Is store layout and design important for DIY retailers? 

For retailers considering the physical layout of a store, look, feel and flow are particularly important. Unlike online stores where you can search a website for a specific item or pay for home delivery and installation for bigger items, an in-store experience needs to plan for customer navigation, accessibility, safety and the overarching customer experience. 

Is in-store shopping the best option for DIY?

For purchases like DIY or building materials for home improvement retailers, many customers are still happier to visit a physical store. Especially in DIY stores, people may not be certain about what the best product for their project would be, so being able to speak to experts in the shop for support and advice will always be helpful to the customers. 

Another factor for in-person shoppers in the DIY industry is being able to see what a product actually looks and feels like. If your customers are choosing a new paint colour, different flooring or even a new tap or lightbulb, being able to physically see and feel the products is imperative to make the correct choice for them. 

So, how will this affect a DIY retailer?

Planning and designing the layout of a store, how products are displayed and how easy and safe they are for customers to look at and retrieve are all things that need to be considered when either designing the layout of a new store or changing the footprint of an existing branch. 

This can be particularly important when you consider DIY shops have some very heavy and sometimes awkward products, such as paving slabs, long timber or lawn mowers. Storing, stocking and displaying these products is extremely important for the retailer as many shoppers won’t know exactly how to lift and transport some of them, even for slightly lighter items like cans of paint or power tools. 

Results that speak for themselves

Here at Polypal UK, our attention to detail and expert knowledge make all the difference to the customer experience and safety in any retail environment, but especially the home improvement industry.

When we designed the paving storage for one of our key customers, our design engineers wanted to ensure that we provided a solution which put safety and ease of handling at the forefront, without compromising on replenishment efficiency or visual merchandising. 

As paving slabs are a particularly heavy and cumbersome item for customers to access, retrieve and transport, our retail customer needed a solution that made this task as easy and safe for their shoppers as possible. 

After carefully planning for every instance, the solution that was installed allows for new stock to arrive at the correct bay bagged and secure, before being unwrapped so that individual slabs can be accessed. Using a slight tilt, there’s minimal risk of injury when withdrawing product from the front, and with stock able to sit directly on an open-boarded pallet, it’s easy for customers to get a firm hold of the product as they withdraw it from the bay. 

And to help guide customers through the options efficiently, at the end of the aisle, a visual guide to each product was added to help the customer make the correct choice for their project, enhancing the in-store experience even more, which gives them the information they need to make an informed decision. 

How can Polypal UK help? 

We specialise in creating retail storage solutions and have been working with many major players in the DIY and home improvement industry for many years, so we know a thing or two about how we can best support you and your customers. 

We design bespoke storage systems that are tailored for your specific requirements, whether it’s how you store paving slabs, hang long-reach hedge trimmers or how high large flower pots are stored, we can develop a solution for you. 

When you partner with us, you’ll have access to support from our experts who help and advise you every step of the way. We have teams of sales representatives, designers, testers, manufacturers, installers and inspectors that will be able to develop, fit and maintain your retail storage systems that work around your exact business needs. This will all be looked after by your dedicated account manager, who spends the time to fully understand your business and takes care of every detail for you. 

Why not get in touch today to find out how we can best support your business to create safe, accessible and appealing retail storage and displays?