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Retail Insights
Monthly Retail Insights for Grant Brand Experience Fit Out
Brands must create unique in-store experiences for their customers. Creating sensory engagements will leave a lasting impression on those who visit physical retail stores. Brands build loyalty and trust through their in-store experiences. By appealing to all five senses, physical retailers can provide an unforgettable experience that their online counterparts can't replicate.
Sight
Sight is the most important sense for retailers, with Kissmetrics research indicating that visual cues influence buying decisions by 93%. The design of a store is fundamental in communicating your brand image and values.
Visual stimuli can be included in a store design to elevate a customer’s in-store experience. The use of digital displays and touch points are now commonly used in retail design, as they offer an opportunity to educate the customer on the brand and products.
Smell
Smell is one of our most powerful senses; an aroma can link to a person‘s long-term memory. Smell can trigger customer emotions and influence a positive retail experience. Using scents has been an effective tool that brands have used for years. Brands such as Abercrombie & Fitch pump their signature scent in-store; combined with low lighting. They were among the first to create a multi-sensory in-store experience. L’Oreal is using technology to create an immersive experience that connects scents to emotion.
Taste
The retail environment has adapted to engage with people’s taste buds while they shop. Many brands now include refreshments as part of their in-store experience. Coffee docks and champagne bars offer an extra level of service, to delight the customer.
French fashion brand, ba&sh, have centred their New York store around customer experience. Serving smoothies and coffees from their bespoke bar as customers browse, the offering reflects the brand and their target market. These additional services leave a lasting impression, which online shopping cannot compete with.
Touch
The main driver to visiting physical stores is the opportunity to look at and feel products in real life before purchasing. Brands can take advantage of this and design stores allowing for product interaction.
Apple has understood this and designed its stores to encourage touch. The entire store is sleek and modern, reflecting their products and the brand’s personality. The minimalist design is focused around the products on display. Customers can pick up and test out the products, with expert staff on hand to offer advice.
Sound
Listening to music while shopping can release dopamine, promote happiness, and reinforce a brand’s positive presence. However, brands must think carefully about the choice and volume of music played in-store and consider a number of important factors.
While sound may not be the sole deciding factor for making a purchase, the ambience it creates is crucial in the overall experience a customer will have in-store.