Every retail environment must leverage every opportunity to maximize its product appeal and make its space more welcoming. Sometimes, choosing the right mixture of items to sell and how much to price them is only the tip of the iceberg; how these products are displayed also matters. When it comes to drawing the eye, few options are as effective as backlit acrylics.
Whether your business needs to highlight a specific product, make navigation through a specific product selection easier, or simply improve your business’s first impression before the shopping even starts, backlit acrylics can help.
The following is an overview of what your business needs to know.
What Are Backlit Acrylics?
Backlit acrylics are pieces of acrylic material that feature built-in illumination attached to the back or bottom. In some cases, the backlighting is hidden behind a light box, and in other cases, the acrylic and frame may be seamlessly joined so that the light-producing elements are hidden within the shape of the acrylic itself.
No matter which option you select for your business, you can expect a display that provides its own illumination in whatever color and light pattern you select.
Is Backlighting an Effective Strategy?
Before you commit to installing backlit acrylics, it is reasonable to wonder whether they will truly make a difference. Studies indicate that lighting captures attention and can even change how a person feels, meaning backlit displays are uniquely positioned to make a difference for your product inventory.
Backlights draw the eye and can provide services such as making details easier to see or helping those with visual impairments navigate your space. For these reasons, it is worth considering how backlit installations can enhance your business.
Backlit Acrylic Options to Elevate a Retail Display
If backlit acrylics sound like a good investment to you, the next step is to determine how you plan to use them. Here are some potential options:
Illuminated Stands
One of the most common ways businesses utilize backlit acrylics is for illumination on product stands. This is especially common with jewelry and cosmetics, but it can be applied anywhere. Place the product either on top of or in front of the illuminated acrylic to help it stand out.
The extra lighting will also highlight features such as the item’s sheen or reflective elements (which is why backlights are so effective at displaying jewelry). The lighting also gives customers a better idea of the item’s shape and potential function without the need to get close or strain their eyes.
Backlit Sheets and Dividers
Another option for backlit acrylics is to use them within the space itself rather than solely for products. For instance, a company that wants to feature an entire set of related items may consider surrounding the larger display with backlit sheets that make the entire podium stand out.
Other powerful options include dividing the retail environment with gently illuminated paneling or displaying glowing artwork on the walls that serve as the wallpaper itself (or even creating a backlit map of your space to help customers find their products).
The best retail spaces consider their customers’ comfort, which can be enhanced with acrylic that makes the space welcoming, comfortable, illuminated, and easy to navigate.
Glowing Shelving and Trim
For products on shelves, backlit acrylic can showcase an entire shelf at once. However, remember that acrylic illumination need not be limited to product displays. Consider creating glowing trim and other décor elements that subtly guide visitors to where the business wants them to go.
Think about how movie theaters light up the edges of the room to guide patrons in low light. Your retail environment can use similar strategies, leveraging aesthetically pleasing backlit acrylics to replace trim or other subtle elements.
This strategy can subconsciously direct customers toward specific displays, specials, and sales that they may otherwise overlook. In the end, it is not just about highlighting the products themselves but also guiding customer impressions and interest using backlighting.
Try Backlit Acrylics and See the Difference!
No two retail environments are the same, which means there is no single answer for how to use backlit acrylics to enhance product displays. However, these installations are versatile and customizable, which means that your ideal installation can be as creative as you are.
Contact Tree Towns to discuss your goals and begin to build a backlit acrylic display that completely transforms your retail space. We can guide you on elements ranging from the right colors for your backlighting to the size, pattern, and installation of your acrylic pieces.