Store Layout, Design, and Visual Merchandising
Jingyi Tan
A43064240
RET 261
Group 33
April 5, 2010
Store: American Eagle in Meridian Mall
1. Q: In general, is the store layout, design and visual merchandising techniques
used consistent with the exterior of the store and location?
A: Yes, it is. The whole store is designed with bright, warm-colored lightings
which create great atmosphere and make customers who enter relax. Either
new arrivals hung on the shop windows or apparels inside are also
presented colorfully and organized in free-form layout, which quite fit the
store’s theme—casual, young and country-style consistently.
2. Q: Is the store’s ambiance consistent with the merchandise presented and the
customer’s expectations?
A: Yes, it is. The bright lightings and casual music have created a great
ambiance consistent with their young fashions. The store right away is on
seasonal changes, there thus new spring colorful apparels are presented up
front for greater attraction. And within 30 minutes observation, 6 out of 13
customers did purchase clothes from the store, which drew me the
conclusion that the ambiance of the store consistent with the customer’s
expectation.
3. Q: Does the store look like it needs to be redesigned? Do you think it needs a
face lift, update, remodel or renovation?
A: Everything in the store is great except the floor and the fitting rooms.
The floor is a little bit old and some noise would be made when I stepped
on some area, especially some of the main part that customers walk
frequently. Anther part that need to be updated are the fitting rooms
since they might seem old compared to the other part of the store.
4. Q: To what extent are the store’s layout, design, and merchandising
techniques flexible?
A: As I observed, most of the things are flexible in the store, including the
features such as the rounder, gondola, except for the straight rack which
are attached to the wall. Also, all the models used to display their
apparels as well as the promotional signage are highly flexible for the
frequent seasonal changes in apparels’ styles and types.
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5. Q: Notice the lighting. Does it do a good job in highlighting merchandise,
structuring space, capturing a mood, and downplaying unwanted
features?
A: Yes, it does. As I mentioned above, the lighting inside is perfectly fit
the theme of the America Eagle. The bright lighting allowed the
customers to view the whole store clearly and in my opinion, the space
actually seems larger and free under this kind of lighting. And it also
captured a casual and pleased mood like stay in the open air. However,
the job of highlighting some particular merchandise such as the new
arrivals and the on sale goods is not doing well enough. The lighting is
not specially “highlight” on these kinds of special good but everything,
which didn’t appeal customer’s eyes on their main selling products—the
new arrivals and the seasonal on-sale clothes.
6. Q: Are the fixtures consistent with the merchandise and the overall ambiance
of the store? Are they flexible?
A: Yes, the fixtures are organized well and consistent with the ambiance
of the store. America Eagle uses varies of fixtures as other apparel
stores do. They use gondolas to present the new arrivals, and straight
rack on each side to classify different categories such as jeans, coat,
shirts, and socks and so on, and then gondola again for different size,
colors and styles. At the back of the store there are the on-sale clothes
which are presented in rounder feature. All of the features are neatly set
up and organized orderly, which consistent with the store merchandise
and ambiance. As I observed, the gondola and rounder are flexible and
easy moving if needed, which the Straight Rack is fitted in the wall
instead. .
7. Q: Evaluate the store’s signage. Do they do an effective job in selling
merchandise?
A: Yes, they do. American Eagle uses huge promotional signage which
display large posters on the walls of models wearing the new spring
clothes, which attract customers to buy the items shown on the posters.
Moreover, they use point of sale signs for those on sale and special
offering. For instance, the “40% off” besides the sweater and thick coats.
8. Q: Has the retailer used any theatrical effects to help sell merchandise?
A: I didn’t see any theatrical effects in the store during my observation.
9. Q: Does the store layout help draw people through the store?
A: Yes, it does. The layout is clear and illustrated in free form. It’s straight
forward and understandable. For me, I can go through the store to the
area I am seeking for with the help of the layout, which I believe works
with other customers as well.
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10. Q: Evaluate the retailer’s use of empty space.
A: The store is full of varies of clothes put on different shelves and
merchandising techniques. For lots of stores, most of the empty spaces
come from the top of these shelves and the upper walls, which American
Eagle deal with them quite well. They set models in different posts on
these shelves to display their apparels and products. And for the upper
walls they hang great posters to cover them. And on the aisles, there are
always a couple of sellers and assistants stand aside, ready to help and
provide information to the customers. So I think the empty space is
effectively used.
11. Q: Has the retailer taken advantage of the opportunity to sell merchandise in
feature areas?
A: Yes. First of all, as I mentioned above, the entrance is featured the
new arrivals and trendy items, which attract more customers to enter.
Secondly, in the checkout area, they put impulse items such as necklace,
bracelet, some sunglasses, underwear and socks which largely increase
customer’s continence.
12. Q: Does the store make creative use of wall space?
A: Yes, it does. Large posters are hung on the wall to display their
products. And some of the apparels are also hung on the wall. The walls
are used effectively, but which I believe, not creative enough.
13. Q: What type of layout does the store use? Is it appropriate for the type of
store? Would another type layout be better?
A: the American Eagle uses the free-form layout to arrange their fixtures
and aisles. Since the store located in Meridian Mall is a small, so I deem
the free-form layout is the most appropriate layout for American Eagle in
Meridian Mall.
14. Q: Ask the store manager how the profitability of space is evaluated; for
example, profit per square foot. Is there a better approach?
A: The store manager refused to answer this kind of questions.
15. Q: Ask the store manager how space is assigned to merchandise. Critically
evaluate the answer.
A: As the store manager said, the merchandises are firstly assigned by
men’s on the right, and left for women’s. And the new arrivals would be
displayed up front the on-sale goods would be place on the back of the
store. Socks, underwear, jewelry and the complements are set in front of
the checkout counter which is located in the middle of the store. These
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were the same as my observation.
16. Q: Ask the store manager if plan-o-grams are used. If so, try to determine
what factors are considered when putting together a plan-o-gram.
A: The store manager said they don’t use it.
17. Q: Has the retailer employed any techniques for achieving greater space
productivity such as using the “cube”, down-sizing gondolas and racks,
and minimizing non-selling space?
A: Yes, he has. The retailer employed gondolas for the new arrivals
which are easily view by the customers; the racks on each side of the
store for older clothes since they are usually in grater amount, thus this
will reduce the space and increase the space available; and rounder for
the on-sale goods which is designed for maximum amount of
merchandise, like the great amount of remaining winter clothes.
18. Q: Are departments in the most appropriate locations? Would you move any
departments?
A: Since the store is organized in free-formed, the cashier is located in
the middle and the dressing rooms is located on the back, which are
appropriated located, so I would not move any departments.
19. Q: What method(s) has the retailer used for organizing merchandise? Is this
the “best” way? Suggest appropriate changes.
A: I believe that American Eagle organize their apparels into men’s and
women’s basically. Men’s clothes are put on the right and what on the left are
women’s. And then, the front part of the store shows the new arrivals, and the
back are the on-sale goods areas. If appropriate changes are needed, I would
suggest changing the way that the on-sale goods are being organized. As I
observed, the on-sale clothes were hung on the rounder, and classified by
varies sizes. However, this will put all different style clothes in the same size
together, and this kind of method as a matter of fact, gives consumers a bad
impression of old and outdate. In my opinion, they should put them in straight
rack as others, and classified by styles instead.
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