Overview

Our client, a major retailer, had updated one of its stores. They wanted a consumer psychology perspective on the environment and opportunities to strengthen the shopping experience.

The review considered how the design could shape attention, product perceptions and purchase behaviour, alongside where different elements might work against each other.

Approach

We conducted an evaluation of the store, applying consumer psychology to assess the experience from arrival and first impressions through to navigating aisles and encountering products.

We considered how layout, materials and displays could influence what shoppers noticed and the associations they formed. This included the role of price signage and promotional communication in shaping perceptions of value and quality.

The review also considered the wider context, including existing brand associations and nearby retail environments that could provide a reference point for shoppers’ expectations.

Rather than assess individual design elements in isolation, we explored how they worked together and where inconsistencies might weaken the intended impression or make shopping less intuitive.

Output

The review identified strengths in the redesigned environment, alongside potential tensions between the experience the retailer was creating and the signals conveyed by particular displays and communications.

We explained the psychological mechanisms that could underpin these effects, giving the client a basis for prioritising refinements and further investigation. This included opportunities to support exploration, strengthen the consistency of the environment and improve how products and offers were presented.

We also proposed areas for testing across signage, product ranges and packaging, with recommendations to combine behavioural evidence with sales measures.

The work gave the client direction on what to preserve, what to reconsider and how to evaluate whether proposed changes delivered commercial value.