Looking Into The Future Of The Retail Landscape
Contents 1.We are hunter gatherer 2.Trend Overview 3.Blurred lines 4.The Convenience store 5.Pantomime over product 6.why pantomime 7.Retail Theatre 8.telling a story 9.setting the scene 10.Why Independent
Menswear
Case Study: Present The Ultimate Hipster Menswear Recommendations
Womenswear
Case Study: Bottega The Social Spender Womenswear Recommendations
Bookstore
Case Study: Magma The Creative Reader Bookstore Recommendations
Homeware
Case Study: Labour and Wait The Ideal Man Homeware Recommendations
Record Store
Case Study: The Music Exchange The Record Collector Record Store Recommendations
Food
Case Study: Almost Famous The Urban Singletons Food Recommendations
We are hunter gatherer We are Hunter Gatherer, a trend forecasting agency aiming to predict to future of retail within the next five years. The ‘Hunter Gatherer’ name takes its reference from the ‘hunter gatherer society’, which was the first known society of Humans before the ‘agriculture society.’ Displaying a forward thinking and innovative approach to researching trends, we have taken references from the past and the present in order to predict an intriguing future for retail. Working for the Future Laboratory we have meticulous researched and narrowly developed relevant trends which we believe can be implemented into the retail market sector.
The Future of Independent retail
From hunting and gathering information we have predicted three macro trends that we see impacting the future of retail within the next 5 years. We have named these trends, Pantomime Over Product, Blurred Lines and The Convenience Store. Through intelligent research and innovative thinking we have created a survival guide for independent high street brands. We believe the best trend to take forward and implement in independent stores is Pantomime Over Product. The trend revolves around creating exciting experiences and services through the use of sensory experiences, dramatic visual merchandising and creating non-traditional retail environments in-store.
Blurred Lines Phygital is created by blurring the lines between online and offline. Evolving technology in stores is giving brands more data about their consumers. New technologies can predict consumers moods and pull up consumer spending profiles through facial recognition technology.
Pantomime Over Product Consumers want more than basic needs, they now want experiences. Now more men work at home with flexible hours and have more time to spend with family and friends, they want to escape reality. Createnon-traditionalretailenvironmentsin-store,such as coffee shops, barbers and pubs to target consumers.
The Convenience Store Non-traditional brand locations can reach consumers in periods of ‘dead-time’. Such as railway stations, pop ups at festivals and 24 hour interactive windows. Drive-thru shops are catching commuters in transit to provide the allure of convenience, speed and flexibility. 24 hour services allow consumers to shop anywhere, anytime.
Blurred Lines
“The physical world in the next 5-10 years is going to drastically start merging with the world the digital.� (Tomlin, B. 2013) Blurred line is the focus on merging the physical with the digital world, this trend comes from merging online and offline retailing. Offering consumers a merge of the in-store reality with the digitally enhanced experience and blurring the boundaries between the two concepts. Through technology advances brands are able to increase consumer involvement within a brand, enhancing the retail experience. Brands need to use technology to find the accurate balance and moderation between online and offline retailing in order to offer their consumers the personalised experience they desire. Brands such a Topshop and Nordstrom have already started to tap into this trend, via integrating a social media Pinterest campaign in store.
Evolving technology in online and offline, is giving brands more data regarding their consumers. Technology is offering brands the power to track vast amounts of information about their consumer, from their gender to their mood. Supermarket Tesco are tracking consumer age, gender, mood and also length of time spent viewing advertisements. With so much data available to brands, consumers are worrying about their privacy or lack of. Therefore brands need to find a way of encouraging consumers to willingly offer their personal information, through becoming more transparent. Consumers will benefit from a more personal and accurate experience, through behaviour tracking.
The disaffected youth Within society generation z, ‘the disaffected youth’ are facing high tuition fees and a lack of employment, resulting in a misunderstood minority generation. Facing the increasing burden of supporting the aging populating the disaffected youth are living in a world of austerity, wanting to escape reality to digital world of social media. Addicted to sharing, pinning and tweeting, the disaffected youth initially engage their retail experiences online and then secondly offline in store. A generation with low disposable income means the prime concern of these consumers if finding the best deals and offers. Effectively a time rich and cash poor generation, they are conditioned to be very self-directed and reflective.
