An integral part of a successful concept, the light of a sales outlet plays an important role in the comfort of the customer. It can even affect the perception of the latter, and thus lead to a purchase. If the era of blinding and pallid neon lights is definitely gone, new technologies now fully mastered like LED, help to create a true luminous scenario throughout the customer path. Better selling while reducing your electricity bill, that’s the promise of these new systems.
SHOWCASE YOUR STORE WITH THE RIGHT LIGHTING
INTERVIEW
Three questions to Phillipe Avier, marketing manager at Francap..
HOW CAN LIGHTING BE STRATEGIC FOR OUR STORES?
Light has always been a key factor in merchandising. There two main effects: increasing the number of customers and increasing the average basket, in other words the two key drivers of turnover.
MORE CONCRETELY?
To increase the average shopping basket, customers need to spend more time in the store and therefore create a better shopping experience. This is made possible by the good working of the light intensity of the aisles and by accentuating the lighting on leading sections like the wine cellar or the fruits and vegetables. Also, if possible, clearing up the shop windows to let in as much natural light as possible and to have an elevated light at the entrance of the store and above the checkout section. The parameters that will also attract the customers from the outside. Hence, an optimised store passage. A good lighting therefore enhances our image and our assets, shows our wide selection of products, and personalizes our relationship by making our structures less impersonal. This is how lighting is strategic.
LED: “THE ADVANTAGES ARE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL”
Interview with Marcelino Patti – Director of Intégral…
WHY SHOULD YOU FOCUS ON THE LIGHTING OF YOUR STORE?
“It is an essential parameter for the development of the sales area and the products. Lighting creates comfortable and buyer-friendly atmospheres throughout the customer path, but also differentiates according to the sections. The latest strong trend is to in fact maximise the product offering by accentuating the lighting on key families.
WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH IN TERMS OF LIGHTING IN A STORE?
On the one hand, there is the general atmosphere, namely the system that highlights the entire customer path in the store. On the other hand, there is accent lighting to emphasise certain areas of the point of sale, or certain product lines like fresh produce. For example, the butchery or delicatessen section cannot have the same lighting as the fruits and vegetables. To do so, we use temperature colour optics adapted according to the products to be illuminated.
BESIDES FRESH PRODUCE, IS ACCENT LIGHTING RECOMMENDED FOR SOME ENVIRONMENTS?
It is, for example the case of wine cellar section with a softer ambiance and therefore a warmer light to create an environment conducive to the choice of wines, and a singular ambiance compared to the rest of the store. Or at the check-out section, there is also a decorative connotation through suspended systems, for example the lampshade kinds.
LONG UNCERTAIN, LED TECHNOLOGY SEEMS TO COME OUT ON TOP?
The tipping of the scales in favour of LED solutions occurred about 18 months ago. Previously, the difference in quality between the various players, and the uncontrolled cost of this technology, did not allow for a true and massive support of this kind of product. This is no longer the case today. Furthermore, LED reduces the lighting systems that can be integrated directly into the point of sale furniture.
TECHNOLOGY WITH MANY OTHER BENEFITS?
Despite a slightly larger investment, it is estimated that the average return on investment is less than 3 years, well before the end of five-year guarantee period granted by Intégral. On the one hand, by the low consumption of this system, about 50% compared to traditional solutions, which results in a decrease in electricity bills. On the other hand, the lifetime, because a LED bulb lasts between ten and twelve years (50,000 hours) and does not require any special maintenance. Finally, let us note the very low or no heat release when it comes to lamps. The benefits are therefore both economic and environmental.
DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF STORE, ARE THERE SEVERAL LIGHTING SYSTEMS?
The first solution is the built-in version. The system is directly integrated in the false ceiling. It is a discrete process which very easy to install because you only need to replace the ceiling panel with a LED panel. Regarding accent lightings, they are also integrated into these panels with the help of rotating downlighters. The second solution relates to the points of sale under the area of the gondolas to better highlight the products on both sides. Their dual asymmetric optics allow to better illuminate the product facing, at the expense of the tiling. Same for the accent lighting with rails fitted with spotlights. The latter is mounted mechanically on the rail, which makes it easier to move them about as needed and to choose the optimum position according to the products to be highlighted. Regardless of the system, built-in or on ramps, the result will be the same, with cement panels or metal frameworks. In this case, for general lighting, you could use ramps on LED lamps rails in straight positioned lines.
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHTING SYSTEM?
From the customer’s request and the acquisition of the plan, up to the installation, it takes between six and eight weeks. With regards to the installation, it takes about ten days for a sales outlet of 200 m2.
