On the weekend we experimented with a different entrance to our magazine department. While it may not look like much in the photo, in store the change was significant.
I was keen for the change for the sake of change itself.
Magazine departments look the same around Australia. By placing the units at the front of each aisle on an angle I was trying to get customers looking at the department differently and noticing the feature titles in the front units more than usual.
While the move made it harder for older customers and those with movement challenges to enter the magazine aisles, there is no doubt that the more people saw the titles in the front units – placed on the angle.
Another reason for the change was for us to look at the magazine department differently. We are planning on some major shop floor changes and we want to take a fresh approach to some core departments. Central to the changes is the need for us to break from traditional in several areas, to reflect the fundamental changes occurring in retail.
I am leaving up to the weekday team to decide whether they keep this change in place, move to something else or switch back. Since I am not there every day it’s not fair to force on them a change which be a challenge to a reasonable group of our customers.