The Impact of Store Appearance During COVID-19

 

Shop front

 

While the look and feel of your retail storefront has always played an important part in attracting customers to your business with the rise of Covid-19, the look and feel of your storefront has never before been so important. With the virus still actively spreading, your regular foot traffic will most likely have drastically decreased due to city and state-wide lockdowns, which means that converting foot traffic into customers is now more important to your business than ever before.

 

Changing priorities of potential customers during the pandemic 

Where, once upon a time, the main focus of potential customers may have been your street appeal, the style of your shop windows, and your store’s interior design, thanks to the pandemic we have seen a global shift in what is drawing customers into stores. These days things that potential customers look for the most is cleanliness, easy access, sanitising stations, and overall light and openness inside your store.   

 

 

Ensure that your storefront shows that you are following proper protocols 

A few key tips for ensuring that your street appeal is increased by showing compliance with current protocols include: 

  • Keeping your shop uncluttered, so that your customers can move around freely and effectively practise social distancing
  • Ensuring that your staff are properly masked and are practising social distancing
  • Have hand sanitiser available both at the front door and at the counter 

Smaller stores may not have the budget during this time to employ an additional person to perform temperature checks at the door, however this can be combated with an informative sign at the front of your shop detailing your in-store protocols for the safety of all involved. 

 

 

Uncluttered displays increase impulse purchasing

With the change in store decorating methods due to Covid-19, a cluttered counter or window display is becoming significantly less attractive to the average retail shopper. To conform with the new trend, your displays need to be uncluttered, stylish, and simple enough to feature your key products at eye level to draw the eye of potential customers. As part of the pandemic fallout, we are experiencing a rising urge for customers to “get in and get out” when shopping in person, an uncluttered display allows them to easily see the featured items in your display without having to linger for too long. 

 

 

Customer service is still king 

Where the pressure of shopping was once a mildly stressful event, with the current global happenings, this stress has significantly escalated in shoppers around the world. Work with your staff to explain that even though they are wearing a mask, a smile can still be seen in the eyes and heard in the sound of their voices. Friendly and attentive service will help your customers to feel at home in your store, effectively reducing the pressure of shopping in person. 

Comfort levels of your customers, in relation to purchasing in store, are more important than ever before and in these difficult times, every customer counts.