I hadn’t heard the term “interaction design” before. But I think most retailers and store designers strive to practice it.

Another excellent article in India’s Economic Times defines it as “exploring new ways of enhancing the experience of interacting with other individuals, with products and with the environment by blending traditional design techniques, an understanding of human behaviour and modern technology.”

In India, several firms are devoted to nothing but interaction design. They’re using large wall graphics, practically eliminating the cash wrap, getting the sales staff more involved with customers, experimenting with store layout–anything to “create unique experiences that connect with customers on a deeper, emotional level.”

The Interaction Design Institute Ivrea in Italy goes to great lengths to dissect the buying process. They found that in high-end watch stores, customers get tired of trying on timepieces and eventually left. Their interaction design consultant came up with eye-catching wall graphics that educate customers about the concept of time and keep them in the store longer.

Most small retailers don’t have the budget for those kinds of studies. So I say conduct that research yourself, right in the store. Watch for the clues. What items do your customers seem to pass by? What merchandise do they linger around? If you can’t figure it out, ask them. Maybe even set up an online survey at SurveyMonkey.com with a discount coupon as the incentive.

Go for it: Consider murals, educational displays, historical posters–anything that shows customers you want their shopping experience to be richer in your store. And keep reading about retailing in India. They seem to have a lot of retail gurus.