Planograms, Retail Solutions and the Future of Shopping

Since Covid-19 arrived, our team has asked itself: what is the future of British retail? At the onset, it appeared everyone from large-scale operations to every mom-and-pop shop would be shut down indefinitely. And yet, as time passed and social distancing, face masks and frequent handwashing became norms, we saw glimmers of grit and resilience from our neighbors. 

Many in the food industry pivoted to takeout and curbside pickup – which had previously been a niche service. Essential stores – grocers and pharmacies among others – set in motion a number of virus-related precautions. One could argue that our gradual tip-toe back to normalcy is a product of these actions. So much so, reports indicate they will carry into the future.  

Soon, lockdown will be lifted from a greater share of retailers. On June 15 in Britain, for example, many non-essential stores and centres are slated to reopen after months of temporary closure. According to a recent article in the Daily Mail, this milestone comes with several caveats to usher in a socially responsible shopping experience. What can shoppers expect? Here is a sample: 

• Checkouts guarded by cough screens
• Restrooms and changing rooms closed to guests
• A cap on how many shoppers can be in a store
• No public seating
• A 72-hour quarantine policy when a customer tries on clothing
• Removal of racks of promotional items from tight spaces

When we say resilience, what we have in mind are store owners concocting retail solutions that benefit the rest of us. Aldi aims to install stop-go lights at store entrances to control foot traffic and injects a bit of humor to what could be a grating waiting period. 

Retail solutions aren’t superhuman feats – anyone can do it. Sometimes all it takes is the right tools. Now is the time to invest in a planogram software, which allows retailers to power their retail solutions. How does it work? Let’s find out.  

Essential Vs. Non-essential Businesses

Currently, most open shops are categorized as offering essential goods and services. Yet in the near future, countries across the globe will enable a greater share of proprietors of non-essential items to reopen. (Naturally, this action will vary by country, state, municipality and so on.) Returning to our previous example, Britain, by mid June, those businesses will include:  

• Indoor markets 
• Clothing and shoe shops
• Toy stores
• Bookshops 
• Furniture shops
• Electronics stores
• Photography studios 
• Tailors
• Auction houses 

These soon-to-be reopened businesses pose a unique challenge. There remains a lot we do not know about Covid-19, and a good share of the public is wary about shopping alongside their neighbors. While people are overcoming this uncertainty to buy essential goods, what about non-essentials? 

So much depends on whether or not owners can offer customers a clean, spacious setting. And we expect getting there might come with growing pains. After all, so many stores are designed to maximize every square inch of floor space. But that’s where a planogram comes in: ideating, designing and testing retail solutions for an evolving clientele.

Social Distancing Applied to Retail

Covid-19 has almost certainly redefined personal space. Whereas we might cram shoulder-to-shoulder on buses or trains or in a queue outside an Apple store, we expect customers to seek out shops that allow for at least six feet between shoppers. Creating open space from an otherwise optimized retail floor creates a number of issues. Not the least of which: where to begin planning and redesigning an entire store?

Get a planogram and start by inputting dimensions of your store floor, product displays and other furniture. Scorpion Planogram gives users the tools to utilize these measurements to inform their design process. Perhaps best of all, dragging and dropping digital copies of your real-world assets means less time and energy reiterating several different plans. When your outline is done, you can be confident that your newly designed store gives customers six feet of safe, socially responsible breathing room.

Power Retail Solutions With Category Tracking

Some retailers may have to remove products – such as promotional items – to free up open space. Store owners may find themselves asking which products to display and which to store, as well as which items may be omitted from their stock entirely. How do you choose? This is where a planogram comes in. 

Scorpion Planogram offers a powerful category insights feature, which gives retailers insights into their different products, sales and stock. Data helps guide owners to make informed decisions when reorganizing their floors. Once changes are in place, Scorpion tracks sales to gauge how each category is performing.   

Create Retail Solutions With Scorpion Planogram

Retail and customers are changing. Be on the cutting edge with Scorpion Planogram. Equip yourself and your team with the best planogram software on the market. Give us a call to schedule a demonstration.