Portability
The notion of what constitutes a potential retail environment is morphing and evolving far beyond the traditional confines of the four walls to encompass every public and social space imaginable; the gig the customer visits, the airport they are waiting in and the disused store around the corner are all opportunities for brands to bring their product to the consumer.
As the consumers need for convenience, accessibility and relevance continues to gather pace, these new portable (or ‘pop-up’) retailing formats provide brands with an opportunity to enter the world of the consumer and sell their product within an environment that they are already at home within. The retail design challenges that this presents have provoked some of the most innovative design concepts as each new location inspires a new design aesthetic.
In more depthTo learn more about brand experience and experience design, read our
expert article by Ralph Ardill
Local relevance
Pressure for retailers to move away from the generic retail ‘roll-out’ approach which has been the hallmark of retail design for the past decades is now coming from consumers themselves. Tired of the homogenous appearance of each high street both at home and abroad, consumers are now craving for retailers to take an approach which will reward them for their travel and imbue a far stronger sense of place.
This is affecting brands and retailers of every size and scale. As they aim to move away from monolithic ‘one-size-fits-all’ retail aesthetics they are looking to designers for the answers. On a small scale there is an array of examples of brands and retailers who have successfully created retail environments that are tailored to each local community and audience. The challenge becomes far greater, of course, for those retailers with a vast portfolio of stores and no extra budget to spend.
Personal service
As shopping online becomes easier and easier, one of the central roles of the store is to provide the levels of personal service and human contact that can never be achieved in the virtual world.
This presents a challenge as the design of a store must facilitate the level of service not only desired, but expected. One of the few elements of the retail mix that a retail designer is unable to change is the service that the staff in-store provides. However, the design of the store can provide staff with the tools to incite, inspire and encourage them to provide the service levels required.
Many of the most forward thinking retailers are looking outside of retail for inspiration and service tips as they seek to emulate the approach of theatres, hotels and members clubs in terms of orchestrating an experience and providing impeccable service and attention to detail. An increasing number of ‘retail producers’ are employed to manage the delivery of the experience as many of the customer touch points must be stage-managed.
The brand as expert
Consumers are demonstrating a renewed appreciation for the traditional values and rituals of specialist expertise and hand-holding. Brands and retailers are responding by using the physical retail environment to showcase their given expertise and specialism; this demystifies the product offer, aids product choice and gains consumer advocacy and trust.
Within fashion retailing, retail environments now include dedicated spaces for ‘personal shoppers’ to take on the role of stylist and advisor, and an explosion in the use of mannequins and visual merchandising demonstrate how each new ‘look’ should be worn.
Similarly, within the technology sector brands and retailers have begun to effectively de-commoditise their offer by shifting the emphasis from their products towards their expertise and knowledge - devoting dedicated areas in-store to advise and consult with customers, along with lecture theatre style areas to educate larger groups.
Scalability
As retailers increasingly require a portfolio of different retail formats, the need to create an entirely scalable design solution strengthens. The challenge for the retail designer is to distil the concept into a series of key elements that will create the overall impression required, at any scale - ranging from a single, small concession to a flagship format.
Scalability cannot be architecturally driven, therefore this will rely on the creation of true points of difference, that are owned by the brand or retailer, and which carry the soul and character of the consumer experience.
Flexibility
There is increasing pressure upon retailers to constantly evolve and update their retail environments, particularly as traditional product season cycles have been replaced by a constant stream of new product in many sectors. This creates a challenge for the retail designer to create an environment with the inbuilt ability to flex and change - including lighting, units and even entire walls. Retailers are becoming aware that while the initial outlay and cost may be greater, the design of a flexible infrastructure in store can result in an environment with a longer life span.
Differentiation
As products become increasingly homogenised, and competitors invest more heavily in retail design, the creation of true differentiation becomes harder. The challenge for retailers is to establish a ‘signature’ at retail that is distinctly owned and inherently linked to their individual brand and product offer. This differentiation will be defined not only by how the store looks and feels but also in how it functions, through new methods of consumer interaction and engagement, as well as new forms of service and comfort.
Consumer empathy
Retailers must be in touch with their consumers for two fundamental reasons: firstly, to determine the functional needs of the store and secondly, to ascertain what will appeal to them emotionally. By becoming more in tune with the consumer, the retailer is able to determine what will achieve the maximum impact - and therefore where investment should be made.
The challenge for retailers and retail designers alike is to stay in touch with consumers who are proving increasingly savvy, harder to predict and understand. New methods of delving into consumers’ psyches must be explored if retailers are to be certain that their investment will be well received.
In more depthWant to understand more about your customers? Find out more about user-centred design in our
expert article by Alison Black