Blurred lines Consumer
The Convenience store The convenience store is a trend we predict to emerge within the next 5 years of retail. The 1900s was a time where the local corner shop dominated retail. Everything was in one location for consumers and it was a very personalised experience for them as the shopkeeper usually knew all his/her customers. Now consumers are battling for attention from their favourite high street brands. But it is the independent high street stores that can provide the personalized experience. There are many wider factors that contribute to this. Social factors such as the more acceptable role reversal of the working woman and economical factors such as the long recovery from the recession play a big part. Also now consumers are more affluent, travelled and cultured, they expect a personal experience tailored for them. This trend breaks down into different sub-sections. The daily commute revolves around the idea of brands being able to reach consumers in non-traditional brand locations in periods of ‘dead-time’. Brands such as Target and Ikea have taken this on by installing pop up shops in railway stations and airports to catch consumers during their commute. The rural route allows brands to catch consumers in transit through the use of drive-thru shops, which provide the allure of speed, convenience and flexibility, which also links to the after hours sub-trend. Brands such as Thread, Kate Spade and Amazon offer 24 hour personalized interactive services to their consumers. ďżź
The future female
The Convenience store consumer
We have seen this trend emerge from the more socially acceptable role reversal of the working woman. The Future Female is incredibly busy and needs service from stores on her time. She is member of the generation Y and is a self-sufficient multi-tasker. She has been brought up in the instant world and is used to technology to make things happen.
Pantomime over product The Pantomime Over Product trend is all about the return of retail theatre. It focuses on bringing an entertaining and theatrical experience to in store environments and leaving consumers with a lasting, positive impression of the brand. When applying the Pantomime Over Product trend, retailers should really engage their consumers, telling stories through the use of exciting visual displays and perhaps even appealing to other senses. The most important elements of the trend are fun, storytelling and playfulness.
Pantomime over product is the most inclusive of the trends as it is so easily adaptable to a variety of stores types and consumers. As we are entering the dream society, all types of consumer are beginning to seek greater experiences and this trend really addresses that need. By setting different scenes and telling different stories the trend can be adjusted to suit a variety of consumers. For example the creation of a barbershop or pub environment within the store can turn it into a man’s world for the Gen X male, whereas a nail bar or salon in store would have a very different effect and appeal to the Gen Y female. For Baby Boomers, who are looking for exciting retail experiences and to try new things, the trend creates both a social and leisure activity along with a sense of nostalgia for in store shopping rather than online.
Audience
The rest of this report will focus on the Pantomime Over Product trend. This trend is most important for independent retailers to understand, as it is all about creating memorable and unique experiences that are typical of individual independent stores. The theatricality of the trend is best achieved in a pop up or one off store experience and is not easily replicated across large chains of stores. The trend is also most applicable to the variety of consumer types that independent retailers attract and it can be adapted to suit each type of store in a very different way, through the same attitude and values. Pantomime Over Product is all about the passion to make shopping more than just a necessary activity and to offer a greater experience through retail, values that ought to be the foundation of independent brands.
Why Pantomime
Retail Theatre Fig 17. Unknown, 1919, Galeries Layette Plane
RETAIL THEATRE
The concept of theatrical retail began in department stores such as Galeries Lafayette, Printemps and Le Bon Marche in Paris in the 1850’s. Architecturally they were similar to the Paris Opera houses and the sense of luxury and exclusivity was echoed throughout. Important to the success of these department stores was their priority of offering experiences and the more dramatic and entertaining the better. A great example of this happened in 1919 when Galeries Lafayette offered 25,000 francs to the first pilot who managed to land on the roof of the store, Jules Vedrines completed the challenge, resulting in huge excitement with both the media and shoppers. In the UK Henry Selfridge did the same in making his store a tourist attraction, as described by Woodhead (2012): ‘At a time when there was no radio or television, when cinema was in its infancy, Selfridge’s in Oxford Street offered customers entertainment as fascinating as that at a science museum, with as much glamour as on any music-hall stage.’
