Tip of the Week

Retail SMART	Free Space
	By: Dennis A. Conforto Chairman & CEO of A-Z Media Group, Inc.

In every store, there is an area that I call “free space”. It floats above the whole store and is found between the ceiling and the tops of the displays. To the consumer the signage in this “free space” is important. It helps them save time because it tells the consumer where to locate just about anything they are looking for. Let’s look, for example, at the supermarket industry. The area above the displays has been designated to assist women throughout the world in their grocery shopping. Because supermarkets use this so consistently, hundreds of millions of women across the world know how to shop these stores. They know right where to go to find the bread, the milk, frozen foods, cereals, fresh vegetables and so forth. Millions of grocery clerks know right where to find most of the 15,000 items found in these stores. This free space is used to direct traffic flow within these powerful stores. Key products are spread throughout the store to force the consumers to go from the front of the store to the back and from the far right of the store to the far left. These stores design their traffic patterns to get the consumers to see as many products as possible. Store owners know that the more a consumer sees, the more likely she will be to spend more money. And, in truth they do spend more. If you walk into any national chain you will notice they are the masters of this free space. From the front of the store you can see major category signs. Why are these major category signs important? There are four personality types, the driver, the expressive, the amiable and the analytical. The general population of the world breaks down pretty equally among these four personality types. The question is, “what does a discussion of personality types have to do with signage in the free space?” The answer is everything. Driver personalities like getting to the point and fast. They use signage as a way to speed up the process of shopping. They can be sharp and to the point, because they dislike wasting time. Analytical personalities can’t get enough information, they like not only signage but booklets of information that explain how, what, when and where. To keep up with them you must be able to keep with their search for knowledge. Amiable personalities are quiet but not shy. They want to get in and out without upsetting or inconveniencing anyone. When they want help they work up the courage to ask for help. Signs are important to this group; they will take the help if it is offered. With this type of personality, a store must be a little more proactive. Signage to these three personality types is critical, since about 75% of the population is made up of these three personality groups. One needs speed; one needs quiet help and the other needs information. All would rather do things on their own with limited help from store clerks, but all need signage to help them within the store. Expressive personalities love to talk and usually are first to say, “Hi” – often before the store personnel have a chance. They love input and human interaction and seek it out. They can easily work around the issue of lack of signage within a store. For most scrapbooking retailers their free space is free of signage. For 75% of the consumers that shop your store this is not what they want. Signage within the store is a way for them to understand quickly where products are and to get an idea of the full options of your store’s product selection. If you want consumers to go from the front of your store to the back of the store, use your free space. If you want them to go from the far right to the far left, use your free space. Signage will force you to think about your store’s layout and the placement of products within the store. You will think about what belongs up front, what should go in the back, and what should be placed on both sides of the store. You will have to consider traffic patterns and eye movement in each product category. By working more closely with manufacturers, each product display can be perfected to achieve greater sales. Great store signage and improved working relationships with manufacturers to improve your displays are what being SMART is all about.