STAGE 1 Report Amber Martin N0690134 Word Count: 7990
To explore how the post digital world has shifted Generation Z consumers retail experiences; does the future state of constant connectivity post threat to the need of brick and mortar stores or introduce revival?
This submission is the result of my own work. All help and advice other than that received from tutors has been acknowledged and primary and secondary sources of information have been properly attributed. Should this statement prove to be untrue I recognise the right and duty of the board of examiners to recommend what actionshould be taken in line with the University’s regulations on assessment contained in its handbook.
Signed: Print Name: Amber Martin Date: 16/01/19
Ethics Declaration
Contents
05-06 INTRODUCTION
23-28 theoretical frameworks
55-56 conclusion
151-158 references
07-08 aims & objectives
29-34 online retail experiences
57-58 research findings
159-170 bibliography
09-22 methodology
35-54 retail store experiences
59-150 appendix
171-174 illustrations
Introduction 5
Introduction
Surging into the forth industrial revolution; the digital revolution – the entirety of how humans live is transforming towards a connected living with the emergence of Generation Z at the fore-front of the impact. A generation known as ‘iGen’ have grown up fully immersed in technology advances and digital connections constituting a modern consumer – ‘the connected consumer.’ The connected consumer’s digitally connected experiences have generated higher expectations for their retailing experiences which traditional business models of brick and mortar stores are failing to meet. Business Insider reports, ‘British high street in flux as shops close, sales fall, and visits decline.’ (Business Insider, 2017) as offline retailing announces declines, the UK’s online retail sales reach £133bn in 2016 (a 15.9% rise year-on-year) with mobile commerce accounting for much of this growth with sales made via smartphones increasing by 47%. (Econsultancy, 2017) The repercussions of the digital era and rise of connected consumers has correspondingly induced ‘record-high rate of store closures that rocked the retail industry last year and has continued into 2018, with more than 3,800 closures expected this year.’ (Business Insider, 2018) The emergence of the digital era will disrupt established markets and business models within the retailing industry with the future of brick and mortar stores depending on it’s ability to adapt and establish new methods to engage and meet connected consumers expectations within brick-and-mortar spaces.
RATIONALE “No shift is more profound than the rise of the internet economy and the next wave of change is largely attributed to the rise of digitally enabled consumers. The behavioural shift associated with the digital era is arguably so profound that it requires retailers to not simply act differently but think differently.” (Partners, 2014) The report has been conducted for the purpose of determining the fate of the future of the retailing industry evaluating how the expectations of Generation Z; the connected consumers will impact the survival of physical retailing stores examining the future for the traditional brick and mortar business model. The report will consider if digital connectivity and the rise of e-retailing and advancing technologies will result in the loss of physical stores leading to the future of retail being a solely online digital concept. Alternatively, the report will consider the potential solutions for a revival of the brick-and-mortar concept to stay relevant, identifying and exploring possible recommendations to rebuild the physical retailing space - re-thought to accommodate the new wave of connected consumers.
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hypothesis: To explore how the post digital world has shifted Generation Z consumers retail experiences; does the future state of constant connectivity post threat to the need of brick and mortar stores or introduce revival?
rEPORT AIMS: The aim of this report is to explore how Generation Z’s retail expectations have changed in the post digital world. To identify what the changing expectations of Generation Z’s retail expectations will mean for the future of retail. 7
report OBJECTIVES: To establish Generation Z’s attitudes, behaviours and expectations towards retail experiences. To analyse the new wave of constant connectivity for Generation Z and how it’s contributed to the rise of e-retail and immersed digital online experiences. To determine the need for brick and mortar stores in the post digital world of constantly connected consumers. To scope what physical stores are doing to provide retail experiences for consumers; digitally and physically. To evaluate the impact in-store retail experiences has for brands; exploring the affect on the relationship between brands and consumers.
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METHODOLOGY 10
Research Approach
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The body of research was gathered through primary and secondary sources to conclude accurate findings. The secondary research serves as a theoretical underpinning acting as a base to identity gaps in existing research giving direction to the primary research. A vast measure of secondary resources was obtained throughout the study to support the primary research findings. The secondary resources consisted of books from ‘Re-Thinking Retail in the Digital Era’ to ‘Re-engineering Retail’ by Doug Stephens, journals, online video content such as Ted Talk videos, online reports and databases such as TrendDone and LS:N to provide necessary content such as theories unable to be obtained through primary research. The approach to the research for the study was to infiltrate a combination of qualitative and quantitate methods in pursuit to gather research. Quantitative data was initially gathered to quantify numerical data that can interpreted into usable statistics and measurable data to gain an initial grasp of overall attitudes on a large scale. Qualitative data was then carried out to identify the exploratory underlying attitudes/behaviours and opinions incorporating human context uncovering deeper insights to conduct more valid and reliable results and insights backed up from the combination of methods to determine re-occurring patterns and themes. The combination of diverse methods counter-acts certain limitations each research method obtains. At a general level, mixed methods are chosen because of their ability to strengthen the drawing on both qualitative and quantitative research minimizing the limitations of both approaches. Mixed methods provide a sophisticated, complex approach to research (…) achieving the ability to compare different perceptives drawn from qualitative and quantitative data and provide the use of explaining quantitative results with a qualitative follow-up data collection and analysis to develop a better measurement and complex understanding that would not otherwise have been accessible using one approach alone. (Creswell, 2014) The variety of research methods provides a strong credibility to the study however results in limitations of time taken to conduct and analyse research data as well as costs associated with carrying out research. These limitations act as a constraint to the study preventing larger sample scales from being carried out which could have improved and strengthened research findings.
