Engaging shoppers through experiential retail concepts.

Declining in-store sales and an overall customer disconnect are pushing retailers to explore new ways of engaging their audience. The question is how such experiences can be enhanced in a way that the store maintains relevance, serving as the apex of the emerging omni-channel retail environment.

Challenge

To create novel experience proposals that fit the brick-and-mortar retail environment and which engage shoppers in a fitting way through the synergetic use of the digital and physical space.

Solution

Stores are nothing without brands, products, and customers. Hence, in order to create relevant experience proposals, customer and product had to be defined. Different shopper types were combined in order to construct three distinct shoppers, each with a unique motivation for his/her shopping activity and brand preference.

These shoppers were then linked to pairs of sneakers. Sneakers can be many things to different people: to some, it’s an accessory, to others, a tool, and to yet another group merely a necessary item of clothing; this made them an interesting product to play with, since shopping motivations differ greatly. Together, these aspects subsequently defined three distinct directions which were developed into experiential retail proposals: the store as a place for reminiscence, the store as a community center, and the store as a brand/product experience provider.

Assist shoppers to reminisce about past adventures at the product’s end-of-life, ultimately enhancing product attachment and brand loyalty.
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Basic shopper
Explorer brand

Have shoppers’ values and ideals continuously shape the public brand image, hence creating a sense of community around the brand.
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Enthousiast shopper
Outlaw brand

Enhance emotional resonance by communicating product/brand aspects through intimacy, sensuality and mystery.
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Destination shopper
Ruler brand