There are many factors that influence the customer experience that directly translate into sales.  Considering human psychology and the process that contributes to making a purchase decision will help you to optimize your customer experience and increase sales.  Here we take a look at some of the key contributors to the customer experience as it pertains to a retail clothing store.

Music

The psychological aspect of sales is often ignored by smaller businesses as research and implementation of such tactics can be costly and time consuming.  However, there is one tactic you can use to influence retail sales with a minimal investment.  Believe it or not, simply playing the right kind of music at your establishment can have a profound impact on revenue.  Music has an effect on atmosphere, customer behavior, employee morale and customer retention.  Playing to your audience can greatly improve the customer experience and have your patrons coming back for more. 

Fragrance

Subtle fragrances can stimulate the senses and make your store more comfortable and inviting.  “Fortunately for retailers, the science behind scent marketing isn’t just academic — major retailers like Nike found that scent marketing in retail stores “increased intent to purchase by 80%.” In another real-world scent marketing experiment, the smell of fresh-brewed coffee at a gas station increased coffee sales by 300%.  Scents have also been shown to persuade customers to stay in retail spaces longer and browse more, improve their sense of quality, and create a warm feeling of familiarity. 

Entrance

Often times customers will make decisions regarding affordability, cleanliness and available products the moment they walk in the door. Displaying signature items as well as affordable options along your entrance way will give customers an accurate portrayal of the rest of your store. Be sure not to crowd this area, as there should be a transition zone between the entrance and the main store to give patrons a chance to decompress and take an overview of your store.

Aisles

If your design involves aisles, which most will, you want to make sure they are easy to navigate and that your shelves aren’t so imposing that they cloud the atmosphere of your store. You want to ensure your customers don’t end up bunched together and unable to walk through your store freely. This plays a major role in the customer experience. Be mindful of your space as creating too much may inhibit your ability to display a proper amount of merchandise.

Lighting

Lighting is extremely important in retail shops and even more so in clothing stores. Not only does lighting affect the atmosphere, if used properly it can highlight certain products and draw attention to featured items and sales. No one wants to walk into a dimly lighted clothing store. Be sure you have plenty of soft lighting so all of your merchandise is well lit without blinding your customers.

Product Placement

Every store owner realizes the importance of product placement but very few understand how to do so in a strategic way. Bestselling and featured items should be placed at your customer’s eye level so they are the first thing they see. Impulse items should be placed near checkout to ensure you can take advantage of that buying impulse. Sale items should be placed near the back of the store so customers need to navigate through, and view, the rest of your merchandise before getting to it.

Security

Theft is a major issue in small retail stores as many lack the kind of surveillance and security of the larger box stores. When designing your layout, you want to be mindful of blind spots and install mirrors and cameras where necessary. While it is nearly impossible to thwart all theft, having an efficient layout that allows you to view most, if not all, of your store will help improve your chances of keeping your products secure.

Dressing Rooms

Your dressing rooms should be comfortable and give your customers a sense of security when using them. Make sure you have ample space for people to change and hooks to hold their clothing as well as your merchandise. Be sure you have a checkout counter where you take inventory of each item entering your fitting rooms.

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