Essay on Store Management and Customer Loyalty

The chosen layout of the retailer is the grid layout because it is ideal for brick-and-mortar locations. A grid layout is an arrangement that displays products in long aisles that run parallel to one another ((Lopez, 1995). This layout is the most efficient in the use of space, especially in locations where space is limited. The layout allows for the increase in total product display space as compared to other layouts. This type of layout is used in supermarkets and grocery stores as it facilitates planned and routine shopping. Space in this layout is not wasted, and thus there is enhanced space productivity.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

The layout is used by management that wants to the buyers to move systematically and ensuring that they pass through the sections with products of high margins (Heizer and Render, 2014). This layout is also effective it simplifies shopping for the customers by creating distinct and clear aisles. A typical strategy used in the brick and mortar locations is to put staple food in remote areas so that shoppers pass other goods to the sections with the frequently purchased items. By using the grid layout, a store ensures that can maintain control over the shopper's experience without showcasing their guiding hand. The physical positioning of good in the shelves is also another factor in the grid layout that can increase sales (Retail therapy: Store design today, 2007). To management, this is the most effective layout to manage because of its low costs. With how it is arranged, the layout makes cleaning of the stores easier. Security in these stores is also simplified, as the security arrangement can watch all corners of the store.

When space is used properly and merchandising strategies put in place, then they can influence the store by creating add-on sales, build loyalty and add to consumer convenience or engagement. The layout used should invite customers as they continue shopping to add products even when they are about to finish their shopping trip. The lighting, the signage, and music in the background is another merchandising strategy that can help build customer loyalty through brand identity (Lopez, 1995). The waiting time at the counter is also ideal for the impulse shoppers. The shelves near the counter use special displays of goods, in a way that their location makes the shoppers remember they need something that they were not looking for. These displays are also good for testing the brand affinity and cross-merchandising. A visual break created in between the aisles is advantageous in that it helps increase customer engagement. This is because the aisles reduce overcrowding in stores.

My experience in the in-store was remarkable. The first thing I noticed is that there was space for customers to move freely. I also noticed that the products were placed in aisles that were crowded and small and this made me have a feeling of order and economy. The store was clean and had a lavender scent. The lighting of the store was okay, and soft music was playing in the background (Morgan, 2016). I had gone shopping for fruits and vegetables, but I was forced to impulse buy because the store was organized in a way that the low-cost items were placed in checkouts for visibility. The aisles were also narrow, and these made me slow down and browse as I walked through, thus more impulse buying. To my astonishment, there was signage in all the right areas that guided the shoppers on where to find the things they were shopping. The signage also led to areas with clearance items and out of curiosity, I also managed to pick a few items from those areas. Overall, that was the best shopping experience I ever had in that the way items were organized made it convenient for me to do my shopping.

The homepage of the website is engaging, intriguing and inspiring. This is because it has a flexible search mechanism that allows the customers to reach any place in the store within one click. The website displays the main categories of products at the left frame of the homepage. The website also provides a linked map of the store at the homepage, and this makes it easy for customers to browse for the products they want by clicking on the main page. The images presented on the homepage are interactive. The viewing options available are, search product categories that allows the customers to view the images of the subcategories and the end products on the main product category that is located on the homepage. The format of the website is shopper friendly in that the aisle structure used in the layout makes navigation easy (Lohse and Spiller, 1999). The website has editorial content beyond simple descriptions and product photo. The content contains interviews and trend pieces on customer experiences.

In conclusion, the retailers competitive strength is that it has created prime locations for their products that have made easy to increase sales through impulse buyers and add-on sales. The highly moving products have been placed in high traffic and visible areas. The atmosphere of the store is also strength. The store is clean, well lit, organized and with music playing in the background. The weakness of the store is that it has limited site lines that make it difficult for the shoppers to explore the store.

References

Heizer, J. H., & Render, B. (2014). Operations management: Sustainability and supply chain management. Boston: Prentice Hall.

Lohse, L.G. and Spiller, P. (1999) Internet retail store design: How the user interface influences traffic and sales. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 5.

Lopez, M. J. (1995). Retail store planning & design manual. New York: Wiley.

Morgan, T. (2016). Visual merchandising: Window and in-store displays for retail.

Retail therapy: Store design today. (2007). Mulgrave, Vic: Images.