#11 – Opening a Retail Store? When to engage a Lighting Consultant
Opening a Retail Store? When to engage a Lighting Consultant
Retail lighting design is somewhat a new field of interest in the construction industry. Back then, lighting installation is included in the construction plan and is rarely given thought when it comes to styling. People didn’t think it was necessary to spend resources on pieces of equipment whose main purpose is to illuminate the space.
Today, some factors need to be considered in retail lighting design aside from style and appearance. Lighting design consultants have to study visual comfort, energy consumption, budget, environmental impact, lighting standards, and customer experience in planning the layout of light fixtures.
Brands are now competing for elements that affect customer experience, and this includes the lighting of a retail store. For this matter, you’ll want to engage a lighting design consultant to improve the following aspects:
1. WHEN YOU WANT TO IMPROVE THE STORE’S AMBIANCE
Lighting directly influences mood since 80% of the sensory information the brain processes come from what the eyes see.
Lighting can often be found on the ceiling or the wall, both of which are tasked to illuminate a certain area in the room. Now, there are other options on where lighting can be placed to further enhance the look of objects or space itself.
Architectural design, consumer spaces, and facial reactions are made more defined by the introduction of light. In the retail space, lighting can help customers define product quality, ultimately helping their decision to buy the merchandise.
LEDs offer a more cost-effective lighting system compared to incandescent and fluorescent options. LEDs are also more flexible in the sense that they can be placed almost anywhere you want.
With endless options on how to position LEDs, the challenge is to where effectively put them to create the desired effect. Cooperating with a lighting design consultant like Baseline who knows how to correctly integrate lighting with specific elements inside the store.
2. WHEN YOU NEED TO EMPHASIZE YOUR BRAND
Lighting can create a story. By highlighting certain elements in the store, you emphasize which areas need more attention over others. The contrasting light intensity creates a dynamicity that makes the space alive and organic.
Lighting consultants know how to further boost brand strategy by consistently maintaining a certain image. Lighting serves as an alternative communication medium where businesses can convey their purpose to customers.
Don’t wait for customers to notice the lack of proper lighting in your retail store. Present your brand the way you wanted it from the get-go and make a lasting experience that’s worth recommending to others.
3. WHEN YOU NEED TO BE COST-EFFICIENT
Most probably, your supplier can do the retail lighting design for you, and the service would be slightly cheaper than getting a lighting consultant. If you’re lucky, you might even chance upon someone who’ll do it for free.
Suppliers will certainly have limitations, though, in terms of their knowledge about retail lighting design. You also have to consider the fact that their earnings depend on the sales they make, so there’s a chance you’ll be advised to buy unnecessary fixtures.
By the time everything has been set up, you’ll end up paying more compared to when you would have hired an expert like Baseline. You’ll be using too much lighting and wasting too much energy because of inefficient bulbs, all while not having the effect you had in mind.
With a lighting design consultant like Baseline, you don’t have to worry about getting ripped off. We won’t earn any commission from the lighting fixtures we’ll install in your store. You may even get them for a cheaper price because we know the suppliers and they may give us a discount for being loyal clients.
Well-planned retail lighting design can provide incredible energy savings in the long run. Our sole focus is to provide the best lighting solution for your business needs. We’ll make sure you get cost-efficient lights without sacrificing aesthetic value.
4. WHEN YOU HAVE TO PASS STANDARDS
Residential and commercial buildings in the US are accountable for approximately 72% of electricity usage in the country. To curb excessive consumption, the Department of Energy established an energy code that businesses must comply with. Failure to follow the requirements may result in penalties, or worse, rejection or cancellation of the operating permit.
The US Department of Energy has released a new standard for commercial buildings, so if you plan to open a retail store, better read about this to know what you can and can’t install in your shop. If this is too much of a hassle, engage a lighting consultant to check whether your light fixtures comply with government requirements.
More than just following regulations, complying with energy standards can make your business more attractive to customers. Knowing that you promote sustainable energy consumption, consumers will prefer doing business with you because it will make them feel that they’re contributing to the environment’s welfare.
Every country has their energy codes that must be followed, especially by business operators. Consulting an expert like Baseline to check your retail lighting design will ensure your business remains compliant with enforced rules on electric consumption.
5. WHEN YOU WANT TO BE TRENDY
Since the arrival of LEDs, there has been a rapid growth in the lighting industry as an endless variety of designs come rushing to the market. It can be challenging to keep up with the trend when you don’t have the time to research the latest products that will fit your retail lighting design.
A lighting consultant like us at Baseline Lighting Studio can do the work for you by evaluating which of the trending styles will suit your business. We can assess whether you’re keeping up with competitors and your retail lighting design is unique enough to be remembered by customers.
Aside from the fixture designs, you can consult us on using intelligent lighting to help provide excellent retail experience. Smart lighting is now becoming a trend because as it lets you fully control the system and keep an eye on maintenance and consumption.
6. WHEN YOU NEED A SPECIALIST TO DO THE JOB
Upcoming entrepreneurs who are about to open a retail store often ask whether it’s a necessity to engage a lighting design consultant.
Some skilled architects have a basic understanding of how light impacts spatial perception. They know how to make use of lighting to bring out the best appearance of a building’s interior and exterior. However, they may not be aware of the massive energy consumption of the fixtures installed.
To save on energy costs, you might decide to consult an engineer to resolve your electricity issues. They sure are knowledgeable on lux levels, inverse square law, and light output ratio, but their adjustments might affect the initial lighting setup and reduce its effectiveness.
When you hire a lighting design consultant like Baseline Lighting Design Studio, you’ll get the best of both worlds. Both the technical and aesthetical aspects will be covered in planning the lighting layout. This will ensure the seamless integration of cost-effective fixtures into the building architecture without sacrificing the desired effect your brand wants to deliver.
CONCLUSION
There’s no doubt that lighting impacts the retail customer experience. Brand story, product perception, customer engagement, and store ambiance are all affected by lighting, so it’s better to do things correctly with the help of a lighting design consultant.
Baseline Lighting Design Studio can make your retail store a place that customers will want to always visit. You don’t want a shop that only attracts customers the first-time out of their curiosity. You want a business that people would love going to and only a proper retail lighting design can encourage that behavior.
If you’re about to open a retail store and you’re unsure of its lighting design, drop us a message and let’s see what we can do for your business.
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