New retail owners often ask whether to start with window decals facing the street or wall branding inside the shop. Both are covered in detail on our dedicated shop window graphics page and storefront branding page; this article focuses specifically on which to prioritise first when you are working against an opening date.
What Window Decals Do
Window decals and glass branding are the first thing a passer-by sees, often before the store has even opened its doors for the day. They carry the store name, sometimes opening hours or a short description of what the shop sells, and they are usually visible around the clock, whether the shop is open or closed. For a brand-new retail store with no existing local recognition, this outward-facing signage is what turns foot traffic outside into customers walking in.
What Wall Branding Does
Wall branding lives inside the store and is seen only by customers who have already walked in. It reinforces the brand once someone is browsing, and can support merchandising by drawing attention to specific sections or product categories. It matters for the in-store experience, but it does not do the work of getting someone through the door in the first place.
Which to Prioritise Before Opening
If your opening date is fixed and your supplier lead times are tight, window decals generally deserve priority, since they are the element doing the work of announcing that the store exists and is open, and they are visible to potential customers even before opening day if fitted early. Wall branding matters for the experience once someone is inside, but a shop that opens with a bare storefront and finished interior branding will likely see fewer walk-ins than one with the reverse.
Ordering Both Together
In practice, both are usually designed from the same brand file and can be ordered at the same time even if window decals are installed first. Our storefront and window sticker range covers both window and wall applications, so a single order can cover the full storefront-to-interior sequence.
Common Questions
Can window decals be installed before the rest of the store is ready?
Generally yes, which is one reason they are worth prioritising — they can go up while interior fit-out work is still under way, giving the storefront a finished look to passers-by even before opening day.
Does wall branding need to match the window decals exactly?
It should be designed from the same logo and colour files so the two feel like one connected brand rather than two separate design decisions.
Next Steps
For the complete list of what a new retail store typically needs printed before opening, see our Retail Store Opening Printing Package page.