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Research scope The focal area for the study is fashion retail within the UK demographic however examples from outside the fashion segment are taken into consideration to build a broader perception to help influence the UK fashion retail segment. Other retail segments such as beauty/homeware are often weaved into fashion stores therefore this is taken into consideration when asking respondents about fashion retail. The scope of the UK fashion retail segment is explained to the research participants to provide a clear outcome.
Research Research SAMPLE The research sample will focus on a demographic of both male and female participants of Generation Z aged 18-23. According to Mintel, “Generation Z is characterised by having grown up with near-constant access to technology and a wealth of digital services in their everyday life.� (Mintel, 2018) Exhibiting this concept of a constant state of connectivity accordingly constitutes Generation Z to be appropriately targeted to conduct this body of research providing relevance to unveil the impact the emerging element constant connectivity has on the retailing industry.
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oBJECTIVES MATRIX Objective 1: To establish Gen Z consumers attitudes, behaviours and expectations towards retail experiences. Objective 2: To analyse the new wave of constant connectivity for Gen Z and how its contributed to the rise of e-retail and immersed digital online experiences. Objective 3: To determine the need for brick and mortar stores in the post digital world of constantly connected consumers. Objective 4: To scope what physical stores are doing to provide retail experiences for consumers; digitally and physically. Objective 5: To evaluate the impact of retail experiences for brands; exploring the affect this has on the relationship between brands and consumers.
Research Methods
OBJECTIVE 1
Secondary Research
OBJECTIVE 2
OBJECTIVE 3
OBJECTIVE 4
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Ethnographic Research Online Survey
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Focus Groups
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1-to-1 In-depth Interviews
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Interiews with Industry Experts
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OBJECTIVE 5
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Research
Research PROCEDURES
Ethnographic Observational Study ‘Ethnographic research is a qualitative method where researchers observe and/or interact with a study’s participants in their reallife environment.’ (Spotless, n.d.) For this report, an ethnographic observational study was executed across Westfield Stratford shopping centre to detect and examine Generation Z consumers’ in brick-and-mortar retailing stores monitoring their behaviours to gain insights. The observation continued to be conducted across a range of flagship stores offering the consumers in-store digital and physical experiences; Lush Cosmetics, Zara and Missguided. The observation allowed the opportunity to study aspects such as the level of engagement consumers displayed interacting with in-store experiences and how much time consumers spent instores offering added experiences in comparison to stores failing to offer experiences for consumers to examine and analyse the findings to offer insight for potential solutions. The purpose of the ethnographic research is to undertake a form of anthropology to develop a veracious understanding of the consumer within the retail environment by becoming immersed in their surroundings/ environment to provide a truly deeper perception of the research sample’s human behaviour in a natural form to add depth and context. Ethnographer Tricia Wang in TedTalk video, ‘The human context missing from big data’ explains the need for the combination of thick data alongside big data, ‘Big data is able to offer insights at scale and leverage the best of machine intelligence, whereas thick data can help us rescue the context loss that comes from making big data usable, and leverage the best of human intelligence.’ (Wang, 2016) Therefore incorporating big and thick data forms a more accurate portrayal. Accordingly, the ethnographic research has been implemented to provide the vital thick data.
ONLINE SURVEY A quantitative online survey was carried out with 106 respondents from the sample demographic. The survey was implemented to quantify Gen Z’s attitudes and behaviours reviewing what their state of constant connectivity has meant for their expectations of retail to accumulate a generalised result from a larger scale of the sample using measurable data to develop a consensus identifying facts and patterns within the research.
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FOCUS GROUPS Two focus groups each with 6 participants from the studies sample demographic were used as a research method to obtain valuable qualitative data to gather further understanding of the samples attitudes and opinions in greater depth with the qualitative format allowing for an open discussion to develop deeper insights and context to determine the expectations of the retailing industry providing data to enhance findings that can’t be established in quantitative methods. A variety of respondents were chosen including respondents who frequently shop online/in-store as well as respondents who are not frequent shoppers in order to receive a variety of opinion for accurate results.
1-to-1 interviews Contracting further qualitative data through one to one in-depth interviews is a research method allowing for the contingency of the sample demographic Generation Z to offer their attitudes/opinions and expectations towards retailing in extensive detailing. 12 indepth interviews ranged from Generation Z’s overall opinions and attitudes towards constant connectivity and how its impacted their expectations and their shopping behaviours. In-depth interviews were also carried out in brick-and-mortar stores interviewing consumers engaging with interactive digital and physical retail experiences to explore the sample demographic’s attitudes towards these in-store developments. 6 in-depth interviews were conducted with consumers in-stores whilst 6 other interviews were conducted with Generation Z consumers to find out their overall attitudes in an arranged meeting. Key measures to implement success of in-depth interviews suggested ‘supplying information to the interviewee before the interview.’ (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2015) which was introduced to ensure the interview achieved the greatest output for insights. Daniel Kahneman’s ‘system of thinking’ theory was taken into consideration within the in-depth interviews. In attempt to retrieve the respondents system 1 thought process (an instinctive/emotional response) (Kahneman, 2012) to retrieve further insight over conscious more logical thinking from the respondent to prevent responses becoming what the respondents feel they should say over what they really think. Images were shown asking respondents to retrieve an emotional response and respondents were asked to give their quick initial thoughts. Questions asked were also steered away from putting the respondent into the question, instead of asking how they would feel in a situation asking how someone else may feel in the situation to prevent fear of judgement speaking about their own feelings making them more likely to open up helping to gain a stronger insight.
