FEATURE STANDING ON SOLID GROUND
Standing on Solid Ground
We all know the importance of a good retail floor to communicate brand value and engage customers. But are you aware that flooring also evokes feelings that can determine sales? Sarah Robinson reports.
Working in the industry it might be taken for granted that our own floors are absolutely flawless. However, in today’s ever competitive consumer market, retail flooring not only needs to be aesthetic, and durable but it also needs to engage customers, and drive revenue. This is especially important as e-retail continues to challenge bricks and mortar stores, and even more so for flooring retailers who should be taking full advantage to showcase the optimal coverings.
The overall look and feel of a store not only helps to entice customers in from the street and encourage them to extend their stay, but the ground underfoot can also affect how the customer feels about products on sale. This in turn determines whether they buy it, according to a study by Joan Meyers-Levy at the University of Minnesota.
The research, published in the Journal of Consumer Research explored the feelings evoked by the two most common types of flooring in retail environments: hard vinyl tile and carpet. “When a person stands on carpeted flooring, it feels comforting,” said Meyers-Levy. “But the irony is that when people stand on carpet, they will judge products close to them as less comforting.”
Researchers had participants stand on either soft pile carpet or hard vinyl tile and judge products based on appearance. It was found that when products were placed a moderate distance away, people’s judgements of them were unconsciously guided by their bodily sensations. When looking at a couch for example, it would seem very comfortable when standing on a cold, vinyl tile and not as comfortable when standing on carpet.
For dealers in furniture as well as flooring, it is vital that customers feel comfort from the soft furnishings and the research can be applied to reach those means. It can also be important in the flooring department itself, where hard materials need to be judged as hardy and resilient.
A popular current trend is to use flooring to create zones, or as a means of wayfinding. A variation in floorcoverings
26 | Spring 2015 Tomorrow’s Retail Floors
can be used to create small feature areas where customers can stop and take notice of the products on display. This is particularly useful for retailers of furnishings and there is definite appeal in making the customer feel like they are in a comfortable setting, like home, where they would actually use the product.
Beyond the sensory aspect, it’s obviously imperative that the floor can perform well. A recent webinar conducted by Tarkett explored the topic of flooring as a revenue generator. Stephanie Jones, designer and project manager on retail and workspace projects, highlighted the fact that surfaces will be cleaned frequently and there needs to be a minimum change in appearance. Modular flooring is an excellent option as it allows for replacement of small areas.
Key trends for 2015 are concrete for an industrial-chic look, or wood, marble, and stone, all of which are resilient, functional and convey a sustainable message. There is a major tendency for specifying realistic looking faux materials that have a lower cost than the real thing, while remaining highly durable.
Stephanie commented that having surfaces morph into each other is big news for 2015. Flooring materials can be used on walls, fixtures and counter tops with the added benefit of serving as a fresh and modern display case.
Graphic elements can also be used to communicate the brand with customisation of flooring from sponsored entrance matting to logos embedded in the floor. However, it is important that the floor doesn’t compete with the merchandise so signature brand colours and logos should be used subtly.
Kevin Tierney, Director of Consumer Environments at Tarkett, commented: “75-88% of buying decisions are made in store so if the design element isn’t there and it’s not drawing people into the store then there’s a loss of sales to the end user.” With that in mind, it’s essential that our own floors stand up to their duty.
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