow more room for shoppers and more efficient transactions.
To that end, Business 2 Community identifies four tactics that design pros will need to rely on in order to devise safe and flexible shopping environments.
- One-way systems eliminate in-store bottlenecks while allowing retailers to control traffic, directing customers along desired paths.
- Dual entrances encourage social distancing while providing flexibility to shoppers, with the two entrances designed for customers with different shopping needs (i.e. quick pick-ups vs. browsing). Target, in particular, has demonstrated the effectiveness of dual-entrance stores.
- The natural evolution of curbside pick-up, drive-through enabled stores will offer customers a more convenient option to gather purchases without having to enter the store.
- Technology could help reduce the amount of floor space needed by emphasizing click-and-collect services. Also, retailers will be making greater use of touch screens and AI assistants as a way to streamline customer interactions.
Read more at Business 2 Community.