With online shopping completely transforming the retail landscape, it’s crucial for brands to seek innovative ways to keep the pace. It’s common practice for consumers to go to physical stores to view a product, but then proceed to buy it online – potentially from a competitor.
Therefore, it seems like a logical step for retailers to start capitalising on the shift in shopping habits – particularly due to the volumes of consumers who are already using stores as showrooms and their higher expectations for in-store shopping experiences. It goes without saying, that today’s consumers expect more than a place where they can simply purchase a product, and they’re not just comparing your brand to your competitors either – they’re comparing it to the best customer experience they’ve ever received.
By turning traditional stores into showrooms, retailers are merging the virtual and physical sides of their business to create an engaging and entertaining experience, capture sales and build brand loyalty. This appeals to consumers who are used to the convenience and personalisation of online shopping but don’t want to turn their backs on bricks-and-mortar stores.
In fact, vast amounts of research make it clear that ultimately, people would prefer to purchase a product in store – being able to touch and test out products before making a purchase is more appealing than buying an item online and being disappointed when it arrives.
Through the addition of cutting-edge technology in showrooms, customers can flick through an inventory of products, enabling less to be shown physically within store, yet still offer a completely informative and engaging experience to the customer – it’s a truly omnichannel approach.
Showroom-style stores also allow retailers to create a multifaceted, immersive experience where consumers can interact with the brand, and solidify brand identity. Recently, we have seen an increasing number of stores implementing technology such as augmented and virtual reality, which makes for a much more compelling shopping experience.
If you’d like to find out more about transforming your retail space into an efficient and interactive area for your customers, get in touch.
