Now that consumers have more choice than ever due to the rise of Asian players (such as Shein and Temu), it is important for retailers to touch their customers emotionally, is the advice of Crossmarks. “That’s where the opportunities lie,” the strategic retail consultancy emphasizes in the latest Whitepaper ‘Emotional Revolution on the shop floor’.
The report shares five tips for fashion brands and stores to emotionally touch and retain customers:
1. Offer positive experiences and create moments of happiness
Consumers are looking for a pleasant escape from the worries and challenges of everyday life, says Crossmarks. By providing positive and hopeful experiences, you create a brand experience that not only attracts but also engages customers.
An example of a store that is already implementing this is Maison Margiela perfume store in Seoul, Crossmarks highlights with photos of the store, which is serenely decorated and all about making memories.
2. Become a ‘Lovable Brand’
Consumers are attracted to brands they can identify with and that share their values.
Door storytelling in community building you ensure that customers not only choose you, but also remain loyal. The motto is to strive for a deeper emotional bond with shoppers.
Jewelry store House of Astrid & Miyu is an example, says Crossmarks. Consumers want to stay in the brand’s stores. For example, there is one in-house café.
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3. Create a ‘Safe Haven’
In a complex world, consumers look for security and trust. Provide an environment in which they feel comfortable and secure, both in your physical stores and online. This means that you should pay attention to a comforting atmosphere.
Gymshark (the sports brand that will open its doors in Amsterdam’s Kalverstraat in 2025, ed.) is a brand that, according to Crossmarks, excels in this. The well-known sports label brings customers together through, among other things: hang-outs to organize. Campaigns focus on core values such as inclusivity and self-confidence.
4. Offer a personalized shopping experience through ‘shop and mediatainment’
Make shopping more fun and interactive by integrating technology and entertainment. Think about gamification where customers can earn or receive rewards live video shopping where experts real-time give advice. This ensures a personalized and more memorable shopping experience.
Retail expert Tim Nash, head of IPOS Ignite and curator of Shop Drop Daily, thinks AI can transform physical retail into personalized, interactive experiences, he recently shared with FashionUnited. “Imagine walking into a store where the layout adapts to your preferences in real-time, with tailor-made recommendations,” he told FashionUnited. “By integrating AI with the tactile, sensory experience of shopping, brands could create an environment that feels almost magical, where every visit feels like it was designed just for you.” It has the potential to completely transform customer engagement and loyalty, Nash said.
Crossmarks cites a branch of Bershka in the Spanish city of Valencia as an example, where there are many interactive digital displays and the option of virtual trying on. In the luxury segment, men’s fashion brand Zegna uses AI and data to offer a personalized shopping experience to customers. Zegna offers, among other things, personalized styling advice. For example, there is a configurator that puts together more than 49 billion outfits.
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5. Next Level Hospitality
“The physical store becomes a place to learn, relax and… socializing,” Crossmarks writes in the report. The difference is made by the knowledge, empathy and service of the store employees as ambassadors, the company states. “In a time when almost everything is for sale online,… hospitality and an empathetic approach cannot be reproduced online.”
Next level hospitality According to Crossmarks, you can find it at skincare and make-up brand Glossier. Customers order their products through an employee with a tablet and then pick up the iconic pink Glossier bag, personalized with a handwritten note, via a conveyor belt at the checkout for a unique and personal shopping experience.
Customer experience: a crucial aspect for the success of physical stores
The trend towards more experience in stores is of course not new. Been pointing out for years experts on its growing importance. Physical stores are no longer about transactions, but about viewing, touching and experiencing products, and creating a “reis” that immerses the consumer in the brand experience. A store should be a place where people like you and me like to spend their precious time. For ease and the lowest price After all, we shop just as easily online.
The entire ‘paper’ can be downloaded from the Crossmarks website.
Source: fashionunited.nl
