How these Crazy Retail Trends are Revolutionizing Shopping

"Experience First" Retail is radically transforming brick-and-mortar shops into fun spaces to share with friends - and socially.

New York, July 2018: Some Pop-Up stores, like Supreme boast a 2-hour wait while others languish empty for weeks. What's the difference? What makes people wait? Scarcity is one driver. The other? Experiences. Add them both together, and you have pop-up retail.

Retail stores may wish to consider themselves permanent pop-up spaces, switching up "exhibits" like mini-museums, says Palpable Media CEO and Chief Experience Officer.

Over a nine-block stretch on Broadway, of one the world’s most famous avenues, there is only one store open. It sells drones. All the rest are shuttered. Real estate investor Sal Bescemi pointed out that even on Fifth Avenue there are plenty of vacancies, and on Broadway the homeless rest in the doorways of buildings that are for lease. Large signs fill empty store windows, pitching vacant spaces on block after block, Some windows are shuttered with wood, some with flat aluminum gates, some have graffiti spray painted on stores that used to thrive.

Why Should We Bother Changing our Customer Approach?

If fashion favors the fickle, then we have to provide shoppers what they want: Instagrammable spaces and moments they can share with friends IRL, and online. At Palpable Media we talk a lot about how retail has to transform itself to survive and these are a few ideas that have been proven to work.

Theme-Centric Stores & Case Uses

Why do people Experiential retail need not be a themed pop-up, but aligned with the brand. Some good examples of this are the yoga classes at Lululemon or the cookery classes at Pain Quotidien and Williams-Sonoma, or gaming and education at Microsoft. 

Says Palpable Media Chief Experience Officer, Catherine D. Henry:

"Experiences, not displays, should drive retail today: we have to transition to an experience-driven retail in flagship stores, to deliver the brand essence in a way that online shipping can't."

The experience will drive people to collect items, offered on interactive displays and delivered to their homes, as a kind of souvenir. it links the material with the social.

So, how do you get it right?

Tribal Marketing

Time is limited and as business consumes a large portion of one’s free time, so people tend to flock to those spaces and events that have personal resonance. A yoga experience at Lululemon reinforces wellness and a sense of “who I am” and “my life goals.” Connecting to people and a space that nourishes those inner desires will forge a deeper bond with the clients: authenticity attracts.

How do people find their tribe? Brands can court and connect with them on social media by delivering relevant content that is interesting and relates to their values. What is on their minds? What would they like to learn?  

Another way to develop a brand community is by creating fun instructional videos, videos of in-store events, a video message of inspiration by the store’s founder, or an app that delivers special privileges and discounts for membership. Get them into the store as often as possible to experience your brand and become part of your community.

Experiences Attract, Engage and Hopefully, go Viral

So now you have identified your tribe and invited them into the store, what else can you offer? This is where imagination and customization kick in. As a cosmetics or clothing store a mere makeover or fashion show is interesting – but not exciting. 

Instagrammable installations, or bright spaces are a good way to get more clicks, and could easily last at least one season before it would need to be retired. But what other kind of tech could make that experience more exciting? Think out of the box, and into the brand experience. 

How to Create a Positive PR loop of Social Media Worthy Experiences

Many digital-first brands are treating their stores as showrooms (or guide shops) for consumers to experience the products or special occasions with other members of their tribe.

"Showrooming" is the term for people who want to experience the brand first-hand. Some will even travel to be able to share the excitement of their quest. Be sure to deliver on the brand promise with an unforgettable interactive experience to make their trip wortwhile - and worth sharing.

The 837 showroom at 837 Samsung in New York's Tribeca is anything but dull.

How to Get it Right: Case Studies by Industry

A bookstore or local café, for example, could send out a beacon – or SMS- to clients inviting them to participate in a live podcast, in-store; or invite a panel of social influencers to interview a hot author, politician, academic or actor. Host a series of live video logs about different topics (self-help, personal growth, children's stories, politics and history) on Facebook, Periscope and Instagram.

Clothing retailers could host a VR fashion preview, a "virtual runway starring you and Kendall Kardashian!" In the headset, she will see Kendall telling her "you look amazing!" and together going down the runway in your brands latest fashion. Think she will share this experience? Absolutely!

The beauty of interactive experiences like VR and holograms that offers rich data: eye-tracking and heat-mapping. With a haptic suit, not only do they experience the VR more physically but we can also get biomorphic data, (i.e. dress size) so customers know exactly what they will look like and, importantly, we can use that information to help her order online.

Sports retailers could create a virtual ball-game; play ball with hologram stars: pick your teams, or play against friends. A lingerie chain could use the AR app to see teach interested clients how those items can really be used. Sell branded Virtual Reality headsets with other items – branded content- which can also be used live, and interactively.

Makeup & Beauty retailers Many are launching Try before you buy AR apps that must first be downloaded so customers can interact and engage with the brand. This allows brands to track how often users interact, what interests them, and create a more active conversation with the client with offers and invitations. For customers, the convenience of trying on new makeup to redesigning interiors makes shopping much easier.

In short, with well-crafted experiences, we can get lots of rich data that we can use for future marketing. Not only can we track interest with heat mapping, bio-morphic activity, view-through rates, but critically, we can also encourage people to share the experiences online.

How to Make it Go Viral: Interactivity for Social Success

The two most important things to get out of the whole in-store experience is data, and social sharing. We addressed data above. But social sharing has to be a core component of any campaign if it is to be successful. Why, for example, would you get a talking receptionist hologram? Many companies have tried these, but we have yet to see any of them go viral. The reason? They simply aren’t fun, are hard to program and so they are neither engaging, nor particularly interactive. So crafting an experience has to be viewed holistically, with social media sharing and content in mind.

Once the “wow” factor passes, if the tech doesn’t deliver a special or unusual experience, it simply won’t go viral. Without social success, the project may well be branded as a failure, and any future endeavors to innovate will be harder to find internal support to realize or to fund.

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About the Author: Catherine D. Henry is the Founder and Chief Experience Officer of Palpable Media, inc. an "experience marketing agency" that delivers innovation strategy and more powerful branding through interactive and immersive technology. A native of NYC and VR film maker, she loves live performance, art and happenings. When not working with clients or writing articles, she will happily travel to see and experience art.