The graphic below wonderfully illustrates the variety of product categories that we consume, and a noticeable shift from physical to virtual shopping for a few. Are some businesses increasing profitability online compared to their physical counterparts? A quick observation tells us that shipping is still ‘too slow’ for some categories; but probably not for long. It’s a good time to analyze your business to see where you belong - on the street or in the cloud.
Creative Solutions is packing up for a road trip. We will be attending this year’s GlobalShop held in Las Vegas. The first time we attended was in 2006 in Chicago and were blown away by the amount of resources there. We’ve been yearning to go back to see what’s new ever since.
GlobalShop hosts the latest vendors in retail and store design. Everything you need from lighting to signage and mannequins to fixtures. It is a visual merchandisers heaven.
Take a look at some photos of previous shows. We will be micro-blogging while there and will upload tons of photos upon our return. Follow us on Twitter, @iheartcs, for more images and tips from seminars we will be attending.
Alesco Booth
Infinity Booth
Musak Booth
Decorating a home dwelling can be a straight forward affair: determine the function of each room, add furniture, then apply style. When planning to decorate a retail space or special event, your interiors can have a much wider variety of needs. To keep you and your team (if you got one) organized and productive when doing a floor move or decor installation, creating a map of your project space will help you better visualize the area. Architects, Contractors and Interior Designers will always start with an idea on paper before works begins. By adopting their process will allow you to understand your design challenges before the first fixture is moved. No drawing skills? Can’t make your plans as fancy as an architect? Don’t worry, your plans need only be understood by you. The goal is to define your working space by establishing it’s particular design needs. To help you visualize your tasks at hand, we recommend a couple of handy applications for your next big project.
Google Sketchup
Acquired by Google a few years ago, Sketchup is a powerful yet easy 3D application that delivers professional results for exterior or interior modeling and object creation. Adopted by many architects as a sketchpad for visualizing concepts to clients, Sketchup is the main tool for those who need quick results without the hassle of learning a dedicated 3D or CAD program. Google has released a free version that will fit most users needs and Pro version which enables more features. Google supports Sketchup with online tutorials and seriously large library of 3D objects to use (including real models from official vendors like Maytag and Kenmore). Within a few hours you’ll be building like the pros.
Sweet Home 3D
Another popular program for interior design and modeling is Sweet Home 3D, a European application that is well supported on multiple systems and comes in various languages. Similar to Sketchup, Sweet Home 3D excels at rapidly building a floorplan from a sketch or scan of an existing plan. Users can work in a 2D interface while seeing a three-dimensional representation in another window, handy when spinning around an object gets tiring. The support for Sweet Home 3D is not as robust as Google would provide, but their website does have the necessary tech support and forums.
If you’re dreading a particular renovation or need some accuracy when planning the next event, consider testing your theories in the virtual world first, your back will thank you for it, just remember to take good measurements!
Operating and managing a retail store each day can lead to overexposure of your merchandise and general visual exhaustion. Unfortunately, by not maintaining an objective perspective on your stores visual presence can lead to promotional liabilities, especially your storefront.
Did you know the average time a customer will contemplate entering a store is 7 seconds? What does your storefront need to do to protect you from losing potential customers? Below are simple (and economical!) tips to create a functional and impressive storefront entrance.
1. Avoid tall fixtures
Using large fixtures or complex displays at your entrance will create visual barriers that reduces sight-lines and create a feeling of unwelcoming ‘separation’. Keep floor fixtures at waist or chest height for better browsing and overall higher visibility.
2. Provide a Decompression Zone
Place your lead fixture (preferably a table) 3’ - 4’ feet inside the store threshold rather than at the immediate entrance. This space will allow customers to prepare themselves for shopping and navigating your store.
An attractive and inviting storefront at Soha Living / Kahala Mall
3. Make a Statement!
Use exciting products to attract customers into your store. Tell a story through lifestyle, color or a mixture of both. Be creative and make an impact.
Victoria Secret’s Pink Store shows off a great example of classification merchandising; highlighting a few styles while using complimentary items to surround them.
ReForm School in Los Angeles shows a great lifestyle presentation. (photo credit targophoto.com via Flickr)
4. Change your Product Weekly
Plan to change your display product weekly. This will help keep the store looking fresh and appealing to frequent customers. Even better, be the customer! Shop your store for signs of stale or ineffective displays, then fix them.
