The Store
is the Future

By Martin Fawcett, Agency Services Director at 100% Group

The physical store of today is evolving into a dynamic, tech-infused experience, ushering in “The Store is the Future.” As technology innovates to reshape consumer expectations and behaviours, retailers are reimagining the shopping experience to meet the changing needs of the modern consumer. As a result, developments are being made now to support a store that promises an immersive, efficient, and hyper-personalised brand experience.

From invisible technology and multi-sensory experiences to circular retail – here are some considerations brands in retail will be implementing at speed when imagining and re-thinking their stores of tomorrow.

Balancing technology

When we imagine technology implemented in stores, it’s typically highly futuristic. Significant trends such as Augmented Reality (AR), robotic assistants or dynamic pricing displays may come to mind. More often, we imagine that if brands are implementing technology in-store, it’s visible! There’s also a lot of technology in-store you can’t see. Take Artificial Intelligence (AI) for example. As technology continues to evolve, AI algorithms are now analysing customer purchase history, browsing behaviour, and preferences to provide personalised product recommendations by connecting with your smartphone when in-store. Working in the background, AI now has the ability to improve and enhance the customer experience tying their online preferences and influences in-store together.

Yet at the same time as this tech revolution, we are seeing other retailers and brands strategically downscaling technology from their stores to make it feel less invasive and more welcoming. The supermarket chain, Booths, is axing almost all self-service tills in its stores in what it says is a ‘response to customer demand’. This is brilliant news for employment opportunities when you consider a 2019 report found that 75,000 retail jobs were lost to self-service tills and other automation. Embracing their grassroots, Booths is investing in its staff as they can be more engaging, inquisitive, and authentic.

The interoperability of technology in retail is a double-edged sword, with the potential to add value through innovations like AI. However, there is a growing counter-movement towards embracing more human-led user experiences in stores. This suggests a balance between technological advancements and the resurgence of human-centric approaches. Because the Store is the Future, retailers must navigate this mix to offer the consumer the new expectation of retail utility and retail experience.

Serving the consumer (and the senses)

It’s more evident today that brands must put a lot more thought, detail, and personalisation into their physical stores if they are to be profitable, in comparison to their online platforms. Consumer engagement differs between online and physical stores, with online interactions characterised by swift decision-making through clicks. In comparison, in-store engagement requires more effort by the consumer, influenced by prior expectations tied to a store’s reputation or their personal choices.

Rituals, the international cosmetics retail chain, is well-known for its luxurious and personalised in-store approach. The store incorporates spa-like features (reflecting its products) including relaxing music, aromatic scents from their soaps and diffusers, lavish decor, and the option to wash hands with their products, catering to all the senses. Its approach is undoubtedly successful, as the brand is set to open 25 new stores next year as it expands across the UK and Ireland – at a time when many other brands are closing their physical stores.

Unlike online platforms, physical stores can leverage the senses, providing a tangible and social experience for their customers and leaving a lasting impression. The future of retail has a great opportunity to prioritise sensory engagement, offering something that online stores and social channels cannot replicate.

The ‘Store is the Future’ can now offer the consumer a much higher level of deep human-centric touchpoints.  A combination of invisible technologies working effortlessly in the background, multi-sensory in real-life physical experiences and highly trained store teams that bring reassurance, personality and human-level knowledge.

Rethinking circularity in retail experience

In a time of transparency and saliency retail businesses face unprecedented levels of accountability from their consumers, especially when it comes to authenticity and sustainable practices. According to a NielsenIQ study, 76% of consumers are calling for companies to take the initiative to reduce their environmental footprint. Therefore, the Store is the Future must completely reconsider its meaningful circularity at every stage, from its design and creation to its supply chain, products, and even its partnerships with suppliers and agencies.

The total cost of accountability rests with all individual businesses that create our contemporary physical shopping experiences. Brands and retailers are now tasked to think beyond delivering innovation and plan much further ahead to build in long-term accountability for their decisions today.

By choosing to work with sustainable agencies, brands play an active role in shaping a future that prioritises ethics, equality, and environmental consciousness. At 100% Group, we serve as a toolbox for brands envisioning their stores of today and tomorrow. We aim to help our clients create retail activations that are not only outstanding consumer experiences but sustainable and environmentally responsible too. We understand that choosing the right retail agency is crucial to achieving this goal, and our passionate team is here to guide you every step of the way. To see how we can support your business with its ambitions for investing in the future of physical retail, contact us here