Although much attention lately has been put on the emergence of online retail, there are still many businesses that are aiming to draw in customers to their brick-and-mortar locations. A few ways that retailers can do this is to spruce up their storefronts by designing attractive window displays and making sure their sales floors are clean, organized and easy to navigate. Unfortunately, there are some merchants that are failing to do this, and many have seen sharp decreases in the number of shoppers coming in their doors. To prevent this, companies need to put more focus on frequently updating their storefronts and incorporate elements that are attractive to consumers.

It's all about cleaning up

A clean appearance is extremely vital in the business world. Just ask any job applicant who has ever been on an interview. The same is true when it comes to retailers, as their storefronts act as the faces they present to consumers. Dirty, unattractive and outdated elements within brick-and-mortar locations can easily turn customers off from purchasing items. There are many methods that companies can follow to ensure their stores are enticing to shoppers, according to Independent Retailer.

The first aspect that businesses need to focus on is cleaning. This includes making sure there is no trash littering sales floors or other areas, as well as the sidewalks and other platforms right outside of the store's doors. The source suggests that retailers quickly replace broken or outdated signs, both inside and outside. Lighting plays an important role for brick-and-mortar locations, and companies should ensure they have adequate elements that show off their merchandise. This can help to draw in consumers who are passing by.

Expanding windows is another strategy that can drive up business, states the news source. By having larger space toward the front of stores, retailers have more room to advertise their ongoing discounts and show off their products.

Physical locations not decreasing in importance

While many shoppers these days are hitting the internet to buy retail goods, it doesn't seem as though brick-and-mortar locations are decreasing in popularity. The recent Black Friday weekend is a good example of this, as research from ShopperTrak revealed that there were more than 594 million store visits between Thanksgiving Thursday, the day that retailers opened their doors, and Sunday, when Black Friday deals officially ended.