Retail is a living breathing thing that is constantly reinventing itself, morphing to meet the needs of an increasingly savvy consumer; a consumer that has now become a collaborator rather than a mere customer. From Harry Selfridge in the early days of the 20th century who transformed shopping from a menial chore into an engaging social activity, open to all classes, to Steve Jobs who has redefined the customer experience, creating a tribe of Apple brand advocates, retail is in a constant state of change.
At its heart, successful retail, through all of the changes, has always been about emotionally connecting with the customer. Whether meeting the higher order needs of Maslow’s Hierarchy, feeding an innate desire for social interaction, or providing stimulation to the pleasure centers of the brain, shopping fills a human need. In our increasingly connected world, that need can be met virtually with mobile and on-line shopping, but the real opportunity to emotionally connect with customers is still through traditional bricks and mortar stores.
For over 25 years, I have been observing the morphing world of retail, playing my role in its evolution and helping retailers innovate, reinvent and evolve their businesses – creating engaging customer experiences along the way. I’ve collaborated on projects across retail sectors, providing strategic design solutions that address both the retailer’s business goals and anticipating their customers’ desires and needs. In this space, I’ll be sharing observations, insights, tips and my perspective – Simply, how I see retail!
