Giving shoppers things to do and combining this with technology is the new face of New York retail, and it’s working.
In New York for NRF, and ignoring the crowds who seemed to randomly gather on every corner to make their feelings known about Donald Trump’s inauguration later this week, one thing was clear: retailers fall into two camps.
On the one side are those who see the future as marked down. This group slashes prices time after time in the hope that, at some point, shoppers will buy something (a trait not unknown at some UK outfits).
For the most part, this seems the visual equivalent of white noise, and the outcome is rail after rail of unwanted ‘inventory’ and empty shops.
“Fortunately, there is a second cohort, and one that appears to be doing something rather more inventive than bringing out the red pen”
Fortunately, there is a second cohort, and one that appears to be doing something rather more inventive than bringing out the red pen.
This crowd relies upon a combination of technology and ‘stuff to do’ in its stores to stimulate interest and ensure that the tills ring out.
Sizing up
You may notice the word ‘experience’ has been avoided in this context, as the term is too broad and consequently may be a little meaningless.
Nonetheless, walk into the NBA (National Basketball Association) store on Fifth Avenue and there is plenty to grab the eye.
Shoppers here can assess their height, arm-span, hand and foot size against that of a typical NBA player, and realise that having measured themselves, they have been found wanting. This done, they can head upstairs and ‘shoot some hoops’ against their fellow shoppers.
Even the magic mirror that allows the NBA shopper to have a picture of themselves with a basketball was being given a workout on Saturday.
In a band of European retailers being led around the store, the comment made by one was: “I would never really come here, I’m not interested in basketball, but I’d bring my kids because there’s something different for them to do every time they visit.”
This sounds like a pretty ringing endorsement and the sort of thing that many retailers try to do in the UK, but frequently manage to fall short on.
There is a lot to be said for both technology and in-store ‘stuff’, and when the two are put together effectively, it’s a compelling proposition.
New York continues to change and is always interesting to visit.
Currently many of retail’s old guard are under sever pressure, but while there are operations like the NBA, there will always be something worth looking at.
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