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Research
Research PROCEDURES
Interviews with Industry Experts One-to-one interviews with brick-and-mortar retailing staff who experience first-hand insights into how brick-and-mortar retail experiences are impacting the industry to gain fundamental industry experts perceptions. 1 interview was conducted by a member of staff in each of the 3 stores being researched. Interviews were conducted with retailing staff in brick-and-mortar stores offering physical and digital consumer retail experiences (Zara Westfield Stratford offering consumers digital experiences and Lush Cosmetics offering physical experiences). The in-depth interviews were operated to receive industry expert’s opinions and attitudes towards in-store retail experiences evaluating consumers engagement and their attitudes towards the need for experiences in retail stores. Missguided; a previously strictly online retailer expanded integrating an offline presence in 2016 with their flagship brick-and-mortar store in Westfield Stratford. Missguided are a retailers targeting the reports sample demographic Generation Z therefore an interview was implemented with the store manager to explore the need for a physical store and to discuss how the physical store had impacted the brand and it’s perception/level of engagement as well how it compares to it’s online presence.
business models A pestle model and a swot chart analysis were used to inform the research. The SWOT analysis was used within the findings to represent the opportunities for the future and highlight main insights which is used to develop stage 2. The pestle model was used to look at surrounding global issues that may effect the findings.
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The Implementation of Triangulation
To achieve credibility the combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods in the form of an online survey, observation and focus groups have been conducted to form the ‘triangulation analysis’ theory by Norman Denzin used to ‘raise sociologists above the personal biases that stem from single methodologies (…) by combining methods in the same study, observers can partially overcome the deficiencies that flow from one method.’ (Denzin, 1970)
Figure 1 (cxpartners, 2009)
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Research ADVANTAGES & LIMITATIONS
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RESEARCH APPROACH
ADVANTAGES
LIMITATIONS
secondary research
A main advantage to the secondary research was the accessibility to an extensive number of sources of data already collected saving on costs and time and can be used to fill gaps in primary research as well as back up the primary research collected to add to insights.
Limitations of the secondary research range from risk of bias and or subjective accounts from sources. The threat of outdated secondary sources posts as a further limitation to the research as may no longer be relevant. The restrictions to access of certain secondary sources prevents the research findings and the lack of quality of the source may also lead to inaccuracy.
Ethnographic Observation
A fundamental advantage of an ethnographic study is ability to study the consumers in their natural form conducting their natural behaviours unaware of the observation resulting in authentic, reliable and credible results as behaviours have not been altered or shifted due to awareness of being observed showing a true representation offering context. Ability to identify unexpected factors/issues not previously considered helping to gain further insight. Unlike other research methods where set questions are asked, or respondents neglect to mention something (Spotless, n.d.) An ethnographic research brings the opportunity for the researcher’s presence in the environment to help form apparent new concepts/issues and theories not previously accounted for.
There is possibility for bias outcomes from researchers with pre-conceived ideas and assumptions towards the research leading to lack of reliability in results with researchers unconsciously looking for preassumed results and missing true insights therefore there is a risk of researcher’s potential for mistakes in data collection and or analysis. Typical anthropological ethnographers often live amongst the targeted sample for a year or more therefore the limited time spent observing the sample for this report acts as a limitation to obtain the depth for reliable insights.
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RESEARCH APPROACH online survey
ADVANTAGES The anonymously of the online survey participants provides the ability for respondents to answer questions in confidence and without the feeling of judgement leading to more honest answers thus, contributing to more accurate results. An online survey entails the opportunity to gain extensive results from a large scale of sample demographic which improves the reliability of results over smaller scale research methods.
In-depth Consumer Interviews
An in-depth protracted one-to-one interview style allows the opportunity for the researcher to receive a comprehensive understanding. Full focus on one respondent at a time allows researcher to pay further attention to aspects of body language to gain a further insightful perception with the ability to further probe for explanations and have an in-depth conversation. Nature of one to one interviews offers respondents the ability to open up without fear of judgement that often takes place in group style interviews to offer more detailed insights to help the body of research.
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LIMITATIONS The nature of the quantitative survey means closed answer tick box responses limit the opportunity for respondents to elaborate and offer suggestions not thought of by researcher in tick box options. Responses are factual rather than descriptive and limit depth of opinion and context for conclusive results. The potential for the researcher to ask bias questions steering results to their own pre-conceived outcome posts as a limitation for complete accuracy of findings leading to potential to miss insights asking wrong questions. Unhelpful responses from candidates with no real desire to contribute to study offering inappropriate responses can affect results of research study. Participants knowledge of being observed can unconsciously influence and filter their responses to say the appropriate response or what they feel the research is looking for rather than their true response.
