Developing visibility analysis for a retail store: A pilot study in a bookstore

Recent studies have confirmed that store layout influences a shopper’s movement, purchasing behavior, and preference. However, the systematic and quantitative description of the layout of retail stores has been discussed in few studies. The analytic method for describing a layout presented in this study, with other refined analysis capabilities, is based on a prespecified set of visual targets rather than each occupiable location such as a room. The systematic visibility description of a layout enables quantitative comparison of multiple locations within one layout and across multiple physical layouts. An observation exercise took place in a bookstore and the target-based systematic analysis showed, while nontarget-based systematic analysis did not show, that a product with high visibility from major paths, where shoppers tended to have more visual contact, had more product engagement. The research not only confirmed the impact of store layout but also showed how the layout affected shoppers’ behavior.