This report aims to develop a layout plan for a such store as College Men’s Unlimited that retails traditional male apparel. This case is based on a hypothetical scenario illustrating the factors which should be considered while merchandising goods and products. This paper examines theoretical views on layout models and proposes practical applications for this knowledge.
On the whole, appropriate merchandising is the key to success in such a field of retailing. While developing a layout plan for the shop, the manager has to take into account a great number of criteria like the size of the store, the nature of the product, lighting, and so forth (Levy & Weitz, 2004). To some extent, all of them shape the image of the shop and customers attitude toward it in the long term. The main purpose of this paper is to describe the major steps of the decision-making process.
The choice of layout model for a retail store heavily depends on the peculiarities of the product. The main purpose of merchandising is to make goods visible to the customers so that they could instantly find the necessary item. Overall, there exist three approaches applicable in this situation: free flow, grid pattern, and boutique (Brassington & Pettitt, 2006, p 610). We need to take into account that College Mens Unlimited specializes in retailing male apparel. Furthermore, their shop is placed in a rectangular room of 2.800 square feet (40×70). So, the area is not very large. The most feasible recommendation is to adopt the free flow model. Its major peculiarity is that the counters and shelves are placed adjacently to the walls, while the center of the room is not occupied (Brassington & Pettitt, 2006, p 610). This enables the visitors to move quickly from one part of the shop to another (Varley, 2006 p 189). This model has been chosen for several reasons: first and foremost, it allows the customers to see the entire range of products without having to wander about the shop or ask for the help of a shop assistant.
Unfortunately, we do not know the exact height of the room but it should be borne in mind many fashion and clothes retailers often take advantage of the vertical space. For instance, shirts, jackets, sweaters, cardigans jeans, belts, etc may be displayed in full size. The most optimal decision under the circumstances is to hang them along the wall. The major advantage is that there will be practically queues in the store. People will be able to pick and choose the item they need without having to wait for a long time as they often do in stores which are divided into narrow passages. In turn, smaller items like neckties can be kept at the counter. Nonetheless, the free flow pattern has several drawbacks: cleaning becomes more time-consuming. Additionally, a large part of the space remains unused (Levy & Weitz, 2004). One may argue that Mike and Earl Moore, the owners of College Mens Unlimited, cannot afford such waste. But these are the practices, adopted by leading fashion and apparel shops. Finally, such an approach is often regarded as the most cost-efficient because it stimulates the desire to purchase goods (Brassington and Pettitt, 2006, p 610).
Apart from that, the owners will have to allocate the space for storage and the office. Given the size of the store (2800 square ft.), we may say that 800 hundred square feet will be quite sufficient for both of them. The storage should be approximately 400 ft. It should be spacious enough so that the shop assistants could quickly find a necessary item, for instance at the beginning of the working day or when the customer requires for a piece clothing of particular size and it is not readily available in the shop. In fact, 400 ft. is the minimum requirement for storage.
There are other external considerations that must not be overlooked. One of them is the location of the store within the mall. The most important point is the number of windows in the room because it affects the lighting. The thing is that illumination significantly impacts visitors preferences (Brassington and Pettitt, 2006, 608). It is rather unlikely that a dimly-lit show will enjoy popularity among clients. Therefore, Mike and Earl Moore should ensure illumination is neither too bright nor too dim. Furthermore, they should be aware of security risks, as their likelihood of theft may be rather high. This is why they need to install video cameras and set checkpoints at the entrance to the store.
Thus, we may conclude that layout is one of the most crucial steps in the development of retail business. The free flow model, proposed in this paper gives a good opportunity to showcase practically all products which will be available in College Mens Unlimited. This strategy also eliminates the risk of overcrowding. Although free flow has several limitations: in particular, waste of floor space, increased cost of cleaning, this is the only possible solution given the size of the store and nature of its products.
Reference List
Brassington, F, Pettitt S. (2006). Principles of marketing. New York: Pearson Education.
Levy, M & Weits B. (2004). Retailing Management. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Varley. R.(2006). Retail product management: buying and merchandising. London: Routledge.