RESEARCH APPROACH
ADVANTAGES
LIMITATIONS
focus groups
‘Group dynamics often bring out aspects of the topic or reveal information about the subject that may not have been anticipated by the researcher or emerged from individual interviews.’ (Crossman, 2018) Group discussions lead to in-depth debates contributing further analysis with a broad combination of opinions and attitudes analysing a subject generating further thinking leading to new insights.
A preeminent limitation within a focus group is the risk for participants responses to be altered by the opinions of other group participants and the pressure to conform meaning participants fail to suggest opposing views of more dominant group members contributing to an inaccuracy in findings and ability to lose vital insights. Fear of judgement in group environment may prevent true level of honesty from respondents and their capability to open-up preventing opportunity to reveal deeper insights. To overcome this limitation a comfortable environment setting was introduced to gain participants confidence to contribute. ‘It is important to encourage every person in a group to participate. This commences when you ask each person to introduce themselves (…) and encourage contributions by drawing members into the discussion.’ (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2015) Which was conducted. Opposing views in group may become difficult to analyse as useful data. Participants knowledge of being observed can unconsciously influence and filter their responses to say the appropriate response or what they feel the research is look-ing for rather than their true response.
In-depth Industry Expert Interviews
Industry expert’s opinions gather extended expertise knowledge and added perceptions as well as adding increased understanding to the study from contributing their own extensive experiences.
Industry professionals working for brands have a responsibility to portray the brand positively therefore may filter opinions/attitudes and are not permitted to give away all information and are likely to conceal brand information which acts as a limitation in receiving full capacity for insight from industry experts.
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THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Literature from theorists discussing constant connectivity, retail experiences and the psychology of the consumer in physical retail environments is considered.
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CONSTANT CONNECTIVITY Constant connectivity a phenomenon shifting society – with consumers increasing access to mobile and digital devices, ICT-enabled services are becoming offered to consumers in every aspect of their lives from the home, work and city environments impacting how consumers live as living becomes increasingly digital; transforming how consumers connect with huge potentials and opportunities for the future. (Frost & Sullivan, 2014) (Gevelber, 2013) (Schuler, 2016) The constant state of connectivity is resulting in an ‘always-on’ culture constituting towards the ascend of constantly connected consumers. As the evolution of digital technologies and connected devices have led to the shift towards a constantly connected consumer – industry experts such as Doug Stephens and Mitchell Levy, academics such as Peter Verhoef and Joshua Harwood as well as theorists such as Sherry Turkle are exploring its avenues, interpreting what it means for the future of retailing and examining its implications. The concept has been developed over the last few decades. The P.O.P framework (Verhoef et al., 2017) describes consumer connectivity as consisting of three components; people, objects, and physical environments. (See Figure 1) ‘These connections allow for information exchange, including passive sensing of data, multi-way communication exchange and data retrieval, and transactions.’ (Verhoef et al., 2017) This means these exchanges of data are not always conscious, controlled or intentional on the consumers behalf which leads to concerns over consumers privacy and protection. ‘Data from IoT enabled devices allow firms to peek even deeper into the consumers’ journey and extract their preferences. While firms can use this data to maximize consumer experience, they can also be exploited to extract a larger amount of consumer surplus.’ (Verhoef et al., 2017) Although these transactions allow for an exchange of value between the consumer and firms as consumers benefit from their data being analysed for a better shopping experience, a level of balance needs to be issued to prevent threats to consumers data privacy. Sherry Turkle; professor of the social studies of science and technology proposes a theory identifying ‘humans have come to expect more in terms of relationships from machines and less from each other.’ (Turkle, 2010) Continuing to add, ‘with continual connectivity there’s an anxiety for disconnection.’ (Turkle, 2010) Consumers are becoming increasingly reliant on technology contributing to effects on their state to endure human interaction living in a new sense of ‘all alone together’ constantly connected to eachother online but lacking any physical connections and losing a social capability. Smart devices offer ‘the online disinhibition effect, the act of feeling more confident online, which some individuals experience when communicating online or not using face-to-face methods’ (Harwood et al., 2014) which contributes to the threat of physical stores with developing preferences to not engage with humans. HRC Retail Advisory consumer survey indicates ‘85% of shoppers would rather use price scanners than ask a store associate for pricing information.’ (HRC Retail Advisory, 2018) This is relevant because it leads to queries over how physical stores will survive/adapt if consumers are now becoming less able to interact with humans and head towards a society using digital devices as the sole communication tool disrupting the offline retail presence.