A large part of the Pantomime Over Product trend is story telling. As we are becoming the ‘Dream’ Society stories that appeal to customers emotions and sense of imagination are becoming increasingly valuable for retailers. Consumers are seeking more than just necessary items from retail and seeking ways to have more fun experiences. Stories are effective in entertaining the consumer and injecting personality and creativity into the brand - steering away from the simple, quick and convenient shopping experience.
Audience
Setting The Scene
We are beginning to see stores setting a scene by incorporating non-retail environments such as the barbershop, the pub and the coffee shop within the retail space. The purpose of all of these scenes is to encourage consumers to spend more time in the store and bring back the leisure element of shopping. This element of the trend is most common in menswear stores, creating ‘A Man’s World’ environment for the Gen-X male. Smaller stores could still embrace this part of the trend by collaborating with other independents in shared retail spaces or as a pop up experience.
Why independent retail
With the British high street receiving a new injection of blood via independent retailers, these retailers are offering their consumers a sense of nostalgia by reversing retail back to the brick-and- mortar stores of the past. Independent retail suitably interlinks with our chosen trend applicator ‘Pantomime over product’, which aims to implement a personalised local consumer experience. “Many people like to shop in bricks and mortar locations. There is the possibility of theatre and human interaction there - these things shouldn’t be underestimated.”(Baker, 2013) Independent retail is on the rise within the high street, consumers are after transparency through honest local retailers they can trust. These Small independent retailers have unique selling points, offering their consumer tailored customer service and an experience that larger chain stores are not able to offer. These retailers have the opportunity to opportunity to be creative with one off events, store environments and pop up shops.
Menswear
Present Present is an independent stockist, based in London in a contemporary retail space with coffee shop. Stocking menswear, books and lifestyle products, they offer a well curated selection of clothing, shoes, accessories, magazines and design material. The store is the hipster’s ultimate dream; stocking vintage denim; a wide range of innovative brands and also their own brand. The brand were ranked 17th in Time Out’s ‘Best 100 shops in London.’
Applying the pantomime over product trend present is housed in a contemporary industrial space, with the original store sign ‘Golden Horn Cigarette Company.’ With a strong focus on authentic traditional clothing and a bit of male indulgence, the in store experience is topped off by grabbing a coffee from their square mile coffee concession.
The Ultimate Hipster
The ultimate hipster belongs to the generation-Y consumer, consisting of generation of males becoming more ambitious and forward thinking. A generation of consumers facing high tuition fees, high unemployment rates and the burden of carrying the aging population. The ultimate hipster is more optimistic and socially conscious, craving constant communication and connection with their peers. A generation after an experience they are able to share and relish, a curated and personalised consumer experience is vital for these consumers. Transparency is essential to this consumer; they crave to connect with simple, honest brands with a traditional approach to retail.
Recommendations
1. Male Grooming Collaboration With the rise of male grooming, more male consumers are becoming conscious of their appearance and starting to take pride in their appearances. Independent menswear brands could collaborate with male grooming brands such as; Murdock London in order to create a convenient and tailored consumer experience. Offering these consumers a unique in-store environment and experience, altering their perceptions of retailing.
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Telling a local story Independent menswear brands could invest in the local entertainment industry in order to put on a show for their consumers, offering an innovative experience. These brands already have the ability to gain local recognition from consumers, but collaborating with local creative talent will allow them to offer their consumers a different environment. These brands could allow live local bands to perform within their stores, not only setting a scene for their consumers but also telling a story of the local creative talent.
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Changing environment Changing environments can set a scene for consumer, allowing them to purchase products outside the traditional in-store environment. Independent menswear retailers could offer their consumers a change in environment, via pop up concessions stores. These could be set up within local market districts, to provide consumers with something different. Also creating awareness of their brands within their local are, this will in turn demonstrate their transparency further.
womenswear
Bottega Eclectic lifestyle boutique in the heart of Cheshire. A beautifully selected array of unusual homeware, candles, gifts and ready- to-wear collections makes this interesting lifestyle boutique a donation in its own right. Bottega is a brand who has adopted aspects of this trend successfully. Bottega has created a convenient shopping experience for the consumer by introducing the Birdcage cafe at the back of the store for customers to relax, east and shop. Non-traditional retail environments play a big factor in this trend. The Birdcage cafe creates a three in one experience for the consumers, giving them an escape from their ever growing hectic schedules.
