If you have a brick and mortar store, you’re likely desperate to get as many people coming to your store as you safely can so that you can keep your business afloat. But even before the worldwide pandemic many businesses struggled with attracting a huge demographic of spenders: senior citizens.
If this is a group of people that you’re wanting to have come into your business more, here are three ways you can make your store more accessible to senior citizens.
Consider Your Lighting
One thing that can really make a store unappealing for the elderly is the lighting.
In order to properly see, both the environment of the store and the merchandise that you’re selling, there needs to be adequate lighting. According to Roseann Henry, a contributor to This Old House, the most important part of your building to light effectively is the entryway, as this is where it can be most dangerous to misstep. Along with this, you should also have good lighting on your shelves or near any place where the customer is expected to read something, like a sign, board, or menu. With the right lighting, seniors will be able to see exactly what they need to within your store and will be more likely to come back again at another time.
Keep Paths Clean And Clear
If you’ve ever visited an assisted living facility, you’ve likely noticed how large and clear the pathways are. And to accommodate seniors and the elderly in your store, this is something you should emulate.
To make your store ideal for seniors or people who are less mobile, ADA.gov shares that you should have clear pathways around your store and ways to enter and exit your store that don’t involve taking stairs. This might mean having a ramp, escalator, or elevator to help people who don’t walk well on their own. And for your floor displays, make sure they have ample clearance from the actual walkway that people will be using to navigate your space.
Include Options For Seating
While walking all around your store and other stores might be no big deal to you, for seniors, it’s very easy to get winded and need to take a break. But if you don’t have anywhere in your store where they can rest, they likely won’t be coming in to visit.
With this in mind, Geoff Gross, a contributor to Retail Customer Experience, advises that you include some seating options throughout your store. This way, if the elderly in your store need to rest for a few minutes before they continue shopping, they’ll be able to do so.
If you’re trying to make your store more accessible to seniors or those with trouble getting around, consider using the tips mentioned above to learn how you can do this.
