“Those who have been in the retail business for a long time are very decisive and know what they want when it comes to lighting. They know how colour temperature works for a certain category of product, and other aspects. But those who are new to the business often do not know the difference between commercial and retail lighting and tend to treat them both the same way. But the dynamics of retail lighting are very different and it takes some effort on our part as designers to explain this to them,” says Yogesh Chopda,  Principal Architect and Founder of Nashik based design firm Yogesh Chupda & Associates, while talking about retailers’ approach to store lighting. 

So, are retailers open to spending more on lighting today? Yogesh shares this thought,  “They are ready to spend if they feel the product is right for them, and are convinced that the lighting solution will facilitate shopper’s purchase decisions.” He adds, in the  context of finding the right lighting product, “The market is flooded with so many products today that you can meet every aspect of your lighting needs. You just have to be clear about what you need.” That’s a valid point Yogesh makes. But what about the lighting suppliers themselves? Are there certain parameters for finding the right ones? Says Yogesh, “The main parameter is the product quality. The impact should not diminish even after, say four years. Often the quality of lighting diminishes over a period of time.”  

Indeed, inconsistent quality outcome or lux levels is a common challenge that many store architects talk about when it comes to lighting products. Some of them work with lighting designers to address this and other challenges. But then, it’s also a fact that there are not enough lighting designers in the retail space. As Yogesh agrees, “Yes, we do need more lighting designers, especially for premium projects where the clients spend more on the store. The need for planned lighting is higher for such projects.” 

So will be there be a change in the way retailers look at lighting in the future? Yogesh certainly thinks so. “Of course. There has already been a big change in the way people have looked at lighting. Today there is so much more variety in the products available and there are many things we can do with lighting. It all depends on how the store has been visualised and designed.”

Indeed, as long as customer experience exists as a brand priority, finding the right lighting solution will continue to be a priority too. Only its application will evolve as customer experience in a store evolves. 

Pictures Courtesy: Yogesh Chupda & Associates