5. Maintenance
IMPORTANT! Be mindful of untidy areas throughout the day, always check for dust or trash that has accumulated. Pickup after customers and remove unncessary clutter from view of the public. If you use an entry rug, straighten and clean it routinely.
Pictures Plus / Ward Warehouse
You have one chance to make a good first impression, make it count. By applying these steps to your storefront and actively working on improving your displays can help turn a passerby into a loyal customer. If you don’t take the time to care, neither will your customers.
This would be a dynamic, living backdrop to a store window or a great use for unused tenant spaces. The project is called Window Farms and is the brainchild of NY artists Britta Riley and Rebecca Bray. (via Cool Hunting)
Wonderwall & Nike Town
An interview with Masamichi Katayama of Wonderwall for their new design work at Nike Town - Harajuku, Tokyo. (via coolhunting)
In the video above Kevin Rose demonstrates the latest invention from Twitter creator Jack Dorsey called Squareup. A service that allows instant credit card transactions through a tiny card swiping device attached to an internet enabled iPhone. The company provides a slick UI for easy on-the-fly processing; while signing and receipts stay virtual. This device solves the awkward management of spontaneous or external cash only events in the wild (pop shops, garage sales, craigslist, craft fairs). Although Squareup has designed the featherweight champ of portable POS systems, they are not alone. Stay tuned for plenty of activity in this market and lets hope the ‘whale’ doesn’t announce your negative balance. (via Venturebeat)
Intel’s demonstration of computer assisted ‘window shopping’
The Future is never easy to spot on a daily basis. New technologies often creep in through older versions of itself. But, sometimes they can hit us square on the head, like the automated vacuum (Roomba), hybrid car (Prius) and smart phone (iPhone) to name a few examples. Intel, the computer processor manufacturer, has released a demonstration of their latest processor the Core i7, integrated into a faux store window as digital signage. The presenters demonstrate a working graphical user interface (GUI) within a pane of semi-translucent glass operated by touch sensitivity. A built-in camera is also present to identify gender and proximity of the user for a focused interactive experience. Don’t expect this technology at your local mall just yet, there are still massive cost and manufacturing hurdles to overcome before we can literally window shop. Plus, who wants to clean all those finger prints off the front window all day?
Our Prediction
The built-in camera will make it to main street storefront windows before the touch screens will. Imagine LCD advertisements adjusting to exactly what you might want based on your age, gender or items in hand. Smile for the camera. (via Core77)
Pop up stores may not have made it to the islands (yet) but traveling to the mainland the last couple of years, we came across several of them. Not only did we see small, boutique style pop up’s but giants like Uniqlo, The Gap and Target took over empty spaces at shopping centers to bodegas.
The idea of “get it while you can” really creates a sense of urgency in these temporary stores. Most last a week, while others pop up for the weekend and are gone by Monday.
If Swing shops are the future of retailing, it seems the idea of “seasons” are becoming less and less. It’s about capturing fashion as it happens and simply not waiting for a calendar season to influence you.
Keeping inventory from becoming stagnant is a major challenge for most retailers; maybe swing shops will be the answer. It not only reduces your stock but keeps your brand fresh and appealing, leading to repeat visits.
Click on the link or Here to read more…
Pantone Color Institute®, the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, unveils PANTONE 15-5519 Turquoise as the color of the year 2010.
It is described as “an inviting, luminous hue”. Combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green.” This color of the year will evoke thoughts of tranquility while restoring the “sense of well being”.
Whether or not it calms and relaxes you, Turquoise pairs well with any other color in the spectrum while it creates excitement to neutrals and browns.
Pantone® colors are used in ever aspect of design. From fashion, home decor to paint colors and special events. Take a look at some pieces that we began spotting at the end of 2009 and the first few days of the year:
Both pieces from Jonathan Adler.
Dayna B. cut glass votive set, Sears.
Shine Citrine Pendant, Candalabra
Graphic Tote (Hawai‘i designer), Maliko Design via Lei Chic
Eva Mendes in Michael Kors
Wafer Cake, via Martha Stewart Weddings
Supplements NY, 800-631-3844
With Love flower note, Hammerpress
