Setting up a retail store for success is no easy task. You need to create the perfect experience for every consumer who walks through the doors of your retail store. According to experts who specialize in retail marketing, lighting plays a significant role in how successful your retail store is.

Any retail store owner or manager always asks himself or herself the following questions-

• How can I ensure that the products are showcased to probable customers best?
• What should the overall look and feel of the retail store be like? In other words, how can the layout be optimized?
• How can I make certain sections and products get highlighted? For example, a new collection that has just come?

In this article, we look at the fundamentals of great lighting solutions for your retail store. At the end of the article, we also help you with an Infographic that details how you should go about setting up the lighting in your retail store.

Good Lighting Helps Create a Positive Experience in Welcoming Customers:

Have you ever walked into a store and immediately gotten a positive vibe? One of the major reasons why you were able to feel in a particular way is because of the lighting.

Psychologists who have done extensive tests opine that lighting is closely linked to emotional well-being. Good lighting, especially in the right areas, can act as a mood uplifter. When this happens, a consumer is more likely to shop and purchase things from the shop.

Different kinds of lighting solutions have different effects on the mood of human beings-

Warm and Soft-

If you want to make your customers feel relaxed, you need warm and soft lighting in your retail store. This kind of shade and lighting immediately puts customers at ease and allows them to feel calm and comfortable. Many high-end designer boutiques follow this kind of pattern.

Bright and Cheerful-

If you have ever walked into a retail store in a mall, you know what we are talking about. Bright lighting makes the products appear in a far better light. In many senses, if you are looking to create a ‘hero’ product, you can go for bright and cheerful lights in the store.

List of Three Different Types of Retail Lighting-

In this section, we will highlight the three major types of lighting that retail store owners usually follow-

1. Ambient Lighting:

In simple terms, Ambient Lighting refers to the overall lighting within the store. It also has the maximum impact. In this instance, a huge lighting fixture right in the middle of the store helps in creating an ambient atmosphere in the entire store This helps with design and illumination.

2. Accent Lighting:

There are some areas or products within the store that need to be highlighted as hero products. These shelves or displays are accented by special lights to make them illuminate and appear attractive in the eyes of the customer. Luxury stores follow this lighting principle.

3. High-Activity Lighting:

When it comes to retail stores, a standard premise is that no area of the store should be unlit. This means every nook and cranny needs to be sufficiently lit to ensure customers do not miss any product, no matter how buried it is on a shelf.

4. Decorative Lighting

When you are talking about lighting, functionality should not be your only concern. In fact, you should also consider the power of the aesthetics. Therefore, you must give decorative or aesthetic lighting some try. These lights would enhance the overall look and feel of a certain area or space. These lights include chandeliers, floor lamps, etc. 

Popular Lighting Trends In Retail

The importance of lighting in retail stores is seminal. Without proper lighting, a retail store might not have that same essence. Therefore, it is very important to have good lighting. It can improve customer communication and sales. 

Here are some of the most popular lighting trends in retail that you need to know about. All these lighting trends pertain to 2024. Therefore, follow this section to understand the importance of lighting in retail stores. 

Biophilic Lighting

The most popular lighting design for 2024 is the biophilic lighting. Biophilic lights tend to contain organic elements like wood, stone, etc., in their lighting designs. As a result, the lighting designs come off as organic in nature.  This is actually a small business trend that is gradually growing into prominence. 

These lights are very similar to ambient light. Both of them use natural elements to make the lighting look organic and true to the respective space. Studies show that biophilic lights have a calming effect on people. 

This can help your customers feel relaxed and centred. Which in turn would help them in the buying process. Therefore, you can give biophilic lights a try. 

Statement Lighting

Next up is the statement lighting. Statement lighting is gradually making a return. More and more stores are chucking minimalistic approaches out of the window and are going for bold statement lighting. These lights illuminate and make the space seem bigger.

As per research, statement lighting helps highlight the elements that need highlighting. Therefore, stores usually use this lighting technique around their flagship products. This is because this form of lighting helps the store to highlight the products more effectively. Therefore, this shows the importance of lighting in retail stores. 

Smart Lighting Solutions

Finally, the most common and popular lighting trend for 2024 is Smart Lighting Solutions. These solutions are best suited for the current technological landscape. The best part about these lights is their ability to morph and change their aesthetics.

Smart lighting solutions help retailers achieve a modernized look and feel. This is one of the key factors that add to the overall USP of this form of lighting. The best part about these lighting solutions is their affordability. 

The Final Word:

With the coming of thematic stores, retail lighting solutions have undergone a massive change. 

LEDs have come to replace fluorescent bulbs in a major way as they are more efficient in terms of power consumption and guarantee long shelf life.

Additional Reading:

• 5 Simple Tips to Get More Customers Into Your Retail Store
• Your Guide to Choosing and Using Display Cabinets for Your Retail Store
• Your Guide To Choosing The Right Management Software When Opening A Retail Store