Is the traditaionl brick-and-mortar store dead? Absolutely not. Every day, retailers are adding newer and bigger retail stores in the most expensive cities in the world, including New York, London and Paris. What is changing is the way these stores feel – bringing stores into the future is about enhancing the customer’s shopping experience, through technology and innovative ideas.
A great example of how brick-and-mortar is embracing this new reality is the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) forthcoming new store in Manhattan, being built to give basketball fans the ultimate experience with the help of the latest retail tech. The NBA in working with Fanatics, an online sports apparel retailer, to give customers access to products that the store might not have in stock by creating an online experience within the store. According to Re/code, employees working in the store will carry handheld devices that will give the customer a more integrated experience. These employees will be able to check-out customers and allow them to purchase products from the NBA’s online store on the spot. Get bored while shopping? The NBA store will also have interactive games to keep customers busy, along with TVs and a score ticker to keep everyone up-to-date on live games.
To keep their brick-and-morter stores relevant to a new generation of consumers, retailers need to keep the focus on the whole experience of interacting with a brand, not just with their brands products. The experience-focus doesn’t necessarily need to be rooted in the latest technology (although as the NBA store shows, tech can be a powerful enabler)…here are five other stores that are focused on giving customers the ultimate shopping experience:
1) The American Girl Store –
Customers don’t flock to the American Girl Store simply to buy a doll – you can easily do that online. They travel to the stores to spend the day immersed in an imaginative world that brings the dolls to life. From a hair salon for girls and their dolls, to a restaurant where dolls are served their own food, anyone visiting the American Girl Store gets the full experience. The stores also host workshops and birthday parties tailored to young girls and their dolls. In addition to the many different experiences customers can have in the store, the company also provides personal shoppers to make a day in the store more enjoyable
2) Bass Pro Shop– Bass Pro Shop brings the outdoors inside. Upon entering one of their stores, customers are surrounded by nature. Fake trees, waterfalls, and furry creatures can be found throughout the stores. Bass Pro Shop offers a variety of workshops and interactive experiences. Stores vary across the country, but are outfitted with everything from giant fresh-water aquariums, restaurants, and museums, to arcades, nature trails, and even a bar. In our headquarter state of Massachusetts, Bass Pro Shop in Foxboro offers customers a look at one of New England’s only public access Cranberry Bogs, as well as nature trails. This location also boasts a 34,000 gallon aquarium, which is filled with over 400 different types of New England fish. In addition, they have a 5,000 gallon turtle pond and a 3,800 gallon trout pool. Customers can easily end up spending an entire day at Bass Pro Shop.
3) The Nike S
tore– The Nike Store creates a personalized experience that can’t be beat, using NIKEiD studio. The studio allows customers to design their own products. Customers can currently do this in Georgia and Oregon, but people who don’t live near the physical studios can use the NIKEiD studio app. Nike’s store in Chicago reflects their commitment to the communities they serve and to this customization of products. The store is decorated, not only with local professional sports icons, but also with sports photography from 40 local high schools. The Chicago location is gathering the local community by creating running and training clubs. Programs, such as these, make the Nike store much more than just a place to shop, it’s a place to gain inspiration to be fit and “just do it.”
4) Sur La Table– Sur La Table is a company that sells cooking supplies for the chef in us all. Any kitchen goods you may be looking for can be found here. However, this is not your normal kitchen store. In addition to their wide-variety of products, Sur La Table offers cooking classes for their customers. Their stores across the country are outfitted with full kitchens and chefs. They offer a wide range of different hands-on and demonstrative classes, covering everything from homemade pasta to macaroons. It is their classes, which can be designed for private events, date nights, and girls’ nights out, that really create a great experience for their customers and set them apart from the rest.
5) The 
Microsoft Store– Apple stores set the pace for what an electronics store experience could be. Now Microsoft is also offering stores that offer the customer much than products. Upon entering the store, customers are greeted by a variety of devices laid out neatly, ready to be explored. Similar to the layout designed by Apple, customer service agents are positioned throughout the store. They guide customers through the shopping experience and help them navigate the different products. They offer personal training to customers, who can schedule one-on-one appointments. They also personalize the shopping experience by providing customers with recommendations about what devices would fit their needs best. At the Microsoft store, free virus and malware removal is offered for all PCs, no matter where the computer was purchased. Microsoft was listed number 35 on NetBase Brand Passion Report’s Top 100 Brand LoveList for 2015.
Creating an enhanced customer experience doesn’t necessarily have to be centered around technology, the way it is for the NBA store, but it does have to be rooted in innovation. It’s all about designing the experience that will keep customers coming back.
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