Thesis (BS Architecture) -- University of the Philippines Mindanao, 2008

To attract and retain customers in a competitive market, retailers must strive to create favorable in-store experiences. The premises that a retailer occupies have a great effect on the sale of this goods, efficiency of his staff and loyalty of his customers. These may be easily be a deciding factor in gaining or losing him a lead over his competitors. Consumers appraise a store based on its appearance. The store is the package that contains the merchandise offered to the consumer. Since any product package is important, retailers and managers take special care in the design of the stores in order to attract or entice customers. The effect is especially true in cases of stores offering value expressive products or ?social identity products?. Past studies have identified that consumers after social identity products are affected by stores' atmosphere and the overall quality of the retail environment. This study investigated the store planning and design concepts of stores marketing these lines of products. The study synthesized the effective planning and design concepts of the existing social identity products retail stores. A design and planning criteria was established by studying stores' commonalities and differences. Design commonalities constitute the basic store planning and design principles; differences constitute the design vital in creating a distinctive character of the store. The study area composed the social identity products retail stores with at least two retail outlets in Davao City. Store design concepts used from the exterior to the store interior were evaluated, briefly describing the requirements in achieving qualities essential to the social identity merchandise retail stores ? clarity, boldness, intimacy, flexibility, efficiency, inventiveness. The design criteria produced can serve as a guide to potential retailers and those concerned in the building of shops and stores