Retail navigation: main types

It's not an easy task for modern stores and large malls to find the desired shop or group of products. Therefore, store navigation traditionally solves this problem, and serves as an essential element of zoning. Navigation system helps the customer’s quick orientation, creates shopping atmosphere, improves customer’s experience, etc.

Navigation is a key instrument to organize the store’s retail space

Navigation signs can be different in shapes and sizes. Their common feature is the advertising placement and navigation information, which allows a person to quickly find their way even in the largest retail spaces. In addition to static navigation, sometimes dynamic one is also used, which usually is easier to attract attention. Depending on the sign’s shape, different materials and technologies are used for its production.

Each navigation element has its own place and purpose, and its use allows you to increase the sales of individual goods and the turnover as a whole. Depending on their location in the store navigation signs can be divided into:

Wall navigation

Could be one-sided, flat, volumetric, with backlit, or lightbox. Attached to walls, shelvings or other vertical surfaces in shopping or office centers.

On trade equipment

Often such navigation attached perpendicular to vertical surfaces of the trade equipment. As a rule, double-sided ones, can also be highlighted. Very effective because they are visible from a great distance and from different sides of the large room.

Hanging navigation

Hanging navigational signs are usually attached to ceiling structures in large retail spaces. They can be volumetric, with backlit, two-, three- and four-sided, or even circular. Considering the size of the store’s ceiling, such signs are usually large.

Augmented / virtual reality (AR and VR)

Modern technologies have significantly expanded the possibilities of the navigation use. So, according to the media technology types, you could find posters, lightboxes and light signs, interactive displays, and augmented reality (AR).

Navigation coverage could also be used for its typology. According to it, navigation is divided into shop, zonal, and category navigation.

It is also worth paying attention to the graphic design (text, posters, icons), as well as the types of information (navigation can be static and dynamic).