A Look Ahead at 2014 - Retail Makeovers
In Store
The underlying trend through most remodels is creating personal experiences for the shopper. This can be difficult to do when you have thousands of people walking through your doors every week, but that doesn’t make it impossible. When it comes to using technology to individualize a store, Adidas has been one of the early movers. Their adiVerse system is an interactive wall that displays all shoes available in the store for customers to browse and explore. It also gives shoppers the ability to interact with others on social media, and learn more about new shoe technologies. The technology behind adiVerse may be nothing new, what’s new is the way the technology is applied. Whether it’s an entire wall or tablets placed throughout the store, interaction is vital to customer satisfaction, and 2014 will be big for this kind of tech.
Next up is the AT&T approach to remodels. During 2014 their stores will slowly be transformed from the stereotypical wireless vendor location to something that resembles the living room of that guy you know who has a few too many gadgets. Counters and checkout stations are being replaced with learning centers and lounge areas. Many people have noted that the new stores look like Apple stores, but I think AT&T takes it a step further. This isn’t just a place to linger and play with things, it’s a place to actually hang out and stay awhile. There is even a music corner with guitars to play with. Like I said, it feels like a living room not a store. This trend will be big with small boutiques, regardless of what they sell.
Online
There are so many trends in the online world that 2014 will see many retailers rethink and redesign the various channels they use. The omni-channel trend is driving retailers to rework their websites to create the same look and feel you get in store. There are even a few retailers who rotate their customer service representatives between stores and the web to ensure customers are getting the same feel. As stores continue to evolve into open areas for customers to explore and interact, websites will be right behind. Simple, personal, and interactive are the three words many online retailers will be aiming for in 2014.
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Agilence Staff