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Constant connectivity and the extraction of data provided allows retailers to meet consumers desires allowing for real-time predictions, ‘online sites suggest specific items to customers using pop-up banners, based on their past purchases or even just web surfing, the sites are using a combination of customer relationship management (CRM) and datamining to not only increase their revenue, but also to provide service to the consumers.’ (Ahmed, 2004) Smart retail is ‘enabled by understanding and predicting consumer needs using not only mobile devices but a host of sensors collecting fine grained data about consumers, infrastructures and integrated systems.’ (Verhoef et al., 2017) This shows how constant connectivity is causing consumers retailing expectations to rise as their shopping journeys can be personalised to meet their needs further and increase their level of experience which causes a gap between online and offline retail experiences. Constant Connectivity is also argued to have a negative effect on connected consumers attention span as Dr John Ratey (clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School) describes the way technology is re-wiring the modern brain as acquired attention deficit disorder. Dr Ratey argues that todays connected consumers are evolving away from ‘genetic roots’ of humankind resulting in challenges to even sit still without some form of stimulation. (The work of Dr John Ratey) See (Evangelista, 2009) “The more we become used to sound bites and tweets (…) the less patient we will be with more complex, more meaningful information (…) we might lose the ability to analyse things with any depth and nuance.” (The work of Dr. Elias Aboujaoude, director of Stanford University’s Impulse Control Disorders Clinic.) See (Evangelista, 2009) The academic sources from professionals prove to be reliable sources to show how the continuation of democratization of technologies will mean connected consumers in the future will have lower or partial attention spans due to the use of technology affecting how their brains process information. This leads to queries over how physical retail stores can modify their brand strategies to gain the attention and stimulate connected consumers in an addicted society to keep physical stores remaining relevant. The state of constant connectivity is impacting retail profoundly, ‘Customers are adopting e-commerce technology at an unprecedented rate.’ (Levy, 2001) ‘Consumer behaviour is changing as a growing number of smarter, digitally-connected, price-conscious consumers exploit multiple shopping channels to get the product they want at the right price.’ (Aubrey and Judge, 2012) This has led to repercussions for offline retailing - the consensus underpinning the subject is the notion that constant connectivity and connected consumers are transforming the retailing industry with more choosing to shop online and the experience they receive in turn rising their expectations in terms of customer satisfaction and expectations of service (Levy, 2001). ‘Connected customers simply seek choice, price and convenience.’ (Partners, 2014) ‘Retailers are faced with the challenge of keeping up with the innovations disrupting the market.’ (Partners, 2014) Constant Connectivity is ‘challenging the fundamental business models many businesses have historically relied upon.’ (Partners, 2014) Doug Stephens; business advisor on the future of retailing and consumerism adds, ‘every aspect of how, where, when and even why we shop is to change entirely (…) for a long time, retailers remained dismissive of the threat that pure play e-commerce companies posed.’ (Stephens and Pine, 2017) This demonstrates the fundamental impact the shift to constant connectivity has on retailing and how connected consumers have transformed the industry in terms of their expectations for shopping experiences posting threat to the future of physical retail failing to transition to changes exhibiting a need for offline retail to adapt or e-retail is set to become the future of retailing.
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RETAILING EXPERIENCES & CONSUMPTION Consumer experiences are at the fore-front of retail and these experiences are defined as inherently personal, existing only in the mind of an individual who has been engaged on an emotional, physical, intellectual, or even spiritual level that causes the consumer to spend more time enjoying a memorable moment of interactive engagement. (Pine and Gilmore, 1999) ‘The social significance of the experience market has grown constantly in recent years.’ (Sundbo and Sørensen, 2013) ‘As goods and services become commoditized, the customers experiences become distinctive there is a shift in economy as these experiences will matter most emerging as the next step in the progression of economic value.’ (See figure 2) (Pine and Gilmore, 1999) ‘Shifting from selling items to inspiring experiences will be the next wave of retail innovation.’ (Bennett, 2018) This shows the importance the act of consumer experiences has become in retail today and how it’s shaping the future; it is no longer enough to sell a product or service, consumers are coming to expect an increasing amount of added value. This sense of added value becomes the decision-making process for consumers of whether they go forward to buy the product/service or not therefore experience becomes vital for the survival of retailing. “New technologies encourage whole new genres of experience.” (Pine and Gilmore, 1999) This view has further relevance two decades later as technological disruption and changing consumer behaviour has led to a tipping point that has forced the physical stores to undergo considerable structural change when it comes to investing in providing consumers digital experiences. (Deloitte, 2018) The retailing experience is deviating towards a digital experience that includes seamlessly integrating with and moving from one channel to the next across changing digital and offline channels. (Hinshaw, 2012) This omni-channel approach shows an opportunity for physical stores to stay relevant integrating with the online presence. ‘The adoption of automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating dramatically.’ (Agarwal, Bersin and Lahiri, 2018) The advancement in technologies and the impact its having on consumer’s expectations for retail is vital in understanding how online retail is rising and the experiences connected consumers receive online is shaping their expectations for a better physical retail experience in which physical retailers need to adapt to. From the emergence of the digital era, the desire for experiences from connected consumers increases but with behaviours shifting as consumers today desire and value the opportunity to capture their experiences and share on social media. ‘The importance of experiences and their ability to be shared has led to the emergence of ‘Instagrammability’ as a trend.’ (Llewellyn, 2018) The documentation and sharing of the experience is important. It’s not just the experience itself, it’s sharing with one another that’s important as consumers crave recognition through social media. (EventBrite, 2014) (The Museum Scholar, 2018) This is influencing where consumers shop seeking out ‘Instagrammable’ spaces and experiences which will have an impact on physical retailing in the future as the trend continues as they attempt to engage these consumers, physical retailers need to deliver engaging, visual and interactive experiences that consumers want to share online in order to stay relevant.
