In a world of rapid changes and numerous possibilities, one thing is certain: the customer is te most important.

ChatGPT is currently the most popular chatbot with artificial intelligence, and it has made seismic disruptions in industries and professions. Testing how much artificial intelligence knows about retail design, we asked the question "How to furnish a new store?" The answer we received was (quite expectedly) accurate and effective, so we present it below.

ChatGPT:

"Furnishing a store involves several steps and factors that need to be taken into consideration. Here are the basic guidelines for furnishing a new store:

1. Planning: Create a detailed plan for furnishing the store. This includes defining the space, creating furniture layouts, selecting equipment, and establishing a budget.

2. Identification of necessary items: Make a list of all items and equipment needed in the store. This may include shelves, showcases, cash registers, refrigeration units, lighting, furniture, security systems, POS systems, etc.

3. Finding suppliers: Look for reliable suppliers and quotes for the equipment you want to procure. Compare prices, quality, and delivery conditions to choose the best options for your needs.

4. Furniture layout design: Plan the layout of furniture and equipment in the store to maximize space, facilitate customer movement, and create an attractive product presentation.

5. Equipment procurement: After selecting suppliers, order the equipment and monitor the delivery to ensure everything arrives on time.

6. Installation and setup: Once the equipment arrives, set it up and install it according to the planned layout. This may include assembling shelves, setting up refrigeration units, connecting POS systems, etc.

7. Testing and adjustments: After installation, test all equipment to ensure it functions correctly. Adjust all systems according to your needs and set up security features if necessary.

8. Aesthetic finishing touches: Pay attention to the aesthetic aspect of the store, such as interior decoration, decorative elements, lighting, etc. This will contribute to the attractiveness and creation of a pleasant atmosphere in the store.

It is important to have a detailed plan, budget, and good organization throughout the store furnishing process.

In conclusion, ChatGPT suggests that if you need additional assistance, you can hire a professional interior designer or retail consultant to help optimize space and choose the best equipment for your store."

However, artificial intelligence seems to remain at the level of "mechanics" and algorithmic recommendations for implementing a process, but it also mentions that there is something beyond algorithms and processes. What is it?

Today, more than ever, a store is a place where empathy, understanding of the customer, their habits, and needs shape all its elements. Experts in retail space design must know what is sought at a specific location. The quality and aesthetics of equipment are important but not sufficient elements that make the retail space provide a maximum shopping experience. In the era of digitization, the online channel is becoming increasingly influential, so everyone mentions the famous word – omnichannel.

What is the actual goal?

The goal is to provide users with a consistent, personalized, and enjoyable shopping experience regardless of the channel they use - online channels or a physical store. A modern physical store combines traditional and digital (smart) equipment, leading to the term "phygital" store (physical+digital), where the classic physical store is enriched with digital devices and technologies that influence various aspects of service and work within it.

And what is the secret?

As seen at the beginning, technologies can provide many answers, but creating a store tailored to the customer requires more than algorithms. It requires a sense of location, an understanding of the local customer and their perception of product offerings, prices, and the store's ambiance.

The first and logical question for investors: where to start?

To begin with, it is important to understand the brand strategy of the store or retail chain, its image, and the values on which it rests and wants to promote. The assessment of the image has, of course, come from its majesty - the customer. In various ways, we collect data about consumer habits. It is necessary to objectively assess and analyze this data and make decisions.

What is the recommendation?

In the market, there are expert companies specializing in equipping retail spaces, with teams of experts specialized in all areas of equipping, from design and planning to the delivery and installation of solutions tailored to specific project ideas and requirements.

The GfK Shopper360 study lists the top ten factors influencing a customer's choice of a store to shop in:

1. Easy orientation
2. Proximity to the store location
3. Fresh assortment and fruits
4. Clearly marked prices
5. Fair prices
6. Easy finding of products on the shelf
7. More special offers (promotions)
8. Attractive product display
9. Clearly marked special offers (promotions)
10. Good price-to-quality ratio

It is clear that good and functional interior design of the retail space can strongly influence the loyalty of today's customer. Therefore, choosing the right partner in this field is extremely important. Companies with experience in this field can provide you with enough inspiration and solutions that will help you make decisions faster and implement shared ideas.

Sketch: INPUT design team

Visualizing ideas?

It is not easy to imagine how an idea will function in reality, nor to see the solution before it is implemented. Fortunately, today, designers use software tools that can generate vivid 3D renders of space or its parts. This is a way to "feel" how our solution will look in reality before production. The recommendation is to work more closely with the designer on the parts of the interior related to the assortment that has the greatest impact on the customer today, such as fresh products, fruits and vegetables, and/or bakery. They should radiate the tones of your brand and encourage higher attendance and sales of your store, creating a unique shopping experience.

Conclusion:

Today, it is difficult to list fields where digital technologies are not present; in some fields, they have even taken over the entire process. However, human creativity knows no bounds and does not function according to any algorithm. Thus, it manifests itself through unique solutions that are currently the most important in the field of retail space furnishing. Successful designers and retail interior designers put the end customer at the center of every project, viewing their proposals and solutions through them!