By 2025 half of the store space will focus on experience
It is expected that by 2025, half of the retail space in stores will be dedicated to experience. This is concluded in the How To Shop survey by Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield retail property party. Dutch consumers already believe that a third of the sales space should be devoted to experience.
For large stores like IKEA, 50% of the retail space means a lot of square meters. Yet Mirjam Stox, country retail solutions manager at IKEA, doesn't shy away from it. "I believe we have to get serious about experience. Currently kids up to eight years old can go to Smålland, but for the older children we don't really offer anything...", says Stox.
According to the interviewees, experiences such as creative or cultural activities should have a place within a store. Moreover, a third of the people that were surveyed want inspirational shops that stimulate a creative use of the products. And, 39 percent says that they would benefit from the personal help of employees to find the perfect product for themselves.
The survey also shows that the vast majority enjoy physical shopping and 80 percent would like to be able to browse freely through various collections. Two-thirds of those surveyed indicate that shops should be adapted to local traditions and customs. 50 percent says they prefer local brands above non-local brands.
Finally, one third of the people that were surveyed said that they were interested in a more personalized offer, especially when it comes to health solutions. If that requires them giving up a DNA sample, one third agrees.
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield is building a shopping centre in city Leidschendam in the Netherlands. They also manage shopping centres in the cities Almere, Zoetermeer and Amstelveen. The How To Shop survey was conducted among a thousand Dutch consumers.
(2020, 01 13). 'Helft van de winkel op beleving gericht in 2025'. Source: https://retailtrends.nl/news/59083/helft-van-de-winkel-op-beleving-geri… & https://retailtrends.nl/item/59159/zo-komt-ikea-tot-een-juiste-winkelbe…
Would you also like to work on the experience in your store? A kids’ corner will give you more time and room to help customers with children select the perfect product for them.
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