Illuminating the path to purchase: How lighting can enhance customer value

It is commonly accepted that purchase decisions are driven by sensory impressions. Of all the senses, sight is perhaps the most powerful one. The way light helps us process visual cues is thus an integral part of the retail environment - one that can have a bearing on sales conversions. This was the highlight of ‘Lighting Yatra’ - an interactive session on lighting, powered by Plus Light Tech, (Focus Lighting & Fixtures Ltd), that was held in Hyderabad on May 16th. Lighting Yatra has been conceived as a series of on-ground interactive sessions on store lighting, and the Hyderabad session was the first in this series. The evening threw light on some crucial aspects of in-store lighting, while highlighting interesting new trends and technologies in store lighting. 

Vishal Kapoor,  CEO, Seashels India, who comes with over three decades of experience in the retail industry, set the context to the discussion. He drove home the importance of lighting in the retail scheme of things, while focusing on the business aspect of it. “Lighting is about stimulating a certain behaviour. In fact, 80 percent of all sensory impressions come through our eyes,” he pointed out and having thus established the obvious need to understand lighting better, he proceeded to demonstrate how it actually works in a retail environment. 

Vishal drew on his rich experience to reiterate the importance of lighting design, based on merchandise category, customer feedback, physical environment, local culture and target audience, among other factors. As he explained, right lighting design aims to “create an atmosphere that resonates with customers, influences their mood, and ultimately drives sales”.

While speaking about right lighting for a retail environment, he stressed on the need for right data that helps in monitoring lighting consumption and for proper maintenance of lighting. “As we move ahead, lighting has to become more data centric and smarter and that’s where the quantification of lighting value will come in,” Vishal said. He then proceeded to explain how strategic play of lighting in terms of colour rendition, focus, beam angle, the flexibility etc, and their use in different parts of the store, including the trial room, help in triggering the right emotions in the customer - one that can drive purchase and brand loyalty. 

Santosh Prasad, National Head - Sales  at Focus Lighting and Fixtures Ltd, then took the audience through some latest developments and innovations in retail lighting that help in eliciting positive customer response in retail.

Santosh drew attention to a very critical aspect of the store - the store window - and how it’s important to focus on the merchandise as against illuminating the whole space. He demonstrated how window lighting, when not placed properly, could fail to serve its primary function. “Strategic placement of lights in the display window, in a manner that illuminates the mannequins/merchandise is one of the most important and overlooked aspects in retail,” Santosh pointed out and added, that when it is not done properly, “brand products do not receive the illumination they deserve. Shadows and indifferent focus take away the charm a show window should contain to attract the customers”. 

Santosh then enlightened the audience on some new innovations in lighting from Plus Light Tech, such as Dynamic Lighting which can help change colours in the show window and adds a whole new dimension to the whole window experience. He also demonstrated the use of  app based light beam angle with tunable fixtures, which can help control colour temperatures.   Santosh also took the audience through other new lighting technologies while drawing the difference between conventional optics and new optics. Some of these new technologies also help in optimising the use of light fixtures for walls and counters - getting the maximum from less number of light fixture through the right play of lux levels, as Santosh explained. He concluded by talking about other new technology developments such as IoT based lighting and their role in delivering value. 

Overall it was an illuminating evening of takeaways on the strategic value of lighting in delivering the right customer experience.