store department redesign
Store Environment Team
Store Merchandising Department
Lowe’s Home Improvement
all rights reserved, 2019-2020
concept illustrations done by Scott Chovan
As part of my time working at Lowe’s Home Improvement, I was part of a small Concept Design team, leading design strategy for in-store concepts. This included: Discovery, Strategy, Objectives, and Early Design.
One project I led was a redesign of the Home Decor department in-store. It’s classic Lowe’s to want to reinvent the in-store experience every few years. In this case, Lowe’s was facing competitive pressures from Amazon and Home Depot, and wanted to re-think it’s approach to differentiation, and use of in-store space. Home Decor is famously an unproductive set of SKUs, meaning it’s sales/ square foot is lower than other products in the store. Poor thing.
So, the challenge was simple. Improve space productivity, reposition Lowe’s as a credible Home Decor provider, and build a stronger omnichannel tether between online and in-store shopping experiences.
DISCOVERY & STRATEGY
The retail world was changing drastically in 2019, with new tech and supply chain innovations hitting the market every month. So the first step was to do a full audit of changed behavior in regard to purchasing, sense of self, value of the home, and generational differences. It’s not something that is usually given enough time to explore, but thankfully, I was supported by my upper leaders to go deep and remind us that consumers are people first and foremost. Insights from this phase led to a rethink of approach to Decor; What Lowe’s is trying to do, and why, and how to get to that goal.
Early strategy led to the idea of a cut-through, or a break in the aisle, in which customers could more easily navigate through the department. This was unheard of at the time. Rack is sacred, and the removal of rack has historically led to a decrease in sales, since there are less products in the store with less rack. The favorite phrase from upper Operational and Merchandising leaders has always been, “stack it high, and let it fly” as in fly off the shelves. But we sold this thought with data about how customer want to shop, and with the “promise” of a differentiated experience that extends not online in-store sales, but also online sales.
Also hi to my Lowe’s folks. I didn’t post any sales, customer data, or current strategy. This work is over 5 years old. Don’t come for me.
DESIGN ITERATION
Once the overall business strategy was defined and sold to leaders, our concept team went to work at translating this strategic vision into a physical experience. I led workshops and stakeholder working sessions to define the final merchandising plans and product elevation plans that would be ready for testing. Each stage took re-selling the idea and soothing concerns.
Merchandising Plans / Space Variation Planning / Elevation Design / Experience Design / Fixture Design
GOING LIVE IN-STORE
The concept was tested in hundreds of stores around the country in late 2019, each reporting significant increases in sales and cost savings. My favorite leadership quote was the SVP of Marketing saying, “dang, this looks better than Target.” Unfortunately, the world was less forgiving. When COVID hit in early 2020, it accelerated online presence and forced Lowe’s to rethink its in-store strategy. Learning also showed that the concept was high maintenance to ensure quality, since Store Operations did not invest in training, and MST skills were insufficient to maintain an aesthetic display.
ONGOING PLAYBOOK
The work didn’t go to waste. Like everything in corporate, insights and concepts adapted with the changing tide. The work evolved into a guidebook for the head of Decor Merchandising and in-store Operations, to use as a reference for the original strategy and execution.
