Retail Installations

At Idea International, we understand the retail environment, and we can make retail installations work for you delivering a heightened customer experience and a solid return on investment.

How Can Idea International Help with Your Retail Installations? 

• Review your design and suggest value engineering where appropriate.
• Suggest solutions to logistical challenges. We help with forecasts, production, shipping, reporting, and of course, production.
• Advise on how to make your project culturally relevant for the APAC market, particularly in Japan, where cultural norms are important.
• Recommend safety installations; our knowledge about making structures safe from earthquake destruction is extensive.
• Conduct site surveys.
• Plan the optimal use of your space.
• Confirm rules applicable to the general contractor and help modify processes and plans as necessary.
• Produce fixtures locally—or modify fixtures that come in from overseas—for instance, from the brand parent company.
• We can manufacture point-of-purchase (POP) displays, retail kiosks, and furnishings for your retail installations.
• Suggest attractive materials that stand up to traffic.
• Source appropriate and energy-efficient lighting and best-in-class point of purchase technology.
• We install fixtures according to your needs, and our services are available throughout the APAC region.

We are a hands-on company that puts our staff of sourcing, purchasing, project management, quality control and manufacturing experts on the ground, around the world, to build your retail installation to specification—on time and on budget with enviable consistency.

Getting the Most from the Retail Space

In retail shopfitting, every inch of space needs to work to achieve the goal of convincing the consumer to buy. But that’s not enough. The retail experience also needs to tell the brand’s story and deliver on the brand’s promise. When we work on a retail installation project, here are some of the things you need to tell us:

• What is the concept for the store? Is there a vision that needs to take shape in the space?
• Exactly what products and services will you sell in the retail space? A single category such as books or jewelry? A mix of products? Choosing and installing the appropriate fixtures to fit the products is a critical element from the very onset of the project.
• Are there any zoning restrictions, legal issues, requirements, or caveats not only for the space but also for the district or zone? In Japan, this is a crucial piece of information. Where is the location of your retail installation?
• What type of lighting is currently in the space?
• How high are the ceilings? Where are the doors and windows located?
• If you don’t have a floor plan for the space, we can create one as well as interior elevations.
• We install fixtures according to your needs, and our services are available throughout the APAC region.

Opening or retrofitting a retail space gives rise to several issues and questions. The overall plan of the space should be so attractive that once consumers enter, the draw of the installation of product placement will, in and of itself, be engaging. We can make that happen by consulting on:

• Store layout: the target market as much as the size of the store and the products you see helps determine the layout. Spatial clues help build foot traffic, with store fitting playing a supporting role to the merchandise and creating the right environment.
• Internal elements: the structure of the space, the entrances and exhibits, the air circulation systems, lighting, sound, and materials all enter into enticing the target market to enter. It’s difficult to say which is most important.

1. 1. How does natural lighting work with the intended internal lighting schematic? Lighting gives direction to customers and needs to emphasize the sales area.
   2. What materials are at play in the interior? Do they need to be durable and withstand heavy foot traffic? What is the comfort level of the flooring? How will materials (and lighting) work to guide the consumer through the store?
   3. A retail space needs to incorporate permanent and temporary fixtures for changes in merchandising demanded by the introduction of seasonal product lines, new product launches, and product placement that is determined by co-op advertising and sponsorship.

The result of all these careful choices is visual branding, giving consumers positive feelings that will make them want to return. As with any branding initiative, all elements—colors, fonts, displays—should be consistent, giving the market ease of self-direction.

Some of Our Unique Expertise in Retail Installations

Our teams are highly experienced in managing a wide variety of global rollout requirements and regulations. We conduct site surveys, plan shipping options and coordinate installations in markets of every size and in every corner of the world. We understand the inherent challenges in completing the last mile and build in options and contingencies that knock down barriers—before they get in the way of your brand’s success.

Here are special areas of expertise Idea International can offer to not only retail establishments but also for any type of permanent installation or corporate environment.

Fixturing: the right type of store design depends heavily on fixtures. One way to keep costs in line is to standardize the store fixtures. Custom fixtures are expensive, and the price is hard to justify. We can help source the fixtures that are perfect for your store concept.

Displays: The right display sells products. Displays take up a considerable amount of real estate, so they should function effectively. Displays should:

• • Appear balanced to the viewer.
  • Attract the viewer’s eye.
  • Have a central focal point.
  • Be at the right height

Whatever type of display works best for your merchandise—traditional store fixtures, kiosks, or even electronic displays, we can help not only procure these for you but install it as well.

Health and Safety: Since we have experienced a pandemic and know how important prevention is, we see significant changes coming to retail environments. In addition to providing a positive customer experience, we want to make sure to provide a healthy retail environment. Specifically, that may include providing social distancing and a sanitized atmosphere. At Idea International, we’re on top of the best practices in this field.

Flooring is an ROI issue. The choices for flooring in retail installations are critical: do you want it to muffle noise? How durable does it need to be? How much maintenance is required? How often does it need to be replaced? We are familiar with all the options: carpet, wood, tile, and vinyl, for instance—and we will help you decide which is right for you.

Shelving: Once again, the choices here need to be compatible with the image you want to project. Do you want stainless steel (fresh and modern) or wood (comfortable)? Or what about glass.

Ambiance:  Is sound (music) an essential element to your brand story? If so, where do you want the speakers installed? Do you want sound throughout the space or in confined areas only? Do you want loud pulsating music or gentle background melodies—or something in between? Almost nothing helps create a space—or influence the amount of time customers spend in a space—like music.

Traffic flow: Exactly how do you want customers to walk through this space? What visual clues will they need to comprehend this pattern?

Sustainability: How sustainable do you feel your materials need to be? At this point in time, shopfitting with sustainable materials, choosing LED lighting, and air purification systems are essential considerations. Customers are beginning to notice whether or not you have a respect for the environment.

Shoplifting: Are your fixtures helping to deter shoplifting? Clear sightlines give employees a better view of the entire space. Are you installing cameras do prevent theft? Where will they be placed?

Flexibility: Every retail installation rollout has different requirements, so we customize our approach to fit your specific needs.

We’re a go-to Partner for the Pop-up Store Experience

Are you looking for a unique retail experience? While retail seems to be having a tough time retaining its foothold in many parts of the world, Japan continues its love affair with the shopping experience, and popup stores heighten the excitement and buzz that are part of their attraction. We can help with planning a retail pop-up store.