The social spender
More women are filling the world’s Universities, starting businesses and taking up positions of power. Now there are more female business owners, female CEOs and breadwinners than ever before. The social spender is an empowered well-respected woman. She has hard-earned money to spend on what she wants, but due to her hectic schedule she needs a convenient shopping experience. Bottega is a premium high street boutique. Their target consumer has income to spend in a time that fits around her schedule. The birdcage cafÊ at the back of the store allows the social spender to shop, eat and socialise with friends.
Recommendations
1. Beauty Over Brains Consider collaborating with small beauty parlours for events to promote new products in-store. Think about introducing coffee shops and Non-traditional retail environments into your stores.
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The Shop Is My Runway Place a mini fashion show in your store to promote products and excite your consumers. Create these theatrical performances to bring your Consumer in-store without forcing them with the pressure of having to purchase.
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Make Senses Tell a story to your consumers through the use of sensory experiences. Create smells and sounds that ignite a sense of nostalgia, or create a Sensory experience that will remind your consumer of your brand
Bookstores
Magma
Magma Books is an independent bookstore brand with a small chain of shops in London and Manchester. Magma’s aim is to inspire their consumers through creative retail. They offer products that are timely and relevant and appeal to the shopper who may not know exactly what they are looking for. Although Magma’s in store environment isn’t particularly theatrical, their description of ‘books + products + adventures’ and their attitude to retail shows that they value the sense of fun important to the Pantomime Over Product trend. Their aim is to make shopping a fun and inspiring, and they plan to do this through creative retail. Although they admit that they are not quite there yet, the attitude of Pantomime over Product is very much present and key to the brand’s ethos.
The creative reader Magma stocks books to appeal to a wide range of interests and a variety of consumers of different ages. However, the artistic and creative nature of the overall stock will particularly appeal to creative types with an eye for style and design. Many of the magazines and books are of a premium quality and are slightly above high street bookstore prices and so many of the most frequent buyers in store are likely to be from Generation X who are currently earning slightly more than Generation Y. These consumers are likely to have creative careers in art and design, and an interest in a variety of creative fields.
1. FORM OVER FUNCTION A more creative use of display than simple bookshelves can make the store much more visually exciting. Making use of the cover art of the books, the store itself should tell a story about the products to escape the boring library look.
2. APPEAL TO ALL THE SENSES Using olfactory elements is another way to make a store more exciting and subtly set a scene in the retail environment. Many consumers associate reading with the smell of books so enhancing that smell or even replacing it with another could make the store stand out and feel memorable against other high street bookstores.
3. BRINGING THE BOOKS TO LIFE Books have long been associated with escaping to another world and telling stories. Independent bookstores could entertain their consumers by collaborating with an amateur dramatic societies or using exciting visual merchandising to bring the books to life within the store.
Recommendations
Homeware
Labour and wait Labour and wait are a hardware and clothing brand, with a simple and honest approach to design where quality and utility are intrinsic. The brand was founded by Rachel Wythe-Moran and Simon Watkins, both designers coming from a background in menswear. The store is situated in the Victorian terrace of Cheshire Street, in the heart of east London’s market district. With a traditional and contemporary in store environment, they aim to celebrate functional design. The brand also has a concession in London’s Dover street market, along with a number of concessions stocked in Bshop throughout Japan. Labour and wait stock everyday classics which are timeless and improve with age, preventing the brand from having to re-design products and ranges each season.
The ideal man The ideal man is a consumer which belongs to generation X, a generation which desire a calm and simple approach to retail and advertising. With the male consumer vastly becoming the primary shopper in a household, retailers are realising the generalisation of traditional male stereotypes no longer apply. The ideal man is a self – reliant consumer, with an affluent lifestyle and successful job. They are prepared to invest in style and function, whilst willing to pay more for design and product aesthetic .These consumers are more responsive to visuals and print material, brand creativity and interaction are essential to them. Seeking tradition these consumers are after an authentic experience, displayed within brick-and-mortar stores.
Recommendations
1. Embracing DIY and craft culture Through embracing DIY and craft culture independent homeware brands could offer their consumer DIY workshops in which they could personalise and create their own products. Allowing consumers to participate in the production process, will create a different in-store environment and set a scene.
