Squeezing the Melons and Weighing Your Dog
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Retail Experience and why it matters
How can stores really survive in the online commerce world?
In this radically shifting world of retail, many well-known brands have shuttered hundreds of stores or gone out of business altogether. The question of how to get customers in a store and stay profitable has become an elusive issue for many retailers struggling to compete with online stores like Amazon and others who offer cheaper prices and free delivery. It’s more than about just buying the product, it’s about the connection.
Being there is not an online shopping option
There’s one thing that online shopping cannot do – provide a tangible, real connection in a store environment. Whole Foods builds engagement the moment you enter the store. They invite you to see, touch, and experience the range of organics and in-season foods they have on display. They want you to experience their brand, their food and, behind that, values that you’ll identify with. Even today most consumers prefer to buy groceries in a retail store (67% according to a survey in 2018 by eMarketer). Shoppers want a physical and hands-on experience with what really matters to them.
When it’s all about your pet
When RadiantBrands worked with Pet Food Express in developing their brand image and the store environment for 30 stores, it became clear to Radiant that the focus of the brand was the engagement and connection with the customer. The products, the messaging, the value proposition of Pet Food Express is all about supporting what’s best for our pets. RadiantBrands designing an engaging retail environment that speaks directly to the pet owner. Yes, you can order food online or go to big-box retailers for savings but Pet Food Express offers unique and limited product selection, pet washes and even pet scales. They allow you to actually bring your dog to the store to see, taste and experience what your pet likes, and what you like too.
Informal and connected to you, the customer
How customers connect with the store environment and products for their pets is a reflection of the relationship owners have with their pets. The signage speaks to you about what you want. Customers want more than just a deal on pet food, they want a positive experience that engages them and their pet. RadiantBrands helped bring this to life by creating visuals within the store that are unique to Pet Food Express and invite engagement with customers no matter where they are in the store.
Being able to weigh your pet gives you another reason to engage
As we developed the branding and the store experience, it became clear that the store environment was all about talking with the customer, guiding them through the store experience and encouraging them to bring their pet with them. These are all aspects of a positive brand experience. They are not just about a purchase.
It’s about connecting not selling
The key is to have experiences, surprises and a sense of finding something new that’s not in any other store. This is where conventional retail needs to focus. From Pet Food Express to Best Buy and Target, everyone has had to adjust and grow with the changing times because they have to. To match their success, understand that it is about the physical engagement: “squeezing the melons” and weighing your dog. This is something e-commerce can’t offer.
Designing for connection always creates retail environments that customers really want. Radiant looks at retail branding and design as building a story that brings customers into an experience. One they love and come back for.
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