Opinion: Why retailers should be inspired by David Bowie

At one point, it seemed to be a glam-rock transvestite; at another a very thin and rather unwell looking man who might have stumbled out of a club; and at yet another a refugee from a thrift shop (OK, I made the last bit up).

The point is that he was the embodiment of quitting while you’re ahead.

Just when he’d got a crowd of adoring fans to love the character that he’d created, it would be killed off and something else would appear.

Diamond dogs

A version of this would seem to be the right stuff for retailers.

There are plenty of retail dogs that have their day, but the ones that really stand out are those that can adapt their stores and what goes on in them to changing consumer tastes.

Time was when this meant altering the way a store, or stores, looked. But that was back then.

“Those familiar with Aussie skincare retailer Aesop will know that every shop you visit bearing its logo is different”

Today things are more complex and those wishing to keep ahead of the pack have to reinvent not just stores, but the way in which offers are delivered, the nature of the service that this entails and at the same time keep the brand meaning the same thing to fans (customers).

This needn’t actually mean doing a Bowie and killing something off completely, but those familiar with Aussie skincare retailer Aesop will know that every shop you visit bearing its logo is different.

Retail space oddity

This is an outfit that understands that its service and product proposition are strong enough to stand up to constant change and to make a virtue of this.

Practically, this means that each store is a one-off and there’s something new to look at every time you visit a new store.

Which is a bit like a shape-shifting crooner. The voice remains the same, even if the appearance alters on a regular basis.

Retailers that are currently doing well – think Screwfix, Hotel Chocolat, or perhaps Superdry, among others – could do worse and consider whether what they have currently will still be the right thing five years from now.

Is there life on Marks?

The real point is that they’re probably already doing this. The best don’t sit around on their laurels – they look at what they can do next, and then do it.

And if the retailer in question is, say, Marks & Spencer, then real change should be part and parcel of the newly announced store closures.