In an era that largely promotes the online shopping experience, attracting customers to physically step into a retail store is becoming exceedingly tricky.
As a result, company owners and design teams seek ways to appeal to shoppers’ changing needs and interests. In an article published in the March 2017 issue of Shop! Retail Environments, TLP Principal Jered Widmer explains the role of lighting design in the store experience that’s evolving in today’s retail world.
“Technology has pulled many shoppers away from the brick-and-mortar store shopping experience,” Jered told the writers for Shop! Retail Environments. “Shoppers need to feel like they are in a relevant place—somewhere that is enjoyable. Lighting helps tell that story.”
Jered explains in the article that an integrated lighting approach attracts the eye by better illuminating graphics and merchandise. This exaggerated contrast is useful when applied in an environment that naturally draws people. An added bonus is the low energy consumption of the LED technology often used to brightly illuminate these items.
Have you noticed any of the lighting techniques Jered described in this article? Keep an eye out during your next in-store shopping experience and let us know!
Seeing the Light
Shop! Retail Environments | March 2017
As the market continues to evolve swiftly, lighting designers find themselves seeking fresh ways to assist retailers. These strategies are a varied lot, from integrating lighting with architecture to embracing smart technology. All have one thing in common, however: to keep shoppers engaged.
Many shoppers need a new reason to step into a store. Lighting works with merchandising efforts to set a new stage, says Jered Widmer, principal at The Lighting Practice, a Philadelphia-based lighting design firm.
“Technology has pulled many shoppers away from the brick-and-mortar store shopping experience,” Widmer says. “Shoppers need to feel like they are in a relevant place—somewhere that is enjoyable. Lighting helps tell that story.”
