Floor plan optimization arranges retail store interiors to guide customer movement, increase product exposure, and maximize purchases.
Common layouts include grid (supermarket aisles), free-flow (boutique browsing), and loop (IKEA's one-way path forcing customers through the entire store). Each design influences how customers navigate and what they see.
IKEA's famous one-way loop layout ensures customers pass through every department, increasing exposure and impulse purchases. Strategic placement of essential items deep in the store forces customers to walk past tempting displays.