{"id":7980,"date":"2022-08-17T07:17:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-06T07:17:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=7980"},"modified":"2023-09-01T02:02:21","modified_gmt":"2023-09-01T02:02:21","slug":"reimagining-retail-experiential-phygital-interactive-immersive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/in\/blog\/reimagining-retail-experiential-phygital-interactive-immersive\/","title":{"rendered":"Reimagining Retail \u2013 Experiential, Interactive, and Immersive"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The future of retail is a dynamic and exciting one \u2013 rooted in the reimagination of engagement channels, disruption of business models, and innovations in technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brands and retailers will compete with each other to redefine customer experience (CX) and engagement strategies. Digital channels will continue to be primary modes of customer engagement, inspiration, information and purchase; however, physical stores aren\u2019t going anywhere. Instead, the store of the future will capitalise on tech advancements to deliver \u2018retailtainment\u2019 \u2013 the coming together of shopping experiences and entertainment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding experiential retail and why it\u2019s gaining traction <\/span> <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Experiential retail, as the name suggests, focuses on experience-building in brick and mortar (physical\/offline) stores. It hinges on the premise that \u2018touch and feel\u2019 or visual and sensory delights go a long way in engaging shoppers and enhancing their experience. There’s something about being able to touch a product \u2014 to hold it, see its size, feel its weight, and inspect its quality \u2014 that consumers crave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experiential retail gives shoppers a reason to interact and spend more time with a brand, even if they aren\u2019t buying its products. Not only does that enhance brand recall, but it also boosts consumer willingness to eventually try the company\u2019s products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s customers value experience just as much as quality and value. In fact, in our most recent State of the Connected Customer report, 88% of customers say the experience a company provides is as important as its products or services \u2014 the highest it\u2019s been since Salesforce began tracking customer sentiment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that in mind, stores are transforming from shopping destinations to experience centres. Many are building creative experiences in the form of digital signages, gamification, pop-ups, experimentation with AR-VR led trials, and cashier-less checkouts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Athleisure brand, Puma<\/a>, provides state-of-the-art offerings at its experiential stores – including F1 simulators and a personalisation studio with a cutting-edge embroidery and printing machine. The stores also showcase interactive retail screens and wall art that doubles up as a game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enrich, a beauty salon chain across India, launched their first, all-inclusive beauty store<\/a> in Mumbai last year. Replete with beauty bars that provide personalised skincare consultations, the store also offers mini-makeovers and makeup tutorials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, online furniture retailer, Pepperfy, launched a series of concept stores under the name \u2018Studio Pepperfry\u2019. Managed by interior design professionals, Pepperfry experience centres<\/a> offer customers free consulting for their home interior needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These approaches to experiential retail yield many benefits:<\/p>\n\n\n\n