Proper lighting and positioning is a major factor in enhancing your brand image, building a customer base and increasing the sales of your retail store. A well-designed store is bound to generate higher sales than the one with an ordinary interior.

Shoppers these days are more knowledgeable and opinionated than ever before. There is a need for retailers to equip themselves with the right skills and tools to attract their attention and make shopping a memorable experience for them.

Upgrading the lights and positioning is one of the easiest ways to restore and enhance your store’s appeal, thereby making an impact on the sales.

The Retail Welcome

Your store’s exteriors and lighting systems are vital. This is the place making way to the store entrance. If your store is inside a shopping mall, then you might spend more on ads, signage and billboards, or else lighting should be the focus.

The proper outdoor lighting. Mostly, we tend to focus on name boards which are aesthetically designed with spotlights. But outside area should never be ignored.

The entrance of the store makes an emotional connection with a shopper. That’s where you showcase your products. Proper lighting and correct positioning can make all the difference here. Even an ordinary product can be made to look good when the lighting is spot on. This persuades the people who don’t intend to shop in the first place, enter your store.

Good lighting designers would strongly suggest using a variety of lighting intensities, colors, fixtures and placements to craft an impressive entrance.

Product Lighting

Right lighting at various areas within a retail store increases shoppers’ engagement with the products. Different lighting caters to different products which could be dissimilar in shape, size, texture, pattern and color.

The lighting needs to be in tune with the products that your brand sells, so at the time of testing, customers can closely experience the appearance and usefulness of the products they want to purchase. For example in a clothing store, the color of lighting often makes a garment look different in terms of shade and tone.

Lighting for walls and decorative stuff in your store should never take precedence over product lighting. You are there to sell your products and not murals or ceilings. A retail store for interior items is an exception.

Light boxes can enhance the appearance of your top products and special items. Since shoppers are naturally drawn to striking and unique displays, these items gain instant visibility. This makes it a great opportunity to showcase the best sellers, higher margin items, or even items you simply wish to sell faster.

Lighting the Fitting Rooms

Proper illumination within the fitting or trial rooms ensures an easy selection and product check for shoppers.

Make sure that the colors, quality, and fit are clearly visible. Smart lighting with careful use of mirrors and cabinets makes a product look better when tried on.

Customer Experience is Paramount – Some Tips

Right lighting and positioning is only one of the parameters among others that define sales strategies but mostly, it is overlooked by retailers.

Store owners and retailers must find out a way to measure if the store lighting is making an impact to their footfalls and sales. The results would certainly convince them revive the entire store from lighting perspective.

Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS): RoHS Compliant

RoHS stands for Restriction of Hazardous Substances. Certain materials used in electronics and electrical products have been deemed hazardous to people and the environment and, therefore, must be limited. For a product to be RoHS compliant, testing must be performed and documented to show limited or no use of cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead, mercury, polybrominated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers.

Warranties

Super Bright LEDs, Inc. offers a minimum 2-year warranty to protect against manufacturer defects and malfunctions. Longer warranties are available depending on the product. If you experience failure of an LED or other component not caused by negligence, abuse, unauthorized repair, or disassembly, we will replace the product within the warranty period. If the same product is no longer available, a product of equal value may be substituted.

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Lifetime Warranty

Super Bright LEDs, Inc. offers a Lifetime Warranty on a variety of products to protect against manufacturer defects and malfunctions. If you experience failure of an LED or other component not caused by negligence, abuse, unauthorized repair or disassembly, we will replace the product. If the same product is no longer available, a product of equal value may be substituted.

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CE: Meets European health, safety, and environmental standards

In order for certain products within controlled categories, such as electrical and electronic devices, to be legally sold in the European Economic Area, they must bear a CE label, which stands for Conformité Européenne (European Conformity). Products with this label meet environmental, health, and safety standards put into place by European legislation.

UL Recognized: Product component safety and environmental certification from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) LLC

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) LLC is an independent testing agency that works to verify product safety and quality. A UL-Recognized label ensures that a product component, such as a power supply or LED light strip, has been tested and verified as safe to use in a UL-Listed product. UL-Listed product samples are tested by UL and meet their Standards for Safety requirements.

