The layout of a retail store directly affects the products to which shoppers are exposed, and ultimately their purchase. Optimizing a layout to increase product visibility can directly benefit both the retailer (via increased revenue) and the shopper (via increased satisfaction). We introduce the Rack Orientation and Curvature Problem, which determines the orientation and curvature of each rack in a layout to maximize the expected marginal impulse profit (after discounting for floor space cost). We account for the dynamic interaction between a walking shopper’s field of regard and a layout of racks filled with products. As several constraints in the optimization model cannot be expressed in a closed analytical form, we propose a particle swarm optimization-based solution approach and, subsequently, conduct a comprehensive experimental study using realistic data. Layouts with either high-acute and straight-to-medium-curved racks, or high-obtuse and high-curved racks, appear to dominate common rack layouts with orthogonal and straight racks; increases of over 23% can be realized depending on the location policy of products. Sensitivity of these solutions to shopper volume, cost of floor space, travel direction, and aspect ratio is also evaluated. Retailers can use our approach to quantitatively evaluate new rack designs or benchmark existing ones.

零售商店的布局直接影响购物者接触的产品，并最终影响他们的购买。优化布局以提高产品可见度可以直接使零售商（通过增加收入）和购物者（通过增加满意度）受益。我们介绍了机架方向和曲率问题，该问题确定布局中每个机架的方向和曲率，以最大化预期的边际冲动利润（在扣除地板空间成本之后）。我们考虑了步行购物者的关注范围与装满产品的货架布局之间的动态相互作用。由于优化模型中的几个约束不能以封闭的分析形式表示，因此我们提出了一种基于粒子群优化的解决方案，随后，使用实际数据进行全面的实验研究。具有高锐度和笔直至中度弯曲机架的布局，或具有高钝度和高弯曲度的机架的布局似乎在正交机架和直机架中占主导地位。根据产品的选址策略，可以实现超过23％的增长。还评估了这些解决方案对购物者数量，占地面积，行进方向和长宽比的敏感性。零售商可以使用我们的方法来定量评估新机架设计或对现有机架设计进行基准测试。还评估了这些解决方案对购物者数量，占地面积，行进方向和长宽比的敏感性。零售商可以使用我们的方法来定量评估新机架设计或对现有机架设计进行基准测试。还评估了这些解决方案对购物者数量，占地面积，行进方向和长宽比的敏感性。零售商可以使用我们的方法来定量评估新机架设计或对现有机架设计进行基准测试。