Las Vegas -- Since 1998, Brian Dyches, vice president of global insight and strategy for Watt Strategy + Design, has presented SEMA Show seminars on store design, and for the past two years he has run the Store of the Future at the show, giving SEMA members the opportunity to meet for 20 minutes for a free one-on-one consultation with a professional store designer and to browse displays including store layout and signage.
"The genesis of this project has been to create an area where SEMA members had a place to go to discuss one-on-one with experts their specific issues," Dyches said.
He added that the store of the future may be a bit of a misnomer because it actually focuses on technology and knowledge available today. "It's really about taking who you are and what you have today and positioning yourself for the future," he said.
A common mistake in automotive parts retailing today is acting as though it has nothing in common with other modern retail stores, Dyches said. "This industry has segregated itself by thinking that it is truly unique and separate from other industries," he said.
This has led to the industry copying itself and having many competitors that look the same while clinging to outdated retail design, Dyches said. "These 'bowling alley' stores that have long rows of gondolas bore people and do not move them to buy," he said.
The standard auto store approach may have been fine when the typical customer was a knowledgeable do-it-yourselfer, but today's customer base is much broader, Dyches said. "The day and age of marketers acting like they are only aiming at one segment is over," he said.
"The aftermarket has created physical environments that are not inclusive," he said. "The surf market is a great example of a niche market that has marketed itself as a lifestyle and created a broader market for its offerings.
Dyches said the typical consumer in today's market is constantly bombarded with marketing messages and therefore store design has started to move back to providing simplicity that breaks down what is available and guides the consumer through the store. He sites Apple stores as a good example.
"You are bringing consumers into your store who are overwhelmed by their day-to-day environment, and you're trying to sell them something that they may not be used to purchasing. They are begging for a simple delivery that is broken down into bite-size pieces."
By using basics of store design, parts retailers and service facilities can help the customer understand what they have to offer, Dyches said. For instance, he noted that 80 percent of consumers move counterclockwise through the store. Rather than have straight aisles, he suggested having an obstacle six to eight feet inside the door that directs them to follow this counterclockwise rotation through the store and allows you to tell your story as they move through the facility.
"What you want to think about is not only do you have a predictable movement but you have to be able to tell a great story in predictable stages -- kind of like storyboarding," he said.
Some of the most important space in the store is the display that is perpendicular to the door, Dyches said. "What's perpendicular to the door makes me feel welcome or not and also tells me a lot about what the business does," he said.
"This is ocean-front real estate." He suggested this space as a great place to promote new or featured products or services and said that it should be changed at least monthly to keep it fresh.
For the customer service area at stores or repair shops, Dyches said lowering ceilings to around eight feet will create a sense of intimacy. "In today's world where service is often so bad, creating a sense of service often means creating intimacy."
Dyches said shops should look at their customer service areas to make sure it communicates the story they are trying to tell. "Make sure that the physical environment is not counterproductive to what you are saying." He said that shops and retailers should consider the type of customer they are trying to attract and then visit other types of retailers where those customers do business and attempt to emulate them.
"You are trying to create a comfort zone -- an oasis where they feel comfortable," he said. "Look across the range of places where the customer shops and mimic that to reflect their day-to-day lives."
Dyches said his company charges about $7,500 to $10,000 for a two-day design audit of a retail location and includes an advance profile, two days of carefully studying the business and its location, and a post-visit analysis. A comprehensive redesign plan begins around $25,000 and averages between $50,000 and $75,000, he said.
Stores that work with professional designers typically see an average increase in sales of 25 percent the first year, dropping by halves in following years, Dyches said. In many cases, those models are carried forward to multiple locations, he said. "The reason you want to hire me is for big ideas that move you forward and create a brand."
Storefront
Think of the storefront as a permanent billboard that works 24/7.
• Define the brand
• Announce who you are
• Promote what you do
• Invite customers in
Signage
Your signage is a direct communication between you and your customer.
* Merchandise presented with a sign will sell 24 percent better than that without a sign.
* A machine-printed sign improves sales 56 percent over a hand-lettered sign.
* As customers walk by your store, you have 3 seconds to grab their attention.