DLC: Listed as a quality, energy-efficient product by the DesignLights® Consortium (DLC®)

The DesignLights Consortium® (DLC®) partners with energy-efficiency groups and utility companies to establish a set of standards for commercial LED light fixtures. The product is tested and must meet quality, energy-efficiency, and performance requirements to be added to the DLC’s Qualified Products List. For more information, click

DOT Approved: Approved by the Department of Transportation (DOT)

The Department of Transportation (DOT) sets strict guidelines in respect to external vehicle lighting that must be followed in order for a light to be street legal. Vehicle fixtures, such as headlights and tail lights, that have a DOT mark are legal, safe, and considered to provide suitable illumination for street use.

SAE International Class 1: Classified for use as emergency vehicle lighting by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)

Vehicle warning lights are ranked by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) according to class. A Class 1 LED light delivers the most amount of light (in comparison to class 2 and class 3 lights) and is ideal for emergency lighting on ambulances and fire trucks as well as police and rescue vehicles.

ETL Listed: An ETL-Listed product meets national safety standards

A product that bears an ETL-Listed label has been evaluated by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) and meets national product safety standards. An ETL certification is accepted in the U.S. and in Canada.

FCC: Complies with Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules. Won’t cause harmful interference.

Products with a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) label meet all requirements and rules set forth by the FCC and won’t cause interference with other electronic devices. According to FCC’s website, “The Federal Communications Commission regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.” Products that generate radio frequency (RF) energy, such as RF remote controls and certain LED light bulbs, are tested to ensure that they are within the FCC’s guidelines and limits and do not cause harmful interference.

SAA: Standards Australia (SA) compliance

Standards Australia (SAA) is a company that establishes guidelines and rules known as Standards. In an effort to create a sustainable environment, these Standards are designed to ensure that products are safe and function consistently. Products with an SAA label were tested and comply with set Standards.

IP65

The weatherproof product allows zero entry of dust. It is protected against jets of water and may allow limited liquid entry.

IP66

The weatherproof product allows zero entry of dust. It is protected against strong jets of water and may allow limited liquid entry.

IP67

The waterproof product allows zero entry of dust. It is protected against the effects of immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter.

IP68

The waterproof product allows zero entry of dust. It is protected against long periods of immersion under pressure.

IP69K

The waterproof product allows zero entry of dust. It is protected against high-temperature, high-pressure water and steam.

UL 844: Meets requirements from Underwriters Laboratories (UL) LLC for use in hazardous (classified) locations

UL 844 requirements cover fixed and portable luminaires for installation and use in the following hazardous (classified) locations in accordance with the National Electrical Code, NFPA 70:

These requirements cover luminaires for use only under the following atmospheric conditions:

Anyone who has a security system installed on their premises knows exactly how much of research they have conducted before deciding which one to opt for. If you check what’s available in the market, you will find there really is an expansive range of security solutions to choose from, in varying price ranges. In many ways, this wide choice makes the decision more difficult. It’s probably why many people settle for devices that have the most advanced technology.

Unfortunately, that isn’t the end of the story! It doesn’t take too long for security technology to become outdated and get nudged out of the picture by newer, state-of-the-art, security systems. But you can’t really switch to the new technology that easily, even if you want to. After all, the security system you get installed represents a significant investment and you want to be able to use it for as long as you are able to.

If you are considering getting a security system for the first time, or are upgrading to a new one, there are certain things you should keep in view:

While all these factors are important, it’s also extremely important to ensure that the wiring in your home is completely synched to your security needs in the future. Technologies are always in evolve-mode. It’s difficult enough to accommodate the varied equipment that is an integral part of most households. But when you throw in security system-related wiring requirements, you might just be in for some unpleasant surprises, if you don’t keep your future needs in view.

When you are adding a new security system and upgrading your wiring, think about all the places you would want Ethernet, cable, Internet or any other wiring installations and how those needs may change in the future. The wiring you get done now, should keep these things in view. This will help make your security system more future proof than it already is.

