Below is an excerpt from my Case Study #1 regarding retail spaces and how feng shui both interprets these spaces as well as how they can be enhanced.

“Ceiling height, paint color, flooring and lighting are all taken into consideration in an evaluation.  Ceilings can be high in a store, but for more expensive purchases, such as jewelry or art, it is probably better for the ceilings to be lower so that customers can focus on details better.  In the field of environmental psychology, it has been shown that people can concentrate and focus better under low ceilings.  But shopping malls as a whole, opt for high ceilings so that customers will have their senses thrown off and be more vulnerable to impulse shopping.”

For retail spaces, of course there are mundane ways to determine if the space is going to be successful, including the real estate maxim, “location, location, location.”  That said, stores also utilize every trick in the book to increase foot traffic and impulse buying. Color psychology and other ambience enhancers from sounds to smells can also lure customers into a store and make them stay longer, increasing the odds of a purchase.

The unseen flying stars also play a big role in the success or failure of a retail space and the case study features ideal flying stars at the entrance of different types of services and products. As a complement, my ebook, Feng Shui Tips for Businesses covers the influence of just the orientation of a building suiting some types of businesses better than others.

Another excerpt from the case study:

“Any money transaction area, even if it is not a literal cash register, can also attract customers or repel them away, making them less likely to step up and make a purchase. Many Feng Shui theories are subtle and hard to explain in scientific terms.  But hundreds of years of case studies have shown that there is a predictable effect on businesses when money is collected in one area over another. 

This is one reason why we see Asian establishments where they put the Lucky Money Cat or bamboo plants near a cash register.  They are hoping it will bring them good luck right at the point of purchase.”

Author: Kartar Diamond

Company: Feng Shui Solutions (R)

From the Architecture & Design Blog Series