Pop-Ups can bridge the Touch-Feel Gap
It smells like a freshly baked croissant. The feeling of velvety velvet. The familiar sound of the guitar playing a song. The five senses are used every day to transport thoughts, influence memories, and make emotional connections.
These senses are a powerful marketing tool that can drive our emotions and experiences.
Retailers are focusing on big data and patterns of shopping, and forgoing the senses. Retailers are ignoring the emotional and senses that are so deeply embedded in our minds, but sorely neglect them.
How can brands reclaim the senses and bridge the touch-feel gap . By creating tactile and creative pop-ups.
Limitations of the online world
Researchers and retailers have long been fascinated by the five senses. There have been many studies that have examined the impact of these senses on consumer behavior.
Martin Lindstrom conducted a 13-country study called " Broad Sensitivity Branding". It found that brands who communicate with their audiences through a multisensory platform have the "greatest chance of creating emotional connections between consumers, and their products."
E-commerce is at a disadvantage. The only way to see and hear products online is by being separated from them. This is an experience that's driven by convenience and speed, not emotion. Its effects are fleeting.
A pop-up gives you the chance to tap all five senses. You wouldn't be able to do more than that if you had three players on the court and two others on the bench.
Pop-ups offer a different experience to e-commerce, which is all about convenience. Pop-ups are about the moment.A bridge between the senses
Pop-ups can be a fertile ground for creativity. They allow shoppers to transcend the boundaries of in-store shopping moments(r), by offering them a sensory experience that is rich with sight, sound and touch.
Consider every time you have been to a luxury hotel. Have you ever brought home tiny shampoos, conditioners, and body washes? You're transported to a blissful vacation every time you use them.
This mind association is great for both hotel and toiletry brands. Imagine a joint body-care and luxury hotel pop up. You can make it easy for potential customers to fall asleep in a comfortable bed and then wake them up to a relaxing spa with soothing sounds, delicious treats, and relaxing massages. They'll remember the hotel the next time they shop for or use body care products. That's what we call experiential shopping!
Your brand is rooted in their memories
The senses can instill memories that are powerful and make emotional connections. Give the consumer more to recall.
Take a moment to consider the psychology behind buying a car. Cars are experiential purchases. Consumers want to take them for a test drive first so they can feel the car.
Think about what you could do instead of taking the customer on a test drive around town. You could put the shopper in a virtual car seat and let the engine rev up, make the leather smelt, and then show them the possibilities of the car through the magic of virtual reality. You'll instantly remind them of the great road trip experience, learning to drive and the thrill of speed. All emotional connections.
If you're hosting a beach-themed pop up, encourage shoppers to remove their shoes and feel the sand between them toes. Sip pina Coladas, listen to a steel drum and enjoy the summer heat.
A local pop up should feature a band from the area on the speakers or in person. Also, give shoppers the chance to taste the famous ice cream. To reinforce the comfort theme, promote a line super-soft linens with padded floors, plush toys and pillows, cloud decor, and cotton candy cones.
The pleasures of a fully immersive sensory experience can be consolidated in the long-term memory by continuing to indulge in them. These happiness pheromones kick in when your customer returns to the brick-and mortar shop down the street - even if sensory stimulation has long passed.
Consumers are people at the end of it all. While technology is cool, humans thrive in the warmth of human interactions.
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Retail Showrooms: Take your retail experiences to new heights
Guide shops. Neighborhood hubs. Showrooms for retail. These show-and-tell centres, whatever you call them, all lead shoppers to the same destination: an experiential and interactive in-store visit. Retail showrooms are having an impact on all aspects of the retail industry.
In the past, bigger was always better. Macy's, the grand dame of retail, proudly declared its flagship store in NYC's Herald Square as the largest. Tourists may be amazed at the store's enormous size but everyday shoppers don’t have the luxury to browse endless departments for hours. They know exactly what they want and want it right away. Go to the showroom.
Customers can get to know the products and try them out in showrooms. Showrooms can be used to view how a couch might look in a space, or even have a personal shopper pick the season's look. They are a lifesaver for brick-and mortar retail and an affordable option for e-commerce.
Although fashion has been the most popular area to adopt showrooms, the concept can be applied across all retail sectors, including home decor, technology and food. Forbes predicts that 2018 will be a year when retailers develop new operating models that are less focused in their stores than the web, and more focused on providing customers with more control and convenience to shop.
PwC also contributed. PwC also contributed to the conversation.