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Th
Multi-sensory experiences have been an instrumental factor bringing consumers into stores in the past and set aside physical stores from online retailing giving them an advantage. Multi-sensory experiences are seen to be fundamental in providing a strong experience in-stores and building consumer and brand relationships. ‘Multi-sensory driven strategy is one of the smartest ways for brands to trigger emotion and the create memories.’ (PSFK, 2018) ‘The five human senses are of crucial importance for an individual’s experience of different purchase and consumption processes.’ (PSFK, 2018) ‘It is through the senses that every individual becomes conscious of and perceives firms, products and brands.’ (Hulten, Broweus and Dijk, 2009) However, recent technologies are evolving to produce this experience from consumers devices to build the online experience. ‘It’s not a huge intellectual leap to imagine that we may soon be able to touch and feel things we see online as well as other sensual attributes’. (Stephens and Pine, 2017) The advancement of these technologies would have huge repercussions for physical retail who have before-hand relied on these sensory experiences to bring consumers into store and work as an advantage over online retailing.
he Psychology behind Physical Shopping Shopping as a Social Experience: Greek Philosopher Aristotle explored his theory ‘humans are social animals’ between 384 BC - 322 BC explaining a social instinct is implanted into all men by nature. (Ross, 1995) Psychologist Abraham Maslow developed a theory in 1954 backing Aristotle’s findings identifying the sense of belonging socially to be a key basic human need which was explored within a model identifying ‘the hierarchy of needs’ used to represent this. (Maslow and Frager, 1987) This theory can be applied to identify the need for physical retail spaces which provides a sense of belonging humans experience shopping as a social activity together. The attitudes surrounding this concept have remained as modern literature discusses this concept within a retail environment. ‘Our innate human response to crowds is positive, we subconsciously seek them out.’ (Stephens and Pine, 2017) ‘Crowds are the clearest and most immediate form of social proof (...) The presence of others in a space remains our best primal indicator that something of value is going on there.’ (Stephens and Pine, 2017) This shows the need for physical shopping spaces to form a social atmosphere. The Art of Discovery & Reward: Humans have a neurological response to a great shopping experience producing a chemical called dopamine; a reward chemical that moves through our brains when something gives up pleasure. (Stephens and Pine, 2017) Robert Sapolsky; a professor of biology, neuroscience and neuro-surgery studied dopamine production his studies found ‘it’s the uncertainty that’s the reward’ (Sapolsky, 2011) ‘A shopper’s dopamine levels will be at their highest in anticipation of acquiring the thing they seek, and those levels will be even higher if there’s a known risk of not getting it.’ (Stephens and Pine, 2017) With online retailing offering increased certainty of finding what a consumer might want which appeals only to the rational part of the brain which ultimately feels less satisfying creating opportunity for physical retail. “Ironically as our lives become more hyperconnected by technology and driven by data and predetermined algorithms, the world around us becomes less discoverable and the odds of encountering things in an unanticipated way become slimmer.” (Stephens and Pine, 2017)
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online retail EXPERIENCES This chapter focus’ upon what e-commerce is doing to provide experiences for consumers from personalised online recommendations and predicitions to advancing technologies and multi-sensory experiences.
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ONLINE RETAIL EXPERIENCES - PREDICTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS Online retailers provide extensive shopping experiences for consumers without the use of physical stores using aspects such as personal recommendations and predictions through interpreting consumers data and the use of online search bars to add to consumers convenience. Online retailer ASOS provide ‘Fit Assistant’ features that recommends the consumers size based upon information they have provided, sizes they have bought previously and what themselves and others have returned to predict the most suitable size for online shoppers indicating less need for physical stores as technologies advance. Primary research from two focus groups reveals why Generation Z choose to shop online: “..Online has more options and choice I just find it more convenient.” (Participant 7, See Appendix 14, q8)
“Yeh it’s risky to go shopping in-store I don’t always find something where it’s more guaranteed when I shop online cause I can search for things.” (Participant 4, See Appendix 13, Q8)
“Online is so much more convenient, you search for what you want, find it, and order it.” (Participant 2, See Appendix 13, Q8)
“I’m recommended options based on what I’ve been looking at and sent personal discount and things like that.” (Participant 9, See Appendix 14, Q8)
“It has a lot to do with the personalisation – they know a lot about me, which (…) helps me get what I want before I even knew I wanted it.” (Participant 12, See Appendix 14, Q8)
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PERSONALISED SHOPPING EXPERIENCES As connected consumers are desiring more guarantee of finding what they want in-stores, this highlights the opportunity for retailer to incorporate aspects to make it easier for products to be found such as alerts going off on a consumers device when an item they have recently viewed online is near them in-store. However, store retailers must also take into account the reward theory by Robert Sapolsky showing that the uncertainty of not finding the item is part of the reward and dopamine levels will raise in anticipation therefore a balance of discovery and certainty should be incorporated into physical spaces to implement a strong shopping experience in-store.
This signifies Generation Z’s expectations have altered as connected consumers to expect a higher level of convenience and personalisation from their shopping experience due to the experience they receive online. This demonstrates why online retail is rising however consequently offers opportunities for physical retailers to adapt to these altering expectations to revive the physical space for the future and keep connected consumers engaged. Opportunities include integrating technology into stores such as incorporating apps to recommend products in-store using consumers data to add personalisation and use location services to help consumers locate products instore and real time updates for convenience.
