How to get your retail experience design right the first time.
It’s becoming increasingly common for retailers to not only want to create a great purchasing experience for their customers, but to also want to entertain them in a way that retail spaces previously weren’t able to. The emergence of experiential technology has expedited this desire, but there’s a balance that many retailers are finding it hard to strike: how to ensure these new experiences are actually effective at engaging customers and creating a more enjoyable retail experience.
The answer to this is not clear-cut. With so many factors – market research, planning, budget, design and more – to consider, it can be a daunting task to even begin trying to approach retail experience design.
That’s why we put together this handy guide to ensure you develop the customer experience that your retail space deserves.
Solve problems, don’t create them
It’s all well and good investing significant amounts of money in retail experience design, but if the technology you use as part of that design isn’t user-friendly it can lead to an experience that’s more frustrating than anything else.
What issues have you identified within your current retail experience design? Have you mapped out different points in current interactions that lead to customer frustration or simply fail to fulfill the demands of the customer? How can technology help you solve these issues and create a better experience for your customers?
Start by mapping the user journey and thinking about your buyer personas. Use customer satisfaction surveys and feedback to reinforce your findings and shed new light.
Market research is essential
One of the most effective ways to gauge what your customers really want is to research it thoroughly. You’d conduct market research if you were launching a new product, so why shouldn’t your retail space deserve the same treatment? The next step is to conduct some research, but how do you go about getting data? Here are two great ways to start:
Evaluate your competition: take a look at what your closest competitors are doing right and, most importantly wrong with their retail experience design. What can you offer that they’ve missed? How can you make the customer experience more friendly and intuitive?
Ask your customers: who better to consult on what they would like to see in your retail space than the people who keep it going? Send out customer surveys via email or post, and ask customers what they think of your retail space while they’re shopping there.
Don’t forget that a big part of experiential retail design is about creating an experience that your visitors want to share. So take to social media, look at hashtag trends, see what your target market are posting about their experiences and use this information to build an experience that is shareable.
Thoroughly research the tech
Researching before you invest in retail experience design also extends – perhaps obviously – to the technology you’ll be using as part of the design. Look for technology that is native to your target market, that is easy for them to use without prompt and therefore fits into their shopping experience naturally.
A great place to start your research process is case studies of other retailers that operate within the same industry as you.
To get you started here’s some different digital display technology you could employ in the design of your retail experience:
- Digital signage: advertise your products in new, adaptive and exciting ways with digital signage displays to replace your posters and physical displays
- Touch-screen displays: allow your customers to interact with your store in a whole new way with interactive touch-screen technology
- Self-service kiosks: self-service technology is improving levels of customer service, satisfaction and retention, as well as generating additional revenue and add-on sales
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We take retail experience design seriously at LamasaTech, and we’d love to consult with you on your retail project. Get in touch with a member of our expert team using our contact form or on +44 (0) 191 341 0016 to discuss how our innovative technology will transform your retail space and customer service.
