particular store different from every other store makes up the retail brand. The lighting, the atmosphere, the music, the colour and the layout all go into making up the brand. The perception that a customer has of the stores image is the retail brand. In todays competitive market where many retailers have a similar product range, the retail brand can be the key to customers. The image that a store conveys may be the key determining factor in the decision to choose one retailer over another (Varley 2001).Visual MerchandisingVisual merchandising is a part of the retail brand. This is what a customer sees when they walk into a store. Generally a store with an expensive price on their products will be targeting the upper market, where as a discount store will target the bargain hunter. This image must be portrayed right through to the layout of the store. A powerful store image can create a competitive advantage difficult for other retailers to duplicate (Barr et al 1997). One wonderful example of visual merchandising is the shopping centre or the mall.Shopping centres are massive fantasylands where time does not exist and people spend lots and lots of money. This is at least what designers of shopping centres are aiming at. Shopping centres contain hundreds of retailers all with one common goal; to make the customer part with their hand earned dollars. Shopping centres are designed to make people spend. Clocks are rare in a shopping centre so that you are not constantly reminded of the time and if you get hungry, there is a food court available to keep you there longer. When you left home before coming to the shopping centre, all the doors were locked at home so as you dont get robbed. However when you enter this strange fantasyland, there are no doors to increase the welcoming feeling. The shortest route in a shopping centre usually takes you past many other shops, yet it isnt very short at all, and the layout is designed...