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ONLINE RETAIL EXPERIENCES - advancing technologies & multi-sensory experiences Advancing technologies are able to transition online retail to incorporate the physical features of stores to an online platform such as multi-sensory experiences and the ability to feel products online leading to the loss of purpose for physical stores. Advancing technologies in the digital era are resulting in digital experiences within online retail such as augmented reality, artificial intelligence and virtual reality transforming the online shopping experience to introduce multi-sensory experiences online. Fashion label Micheal Kors have incorporated augmented reality experiences online via social media advertisements allowing consumers to virtually try on Micheal Kors products through their mobile device camera which they can then click “shop now” to take them to their online website adding to their experience and level of engagement whilst integrating the purpose of physical stores such as the ability to try items on. Advancements in technology have also meant, “Digital technology can produce a touch experience through stimulated pressure and vibrations (…) Technology is also available that stretches the skin when a digital object is touched, which makes it possible to replicate the sense of touching something that is visualised on a screen.” (Hulten, Broweus and Dijk, 2009) These digital aspects are mimicking the multi-sensory experience consumers receive in-store demonstrating less need for physical stores in the future.
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Primary research unveiled the importance of multi-sensory experiences to Generation Z as an ethnographic observation in Lush Cosmetics found: “As I queued for entry, the smell of the store from outside was powerful and immediately grabbed my attention as I anticipated entry. Customers waiting in the line with me preceded to go on about the smell, “Ugh, I love the smell it makes me want everything.” Entering the store, I came to an explosion of colours and smells with all products placed out for interaction and touch. Signs were - placed everywhere stating ‘try me’ and ‘touch me’ in attempt to engage and interact the consumers. I noticed a large level of interaction customers were repeatedly picking up products touching them, smelling them, testing them on their skin and showing them to their social circle around them asking them to smell the items creating an engaging experience.” (see appendix 6)
Interviews with Lush staff and customers added, “Our products need to be smelt and felt the experience online doesn’t match how the experience in-store leaves customers feeling. The power of the senses is very important which is why our stores do so well.” — Lush Staff, see appendix 9) “I really like being able to open to all my senses in the store. I have shopped in Lush for a few years I really like the smells and the chance to try products on my skin and feel the textures – that’s why I’ve always shopped here.” — Lush Consumer 1, see appendix 10) “…It has to be touched and you have to feel it all and immerse yourself. The experience in a Lush store brings us in. I feel very connected and engaged when shopping in the store I don’t believe I would receive that through my phone or laptop ordering online.” — Lush Consumer 2, see appendix 10) Interviews with Generation Z on why they shop in-store added: “I like to see clothes in person and really get a feel for the fabric, try it on, see what it would really look like before I buy it (…) saves ordering online then ending up having to take it back.” - (participant 2, See appendix 13, Q1)
Therefore as digital retail experiences online continue to advance in the future able to mimic multi-sensory aspects of physical stores such as trying on items and ability to touch materials etc in which Generation Z consumers have shown to value it leads to less need for physical stores and opportunity for online retailing to expand. However, the research shows opportunities for physical stores to remain as the ethnographic observation unveiled consumers enjoy experiencing these multi-sensory experiences together instores which online retailing fails to offer leading to opportunities for survival in the future if physical retailers exploit the concept of sharing experiences in-stores as well as keep up to date with what online retailers are doing and integrate these digital services into stores. This is important as experiences in retailing today are becoming vital as consumers expect more for their money (See Appendix 15, Political Pestle.
CHAPTER INSIGHTS The chapter shows the threat e-commerce posts to brick-and-mortar stores such as; Personalisation offered through access to consumers data. Advancing technologies resulting in less need for consumers to visit physical retailers as multi-sensory experiences are being replicated online posting threat to the survival of offline retail. Brick and mortar stores should focus on sharing expereinces.
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retail store EXPERIENCES This chapter focus’ on what physical stores are doing to provide consumers with retail experiences looking at why online retailers are shifting offline, visual aspects of retail, social media, social store environments and digital experiences.
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ONLINE RETAILERS TRANSITIONING OFFLINE To establish the need for physical stores in the digital era, research explored key online retailers who have recently shifted their presence to integrate an offline space. The research identifies what the online retailers are incorporating offline that they were unable to deliver online to examine the purpose of the physical store today. Online clothing retailers ‘Missguided’ opened their first flagship brick-and-mortar store in 2016. The brand focus on targeting Generation Z with their online presence therefore were used as part of the report research to determine how they have attracted Generation Z in a physical space in the digital age. The brands flagship store in Westfield Stratford is to, ‘be the start of an ambitious retail roll-out.’ (Roberts, 2016)
visuals & modular retail The brick-and-mortar space is fuelled with interactive features from a ‘unicorn tears’ drinks vending machine to large instalments showcasing a pink monster truck and motor bike. The customers shopping experience is formed through strong creative visuals and aesthetics which help to immerse consumers in Missguided’s brand message and personality showcasing their lighthearted and fun brand identity promoting ‘girl power’ with relatable humorous quotes dispersed across the store that replicate the brand’s image. ‘Online-only brands are using bricks-and-mortar stores to expand and consolidate their reach, appealing to Gen Viz audiences with visually exciting features.’ (LS:N Global, 2016) Missguided have incorporated the emerging trend ‘Modular Retail; creative and flexible concepts creating intense brand experiences into their stores through their store design. Brands are adopting this approach looking for more ways to present their products in-store. (TrendOne, 2018)
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visuals & modular retail Primary research from interviews with Generation Z consumers identified the desire for visual engagement in-stores: “I think that’s what I look for in a shop today I want something different, I want it to look visually pleasing on a different level, I want brands to really turn up the creativity level and make it more than stocking clothes - make it art.” (Respondent 4, Q5, Appendix 12) “If the products all were displayed in an aesthetically pleasing way it makes me more interested it adds value to them and I suddenly want the product more.” (Respondent 6, Q5, Appendix 12) The research demonstrates Generation Z’s clear desire for visually pleasing store dynamics as a method to engage them. ‘Gen Z’s are digital natives and social-media driven’ (Granados, 2017) this means they have access to numerous feeds of information which contributes to causing a generation of ‘low attention spans’ making them ‘visual first’. (Mickiewicz, Buchanan and Stott, 2016) which supports the theoretical framework from Dr John Ratey. Missguided stores have considered this, incorporating highly interactive visuals to engage Generation Z. This level of brand engagement through visuals helps to build Missguided’s relationship with their consumers as Missguided’s store manager adds, “All of this in-store experience we offer the customers has helped grow our relationship further with them since coming offline, our customers have become so much more aware of us as brand and our perception has increased the quirks around store have just built up a strong image of us as a brand.” (See Appendix 7) This shows physical stores can survive in the future by using visually engaging strategies to meet the needs of the short attention span generation of connected consumers.
