The Retailer Autumn Edition 2021

THE RE TA I L ER

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TIME FOR STORES TO REACH THEIR PEAK POTENTIAL

Candice Ohandjanian UK & Ireland Retail Director Quadient

S ophisticated custom- will get shoppers visiting stores again this peak season. er-facing and behind-the- scenes strategies that UK retail’s golden quarter in 2020 saw nearly half the footfall versus the same period in 2019, with BRC and ShopperTrak reporting an annual decline of 48.4%. It’s no surprise considering the national lock - downs and temporary shop closures at that time. With no sign of such restrictions as we tran - sition into peak season 2021, surely there is a desire among consumers to get out and about into malls, retail parks and the high streets – after missing much of the magic of the festive period 12 months ago?

From the launch of eSports events in store to its QR code-enabled competitions when opening the doors to new flagship destina - tions, JD Sports is a retailerwith plenty of ideas about creating in-store theatre and excitement. Elsewhere, when upmarket fashion retailer Flannels expanded from its northern heart- lands to London in 2019 it put on a roster of monthly DJ sets in Oxford Street – generating a refreshing buzz around bricks and mortar. Zara, meanwhile, is looking to technology to add pizzazz to its physical shopping offering, with robot arms to retrieve online customer orders, an app that allows shoppers to book changing room space in advance and – in some stores – self-service checkouts. The store is now clearly more than just a store.” ‘‘

However, recent footfall data suggests a contin - ued sluggishness among consumers to hit the shops, so it’s incumbent upon retailers to play their part in drawing people out to visit them. There are several ways this can be done, and various retailers are blazing a trail for others to follow. That’s entertainment The idea of the store as an experience and the shop visit as entertainment is not new, but with even more people going online in the pandemic, the shop needs to stand out more than ever as something greater than just a transactional destination. During events like Black Friday and throughout the festive season this becomes increasingly important. Family events, product demonstra- tions, and special guest meet-and-greets can all play a part in attracting crowds, as can new tech-enabled experiences.