Everybody looks at trends to help shape their company focus – and retail is no different. It doesn’t mean that “trend” should be your only guiding light of course.
Often, the keys to really unlocking the potential of your business already exists in-house and relates to basics like quality (products and service delivery), the overall customer experience, the value of your offering . . . those are within your control today and another topic for another conversation.
However in this blog we are briefly going to highlight some of the trends featured in this Forbes.com magazine article.
All of it’s relevant – but our main focus will be on the experiential side of things.
Retail trends to take note of.
The glass box and brands-as-a-culture:
Basically boils down a greater emphasis from shoppers on corporate responsibility, social consciousness and the like. You can’t talk about “the environment” in your brand communication but, back at the ranch, you are distributing single-use plastics at the same rate as 20 years ago.
That kite is not going to fly (anymore). Make a conscious choice to stand for real change – and then communicate that well.
Make eCommerce shipping faster:
Studies show that, on average, most people are willing to wait four days for their goods to arrive.
However, trend is fast moving to two days being the standard and, probably, “same day” will soon become a reality from retailers such as Amazon (for a price, of course).
The Rise of Experiential Retail:
Today’s shopper is looking for an engaged experience. “Simply remodelling a store isn’t enough,” says Jia Wertz, writing for Forbes.com.
“Brands will have to create engrossing experiences. . . The emergence of virtual reality, augmented reality, and improved mobile technology will continue to push retail brands to add layers and new experiences to their traditional retail models.
According to Greg Maloney, also writing for Forbes.com, there are six dimensions to take note of when it comes to experiential retail. It needs to be:
- Personalised
- Immersive
- Human
- Accessible
- Meaningful
- Intuitive
“Shoppers want something unique, aesthetically pleasing, inviting, and visually stimulating,” says Maloney. “Not to beat a dead horse, but if they wanted to methodically shuffle through a homogeneous collection of drab clothes jam-packed with every possible style, size, and colour on a single rack – they could do so a lot easier online.”
This is where PDT can help
Having worked with various retailers on a variety of technologies over the years, PDT can provide guidance on which types of touchpoints require what types of displays and/or solutions (be it 3D holograms, video walls or self-service kiosks, to name but a few).
The future is about connecting with customers in new and unique ways that inspire and assist to move them along their path to purchase.
Contact us to discover a better way to connect.