While Toronto seems to have pulled off the Pan Am Games without any major glitches, the official retail efforts have been nothing but disappointing. And as I suspected, even the so-called Pan Am Games Superstore at Nathan Phillips Square failed to deliver anything more than a rudimentary retail experience.
Theoretically well-positioned at Nathan Phillips Square, home to Pan Am Games concerts and the immensely popular giant Toronto sign, the Pan Am Games Superstore proved to be nothing more than a larger version of the out-of-the-box pop-up shop at Toronto Eaton Centre. Lacking completely in personality and customer experience, the superstore’s only gesture to interactivity was the placement of an artist working on a sports themed canvas at the entrance and over-sized photography within, which visitors were using as backdrops for selfies. Even the artist-at-work was an under-utilized opportunity to engage visitors, build excitement or enhance the retail experience. With no signage or posted information introducing the artist or explaining the work, the artist vignette seemed more like a coincidence than part of a bigger plan.
Without harping any further, for customer experience and maximized potential, the Pan Am Games Superstore is no medal contender! Enough said.
But, you be the judge……
