The "Experience Store" needs to be designed to be "sticky"
My grueling travel schedule this week does not permit me to get out and see retail stores in Seoul. But since South Korea is the home of Samsung, I thought it would be appropriate to share observations on Samsung's new flagship "Experience Store" that just opened in Australia. In these days of billion dollar lawsuits, one must tread lightly when saying that Samsung "imitated" Apple … but who aren't these days? However, "The Experience Store" by Samsung appears to be missing a few pages from the experience playbook on how to engage consumers to create a "sticky" experience.
An amazing opportunity to study retail in seven different countries
I'm convinced that you don't plan an around the world trip … they just happen. I get an amazing opportunity to deliver IMS Retail University workshops around the world. It's not often that you get to go out and compare retail in seven very different cities: Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, Johannesburg, Amsterdam, Istanbul, and Dubai. The only challenge with this travel schedule is managing to blog along the way. The forthcoming blogs will hopefully have more pictures, and allow me to share first impressions from a retail point of view.
Converging technology may create opportunities for retail convergence
As I departed on my around the world journey to teach IMS Retail University, I had ample time to watch people using technology during my lengthy airport layovers. From preschoolers to adults, tablets abound in airports! While I was playing with my camera gear in preparation for the trip, a number of people noticed my big camera and lenses. None of them asked me about my photography! They all wanted to know how to do something with their photos, and specifically how to move photos from their phones to their tablets, or vice versa. While our digital world is converging, most of us are mere mortals who need some assistance.
Even if you are on the right track, you'll get run over if not moving ahead
Bricks and mortar retailers have to be shaking their heads. Just when they think that they've stemmed the tide on one challenge, the standard moves higher. It's not that the older retail metrics no longer apply. They still do, especially in execution. It's just that the levels of service and consumer expectations are changing so fast it feels like someone keeps moving the goal line. There are a number of salient cases that illustrate how both technology and consumers are redefining what good is today … and what it will take to be great tomorrow.
