Shopfronts are more than just product displays; they also play an important role in facilitating communication between consumers and producers, stimulating consumers’ emotions and desires, and reflecting social trends.
Window displays are one of the representative cultural expressions of consumer society. Just as we read the cover or table of contents before reading a book, we can enter the spatial text of consumer society through shop windows. The term ‘text’ refers to any artifact produced for the purpose of communication with a specific intention. A window is a type of spatial text that is intended for the act of consumption. According to semiotic theory, the act of consumption can be understood as a process of communication between producers and consumers through the medium of these spatial texts.
The role of the window in a consumer society goes beyond simply displaying goods. They are the first point of contact with consumers, attracting their attention and triggering an emotional response. The products displayed on the window are not just objects, but a medium for consumers to connect with their identity. Therefore, the organization and design of the window is very important, and it has a great influence on consumers’ purchasing decisions.
In the window of a clothing store, a mannequin is wearing a fancy necklace and wrapping a red skirt around her slender waist. The bright lighting makes the mannequin look even more vivid. As I walk down the street, I’m drawn to the bright lights and examine the mannequins one by one. As you look at the mannequins, you start talking to yourself. “She’s so slim and pretty. I wonder where she got that expensive-looking necklace, and her short skirt is dazzling……. I want to be like that mannequin,’ and soon they are walking into a clothing store.
This sequence of events can be understood as the consumer reading the spatial text of the window. Spatial texts exist at three levels: surface, deep, and narrative. The surface level is the sensory level, such as the decorations, lighting, and mannequins in the window. The deep level is where the value and meaning of the window is embedded. The narrative layer is the layer that connects the surface and deep layers and exists in the form of a story.
At the narrative level, producers and consumers interact. The producer gives meaning and value to the text and conveys it to the consumer in the form of a story. The consumer decodes the meaning and value of the text through the story. This communicative process of consumption can be described as a consumer’s “narrative path”. This narrative path follows four steps.
The first is when a consumer starts to become interested in a product. At this point, the consumer stops in front of the window and prepares to read the spatial text. The second is when the consumer scrutinizes the product. During this process, the consumer appreciates the window and its components. The third is the process of decoding the value assigned to the product. In this process, the consumer reads the values inherent in the window text. The fourth is the consumer’s final evaluation of the product.
Through these four processes, the consumer decides whether to buy or not. The narrative path is a process in which consumers scrutinize whether they really need the product and whether they can afford it. In this process, consumers reflect their desire to express their identity through products. The window is not just a space to display products, but an important medium to stimulate consumers’ emotions and desires.
Consumers go beyond the simple act of purchasing and create their own stories through the window. The emotions and thoughts they feel in front of the window are interwoven with their personal experiences to create new meanings. Therefore, the window goes beyond the role of simply displaying products and becomes a complex place of communication between consumers and producers.
Through the window, consumers imagine the image they want and take the first step toward realizing that image. This goes beyond the simple desire to buy, and is connected to the desire to express oneself. As such, window displays play an important role in consumer society, creating greater value through emotional connections with consumers.
Window displays also reflect social and cultural trends. Fashions, colors, styles, etc. that are popular at a particular time are represented on the window, which serves to show consumers the current trends. This gives consumers the opportunity to express their individuality while keeping up with the latest trends.
In this context, window displays are more than just product displays. For example, a brand’s storefront reflects its philosophy and values, giving consumers a glimpse into the lifestyle it strives for. A high-end brand’s storefronts convey a sense of luxury and elegance to consumers with their sophisticated design and luxurious décor, which is an important factor in consumers choosing that brand. On the other hand, the storefronts of popular brands emphasize accessibility and practicality, conveying a sense of familiarity and comfort to consumers.
Shopfronts can also be used as a tool to convey specific social messages. Topics such as environmental protection, social responsibility, fair trade, and more can be communicated to consumers through window displays to generate interest and engagement. These windows are more than just product advertisements; they reflect and spread social values.
Overall, window displays are more than just product displays in a consumer society. They play an important role in facilitating communication between consumers and producers, stimulating consumers’ emotions and desires, and reflecting social trends. Through window displays, consumers create their own stories, express their identity, and communicate with society. The window is more than just a physical space, it is a space that contains complex meanings and values, and its importance in the consumer society is becoming more and more emphasized.