For more security system wiring ideas and the best electrical solutions, call Allround Electrical at 1300 169 263. You can also drop us a line via email.

Thanks for reading,1300 169 263

Your home is yours to do with as you wish. There is no one size fits all and you will likely want to customize it to suit your needs. That is one of the joys of owning your home. You can paint the walls any color you choose and can use each room to suit your needs. Sometimes, there is a lot of extra space in the home that is going to waste. Your basement and the attic are often used as storage, but what if you could transform the area into a more comfortable storage space or even a living space? With a little help from a contractor and an electrician in Burbank, it is usually possible. You can feel confident when you call The Electric Connection that you will get a knowledgeable, experienced electrician to help you realize your dreams of more living space in your home.

If you just want to turn your storage space into a place that is a little more inviting, it is a good idea to have new lights installed by an electrician. Burbank residents will appreciate being able to see everything they have stored away. Often times a single light in the center of the space is all that is provided. This leaves the corners dark and tall shelves will block the light from really spreading out. An electrician can install new lighting to brighten up the space and make it much more user friendly.

You can also transform your basement into a man cave complete with outlets and light fixtures that make it much more habitable. An attic space is also a great place for a reading nook. You will need a couple of outlets to plug in fans, cell phone chargers or lamps. If you are ready to get the most out of your home, give The Electric Connection a call today.

LED foyer fixture from Artcraft

Saving on energy costs and outfitting your home or office environment with new lamps and light fixtures should be at the top of your home improvement project list.  Not only do new light sources deliver a superb quality of light, they are the key components in decorative and energy-efficient lighting design.

It is an exciting time in the lighting industry.  New products are being developed every day, and LED (light emitting diode) and SSL (solid-state lighting)*  lamps and light fixtures are at the core of future illumination.

What’s more, the integration of LEDs into building and electronic communication systems is bringing everything together and enabling total control with the ease of a smart phone!

Here are some guidelines to help you answer those questions and invest wisely toward one of the greatest home improvement projects of the decade:

WHAT YOUR LIGHTING DESIGN CAN AND SHOULD DO FOR YOU…

In addition to providing optimum levels of brightness, good lighting design must also…

•Eliminate glare

•Increase comfort

•Provide continuity

•Deliver good color rendering

•Allow for adjustability

•Instantaneously make you ”feel good” with an inviting luminous appeal

Because LED lamps require so little energy to provide a great deal of illumination, the energy consumed by the bulb will not be your main concern; your main concern will be getting the desired level of brightness and light appearance.

*NOTE:  LEDs, also referred to as SSL, provide the most energy-efficient and durable illumination because they are composed of “solid state” semiconductor light emitting diodes.

1.    Familiarize yourself with labels on new bulb cartons.

Brightness (in lumens)

Estimated Yearly Cost (depends on rates and use, $)

Lamp Life (based on 3 hrs/day use, rated in years)

Light Appearance (CCT)  (warm-cool, rated in degrees Kelvin (K))

Energy Used (in watts)

Color Rendering (CRI) (measured on a scale of 0-100)

BRIGHTNESS

Brightness levels are measured in lumens to give the amount of total light created by the light source.  Beyond the lumen count, “useable” light and brightness levels are also affected by fixture housings, lenses, filters and shades.  There are clear standards set to measure the lumen output of each LED chip.  ↓

LIGHT APPEARANCE  

Light appearance or correlated color temperature (CCT) helps determine the quality of illumination.  Designated on the Kelvin (K) scale, CCT for decorative interior spaces should be in the warm white (2700-3000K) range.  Sometimes lighting in the neutral white (3500-4000K) is preferred for certain areas, such as bathrooms and kitchens.

LAMP LIFE AND THE LED

Lamp life refers to how long a light source will last once it is installed and used on a daily basis in a typical application. Lamp life ratings, based on estimates from testing,  convey the time that half the bulbs in a sampling have burnt out or dimmed below fifty percent.

