Does all this mean that Dick’s should install a bowling alley in their store?

Okay, maybe that is a bit much, but one must admit that a steady stream of league bowlers would go a long way toward increasing traffic, neither would it be bad for business.

It is that time of year again.  Marketing guru’s are expected to predict the future and tell us all about the hottest trends for the new year.  Not to be left out, I attended ” Marketing Trends & Predictions for 2018,” our local event, and for sure, anticipation abounded;  almost all of it having to do with serious internet marketing, and leading me to ask how might “bricks n mortar” retail be directly impacted?  My first inclination is to say, “not at all!”  That is until I stretch my thinking toward a broader impression and admit that, for existing and future owners of physical stores, the entire discussion is about “bricks n mortar.”

Seen from this angle, all of the complex online marketing campaigns and related in store technologies are implemented with the goal of enticing a customer to move out of his or her house and into a particular shop.  What he does when he arrives, the experience, has been a store planning topic, including the integration of technology, often dealt with here and elsewhere.

New is the perception that the actual built retail store is only a cog in the wheel of a “buy anywhere” paradigm.  It seems we are living with a new retail reality.  Joe Pinsker writing about Urban Outfitter’s venture into the world of pizza, quotes Marc Vetri, the pizza chains founder who says, “…if you want to eat at the hot new restaurant, you have to leave your living room…you have to venture out.”   Pinsker continues, saying that, “this is exactly the thinking that more retailers should be experimenting with.”  He goes on to cite Oliver Chen, another retail visionary with Cownen & Company, who asks what consumers want to do, and how retailers can “solve into that experience.”

“Solve into that experience!” it is an important statement, maybe even cutting edge. It changes the basic character of retail.  In light of this discussion, I thought that it would be fun to start a list of activities that might normally require a person to leave home if they wish to participate.  This means, if a retailer has one of these going on, there is a good possibility of meeting up with a living breathing customer. So without further ado let’s try a few:

  • Having one’s hair and nails done
  • Getting a massage
  • Taking a yoga class
  • Eating & Drinking
  • Bowling
  • Testing a fragrance
  • Ice & Roller Skating
  • Playing Sports
  • Swimming
  • Taking a dance or any class
  • Giving a party
  • Attending an entertainment event
  • Traveling and touring
  • Meet ups and networking

As you can see, once started, the list tends to go on and on.  The key to this experiment is to put the activity first, to make it the destination.  This is not always easy, especially for an existing retailer.  I would also think that it can lead to completely unexpected business opportunities.  However a retailer chooses to identify the ways that their particular product line might be merged into any number of experiences is, of course, up to them.  Once done, though, we are here to help implement those “bricks n mortar” changes that are so important to increase traffic, and contribute to the success of a retail businesses.