1. Watch our retail guidance video
This short video will take you through the retail elements that you will need to consider.
Improving the retail experience you offer
Providing visitors with a high quality retail experience can be crucial. This is irrespective of the type of business you operate.
Benchmarking against some of the best attractions that Scotland has to offer can help you to raise standards and deliver success.
2. Best practice examples
Browse the following retail experience elements we assess. These are some of the best practice examples of businesses that have achieved the highest scores.
Please note that all specific examples should be taken as general guidance of 10/10. There may be some changes in standards since those scores were awarded.
This section looks at ease of access to all retail displays, for all visitors, as well as the layout and flow of sales area, including any queuing space.
Johnstons of Elgin
- spacious and unobstructed retail area
- customers able to move around the space easily
- plenty of queuing space
- assistance is consistently offered from staff
In addition, there may be further considerations to make with respect to visitor flow management in light of the changing expectations and climate for the industry. Some additional considerations could be:
- enhanced queue management
- effective use of barriers to guide customers
- consideration of ticketing systems to avoid bottlenecks of customers at service points
- arranging displays and stock to optimise the space and comfort afforded to customers
Merchandise should offer a range that exceeds customer expectations, with high quality products that suit the theme of attraction and customer mix, interest and budget. Products should be innovative and local.
The Royal Yacht Britannia
Image credit: The Royal Yacht Britannia
- wide ranging product types to meet an array of market groups and tastes
- wide price-range from luxury items such as jewellery, gifts and whisky, to pick up items such as cards and pens
- very strong venue branding across the store with own brand food items and confectionary, clothing, toys and stationery to name only a few
- majority of the product range is linked to the overall visitor attraction, for example nautical themed bears
- unique product items with limited or specific availability only within the venue
Find out more on the Royal Yacht Britannia website
Rosslyn Chapel
- majority of the product range is linked to the overall attraction
- bespoke and high quality items, branded to Rosslyn Chapel and which can only be found on site
- clear display units, making browsing easy and enticing for visitors
Find out more on the Rosslyn Chapel website
Jacobite Cruises
Image credit: Jacobite Cruises
- recent investment in visitor centre space and wide range of retail product
- product range from higher price luxury gifts to branded pick up items and toys
- focus on sourcing Scottish producers
- majority of product linked to overall visitor attraction and pitched to appeal to high proportion of International visitors
- very strong branding on own products
Find out more on the Jacobite Cruises website
House of Bruar
Image credit: VisitScotland / Kenny Lam
- huge range of products across a variety of different departments
- focus on luxury product and higher price bracket as appropriate to market, but smaller price-tag pick up items available
- focus on Scottish provenance and quality of product
Find out more on the House of Bruar website.
Gordon and MacPhail shop
Image credit: Gordon and MacPhail
- extension whisky selection including rare and exclusives
- supplemented with artisan food products
- focus on Scottish provenance
Five-star standards will see a wow factor in presentation, with an overall look that is pleasing to the eye and draws customers in.
The retail experience should be exceptionally well-presented and innovative in use of design, props, display materials and lighting to bring presentation to life.
Tidy, well stocked, clearly priced, use of sales techniques and branding.
The House of Bruar
Image credit: VisitScotland / Kenny Lam
- high quality presentation cases and shelves in top condition
- all items well-categorised by product group for ease of customer browsing
- all items clearly priced using high quality point of sale
- neat and tidy displays to encourage sales
- use of additional presentation and sales enhancers such as well-presented tasting samples at the delicatessen, and mannequin displays in clothing departments
- theming of food hall and fresh food counter areas in market style
Find out more on the House of Bruar website
Gordon and MacPhail
Image credit: Gordon and MacPhail
- use of product information point of sale materials
- neat and tidy displays
- food and drink pairing merchandising strong (promoting enhanced basket size)
- use of display materials to enhance aesthetic (baskets, wicker sheeting, deli counter embellishments)
Looking for staff that are well presented and easily identifiable as team members. Use of high quality fabrics, branding, name badges, smart in overall appearance and appropriate to attraction and role within retail.
The Scotch Whisky Experience
- full complement of bespoke, corporate uniform, making use of high-quality fabrics and in excellent condition
- all clothing clean and well pressed, with staff having a well-groomed appearance
- all staff wearing and having a clearly visible branded name badges of a high quality
Find out more on the Scotch Whisky Experience website.
Peterhead Prison Museum
- strong example of uniform being appropriate to the attraction
- all staff in full guard uniform with branded name badges, neatly presented
This section looks at the intrinsic quality and condition of décor, flooring, fixtures and fittings and enhancements used. There should be effective use of and the condition and maintenance of lighting, heating and ventilation.
There are no specific examples of 10/10, as this score can be affected with wear and tear, refurbishment, re-decoration year on year. Businesses should consider:
- high quality décor, all aspects in excellent condition – no evidence of wear and tear on windows, doors, walls, flooring
- pristine paintwork and woodwork
- use of enhancements, for example pictures, sales materials and signage appropriate to the attraction, all to a professional standard and in excellent condition
- high quality, hard wearing flooring in excellent condition, appropriate to the location
- high quality fixtures and fittings including sales counter, all in excellent condition; all maintained to a high standard and in full working order
- ventilation, heating and lighting in full working order (a comfortable atmosphere conducive to browsing to be created and particular attention paid to lighting covering key sales areas)