No matter what time of year, our team at GDM are continually designing new retail display systems and innovating to meet retail trends. It’s important to us to understand consumer behaviour so we can work with our retailers to improve in-store shopper experience, and ultimately increase sales.
With that in mind, the New Year is always a great excuse to collate our experiences and research so we can share them with you. While the last two years have been somewhat tumultuous for many in the retail sector, those who have succeeded have adapted to change quickly.
So, lets take a look at what we think 2022 will look like.
Greater use of instore self-service checkouts and pickup via click & collect
Leading retailers are changing how customers queue and checkout at the counter.
Instore self-service checkouts are here to stay. Over 60% of shoppers in America prefer self-service checkouts thanks to speed and convenience. Plus over the past two years they have become one less touch point with staff, often aligned with contactless payments, to cap off a fast, seamless shopping experience.
Providing self-service checkouts can regulate customer flow at the checkout, move customers through your location more efficiently, and increase sales. With that in mind, retail businesses must determine the ideal split of point-of-sale staff and self-service. It is a balancing act between offering a contactless, express checkout and providing excellence in face-to-face service when required by the customer.
GDM produce self-service checkout counters for leading retailers across New Zealand. Our designs will match your specific point-of-sale checkout hardware and space requirements. We focus on the end user experience, to promote traffic flow and impulse purchases.
Contactless payment, checkout and pickup have expanded in popularity over the past two years, as while humans like contact, they often prefer it to not be at the counter! Now, the option of contactless payment and pickup has become an expectation with consumers. In 2021, 83% of American shoppers have used contactless payments in the past year, with 67% of retailers having some form of contactless option and checkout. Convenience is a major driver to contactless, along with health and hygiene.
Experience related shopping expands in importance
Retail is a competitive market and those who succeed understand their products, their store environment, and their customer expectations. We believe experiential retail is becoming increasingly important to draw customers in and to keep them coming back time and again. The opportunity to build the emotional buy-in with customers and create the impulse to want the product right now, is often lost by just competing on price or relying on loyalty. Customers want an experience with the product and brand. They also crave face-to-face interactions, and nothing beats knowledgeable, friendly staff who can personalise a customer’s shopping experience.
Our team at GDM have the knowledge and skills to create experience related shopping fixtures and fittings. Reinvented tech stands such as GDM’s recently produced Mitre10 Smarthome, allow shoppers to try out products in a home type setting, with the support of sales assistants. Meanwhile, GDM have built mini bridges for Torpedo7’s customers to test out their bikes and footwear.
Successful retailers across the world are also creating communities for their customers. Solfire, an apparel retailer in the United States set up a juice and smoothie bar along with a fitness oasis for sports clubs to meet and exercise. By doing this, they are providing plenty of excuses to welcome shoppers in the door, building up loyalty and in turn sales.
Showrooming is when a customer tries out products instore and then heads home to buy the same product from the cheapest online outlet. Brick and mortar stores can help combat this by creating a customer focused shopping experience that immerses the shopper into the product and brand. It may include one, or more, of service, experiential, and educational experiences at the point of purchase. Loyalty cards, discounts and give aways do not replace giving the shopper a high-quality instore experience.
Consumers push for sustainability
More and more, businesses are integrating sustainability throughout their entire production chain, from raw materials to product preparation and scale. Sustainability is becoming the cornerstone on which entire business models are based and retail is no different. Consumers are more mindful of their purchases, and so in turn are those they are purchasing from.
At GDM, we believe sustainable practices are right for the environment, our business and our partnerships. We are working to create long-term value, actively seeking how we can reduce, reuse and recycle across our supply chain, while also creating a stable base for employment, growth and our community.
Chat with our team about how our sustainable practices can support your business. To become more sustainable is certainly a journey, and we encourage you to join us.
Store in store formats emerge
Store in store formats are having something of a renaissance with benefits including lower running costs, increased foot traffic, closer proximity to customers, and brands often paying for the design, manufacture and installation. These formats provide customers with a live experience of the products and can also be a great testing ground for product feedback. This concept works particularly well when a range of related products, or a brand from different areas or departments within a store are bought together in one area. The customer will get an integrated experience by using them all in the one space.
Within the United States, high profile store in store formats include mini Apple stores moving into Target locations, along with the commitment for 850 mini Sephora stores to move into Kohls stores by 2023.
GDM have experience in and can assist with the design, prototyping, manufacture and installation of store in store formats.
Even with a worldwide pandemic, being successful requires new thinking and the ability to pivot no matter what is thrown our way. We have a great team on board here at GDM and we are always keen to chat, give us a call today about how we can support you and your retail business in 2022.