Shopfitting
Encyclopedia
Shopfitting refers to the industry of furniture for retail
environments. Retailers use shopfitters to fill in their stores with displays and merchandising and stocking systems needed to make the business profitable.
A shopfitter is understood to be a firm that will offer and supply a degree of mixed design, study, products and actual installation services to retailers. The shopfitting industry is normally sectorized: there will be shopfitters specialized for Food and Grocery retailers
, then shopfitter specialized in Electronics
Retailers, then those one working with Architect
s for Fashion retailers and so on.
The shopfitter usually deliver a package to the retailer: a multitude of products sourced from different manufacturers. In the case of a food retailer this means sourcing refrigeration
, shelving, counters, checkouts, signs, graphics from different suppliers and giving this 'package' as one entity.
Manufacturers will call their products "shopfitting systems" trying to comprehend and diversify their product range to make their offer suitable for the most of applications: this will facilitate the shopfitters when supplying his package to source items from lesser number of suppliers.
Today's economy is very tight and the supply channel is shorter and shorter: big retailers with important budgets to spend, will deal directly with the manufacturers of the shopfitting systems, thanks to the internalized design offices. Shopfitters will be used a service suppliers for installations and site developments. In many cases the manufacturer will incorporate those functions, in order to secure supply of its products but committing into a different degree in the supply chain
.
Retail
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
environments. Retailers use shopfitters to fill in their stores with displays and merchandising and stocking systems needed to make the business profitable.
A shopfitter is understood to be a firm that will offer and supply a degree of mixed design, study, products and actual installation services to retailers. The shopfitting industry is normally sectorized: there will be shopfitters specialized for Food and Grocery retailers
Grocery store
A grocery store is a store that retails food. A grocer, the owner of a grocery store, stocks different kinds of foods from assorted places and cultures, and sells these "groceries" to customers. Large grocery stores that stock products other than food, such as clothing or household items, are...
, then shopfitter specialized in Electronics
Electronics
Electronics is the branch of science, engineering and technology that deals with electrical circuits involving active electrical components such as vacuum tubes, transistors, diodes and integrated circuits, and associated passive interconnection technologies...
Retailers, then those one working with Architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
s for Fashion retailers and so on.
The shopfitter usually deliver a package to the retailer: a multitude of products sourced from different manufacturers. In the case of a food retailer this means sourcing refrigeration
Refrigeration
Refrigeration is a process in which work is done to move heat from one location to another. This work is traditionally done by mechanical work, but can also be done by magnetism, laser or other means...
, shelving, counters, checkouts, signs, graphics from different suppliers and giving this 'package' as one entity.
Manufacturers will call their products "shopfitting systems" trying to comprehend and diversify their product range to make their offer suitable for the most of applications: this will facilitate the shopfitters when supplying his package to source items from lesser number of suppliers.
Today's economy is very tight and the supply channel is shorter and shorter: big retailers with important budgets to spend, will deal directly with the manufacturers of the shopfitting systems, thanks to the internalized design offices. Shopfitters will be used a service suppliers for installations and site developments. In many cases the manufacturer will incorporate those functions, in order to secure supply of its products but committing into a different degree in the supply chain
Supply chain
A supply chain is a system of organizations, people, technology, activities, information and resources involved in moving a product or service from supplier to customer. Supply chain activities transform natural resources, raw materials and components into a finished product that is delivered to...
.