This article was originally posted on DPI’s blog

The world of retail has changed enormously in recent years, with consumers focusing on more than just the products themselves.

With a shift in consumer behaviour towards online shopping, physical stores have been forced to think outside the box and give consumers a reason to take the trip into town. But how can you do it?

While online shopping is convenient, it can’t replicate the atmosphere and experience of a physical store, so retailers need to use this to their advantage.

Creating an inviting atmosphere for your retail space is a multi-faceted approach with many contributing factors. But one of the most influential factors is store lighting.

Lighting plays an important role in influencing mood and drawing attention to particular products, so let’s take a closer look at the importance of lighting in retail stores…

Benefits of Using Light in Retail Displays

Add to the Atmosphere

Choosing the vibe for your store is key to how visitors will perceive you and your brand, so it’s important to consider how lighting impacts the atmosphere.

If you want a cool, edgy atmosphere at your store, it’s best to stick to dim, warm lighting and let natural daylight do the rest. On the other hand, if you want to give off an open and modern vibe, using bright, cool tones is the way to go.

Change the Size of the Store

While lighting doesn’t have a magical power that makes your shop floor bigger, it can make it feel bigger.

Bright lights give the illusion of a bigger space, making the store feel more spaced out and airy. A combination of clever retail design and bright lighting can make your space feel twice the size.

And the same works in reverse, if you have a large retail space that you want to feel more compact and cosier, use dimmer lighting.

Draw Attention to Displays

You’ve spent lots of time and money working on your displays for this season, so you don’t want them to blend into the background and be missed by customers.

Lighting is a simple and effective way to guide customers towards the displays, encouraging them to find out more about the focus products you are promoting.

A great way to do this is to incorporate lighting into the display itself, using spotlights and lightboxes. That way they are guaranteed to stand out from the four walls of your store.

Influences Brand Perception

It’s not just the atmosphere of your store that influences how you’re perceived by potential customers, it’s your brand as a whole.

Use bright, backlit lighting to draw attention to your signage and branding. This will leave a lasting impression on your customers, so they’ll remember your brand the next time they go shopping, encouraging them to pop in for a look around.

Lighting Techniques

Now you know why light plays an important role, how do you implement it in an effective way?

Lighting Shade

The first step to making the most of lighting design is to understand the shades of light. The temperature of light is measured in Kelvin, ranging from a cool, white/blue light to a warm, yellow light.

Finding the right balance between warm and cool light for your store will take your interior design to the next level.

Contrast Lighting

A popular retail design technique is to use a combination of dimly lit lighting and bright accent lighting to draw attention to certain areas that compliment your store layout.

If you have bagged an impressive building for your store, this technique can also be used to highlight architectural elements that further add to the atmosphere.

Lightboxes

A unique way to add lighting to your store without making wider changes is to use lightboxes.

Lightboxes can be used across your retail space to integrate display and lighting in an engaging way that grabs attention. This encourages customers to take notice of the display and increases the chance of a sale.

How to Utilise Lightboxes in Your Display

Lightboxes are a double-edged sword. They add all-important lighting to your store while also being a part of your displays.

This is an eye-catching combination that can be used to complement existing campaigns or stand out on its own.

Lightboxes from DPI are manufactured in-house to order, so your lightbox works with your vision and is fit for purpose.

And they’re not a one-time solution. Using push-fit fabrics, our lightboxes can be used time and time again on different campaigns for years to come.

How DPI Can Help

At DPI, we have years of experience manufacturing lightboxes for retail environments. Whether you understand the nitty-gritty details or simply have an idea that needs to be made a reality, we can help.

Get in touch with our team for advice and to find out more about lightboxes in retail.