Designing a retail space involves a lot more than choosing product placement, but not everybody realizes all the components that go into a well-designed space. Lighting, for instance, is one of the most important details in a retail space and can have a huge impact on the business. In fact, with the right lighting, you can drive revenue by boosting sales and reducing costs. There are four key elements to implement lighting: setting the right mood for your space, guiding customers through your store, highlighting your product selection, and cutting costs associated with lighting maintenance and energy bills.
#1 - Create a More Welcoming Environment Where Customers Will Feel Relaxed
One of the more common criticisms that people have with LED lighting is that it can be “cold”, which more specifically means that the light has a higher color temperature or CCT. The problem with this is that “cool lighting” can often be harsh, industrial, and uninviting when used in the wrong space, and this can create the wrong ambiance for your store. Part of choosing the right lighting, therefore, is selecting the right color temperature. Cool white light is great if you want to make your space look larger, but opt for warm lighting (lower CCT) if you want to create a more intimate and welcoming mood. This will often encourage buyers to stay longer and come back again.
Another way to set the right mood with lighting is to choose fixtures that will complement your space. There are lots of fixtures to choose from depending on your store and the mood you'd like to achieve. Some of these options include:
- Recessed lighting, which creates a soft and consistent light with reduced glare.
- Suspended high bay lighting, which can help make large and high-ceiling spaces feel closer while also providing multiple light distribution options.
- Surface mounted lighting, which is versatile in any location because it can be attached to walls and other surfaces, providing low-profile options in a variety of spaces.
#2 - Encourage Customers to Spend More Time in Your Store by Leading Them with Lighting
Lighting can also boost sales because when used strategically, it can draw customers to different areas of the store that they would otherwise overlook. For instance, if you have a long and narrow space, customers may typically spend time in front of the store and rarely make it to the back. With the right lighting, such as ambient and high-activity lighting, your entire store will be properly illuminated and dark spots will be eliminated. This will often encourage customers to explore the whole space. Similarly, you can use backlighting on your shelves to draw the eye down the store and guide customers to different areas.
#3 - Use Lighting to Draw Customer Attention and Highlight Your Products
Strategic lighting is also great for drawing attention and accent lighting is ideal for creating contrast while highlighting specific products. You especially may want to focus light on sale items, new releases, or special items that you want to feature. Accent lighting can also provide better illumination for products, helping customers to see important details more clearly. Finally, high-contrast lighting also works well in display windows and will catch the eye of passersby and bring more customers into your store. It’s important, however, to use high CRI (color rendering index) lighting, which will accurately show the true colors of your products and make them look their best.
#4 - LED Lighting Can Also Increase Your Bottom Line by Reducing Energy and Maintenance Costs
Switching to LED lighting won’t only boost sales, it will also help you save money by lowering your costs. Energy costs are one of the top expenses for retailers, and because LED lights are so much cheaper to operate, they can drastically reduce your energy bills up to 75%. Similarly, LED lights are also very low-maintenance, and you could actually decrease your annual maintenance costs significantly by making the switch.
Ready For More Help?
There are many ways that switching to LED lighting can boost your sales and save you money, which include drawing more customers into your store, creating the right buyer mood, guiding customers through the space, showcasing the intended products, and lowering energy and maintenance costs. To make the switch, bring in one of XtraLight's lighting representatives located across the country to help with your strategy and selection. Book your free lighting assessment today to find out how LED lighting can transform your space and boost your sales.
