LIGHTING UP SALES!

Lighting in the retail sector plays a strategic role including creating the ‘right’ ambience for shopping, as well as helping to ‘define’ a store to its target audience. And, no longer is the objective of lighting limited to highlighting a particular brand or logo, but it also plays a significant part in influencing consumer purchase patterns.

 Shailesh Tokekar, Sales Controller – Retail Lighting, Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting Group, said,“Lighting makes shopping a ‘sensory’ experience, and it also helps retailers to attract consumers to a store, and encourages them to examine the merchandise displayed.”

It’s no surprise that across several categories of retail including fashion and consumer electronics, lighting solutions are making a key contribution in branding and allied activities.

Global trends

Consumers and business establishments across the globe are increasingly shifting to energy efficient LED and natural lighting (daylight harvesting), in a bid to create the right ambience. In addition, architects and interior designers highlight that international retailers are utilising the contrast theme in-store, which involves a suitable combination of light and dark areas, along with ambient and accent lighting.

This strategy would help to ensure that a store appears larger in size, but at the same time “familiar” to consumers and encourages them to stay longer at an outlet. Sandeep Singh, Vice President, Lifespace Business, Schneider Electric India, said,“The products in an outlet should be displayed in lighting that appears natural, and the ambience should also appropriately reflect the season.”

Array of solutions 

Each store has its distinctive style and character, and its brand positioning, and the lighting solution should also reflect that.  Experts also highlight that while planning lightning, retailers need to pay suitable attention to finding the right balance between illuminating a store window, merchandise displayed and an appropriate ambience.

 In addition, with the emphasis on creating ‘experience’ zones in-store, lighting would also play a key role in creating a distinct ‘character’, along with the accompanying goods displayed.

Jitendra Agrawal, National Sales Manager - Professional Channel, Philips Lighting India, said,“Special emphasis is required for ensuring appropriate lighting for store shelves and cash counters at retail outlets.” 

Clearly, lighting plays a key part in attracting and maintaining the loyalty of consumers to a particular brand and store.

                                  

 

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