Brands spend an incredible amount of time and effort in the layout of their stores to influence consumers to stay longer. But one of the factors that play a significant part that solidifies the impact of such design gets sidelined––color.
For generations, scientists have studied the psychology of color and the impact it has on human behavior. Experts have looked at how we relate with color and the emotions they produce; from creating a sense of peace to evoking urgency with a mere change of colors.
In shop interior design especially, color can make or break a brand’s impression on their customers which can directly influence their purchasing decisions.
Therefore, brands need to have a substantial understanding of color and its impact on customers so when they use it, they know how it is going to translate.
Why Colour Matters, And How Much?
Colors directly influence the way we perceive our surroundings. When they are combined with design, their purpose goes BEYOND just making things pretty. By beyond, it implies:
- Potential customers make a subconscious judgment about the store within 90 seconds of entering.
- Colour increases brand recognition by 80%
- 60 to 93% of first impressions are based on the color and visuals of the store.
- 50% of customers won’t return to a store if they don't like the aesthetic
- 80% of the customers say that they bought a product because of its color
It is safe to say that color influences customer decisions, whether consciously or subconsciously. It begins even before the customer enters the store and also has influence over their purchasing decisions. And that's why color is something brands can’t simply ignore.
Colour’s Influence On Retail
The spectrum of the retail industry is wide and diverse. Every color and shade is possibly known, is telling someone’s brand story.
A quick glance into the shop can tell a potential customer its style, voice, personality, and the products and services they offer just by colors. This is why, as said earlier, colors are more than aesthetics and can help you close a sale!
Here is a small list of colors and what they mean, that you can use in your design and make it alluring to your potential customers.
- Red signifies excitement, passion, and anger. It is a powerful color, used to grab customers’ attention.
- Yellow indicates happiness enthusiasm and optimism. But, it can be too overwhelming and intense when used alone. That’s why it is used to brighten specific parts of the store.
- White is associated with purity and represents honesty, modernism, minimalism, and simplicity. When used it gives a very minimalistic look in the store.
- Black represents sophistication and elegance. Cosmetic brands often use white or black as their main colors to attract their customers.
- Green denotes healing, hope, and peace. It is often used in cafes and restaurants to give a peaceful feel.
While it seems like the colors have a specific meaning attached to them. But, it is not true because how they are perceived depends upon person to person, and these rules are not set in stone.
The fact that they invoke emotional responses and these responses can differ concludes: each color embodies different things for different people and cultures. Red for instance, in Chinese culture, represents prosperity but in the west, it is used to create a sense of excitement.
Therefore, if you are wondering either to choose interior design services or DIY, make sure you understand color well and in a different context of the world so it conveys your brand story in the right way.
Colour plays a huge part in retail design which brands often overlook. They need to reflect on how their color choices can influence their customer's decisions because it is undeniably transforming the feel of any space and brands need to make as attentive and informed decisions they make for layouts, for their spaces.