On a scale of 1 to 10, how important of a role do you think the fitting room plays in a customer’s decision to purchase? 2? 3? Well, think again.

“It’s not visible, so I don’t know how many retailers realize that’s where the sale’s made,” says Robin Kramer, founder of New York based Kramer Design Group. “The best-spent money for a retailer is in the fitting room.” Many decisions about purchasing are made in the dressing room so you need to make that room as accommodating, functional and comfortable as possible. So, let’s think about what you can do to make sure that your fitting room really speaks to your customers and that the words it’s speaking are “Yes, buy that! It looks great!”

Size up your space. Customers are more likely to have a good experience when the fitting rooms are an adequate size and they don’t feel cramped. If your clients travel in groups, say moms with kids, you want to make sure that the room is big enough to accommodate a stroller and has the space for mom to bring the kids in with her. Larger fitting rooms with ample space outside the rooms for the peanut gallery or entourage create a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, encouraging people to stay a while to try on more clothing, thus stimulating sales. Make sure you have a seating area for those accompanying the shoppers; a comfortable, happy companion is less likely to badger the shopper into leaving quickly.

Hanging around. Hooks! Very Important! It is imperative that customers have enough hooks on which to hang everything they bring into the fitting room and also to separate the “yes”, “maybe” and “oh-my-gosh-no!” clothing. Utilize several wall mounted faceouts or J-hooks for plenty of hanging space.

Horizontal space. We’ve all been to dressing rooms that haven’t had a shelf on which to place a purse, sunglasses or pins from the clothing. Frustrating, right? Especially where there just aren’t enough hooks to spare for hanging the purse. A shelf in the fitting room is greatly appreciated, as is a small stool on which to lay clothing without hangers. I especially like to have a seat while trying on clothes to test the look and fit of the clothing while seated.

Lights and mirrors. Obtain even light distribution by having a light fixture over each fitting room rather than one big light for the entire area. “If you just have overhead lighting, it causes shadows,” says Kramer. “Have a mix of incandescent and fluorescent so you have a nice warm glow, not cold lighting.” Harsh lighting is unforgiving and makes me run for the hills so I am more likely to frequent a store with more complimentary lighting. Also important is the size of the mirror. The customers need to be able to see themselves from head to toe so mirrors that end at hip level aren’t helpful. Would you purchase an outfit if you couldn’t see how it looked from top to bottom?

Slatwall to the rescue. Slatwall is a great option for a fitting room. It’s available in several attractive colors to complement any décor including cherry, maple, black, white, grey and almond. Ready to paint slatwall can be painted any color you choose and gives the dressing room a distinct personality. Simply install a vertical 8’H x 4’W slatwall panel on one wall as an attractive and functional focal point then hang different slatwall accessories to accommodate the shoppers. Choose from faceouts and hangrails for clothing and acrylic shelves for customers’ purses. Acrylic sign holders for slatwall are also idea to inform your captive audience about sales, events and store policies.

Chime in. You can’t be everywhere at once so keep an ear on the fitting room even when you’re not near by. A motion activated door chime is ideal for letting you know when customers enter and exit the fitting rooms so you can walk over to be on hand and offer assistance. Also, shoplifters may be hesitant to steal if they know that you are aware of their whereabouts. Using a curtain instead of a panel door? Sew bells to top of the curtain for quick, do-it-yourself door chimes.

Keep it clean. No one wants to stand barefoot on a nasty carpet or dirty floor so make sure the floor in your dressing room is kept clean, clean, clean! I cannot wait to get out of a dirty dressing room so believe me when I say that a dirty dressing room can kill a sale. I remember in particular trying to see what an outfit looked like in a mirror full of little, smudgy handprints. I’ve not been back to that store. Icky.

Odds n Ends. The fitting room should be an extension of your store so it should have a similar color scheme and theme. Art work and attractive wall colors make the fitting room a more inviting and pleasant space, somewhere a customer feels comfortable and not in a mad rush to leave. Employ doors with space at the bottom so parents can keep an eye on children when they are in the fitting room alone. If your store can’t spare the space for a spacious fitting room, don’t fret. Just make sure that the fitting room you do have is very clean, in good repair and has plenty of hooks and a full length mirror.

When all is said and done, is your fitting room a space in which you’d want to spend time? If not, what can you do to make your fitting room a perfect 10? I’d love to hear your ideas!