State of the Retail Design Industry

I think we all love a little optimism in the morning, so I was pleased to find that DDi Magazine titled their 2009 State of the Retail Design Industry Survey results article, "Showing Signs of Light." A shot of positivity to sweeten my morning cup of joe -especially after the last year or so in retail.

One thing that can be said about most retail designers is that they are very resourceful, and it appears that this resourcefulness is what's keeping us in the game. "The post-recession marketplace gives the opportunity for creativity and trying new things, which may benefit the retail design industry in the long run," writes Alison Embry Medina, the article's author. However, with the latest shift in focus to numbers and analysis with regards to retail expansion and development, in addition to offering creativity in their designs, designers "will be called upon to provide solutions to lagging sales, via means other than a percentage-off sign," as Brad Lenz, vice president of global architecture and construction for Juicy Couture, puts it.

What else do survey respondents see coming in 2010 and beyond? A slowly recovering economy, a retail designer's growing importance in projects, and a larger focus by retailers on remodeling and improving upon existing locations in known markets. Just as the economy has influenced the American consumer's spending habits, it continues to influence retailers' too.

To download DDi's complete survey coverage, click here.

--Larry Myer (Find out more about me over on LinkedIn.)