Robin Cain of Kids Corner Consignment in NC sent me this info she received in an email with a note, “I’m not into the whole Feng Shui thing but the ideas can definitely be applied to resale or any retail business.”
I agree with Robin that the following points are useful. Whether or not they are part of the whole Feng Shui mindset isn’t really the point… so you can skip over the allusions to “appropriate colors for the feng shui direction” and such, and use your inherent good sense to take a fresh look at your business. Or maybe, once you strip the voodoo off Feng Shui… it’s mostly common sense.
These points are all good practice for retailers!
Use Feng Shui to improve your store and your sales. The right application of Feng Shui in your retail store can bring quick and immediate results. Attracting more customers, more sales and a better environment for your employees.Good feng shui does not mean decorating with oriental looking items. Good feng shui means creating energy that feels good, looks good and works for the purpose of a given space.As you may already know, shopping is all about an emotional experience. We buy things to make us and our loved ones feel better, in other words, we are shopping for an experience and not just a particular item. By applying retail feng shui basics the vibrant energy in your store will take care of that special experience your customers are looking for!When it comes to retail, the energy of your store is felt even before customers decide to enter. Use some of these tips below to start your journey of Retail Feng Shui:1. Step outside your store and take a feng shui look at your main entrance, your store name, your window display and your neighbors. Do you stand our or do you blend in? (Some may prefer to stand out, which is absolutely fine.) If you were to have seen your store for the first time, would you enter? If no, why? You want to create a strong and clear flow of energy to your entrance, which includes a clean, crisp store name, well-lit and fresh window displays, as well as by using appropriate colors for the feng shui direction of your main door.2. Come inside the store and notice where your attention goes. This will help you understand where the energy flows. You could also watch your customers who walk in and notice where their attention is directed to. What you want to do is create pathways for the feng shui energy to flow, you need to direct the energy to create a pleasant experience and draw the customers in, then help them explore by themselves what you have to offer.3. Take several photos of the front entrance (inside and outside) and then look at the images; this should help you get a fresh look at your own space and notice the bad feng shui items that you might be already used to, such as an open trash can in plain view, exposed electrical cords, boxes, etc.4. Create a primary focal point, as well as several secondary points/areas for exploration. This has to be very clear from the moment your customer comes into your store. You want to avoid the overwhelmed feeling of “too much staff” or “too clingy service” with no breathing room. Give them some room and some time to browse before you begin your normal customer service.5. Locate your desk/cash register in a powerful feng shui spot, also called “commanding position”, which is usually diagonally from the entrance. Take a look at some of the bigger chain retail stores and notice their feng shui energy.6. Have the name of your store in a high and well lit place. If you want to build a loyal customer base, your name has to be known to your customers. Being inside a store and not knowing where you are or who you’re buying from is a bad feng shui retail experience.7. Create good energy in your store and keep it fresh. People buy based on emotion, and the feng shui definition of emotion is the energy in motion. Be mindful of the:
- quality of air
- have several levels of lighting
- good music
- vibrant scents
- slightly rearrange or change your displays regularly
8. Respect your customer sense of independence and curiosity. Best retail stores I have experienced are the ones that let me explore things in a variety of ways – touch, smell, sight, etc without needing to ask for help; as well as the ones that combine their items in unusual, fresh ways.9. Spread out the beautiful items, or pair them in unexpected ways. In other words, jazz up the store!10. Greet your customers entering and exiting your store. Their experience in your store will be subconsciously compared to other stores or competitors at some point in time. What that means for you is…. a returning new or existing customer!–from swtrading.net
Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 
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Thank you all for the helpful insight into Feng Shui. It’s such an interesting topic!
Completely agree that these are principles importantly applied to any business, resale, newsale, large or small.
I work in visual display for a dept store, but have multi- retail experience under my belt, of all scale.
Currently helping a community based, non-profit tourist attraction in my town re-evaluate it’s giftshop space. This discussion is giving me on paper what I already know in my head. It will be a useful tool for putting my instincts into words as I relate needed changes and/ or priorities for this small space. It may be small-scale in square footage, but the remodel will be amazing.
Thank you for helping me to expess retail principles in easliy understood terms! Get the blinders off, don’t get stuck in a rut, and imagine what would make you feel welcome if you had never been to the business before. And then imagine that all those things put a smile on the customer’s face every time they COME BACK!
In Asia Fend Shui is taken very seriously. I have heard of Asian investors interested in California buildings actually flying our Feng Shui masters to asses the buildings under consideration.
There are several schools of Fend Shui approach and different levels of Feng Shui. The surface levels deal with common sense type of observations, such as cleanliness, lighting, customer service.
Deeper levels include the topography surrounding your building, the shape of your retail space, and location of bathrooms. One Feng Shui master that I knew would demonstrate the effects of a “bad” situation by muscle testing (using applied kinesiology) a person and showing how the “bad” Fend Shui acutally made their muscles weak. He would then “cure” the situation and retest with the usual result that the person’s muscles now tested strong.
Once you get beyond the surface levels, it really helps to hire a Feng Shui consultant because he or she can provide fresh insights into alternative arrangements of various aspects of your store.
This article provides great information. As a feng shui consultant I would add a couple more points. I think the most important thing is cleanliness. I have been in several consignment stores that were very dirty and it was an immediate turn off to any merchandise. Another thing is to distinguish between clutter and artful arranging. Last but not least is the customer restrooms, these should be immaculate and nicely decorated (creating a wow factor is even better).