Out the Box

Nespresso brews up experiential store

Customers can use augmented reality technology to discover more about the coffee capsule brand at a new store in Leeds.

WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?

Nespresso has debuted a new experiential store at the Trinity Leeds shopping centre, featuring augmented reality (AR) to allow shoppers explore the brand’s heritage and ranges.

Following on from the opening of its experiential format at Bluewater, Kent, in September last year, the new store features several zones to discover the Nespresso brand.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The new interactive Taste & Discover and Bard in the Coffee As An Art masterclass areas immerse customers in world where they can learn about sophisticated recipes, from roasting coffee beans to preparing cold brews.

What’s more, one-on-one coffee learning experiences, tasting and machine demonstrations are also available, along with the opportunity to find out more about the brand’s recycling process and what used capsules could become in the future. The shop also has a ‘Recycling Corner’, where customers can drop-off their used capsules to be recycled.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR CONVENIENCE?

Nothing (huge) yet, but Nespresso is taking its cues from a worldwide trend (prevalent mostly in Asia), where experiential stores are the norm for the shopper.This type of concept shops helps both brands and consumers, as shoppers are more likely to spend more time in the store discovering more ranges, while the brands can present a more holistic look of their profile – not just a product on a shelf. Categories such as alcohol and confectionery are ideally placed to benefit from the trend – and indeed they do in other parts of the retail world.