Retail

Lighting Design Goals

A well lit retail environment makes for a positive shopping experience and encourages customers to make purchase decisions. Think of lighting as you would any other marketing or sales promotion tool in your store. It should:

  • Attract and guide customers into and through the store.
  • Provide visual comfort
  • Lead customers through merchandise areas safely and effectively
  • Help them find and evaluate merchandise
  • Call attention to specific merchandise and reinforce merchandising themes.
  • Initiate a purchase

Good retail lighting design is a balance between the following three areas:

  • Human Needs
    • Visibility
    • Task performance
    • Visual comfort
    • Safety
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  • Environmental and Economic Issues
    • Cost of lighting system ownership
    • Energy costs
    • Sustainability
  • Architectural
    • Lighting systems complement building design

Regardless of the space or area being illuminated, the design scheme usually employs a “layered” approach, combining the three basic categories of lighting:

  • General (also called ambient lighting),
  • Local (also called accent or task lighting)
  • Decorative

Lighting solutions for each store will vary depending on the target market, store concept and functional needs of the space.