In a comprehensive six-week online course, Barbara Seidelsmann, Managing Director of 5 Star Plus Retail Design, will guide you through a 10-module program designed to equip retail brands with the essential tools to create compelling store concepts and enhance the in-store customer experience, ultimately driving business growth. The course begins in the third week of September. For more information please contact us at: academy@5starplusretaildesign.com

What You Will Learn:
- This course will teach you how to develop high-impact store design concepts tailored to powerful, authentic brands. You’ll gain insights into strategies that not only resonate with customers but also boost sales.
Who This Training Is For:
- Marketing Professionals: Those looking to deepen their understanding of store concept design, including key aspects such as customer flow planning, customer experience, and visual merchandising.
- Designers and Architects: Individuals interested in brand strategy, target customer focus, and storytelling as fundamental elements in store planning.
Program Modules
Module 1: Brand Strategy
Delve into market research and target customer definition. Learn to address customers’ functional, emotional, and psychological needs, and explore the 12 brand archetypes approach for effective brand positioning and equity creation.
Module 2: Brand Identity
Build on brand strategy to examine brand personalities and DNA. Understand how corporate identity influences store design and how social and community engagement can shape a compelling store concept. Define your design strategy for the project.
Module 3: Space Planning
Analyze and prioritize different functionalities and their interdependencies. Learn space planning requirements based on product categories, create effective layouts, and plan customer flow to optimize store efficiency.
Module 4: Retail Furniture, Materials, Textures
Discover the types of furniture needed for various product categories and their functional requirements, such as safety, flexibility, and integrated lighting. Understand suitable materials for different furniture types and learn best practices for retail furniture design.

Module 5: Retail Lighting
Explore general, task, accent, and decorative lighting. Learn how lighting affects consumer behavior and mood, and create effective lighting plans based on brand personality and marketing goals.
Module 6: Visual Merchandising
Master techniques for visual display and merchandising. Understand display requirements for different product categories and plan seasonal and new product displays in alignment with brand positioning.
Module 7: Customer Experience
Examine trends in store design like technology integration and “living room” concepts. Learn about the impact of omnichannel retail and personalization, and explore how virtual and concept stores can enhance customer experiences.
Module 8: Creative and High-Impact Design
Learn design principles such as Balance, Repetition, Hierarchy, and Dominance. Apply these principles to create impactful store designs that reflect brand personality and guide customer movement and flow.

Module 9: Optimizing Wayfinding, Signage, Promotions, Discounts
Learn the principles of wayfinding and different types of signage design. Explore effective design solutions for in-store promotions and discounts to boost impulse purchases. Understand the signage, product information, and design elements needed for new collections and discount areas.
Module 10: Pop-Up Store Design & Exhibition Stands
Apply your skills to temporary retail formats such as pop-up stores and exhibition stands. Understand the specific functional requirements and challenges of designing these formats. Learn about modular design and sustainability considerations for temporary retail spaces.

Meet Your Trainer

Barbara Seidelmann is the Founder and Managing Director of 5 Star Plus Retail Design, an award-winning firm specializing in commercial architecture and interior design with a strong presence in Europe and China. With over 12 years of experience, Barbara leads a team that delivers innovative design solutions for retail stores, restaurants, franchise chains, pop-up stores, and exhibition stands. Her firm also develops visual identities and offers consulting and project management services. Barbara’s work has supported renowned brands like UGG, Swatch, and Huawei, as well as government and non-profit organizations. Her projects have been featured in international media and have received numerous design awards.
“Simply selling products is not enough: a brand must know where it wants to go in the next five years and how it should be presented,” says Barbara Seidelmann. “Successful retail spaces shine at the interface between marketing strategy and interior design. Austrian retail companies have incredible potential in retail design, especially when it comes to increasing sales and brand experience.”