Shopper marketing specialist, The Market Creative launches a new retail concept for G Plan Upholstery, The Ultimate Retail Experience, which will roll out across stores nationwide in Spring.

The Market Creative has developed a distinctive new layout and supporting suite of materials to guide shoppers through stores. It includes informative and inspirational point of sale (POS) such as postcards and product swing-tags as well as the creation of dwell-time areas to encourage shopper interaction. The solution engages, inspires, informs and encourages interaction with the products. The brand’s heritage is echoed throughout with graphic montages and pods.

Sue Benson, managing director at The Market Creative says: “G Plan is an iconic British brand and we are delighted to have had the opportunity to work with them on what has been a very exciting retail project. Ultimately we want to deliver high levels of return on investment for our clients, and G Plan is an excellent example of how insight into your customers can drive great store design with fantastic results.”

The Ultimate Retail Experience was put to the test in January 2010 in Park Furnishers, Bristol and will be unveiled to retailers at the Interiors 2010 exhibition running from 24 to 27 January.

Paul Marshall, Marketing Manager at Park Furnishers says: “The increase in sales since the new G Plan store layout was introduced at the start of the year has exceeded all expectations. We’ve found that customers particularly enjoy the enclosed room sets that help them envisage what the furniture would look like in their own homes. We’ve also noticed male customers spend a lot of time reading literature and boards, while their partners try out the furniture.”

Helen Frankland, Marketing Manager at G Plan Upholstery adds: “We wanted to create a new experience for our customers that would make choosing a new sofa, both simple and enjoyable. As a business, we were looking to increase footfall, dwell time and ultimately sales. We feel that the new concept ticks every box and we look forward to getting more feedback.”

In July 2009 The Market Creative researched customer behaviour, mapping their journey through furniture stores before developing a creative strategy that would drive the brand’s positioning and new retail concept.

Key elements of the Ultimate Retail Experience include: The Sit Test: Invites shoppers to make themselves comfortable in G Plan’s vast range of sofas, instigating an additional level of interaction that helps browsers commit to purchase. Dwell Area: Further encouragement for shoppers to try out the sofas. A Plasma screen playing a G Plan DVD, postcards and brochures are offered in this area. Making it Easy: Gives lots of information on swing tags, postcards and graphic pods from product specifications to how and where it’s made, providing the necessary detail, and reassurance of quality.

Sue Benson and Dorina D’Ambrosio established The Market Creative in Manchester in 2006. Sue has been shortlisted for Crain’s Business Woman of the Year 2009. For more information visit www.themarketcreative.com