Comments from our “Ask-Us” link in our website:
Graig B. from Virginia Beach sent us the following question: “I have been a goldsmith for the past 5 years working for a national store chain and I want to know what do I need to do and how do I go starting my own business and opening my own jewelry store?”
SMA Design Group’s advice based on our way of running the design of our Clients' stores:
-1- Make sure you do understand that such a venture is not an expenditure, BUT it is an investment and that you will be 100% committed to it. And, like any other investments we all know off, the ultimate goal of this investment should be a maximum end result at all cost within justified reasons.
-2- Retain the services of an Accountant to assist you prepare a 3-5 years business plan as well as preparing the financing and a budget for such a venture based on your current financial means. This budget must include all items for this venture, from professional services, construction cost, merchandising displays, merchandising items such as jewelry, watches, gift-ware (if any), etc. No items small or large should be left out!
-3- With the business plan and budget completed and before you start shopping for a possible store location, you must hire a professional store planner (Interior Designer or Architect, NOT a decorator or a cabinet maker or a design & build contractor) with experience and training in the “Planning and Design” of Jewelry stores. This professional, upon careful study of your Business plan, services and merchandising departments, should and will be able to contact a market research of the demographic area you want to operate in, should be able to identify and understand your targeted market needs and should and be able to provide you with at least 2-3 possible store locations for your store location. Review this information in detail with your professional and discuss all the pros and cons of all options for every location such as traffic flow, exposure of the store to oncoming traffic from a distance and from near by, etc, prior to making a decision on the new store location.
-4- Upon deciding and securing a final store location, your Store Planner will start his planning and design process by establishing first a targeted store completion date and grand opening date. Most of the times this should be around 2-3 weeks prior to a major local or national event that relates with jewelry in order to take advantage of potential targeted customers purchases.
-5- The Store Planner will start his/hers store design work based on your provided budget restriction that will include all related areas such as merchandising departments space allocation, lighting design, display and packaging selections, graphics design and related visual presentations, store fixtures design, design of theft prevention and security systems and procedures. Also at the start of this work, the Store Planner will start on his/hers research and qualification of local and/or national general contractors and store fixtures manufacturers.
-6- Upon completion of the store design drawings and design review with you the owner and application of any changes, the Store Planner will prepare all related tender documents for the construction of the store and tender all drawings to at least three final qualified general contractors with directions on the expected completion date of their work and related matters.
-7- While the construction of your store is underway, the Store Planner will work closely with you the owner and your team on all related store preparations of such as merchandising departments, any possible advertising plans, sales associates training on displays and security procedures and on the store’s “soft opening” followed by the “grand opening”.
BUT, the most important detail that a Store Planner must carefully and seriously take into consideration is the lighting design of the store considering the type of merchandising sold and the character of the store design itself. Lighting is the first and most important element in the design of a jewelry store that will have a grand effect on the jewelry sales; the second most important element is the planning allocation and presentation of the merchandising departments and items with the third element being the security and integrity of the store!
If you have a question on any elements on the planning, design, operation and security of a retail store, ask our professionals @ askus@smadesigngroup.com, or visit our website @ www.smadesigngroup.com
Happy selling.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Rediness for the Christmas rush
Get set; ready; go. Christmas rush is on. Read to be better prepared and improve your sales @ http://www.smadesigngroup.com/tipofthemonth.htm
Monday, September 13, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Maximizing Jewelry Shoppability
By: Tim Malone
Shoppability refers to a jewelry merchandiser’s ability to create a retail environment that translates consumer demand into jewelry purchases. Ultimately, shoppability is about turning shoppers into buyers. Shopper behavior must be tracked, recorded and analyzed so merchandisers can incrementally improve the store’s ability to engage shoppers while eliminating purchase obstacles. There are critical customer touch points in merchandising jewelry which include the store entrance, display windows and display cases.
Shoppers are most compelled by selection. How does your store visually present each category of jewelry? How are product displays presented in a harmonious manner? What design elements do you tend to start with when begin to plan visual merchandising displays?
How do you create boutique presentations within your store to differentiate assorted displays of jewelry? How does your store provide a jewelry shopping experience to push the concept of being a one stop shopping destination? How does the store convey and sell the message of the store as a destination location for jewelry?
How does your store create excitement and engage loyal repeat customers and first time shoppers from the time they enter the store until they exit? How would your customers describe your store as a place where they can discover new and exciting merchandise every time they enter the store?
Planning is the key component of merchandising. Consider the very limited amount of total space that is actually used in retail jewelry stores for product display. Too often stores respond by putting too much merchandise in displays. Overstocked displays make it too difficult for shoppers to see individual products. There are often too much visual stimuli in overstocked displays for shoppers to comprehend. That’s why so many shoppers will just pass by an overstocked display.
Shoppability refers to a jewelry merchandiser’s ability to create a retail environment that translates consumer demand into jewelry purchases. Ultimately, shoppability is about turning shoppers into buyers. Shopper behavior must be tracked, recorded and analyzed so merchandisers can incrementally improve the store’s ability to engage shoppers while eliminating purchase obstacles. There are critical customer touch points in merchandising jewelry which include the store entrance, display windows and display cases.