2. In store bar collaboration Independent homewear retailers could collaborate with local bars, in order to implement another in-store experience. With the dominant consumer of the homeware store consisting of the older generation, an in-store bar would appropriate and tailored to the consumer. This change in environment will set the scene by offering the consumer a convenient change in their environment.
3. In-store dinner parties One off events could allow independent Homeware brands to offer consumers an out of hour’s innovative retail experience. In store dinner parties, would enable brands to set a scene of a household environment as well as telling a story about Homeware. This will also offer brands the opportunity to collaborate with local independent restaurants.
Music The Music Exchange in Nottingham is an independent record store, as well as a community project aiming to support the local community and music scene. The store works with the Framework homeless charity to give retail experience and a chance to volunteer in the shop to people who need the opportunity – giving the independent brand strong ethical values. In line with the Pantomime Over Product trend the Music Exchange often has live performances in-store and offers local promoters the chance to take over for a line up of musicians playing throughout the day. The logo on the front of the store demonstrates the idea that music helps both the heart and the mind which is similar to the concept that retail theatre should appeal to emotions as well as offering the necessary products that the consumer needs.
The music exchange
The record collector The Music Exchange attracts a variety of people to the store, with their volunteer policy avoiding music snob attitude that tends to discourage people from some record shops. The most frequent visitor to the shop will be the record collector: someone who is passionate about music, and values material possessions over digital downloads. Although the vinyl revival trend has now reached a new generation who have inherited their parents record collections, many of the keen vinyl consumers are baby boomers and gen-Xers, nostalgic for the record store experience they grew up with.
LIVE MUSIC IN STORE combining shop & gig venue Live performances in store are a great way to apply the Pantomime Over Product trend and ‘put on a show’. The experience of listening to live music is a strong addition to the retail experience increasing entertainment and appealing to consumers’ emotions.
2. OPPORTUNITY TO DJ IN STORE A jukebox or DJ booth would encourage shoppers to spend a little longer in store, trying out the music and interacting with one another. It brings another sensory element to the environment and is a fun way to allow the consumer to tailor the store experience to their preference,
3. AFTER HOURS EVENTS Outside of store our the brand could get involved with their music businesses, hosting gigs at other venues and inviting loyal customers to private music events.
Recommendations
1.
Food Almost famous are known for their eccentric brand attitude through their brand location and values. They have a strong brand following on social media and in 2013 their restaurant (which was once situated in the quirky Northern Quarter in Manchester) unfortunately set on fire, igniting a roar of tweets of concern for the restaurant from their followers. Due to this unfortunate event Almost Famous has re-situated to Manchester Great Northern but their following remains strong. Almost famous brings the brand to life through their retail theatre. The restaurant is in an undisclosed location in a dark open environment. The burgers are served in a American style basket to add to their laid-back ‘cool’ attitude. Non-traditional brand locations can reach more consumers. Almost Famous placed pop up food vans at Parklife Festival in Manchester.
Almost famous
The Urban Singletons
Solo millennials living in cities are shaping the future of retailers as global urbanisation gathers pace. Now there are new ways of thinking about men and women, and how to market, sell and retail to them. The new social order and paradigm shift explains how both genders are newly empowered and are defining new ways to work, play, shop and think. Almost Famous is a popular spot for urban singletons in the city. The quirky burger brand has a ‘trendy’ attitude for the millennial hipster. The evenings ‘smart casual’ dress code allows trainers which still fits with the styles of their target consumers. The laidback and cool atmosphere of the restaurant creates a ‘trendy’ spot for the urban singletons who visit to eat, drink and socialise with their fellow singletons.
Recommendations
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Experiment with laundry Create an ‘in-store’ environment that reflects the attitude of your brand. Use experimental retailing to offer your consumer something more than a meal. Introduce a laundry service, consumers can eat a meal and have their laundry washed- great for students.
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Promote Performances Put on music performances inside the venue. Create a gig space for local bands to showcase themselves. But only as long as the music fits with the attitude of the brand.
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Thanks for the memories The ability to tell a ‘story’ is rapidly becoming one of the crucial elements that differentiates successful retailers. Create something memorable for a consumer that is special to them. Allow consumers to create their own personal item whether that will be food or a drink which tells a story about them.