Retail is changing like never before, with new technologies stores are starting to adopt the classic in-store experience. Office Depot has created their first “Store of the Future” in Nevada; this begs the question of what will stores of the future look like?
The remodeled Office Depot features a modern layout as well as new amenities for shoppers. The layout makes the customers shopping experience easier and more personal. Changes such as larger signage, improved sight lines and more in-store demo units allows the customer to get in and get out if need be or to shop around.1
Improving the shopping experience is important for the survival of brick-and-mortar stores. For campus stores, it is great that big box stores are starting this shift now. With time, we will see what works well and what does not making your transition to a “Store of the Future” even easier. Take a look at our simple solutions to update your store.
We are starting to see stores break down the wardrobe to give each associate a distinct function. A cashier may wear a t-shirt where as a customer service rep may wear a nice shirt and apron. From a customer perspective this breaks down barriers to conversation, customers will know who to talk to and easily find them. See the image below as an example. 2
Offer a win-win solution by featuring charging stations in your store. In store charging stations drive foot traffic from customers who might not otherwise visit. Customers that charge their phones stay in stores 2.27X longer than those that don’t giving you the opportunity to increase sales. Of the people that walk in solely to charge their phone 11% of those customers end up making in-store purchases. 3
The channel is seeing a growth of popularity of subscription-based purchasing. From Spotify to Netflix, subscribers are signing up to receive a regular service. This is a great opportunity for your store to take advantage of dead stock. Offer mystery subscription boxes on your campus, students will love the mystery behind their prizes.
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