1. Start from the product, not the fitting
A fashion store lights fabric and colour. A jewellery store lights sparkle and small details. A grocery store or pharmacy needs even, bright light over the shelves. Decide what the light has to do, then choose the fittings:
- Track spotlights: accent light on displays, mannequins and wall bays. Can be moved when the layout changes.
- Downlights: recessed general light in ceilings.
- LED panels: even light in offices, stockrooms and some food stores.
- Linear lights: continuous light over gondola runs and counters.
- COB and neon flex strips: shelf edges, showcases, niches and signage.
- LED neon signs, 3D channel letters and lightboxes: branding inside and outside the store.
Our shop lighting and LED signs category lists the catalogue models with specifications per item.
2. Colour temperature
Colour temperature is given in kelvin (K). Lower values look warmer, higher values look cooler:
| Range | Look | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Around 2700–3000 K | Warm white | Fashion boutiques, bakeries, gift shops, wood and leather |
| Around 3500–4000 K | Neutral white | General retail, shoes, pharmacies, grocery |
| Around 5000 K and above | Cool white | Stockrooms, some electronics and jewellery displays |
Keep one colour temperature per zone. Mixing warm spotlights with cool panels in the same bay makes products look inconsistent and is the most common lighting complaint after a refit.
3. Colour rendering (CRI)
The colour rendering index (CRI or Ra) shows how faithfully a light source shows colours compared with a reference. For fashion, cosmetics and fresh food, ask for a higher CRI, since customers judge colour and freshness by eye. For stockrooms and back offices, a standard value is enough. Ask for the CRI per model on the specification sheet and do not compare products where it is missing.
4. Beam angle and output
Spotlights come with different beam angles. A narrow beam picks out a single product or a display; a wide beam washes a wall bay or a rail. Ask for the beam angle, the luminous flux in lumens and the power in watts per model. If a spotlight range offers interchangeable lenses, a single fitting can cover several uses and simplifies reordering.
Check the track system too. Track spotlights are made for a specific track standard, and adapters from one system do not fit another. Give the supplier your existing track type before you order.
5. Drivers, power supplies and strips
LED strips and neon flex run on low voltage and need a power supply sized to the length and power of the strip. Ask for:
- power per metre and the maximum run length per feed;
- input and output voltage of the power supply;
- whether the supply is dimmable and with which dimming method;
- the ingress protection rating, only as stated in the product data.
We do not install or wire lighting. Your electrician or shopfitter connects it, so share the specification sheets with them before ordering.
6. LED neon signs and channel letters
Custom signs start from your artwork. Send a vector file with dimensions and colours. We return a digital mock-up and, before production, a photo of the sample or the lit sign for approval. Decide early whether the sign hangs, stands on a backing board or is fixed to a wall, and whether it is for indoor use. The mounting method changes the backing material and the packing.
7. CE marking and documents
Lighting is the most regulated part of a fit-out. Depending on the product, these apply:
- the Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU for mains-voltage items;
- the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU;
- RoHS 2011/65/EU on hazardous substances;
- the Radio Equipment Directive 2014/53/EU for wireless or app-controlled items;
- energy labelling for light sources (Regulation (EU) 2019/2015) and ecodesign (Regulation (EU) 2019/2020) where they apply.
We request the declaration of conformity and test reports per model and check the CE mark and labelling on the product and the packaging. Where a model has no documents we can accept, we do not offer it. Our quality page explains how we check documents.
8. Lit mirrors, lightboxes and showcase lighting
Lighting is not only in the ceiling. LED-lit mirrors in fitting rooms, lightboxes with printed fabric or film, and strips inside display cases all count as electrical products and need the same documents as a spotlight. For lit mirrors, check where the switch sits, whether the light is dimmable and how the cable leaves the frame. For fabric lightboxes, the graphic can be changed each season while the frame stays, so order spare graphics with the first run if you plan campaigns.
9. Compare quotes like for like
Lighting quotes are easy to misread. Before comparing prices, make sure each offer gives the same data per model: power, luminous flux, colour temperature, CRI, beam angle, driver type, dimming, housing material and finish, and the documents included. A cheaper spotlight with an unknown CRI and no test report is not the same product as one with a full specification sheet.
10. What to check on the sample
- colour temperature against the sample card or your existing lights;
- flicker, visible through a phone camera;
- heat at the housing after an hour of use;
- finish of the housing and fit on your track;
- cable length, plug type and labels;
- packing: lightboxes and acrylic signs need corner protection.
11. Plan spares
Order a small number of spare spotlights, drivers and strip lengths with the main order. A matching replacement from the same batch is much easier to find now than in two years, when the colour temperature or housing may have changed. For chains, keep a written lighting specification per store format so that every outlet reorders the same model.
12. Lead time
Catalogue lighting follows the usual 8–12 weeks from order to our warehouse. Custom signs add time for artwork and sample approval. For a store opening, put lighting and signage first on the list, since they are often on the critical path.
Next step
Send us your lighting plan or a list of fittings with quantities. We check the documents per model and return an offer within 2 working days. Request a quote.
