New retail fixtures and fittings can lead to new customers and a massive boost in sales revenue. There’s little doubt of the benefits, but retailers have to move fast when it comes to a re-fit and cause as little disturbance to customers as possible.

 

The best-case scenario is to lose zero trading hours with work completed overnight, which isn't always possible. The next best thing is to choose a quieter trading day and let shoppers know as far in advance as possible. For example, a food establishment might be better scheduling refurbishment work during a weekday rather than the busy weekend. Convenience and grocery stores on the other hand will have a harder time as they may have a steady stream of customers throughout the day and sometimes at night too.

 

Retailers need to look at why they are undertaking a re-fit. Are current retail fittings having a detrimental effect on merchandising? Is this leading to lost sales? If it’s a definite yes, then new fixtures and fittings might be the best solution.  

 

Careful planning and making sure the investment in new fixtures and fittings will payoff is an absolute must. A large scale example of a re-fit not going to plan occurred just last year when Tesco boss, Philip Clarke, resigned due to his re-fit plan failing to increase profits as planned.  

 

Working with an expert retail team will pay off in the long run as they will be able to work to strict deadlines without cutting corners. Whether it’s a complete shop re-fit or just a new set of fixtures for a particular brand, a dedicated team will pay close attention to all of the niggling details including health and safety compliance, disabled access and the provision of the materials needed to complete the project.

 

When selecting a partner to get new fixtures installed, retailers should ensure the company is transparent throughout the process. Momentum Instore provides an installation timeline for all clients so they know exactly what to expect during the process.

 

We partnered with Boots to carry out a full installation of all-new fragrance units in 140 of their UK stores. Speed and causing minimal disruption to customers was high on Boots’ priority list so we arranged for six-man in-store teams to work all day and throughout the night to get the installation complete within the agreed timeline. Read more about this project any why it was so successful here.  

 

Mpomentum also worked closely with Akzo Nobel & Homebase to install new Dulux MixLab+ units in 228 Homebase stores. Each installation took seven hours to complete per night, meaning there was minimal disruption to customers. 

Re-fits and refurbishments can lead to a big return for retailers. It was reported that the investment The Co-operative Group made in its food stores in 2008 resulted in a 12 per cent increase in sales in convenience stores and 11 per cent in its supermarkets. Budget bakery, Greggs, also reported a boost in sales thanks to its investment in refurbishing the existing estate in 2014.

 

During a time when retailers are tightening their belts, new fixtures and fittings may not be high on their list of priorities. However, if it leads to customers spending new money as a result of a renovated store, it’s well worth investing in.