Many years ago, a member of the team suggested that the high street would turn into one big showroom. No matter if this was their own epiphany or if they had heard it from someone who had heard it from someone else, frankly it doesn’t matter as it appears to be coming true!
As the shops begin to open back up again on the 12th of April, the need to entertain our retail guests is now greater than ever.
So, what is the key question that brands need to ask of the ‘showroom model’?
My thought would be, how do brands and retailers drive loyalty and turn free advice into a sale that in many cases will come via the web and not one that will make the store till ring?
Store presence is a big part of this. The most effective store displays are the ones that make you stop, look and engage, but how can we now engage?
I can’t imagine that there will be many stores if any that will be encouraging us to touch and interact with Point-of-Sale displays. So, if physical interaction is out then visual communications must take a central role in delivering our brand message.
So, what does your display say about your brand? Does it say cost-effective and short term, or does it say modern, stylish, cutting edge and here to stay? More importantly, does it engage your target audience?
Bringing together traditional static retail displays with audiovisual digital display is now commonplace across our high street and there is no doubt that with a growing need for a visual feast and wall to wall entertainment as part of our retail experience that the rise of digital will continue.
So, what are your thoughts on the future of the high street, showroom, or shop?