Shoppers are most compelled by selection. How does your store visually present each category of jewelry? How are product displays presented in a harmonious manner? What design elements do you tend to start with when begin to plan visual merchandising displays?
How do you create boutique presentations within your store to differentiate assorted displays of jewelry? How does your store provide a jewelry shopping experience to push the concept of being a one stop shopping destination? How does the store convey and sell the message of the store as a destination location for jewelry?
How does your store create excitement and engage loyal repeat customers and first time shoppers from the time they enter the store until they exit? How would your customers describe your store as a place where they can discover new and exciting merchandise every time they enter the store?
Planning is the key component of merchandising. Consider the very limited amount of total space that is actually used in retail jewelry stores for product display. Too often stores respond by putting too much merchandise in displays. Overstocked displays make it too difficult for shoppers to see individual products. There are often too much visual stimuli in overstocked displays for shoppers to comprehend. That’s why so many shoppers will just pass by an overstocked display.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Design Differentiators
By: Tim Malone
One of the most effective investments any retailer can make is in their graphics; everything from business cards to outside signage to a web site and advertising materials.
In general, outside signs last longer and provide more exposures and return on investment than any other marketing investment retailers will make. Consider how outside signage needs to attract attention from viewers time and time again. Those signs that command attention from regular travelers are examples of design differentiators.
Business cards and web sites are other examples of design that customers can use to gain a preference towards one retailer over another. When was the last time you received a compliment from a customer regarding your graphics? What should that tell you?
A focal point is another approach to a design differentiator. Every display should have a focal point which is that area that is designed to attract a viewer’s eye and attention when they first make visual contact with the composition. Traditionally, the focal point is somewhere in the center grid area of a display. Every display should have areas of emphasis in addition to a focal point that compete for the viewer’s interest. When done effectively, a designer can predetermine how a shopper’s eye will travel throughout a display. Displays that lack a focal point are easily dismissed because they typically not very exciting to shoppers.
The use of color is a design differentiator. Too often retail jewelers use neutral colors in their store environments and miss the opportunity to send a unique message to shoppers. Close your eyes and imagine your store. What color do you see? If you can’t see a color just imagine how bland your store might feel to shoppers. Of course, the jewelry needs to be the main accent, but that does not mean that color cannot be used to create an exciting store environment. Do you paint accent walls to add to the interest of the store’s atmosphere and architecture? Do you use a theme color in your brand graphics? Why not carry it over or use it to create more interest through a contrast with another color? Color can be a design differentiator because it can very effectively elicit emotional responses in shoppers. Many jewelry purchases are emotional purchases. Color can change how we feel. Why not use color to help initiate emotional states in store shoppers?
Selection can be a design differentiator. Jewelry shoppers are influenced by the selection of items within a specific category of products. Having variations a popular design of jewelry can be an effective differentiator. Consider how a differentiated listing of a particular design of product with the right style, right quality and right price generates so many sales.
Having the right design of product is an effective design differentiator. What other means of design differentiation does your store use to create a competitive advantage? What other points of differentiation besides design do you use to gain the preference of your customers?
One of the most effective investments any retailer can make is in their graphics; everything from business cards to outside signage to a web site and advertising materials.
In general, outside signs last longer and provide more exposures and return on investment than any other marketing investment retailers will make. Consider how outside signage needs to attract attention from viewers time and time again. Those signs that command attention from regular travelers are examples of design differentiators.
Business cards and web sites are other examples of design that customers can use to gain a preference towards one retailer over another. When was the last time you received a compliment from a customer regarding your graphics? What should that tell you?
A focal point is another approach to a design differentiator. Every display should have a focal point which is that area that is designed to attract a viewer’s eye and attention when they first make visual contact with the composition. Traditionally, the focal point is somewhere in the center grid area of a display. Every display should have areas of emphasis in addition to a focal point that compete for the viewer’s interest. When done effectively, a designer can predetermine how a shopper’s eye will travel throughout a display. Displays that lack a focal point are easily dismissed because they typically not very exciting to shoppers.
The use of color is a design differentiator. Too often retail jewelers use neutral colors in their store environments and miss the opportunity to send a unique message to shoppers. Close your eyes and imagine your store. What color do you see? If you can’t see a color just imagine how bland your store might feel to shoppers. Of course, the jewelry needs to be the main accent, but that does not mean that color cannot be used to create an exciting store environment. Do you paint accent walls to add to the interest of the store’s atmosphere and architecture? Do you use a theme color in your brand graphics? Why not carry it over or use it to create more interest through a contrast with another color? Color can be a design differentiator because it can very effectively elicit emotional responses in shoppers. Many jewelry purchases are emotional purchases. Color can change how we feel. Why not use color to help initiate emotional states in store shoppers?
Selection can be a design differentiator. Jewelry shoppers are influenced by the selection of items within a specific category of products. Having variations a popular design of jewelry can be an effective differentiator. Consider how a differentiated listing of a particular design of product with the right style, right quality and right price generates so many sales.
Having the right design of product is an effective design differentiator. What other means of design differentiation does your store use to create a competitive advantage? What other points of differentiation besides design do you use to gain the preference of your customers?
Friday, May 28, 2010
Our Tip of the Month
For the newcomers retailer friends of our group, you can follow our "Tip of the month" articles @ http://www.britsmadesigngroup.com/tipofthemonth.htm
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