Why Retailers Should Use LED Lighting

Opening a store can leave you with a lot of questions - what types of products should I sell? How much should I sell them for? But, what about the lighting? Lighting design can often be an afterthought, but it can make an enormous difference. Lighting doesn't just give a space ambience, it can have an impact on your sales and the customer experience. It can help your customers find their way around the store, and increase how much they spend.

Types of Lighting for Retail

Ambient lighting - This is your store's overall lighting concept. It creates an overall atmosphere in your store. This could be a central lighting fixture or spotlights across the whole store.
Accent lighting - Accent lighting uses spotlights to draw attention to products - this is common in luxury stores to show products in their best lighting, to encourage customers to commit to an investment buy.
High-activity lighting - Some lighting concepts leave stores with dark corners, but high-activity lighting covers all bases, ensuring customers can see all of your products.

In order to create an atmosphere with lighting, you will need to think about what fixtures you'd like to use. For an intimate atmosphere, you could use vintage fixtures with a warm temperature. Track lighting and spotlights are more modern. You can mix it up with different features in different areas - for instance, a central fixture at the entrance to the store, and track lights in the changing rooms.

Creating a Welcoming Atmosphere

How customers feel when they walk into your store can affect what they buy, how they perceive your brand and their mood. Great lighting can have an impact on emotions and lead customers to your key products. When designing your lighting, think about how you'd like your customers to feel. Soft, warm lighting will make customers feel more relaxed and comfortable, and brighter lighting will help customers see products more clearly. Two examples of totally different store lighting are Louis Vuitton and Hollister. Louis Vuitton focuses on dim lighting for walkways, and bright displays with backlighting, in order to highlight their products in the best lighting, whilst Hollister uses accent lighting in an overall dark store to make an impact.

Considering colour temperature is really important. A cooler colour temperature such as cool white will make your store appear more spacious, whereas warm temperatures can make a room feel smaller and more familiar.

Choosing LED Over Fluorescent

Previously, retailers may have relied heavily on fluorescent lights for their units, but there has been a recent shift to LED lighting. This is because LED is an energy-efficient, cost-saving alternative to fluorescent lighting. An LED light is also brighter and more targeted, and you can fit them into small spaces such as corners and underneath shelves.

Backlighting

If you're looking to highlight a display rather than an individual product, try backlighting. In particular, soft backlighting works well when you want to draw attention to a lower shelf which customers may unintentionally overlook. Backlighting means that customers will gaze at shelves for longer in order to take all of the products in. It can make your store look softer and more intimate.

Benefits of Using LED Lighting for Retailers:

Lower monthly electricity spending - reducing usage by 75%.
LED bulbs don't produce toxic waste, so you are reducing your carbon footprint.
Less maintenance - LED bulbs have an increased lifespan of approximately 30,000 hours, so they rarely need to be replaced.

Top Lighting Tips for Retailers:

Layer - Combine ambient lighting with accent lighting to create an individual look.
Colour temperature - Cool light works well for modern spaces and appeals to a young demographic, whilst warm lighting is better for an elder clientele.
Hot spots - Light up what you want customers to see such as hero products, new merchandise and special offers.
Changing rooms are important - Flattering lighting in the changing room will encourage people to buy your products, so don't opt for unflattering spotlights.
Use a professional - Professional lighting designers are a great investment if budget allows for one.