Are shop fittings a current asset?

Everyone is online these days, making high streets and shopping malls a much quieter place to be and reducing the need for shopfitting supplies. Many companies have chosen to be online only, decreasing their overheads and taking advantage of social internet tools. However, the smartest businesses have a presence online and on the high street, making sure they see profits from every possible angle.

But these businesses know that the high street is a more challenging place to be now, which is why they pull out all the stops to encourage passing trade and create a welcoming, attractive store. The right shop fittings can make a business, while a lack of them can break it. What do you need to create a stand-out store? Read on to find out!

What Are Shop Fittings?

Shop fittings include everything in your store that you do not intend to sell. This includes your shelving, clothing rails, display tables, hangers, baskets, mannequins, and anything else that you have in your retail space. The process of shop fitting even includes the design and layout of your store. Quite simply, it is impossible to have a shop without fittings. Unless you have an empty room and just throw some items for sale inside it. Even then, you’ll probably need a way of taking cash and handing out change, so this would count as a shop fitting!

According to Crown Display, “Shopfitting (or ‘shop fitting’) is the profession involved with the fitting out of retail and commercial outlets with their business-specific equipment, fixtures and fittings.” They go on to say that it is not just how a store looks that is important, but how user-friendly it is. Customers should be able to navigate the aisles with ease and find exactly what they are looking for without having to push other things out of the way.

This is a particularly difficult issue in clothes shops with longer rails and charity shops which sell bric-a-brac. That is why a good service with high-quality shop fitting supplies and advice is essential at the current time.

What Shop Fittings Do All Stores Need?

While the exact shop fittings you need will vary depending on the size of your shop, the nature of your products, and your budget, there are a few basics that will be the same for everyone. These include:

• Disabled Access: This doesn’t sound like a shop fitting, does it?! Well, it’s one of the most important since it is required by law. And it will affect the type of physical shop fittings that you buy. What this means is that it should be easy for a wheelchair to get in and around your store. If you have stairs, you’ll need to provide alternative ways for wheelchairs to access the other floors, such as a ramp or lift. And you might want to consider lower counters and shelving (or at least plenty of staff on hand to help when someone can’t reach them). You should also make sure there is never anything blocking access.
• Lighting: Of course, you’ll need lighting so that customers know your shop is open and can see your goods. But, used well, lighting can highlight key areas of your store. Add colour and texture to the space with different shades and strengths, helping to create the atmosphere that best suits your brand. But make sure your items can still be seen in the best possible light.
• Shelving: Almost all stores will require some kind of shelving. Whether you are a homeware store looking to display rows and rows of mugs and glasses or a clothing store that needs somewhere to stack jeans, your shelving should never be too high or over-full. Certain items might need sloping shelves rather than traditional straight ones. For example, items like bedding and anything in boxes, like chocolates, will be better able to catch customers’ eyes when on full display rather than stacked up high.

Another thing to note about shelving is that you probably want to invest in fixtures that allow you to adjust the shelves. This means you have room to move things around or make the space you need for larger or smaller products in the future.

And don’t forget warehouse shelving. This doesn’t have to be beautiful, but it does have to be accessible and make it easy to find what you are looking for when it comes to replenishing the shelves in your main store area.

• Counter and epos systems: You probably want your customers to pay for the items they like, so you’ll need a well-signposted counter area with an epos system. Make sure it is very easy to find in your store so that customers don’t end up putting an item back on the shelf, or worse, taking it without paying.

As already mentioned, you should have a counter low enough that you can serve anyone in a wheelchair. Or at least a section of your counter that allows you to do so.

And your till needs to be able to make quick transactions. Bear in mind that most shoppers now expect to be able to pay with cash or by card, and some even now do it on their phone, so you should have the facilities available to allow for any option.

• Labelling Systems: How are you going to tell customers how much everything is? Will you stick labels on every individual item, or do you need signage on your shelving to save some time? Even if you own the type of shop where everything is the same price (i.e., a Pound store), you’ll need labels to tell people what things are.
• Security Systems: You’ll need some sort of theft deterrent, such as CCTV, angled mirrors, and alarms by the front door. Or perhaps you intend to hire a security guard if your store is a little more remote. You’ll also need somewhere to safely store your takings at the end of the day. And perhaps a coded lock on your storeroom to stop bigger-scale theft.

What Other Shop Fitting Supplies Do You Need?

Those are the non-negotiables when it comes to shopfitting supplies. But, to stay relevant in current times, this is not nearly enough to entice customers to buy from you. The additional shop fittings you’ll need will depend on your products, but they could include:

• Exterior signage: Let customers know you are open and encourage them inside with a well-placed A-board.
• Brochure stands/racks: These can be used to sell cards and gifts, or as an information point to boost online sales or encourage shoppers to do something else helpful for your business.
• Carrier bags: While these have become a bit of a contentious point since the new compulsory charge came in, they are also still vital for multiple purchases.
• Clothes rails and hangers: You can’t have a clothing store without them!
• Lockers: These are ideal if you have a lot of staff and nowhere convenient and safe for them to store their belongings.
• Mannequins: Put your wares on full display and maximise your profits!
• Poster boards: The best signs are the biggest ones! Use these shop fittings to draw attention to special deals or to provide important information.
• Baskets and trolleys: The easier you make it for customers to carry multiple items, the more likely they are to buy more!

And finally, make sure your window display stands out in a crowd by adding bright and colourful accessories and demonstrating the products you have for sale.

Where is the Best Place to Buy Shop Fitting Supplies?

We all know the answer to that one – Valentino’s Displays of course!

Keeping up to date with current shopfitting trends isn’t all about whether or not you need them. You also need to buy products that are high-quality and will match the atmosphere that you are trying to create in your store. The items you sell are really only half the battle. You need to sell a lifestyle, and that can be done incredibly effectively in a physical store.

So, you’ll want to make sure your supplier is one you can trust to provide good products and great advice. At Valentino’s Displays, we do both! Unsure about what you need for your shop? Give us a call, and we will talk you through all your options – including those that you can’t see online. And if you have an idea for something unique, we’d love to hear it. We can either source it for you or manufacture it ourselves.

Let Valentino’s supply your fixtures and fittings

As the best UK shop fitting suppliers, we want our customers to keep coming back to us. That means your success is as important as our own. We keep ahead of all the latest trends and insider business knowledge in order to provide you with the best advice. Give us a call or send us an email to find out more!