COLOR RENDERING AND THE LED

The color rendering index (CRI) measures the ability of a light source to bring out the true colors in décor, objects and surfaces.  Based on a scale of zero (no color rendering) to 100 (perfect color rendering),  a minimum of 80 CRI is acceptable for interior lighting applications.  A CRI of 90+ is even better.

However, because the standard CRI measurement does not always yield true results for some LED light sources, a new standard measure of color quality is in the works:  The Color Quality Scale (CQS) may soon replace CRI for a truer account of color rendering provided by the LED light source.-www.ledlightingexplained.com, Philips Solid-State Lighting, 2010

2.    Match light fixture to light source to ensure peak performance.

LEDs small size, low-temperature emissions, and focused uni-directional beam patterns make them perfect light sources for undercabinet lighting, track lighting and pendant fixtures.

LED general and flood lighting replacement bulbs are composed of clusters of diodes to provide broader beams of light.  General service LED bulbs that are multi-directional with 360-degree angle capacity are doing an excellent job of replicating the desired illumination of old incandescent bulbs. These LED  lamps include A19, PAR, BR and candelabra light sources that are providing more light with the added benefit of tremendous energy-saving, maintenance-free illumination.

Due to their long life and durability, LEDs are excellent in hard to reach places like foyer, attic and cathedral ceiling fixtures.

*Check for compatibility with all new light sources to make sure lamps, light fixtures, dimmers and automated controls are a suitable match.

3.    Compare “apples to apples”; diodes to diodes to ensure top quality.

 Many factors contribute to the quality of the LED light bulb.   Advancements in diode technology and mass production of LED light sources are bringing costs down to make these bulbs more affordable.  However, be wary of “cheaper” LED light sources.

•COB (chip on board), the diode itself is composed of a chip that largely determines  the quality of the bulb.

Prior to being marketed in appliances, fixtures or light bulbs, LEDs are sorted into bins according to their light output (lumen output) and color temperature.  Due to the process of “binning,” LED chips vary in their quality—especially in relation to their lumen output and color, so it is important to purchase LED light bulbs and LED light fixtures from a reputable dealer.

LEDs chosen from bins with higher lumen output are of better quality.  Color temperature is determined by matching up each LED according to a chromatic line grid for a specific color temperature.   LEDs chosen from larger bins contain more color variation , so they deliver an inferior quality of light.

•LPW (lumen per watt), this measurement helps to determine energy-efficiency and efficacy

•IC (integrated circuit) drivers, the quality of the LED lamp is also dependent on the type of driver installed.  LED bulbs contain “drivers” that can fail just like the ballast of a CFL (compact fluorescent). Better driver components make for a higher quality LED light source.

ENERGY STAR-ratings ensure that the LED has met stringent testing procedures.  ENERGY STAR-rated lamps clearly identify characteristics on LED light sources to guarantee that they consistently and reliably meet the desired brightness (lumens), energy-efficiency (lumens per watt), color temperature (CCT), color rendering (CRI), and dimmability requirements.

New ENERGY STAR Regulations include:

•Consistency Control:  More standardized testing methods to improve consistency.

•Dimmability Ratings:  A lamp is either dimmable or not dimmable.  If a lamp claims to be dimmable, testing is required and it must dim down to at least 20 percent.  If it is not dimmable, it must say so on the package.

•Greater Energy Conservation:  Efficiency requirements have increased for specific lamp wattages and types.

NOTE:  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with ENERGY STAR offers rebate programs as an added incentive to help you spring into action and upgrade with LED.  Check out rebate programs in your area or contact an American Lighting Association (ALA)-affiliated showroom for more details.

LED chandelier “Niagara” from Lladro

1800lighting’s Top LED Bulb Pics:

Bulbrite’s  LED  MR16 lamp

Philips medium base LED

Philips dimmable LED

Satco’s PAR38 indoor-outdoor LED lamp

Satco’s Kolour One A19 omni-directional LED lamp delivers 820 lumens and excellent color consistency.

Satco’s Ditto PAR LED lamps are available in 25- and 40-degree beam angles and either 3000K or 4000K.