Shopping with genius
Let's begin with the most important aspect of shopping: fashion. Shopping for clothing and accessories can be a social activity. Shopping is an essential function for time-pressed consumers. Customers would rather spend their time browsing racks and walking from one store to the next, than spending hours on the road. Instead, they could browse the internet from their home, train station, or airport lounge. Or...?
Retail has found a middle ground. Online shopping is easy. You can complete a form and set up an appointment to visit a showroom. The showroom will be filled with carefully selected items.
Both my husband and I work full-time. Our family is active with a full professional and personal life. It's not just us: almost everyone with whom we socialize or work is in the same boat. Time is valuable.
It's so satisfying to be able use an app to select the item, size, color and fabric weight/season. I can then show up in a dressing area with a sales associate who will guide me through all of the options. It's amazing that a garment can be customized on-the-spot! You can also get a manicure and a blowout on-site. This saves you time for exercise, playing at a child's sporting event or just catching up with friends.
It is also a boon for retailers caught between sluggish foot traffic and increasing e-commerce returns. With their intimate, smaller feel, showrooms can be very cost-effective. The sales per square foot can be very impressive.
Mm.Lafleur is a brand that makes it easy for me to find the right dress for me, whether I'm looking for something to wear to work or a dress for a party. 99 percent of the times, I don’t need the item immediately. It takes 48 hours for me to get it delivered to my house. It's actually a blessing that I don't have to take the shopping bag back home from work or carry it around with me.
Take a run for a demonstration
Brands of sporting goods are taking advantage of experiential showrooms to their fullest. Today's customers want to run or play in their sneakers before spending $150+. Although it is a great way to be noticed, they don't always put their best foot forward. They want to know "What's in the deal for me?" Adidas offers a track where you can try out the sneakers and have an expert evaluate your gait to ensure you purchase the right running shoes for you. Nike's basketball court will give your potential basketball shoes a workout.
Casper is an e-commerce brand that sells mattresses. It discovered that customers care about the way a mattress feels...before it gets delivered. Instead of following traditional mattress-selling strategies (could anyone ever feel really comfortable lying on a mattress under fluorescent lights in public?) Casper recreates the comfort of a bedroom. The miniature "houses" are a private haven with low ambient lighting, curtains that you can close to keep your privacy and curtains that you can open for privacy. Talk about maximising sales per square foot! It's not hard to find these cozy nests with soft sheets, blankets and pillows for sale.
Showroom appeal is also a feature of tech gadgets. Dyson, the preferred brand for home geeks recognized that consumers need to see proof of effectiveness before they pay premium prices. Although you can see a vacuum cleaning up dirt and a blow dryer drying hair quickly, many people are still curious about the effectiveness of these machines. The Dyson Demo Store encourages experimentation and has experts to match shoppers with products based on their lifestyle preferences.
As hands-on and personal as possible
Virtual reality is being used by some retailers to allow for experimentation. Lowe's Holoroom experience allows consumers to try before they buy or decide to DIY. On-demand virtual reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) allows shoppers to participate in a clinic that covers everything from bathroom tiling, to laying a wood floor, and more. Lowe's understands that empowering customers creates loyal fans and increases revenue per sale. Shoppers can feel the drill's weight, learn how to drive a screw, and even measure the exact way. With knowledge and confidence they are ready to buy, make, and return for more the next time a project arises.
Unifying emotion
Shoppers feel an emotional connection when they have the opportunity to interact with other shoppers in person. All of this leads to the ultimate sign that there is a connection: the purchase. The shopper will feel more in control when they have the chance to learn about all aspects of the product, including how it feels, looks and works. A stronger and more confident relationship between the shopper and the product increases sales and decreases the chance of return.
The experiential supporting player
The success of experiential design depends on two other elements. One is the sales staff. It is no surprise that experiential stores have replaced "salesperson" by "consultant", in order to emphasize the emotional and educational aspects of their role.
Too often, brands get too caught up in product innovation and neglect all aspects of the buying experience. It is important to eliminate pain points and simplify the in-store experience. Your on-the-floor advisors are the best to identify areas of friction. They witness it firsthand, as they observe shoppers' journeys with your product. Customers also tell them about it. They witness vocal frustration as well as deep, contented breaths.
It is not enough to create an experience. Customers must be informed about the product features and their usage. Great consultants are brand ambassadors who help create shopper moments (r).
Signage and display can help floor staff in many ways. Signage is essential to educate the shopper about products and enhance experience. It's the heart of retail theater. Display and signage guide customers through the store and provide useful information. The end result is the customer's delight at the unexpected entertainment.
Joy is the ultimate experience.
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