For many, 2020 was a year of professional and personal challenges. Shoppers adjusted their behaviors to curb the spread of the coronavirus, and business owners found safer ways to get their products into shoppers’ hands. These shifts were particularly apparent in supermarkets.
Needless to say, the pandemic has changed the way people shop for and retrieve food and other staples. Grocery access is essential, and it’s up to supermarket owners to make the shopping experience comfortable, safe, efficient, and convenient.
Grocery Store Layout Strategies
Navigating the changes in consumer behaviors while keeping shoppers happy and protecting your bottom line requires critical thinking and strategic planning.
So, what are the best ways to create an adaptable grocery shopping experience for a supermarket? In 2021, you can expect to see enhanced entrances, modular layouts, easy access to essentials, optimized traffic flow, efficient checkout, inviting outdoor spaces, and order pickup stations. These grocery store design ideas can help you connect with your customers’ current needs and drive sales. Here’s what you should know.
Enhanced Entrances
One important feature of today’s thriving supermarkets is an entrance designed to orient customers. Your grocery store already has entrances and exits. However, enhancing these spaces with a few key details can minimize the stress some shoppers might feel about venturing out to buy food.
This may include outdoor line markers indicating a safe distance and friendly signs noting any updated rules or what to expect upon entering. You might consider creating an open, decluttered layout with hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes for shopping carts. It can also help to have a designated greeter at the entrance to welcome guests and answer any questions they may have.
Modular Grocery Store Layout
If there’s one concept retail owners have embraced over the last year, it’s adaptability. One way to ensure you can adjust to the evolving needs of your customers is with a modular layout.
Consider switching out permanent fixtures with adjustable aisles, portable kiosks, and moveable shopping stations. KRS is seasoned in flexible store designs, and we can help you conceptualize a layout to meet your ongoing needs.
Easy-Access Essentials
In response to shoppers’ increasing desire to get in and get out as quickly as possible, many supermarkets are making essentials more accessible. In some cases, grocery stores are placing essential items on their end caps to create a more efficient shopping experience.
Additionally, this strategy might include a section modeled after a convenience store with grab-and-go items and fast checkout. KRS specializes in supermarkets and convenience stores, and we can help you create a layout that blends the concepts together.
Optimized Traffic Flow
Optimizing the flow of traffic is a vital component of making customers feel safe and comfortable. Aside from signs and markers, retailers are rethinking the layout of their stores to ensure social distancing and encourage an efficient flow.
The idea is to minimize shopper frustrations and maximize sales by allowing them to access everything they need. On the other hand, the layout should also feel natural and unforced. KRS can help you design a layout for a traffic pattern that makes the most sense for your store.
Efficient Customer-Led Checkout
Self-checkout isn’t a new concept, but it’s become a critical piece of meeting consumers’ needs. As more shoppers opt for self-checkout at supermarkets, store owners are finding innovative ways to make it faster and safer.
Creating self-service checkout stations meets your shoppers’ needs, but the benefits don’t end there. Since several registers can typically be monitored by one staff member, you might be able to reduce labor costs or reassign checkout staff to other high-need tasks like greeting or cleaning.
Inviting Outdoor Space
Some consumers feel it’s safer to shop in open-air environments like farmers markets than grocery stores. As a result, many supermarkets are embracing new concepts with outdoor spaces.
These innovative layouts include fully outdoor, tented, or partially open areas where shoppers can browse or pick up grocery items. Beyond that, some are creating outdoor eating spaces where people can enjoy a quick bite in the fresh air.
Convenient Curbside Pickup
Though many of these design ideas encourage customers to enter your store, the reality is some people prefer staying outside. Whether for safety reasons, convenience, or both, you should consider including a designated pickup station for online orders in your grocery store layout design.
King Retail Solutions: Your Resource for Grocery Store Design
We offer innovative solutions that take into account the real-world needs of shoppers and retail owners. With thousands of store designs in our growing portfolio, we have the knowledge and experience to help you meet your goals while staying within your budget.
Unlike other supermarket design companies, KRS takes care of all aspects of your project under one roof. From concept, site survey, and design to strategy, fabrication, and installation, we can assist with every step of your interior and exterior grocery store layout.
King Retail Solutions creates compelling retail spaces and award-winning supermarket layouts that build on a store’s existing strengths while taking into account the needs of its customers to encourage repeat visits. We believe every surface and corner of your store has value, and we’re here to optimize every last inch. Our comprehensive services and capabilities can save you time and money in a continuously evolving, competitive market.
Contact us today to learn more about how we can help your brand evolve.
