Sign Visibility

Visibility is a very important concept when it comes down to store signs and advertisements. Businesses figure out where and how they place their signs based on the direction of traffic flow. You might think that just because a retailer pays for the location they're renting in, they could make their signs as big as possible, but unfortunately, there are laws and regulations that prohibit this.

Here is a picture taken in Mobile, Alabama (where my boyfriend attends school) that portrays the visibility of signs. The CVS sign is located right by an intersection, which is a preferred placement.

Freestanding Site

A freestanding site is a marketing term given to those businesses that are located in isolated areas, unconnected to other retailers. Although, separate from other restaurants and stores, they're still placed in some vicinity to incoming business activity, therefore people who are shopping nearby are seen as earning potential. 

This Starbucks located in Itasca, IL is a perfect example of a freestanding site. It's not connected to any other buildings, it has it's own parking lot and it's easily accessible.

As attractive as this looks, there are downsides to this location. Firstly, since it's away from other stores, it won't be attracting customers who are trying to kill two birds with one stone. Secondly, they have higher occupancy costs because they don't have other retailers to share the common area maintenance costs, hence the bigger rent.

Target's Mini Power Perimeter

My local Target (Villa Park, IL) does a great job at filling up their outer walls with the main item that is associated with a supermarket's power perimeter: dairy.

As I was observing the products located along their walls in the produce section, I couldn't help but to notice that it fell short on other perishable items, such as baked goods and meat... However, these items were still close in proximity... Maybe the lack of these particular items along the wall helps us differentiate between supermarkets and supercenters.

Walgreen's Scrambled Merchandising

Walgreens is a specialty store that focuses on health and beauty products. Being a drugstore, one would assume that it would only carry prescription pharmaceuticals alongside other similar products; however, to appeal to larger groups of consumers, it's variety of merchandise goes beyond that.

During a recent visit, I spotted items that people would not typically associate with this type of retailer.. Such as games and toys.

Are they trying to appeal to the bored children whom parents bring in while waiting for their prescription to be filled?