It is no secret that stores with a modern, inviting layout and decor make customers stay inside longer and sell more products. As the years go by and new products are added, keeping a pool and spa store up-to-date and easy to shop in becomes more and more challenging. Since swimming pools and indoor and outdoor spas aren’t exactly small, you can’t showcase every brand and model. Therefore, you need to select the right products to attract buyers and develop the most effective layout. An effective store layout, along with good customer service and reliable staff, makes the difference between an average store and a high-performing one. Recognizing trouble areas and creating a great pool and spa store design to boost in-store sales can be done with just a few simple steps.
Think Like a Customer When Designing a Pool and Spa Store
Approaching pool and spa store design from the owner’s perspective is one of the most common store design mistakes. Customer experience is an essential factor to consider when designing a store, and pool and spa retail is no exception. Before you design your pool and spa store, walk through the space and try to see everything from the consumers’ perspective.
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The key is to trigger an emotional reaction. Prospective buyers don’t just see equipment; they see a pool or spa that adds beauty to their home and fun to their life. The moment they step inside they should instantly imagine themselves relaxing or entertaining friends. Helping buyers visualize this scenario is key to selling. If the store does not wow the customer at first glance, there is a good chance they won’t buy anything. And it’s not only about pleasing the eye; sounds and smells are essential parts of a great pool and spa design, too.
Great Pool and Spa Store Design Starts From the Entrance
As this is the first stopping point inside the store and the last one on the way out, make sure you leave a strong impression.
- Make sure the entrance to your store showroom is clearly marked and visible.
- All of the store’s sections should be visible from the entrance. That way customers can go directly to the products they are looking for.
- The reception area should be located in the front, near the entrance. Your point-of-sale system should be placed near the door, too.
- How your store sounds and smells is just as important as how it looks. Choose a pleasant fragrance and suitable music that will make your store even more inviting and pleasant to be in.
Effective and Relevant Layout
There are three distinct areas you should take into account when designing your pool and spa store:
- The hot area. This is a high-traffic area. Most customers head to it automatically.
- The intermediate area. This area has easy access, but it’s located far away from the main traffic.
- The cold area. This area is the least accessible as customers must make an effort to get there.
With these three areas in mind, divide pool and spa products into three main categories:
- Impulse purchases - the hot zone.
- Considered purchases - the intermediate zone.
- Obligatory products - the cold zone.
The space occupied by a product category should match the percentage of turnover that category generates.
How to organize products vertically and horizontally
Clutter is associated with cheap, low-quality products and doesn’t look professional. To attract customers, your displays should be clean and straightforward. Create even rows and have similar products grouped logically.
Most customers view products displayed on shelves from left to right, scanning more slowly in the middle section. Utilize this knowledge to organize your products in the most efficient way to maximize sales. Thus, the left side should be dedicated to impulse purchase products. Place obligatory products on the right side, leaving the middle for considered products.
Reserve the lowest levels for products that are bulky or low-demand. High-demand products should be at hand level. Finally, place the products you want people to see the most at eye level.
POS Communication: What Kind of Message Boosts Sales?
- Support your store layout with signposting. Directional signposting serves to direct customers towards a pool store/showroom zone. Segmentation signposting guides them towards a specific pool product.
- Use point of sale advertising to encourage impulse purchases. Your message should be short and effective – it shouldn’t take more than a few seconds to read.
- Use information at the point of purchase to help store visitors choose and place it at hand level. You can include more words here.
Create Stunning Vignettes
Help potential customers visualize a spa or pool in their homes by creating vignettes. Order your best hot tubs and arrange their transport with the help of professionals. Once you bring in the tubs, make a beautiful display by adding tile and accessories around them for a complete visual effect. Surround your pools with cozy atmospheric lighting, waterfalls or fountains to create a relaxing ambience that will impress visitors. Add a grill, pool toys, furniture or anything else that goes with the theme.
Take Advantage of Windows
It is great to have windows in your store, especially near the entrance or overlooking busy streets. Use this opportunity to display a beautiful pool or spa and your top-selling products. Make the display even more realistic with soft lighting and real tile. Put a sign with your company name and logo at eye level so that passersby can see it.
Most importantly, note that window displays create customer expectations the rest of the store should be able to meet. Disappointing your customers with false promises would harm your credibility as a retailer.
Change Things Up Every Now and Then
To keep things fresh, change your pool and spa store design from time to time. New customers won’t notice the change, but regular ones will. If a customer comes to the store regularly to get the same product and knows exactly where it is, they’ll never notice new products. You don’t have to make radical changes and reinvent the entire layout every week — that would only confuse visitors. Just change your displays a little bit and rotate merchandise to keep things looking new and exciting.