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SOCIAL MEDIA & ‘instagrammability’ Missguided has focused on ‘creating a bricks-and-mortar store designed to appeal to the Snapchat generation (..) the store incorporates Instagram-worthy, emoji-inspired decor.’ (LS:N Global, 2016) The brand were able to set their store aside from other physical stores providing their consumers with ‘sharable moments’ and creating photo opportunities for social media to engage Generation Z; a social media savvy generation. Examples range from the brands BARBIEXMISSGUIDED collection launching in-store. The collection was promoted with real life size barbie doll boxes installed into store for passing consumers to go into and take photos in, causing a rise in Instagram uploads from in-store. Photo walls, backdrops and large quotes are also placed in-store for added photo opportunities. Missguided recognized the importance of social media for their targeted audience of connected consumers, therefore integrated aspects of their digital lives into the physical space tapping into the ‘Instagrammability’ trend providing visual experiences worthy of uploading to social media. This trend is shown to be desired by Generation Z from primary research consumer interview findings: “I’d be much more likely walk in to a shop if they had something interesting I could post on Instagram.” (Respondent 1, Q5, Appendix 12) “I’ve uploaded an image onto my Instagram of a photo of me and my friends in Urban Outfitters photo booth so that was an engaging moment in store I wanted to share with everyone else.” (Respondent 3, Q5, Appendix 12)
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This demonstrates opportunities for physical retailers to thrive in the future providing these shareable moments to bring consumers in-stores and add purpose for a store in the digital era. An extract from the ethnographic observation within the store unveiled: “The young consumers fitting the Generation Z age bracket had mobile devices within their hands constantly and took images of the quotes and other quirky features across the store uploading these images to social media. From conversations overheard the general language surrounded, “Please take my pic next to this.” “Let’s get one for Instagram.” The observation also explored how social media had been integrated into the store, “I overheard the conversation of young girls searching for a particular collection Missguided had shared on their social media. “Do you think the playboy clothes are in here?” “Did you see the posts on Instagram about it I tagged you in the pic of the top I wanted.” (See Appendix 6) This shows how Generation Z are using social media within their shopping journey which brick-and-mortar retailers need to understand and utilise this to incorporate social media into the store to revive the store in the digital era for connected consumers in order to engage them.
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SOCIAL STORE Environments Missguided introduced a ‘pool-party’ themed lounge within the fitting room area to form a social environment for consumers. Brands are adopting this social concept with the addition of elements such as such as cafés and bars being incorporated into retailing stores. The social environments demonstrate the purpose of the physical store is transitioning from a space to purchase goods/services to an immersive experience for consumers to share as brands understand consumers are social beings supporting the theoretical theory of humans as ‘socialanimals.’ Consumers are unable to receive this social element with e-retail showing the need for physical retail.
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“We believe the retail environment on the high street has got a bit stale so we have decided to take some of our online learnings and brand DNA into a physical space and use technology and in store experiences to bring them to life (…) Social is huge for us so this will be a prominent feature throughout the stores and we will promote interaction with our customers.” Brand Founder Nitin Passi, (Roberts, 2016)
CHAPTER INSIGHTS The main insights identified show how brick-and-mortar stores today can introduce a revival and remain relevant by adapting their business model for the emerging connected consumer; Generation Z. A social environment should be integrated into stores as the prime factor in bringing consumers into stores as it delivers an aspect connected consumers cannot receive online. Social media should be at the fore-front of a brands approach to a physical store to engage Generation Z as ‘sharable moments’ and level of ‘Instagrammability’ in-store become necessary for engagement and interaction with consumers who share their lives on social media therefore as consumers behaviours change retailers need to keep up and adapt to fit the consumers preferences. Highly engaging visuals and element of ‘fun factor’ become increasingly vital as the connected consumers shift to valuing experiences over products, Generation Z need strong visual elements to keep Gen Z’s low attention spans engaged. The use of consumers mobile devices in-store provides huge opportunity for store retailers to engage and interact with consumers and incorporate their devices into their shopping journey to meet their needs and expectations.
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digital store experiences 45
Digital experiences are becoming increasingly prominent within brick-and-mortar spaces in attempt to engage with connected consumers who are in constant engagement with digital services in all aspect of their lives. Retail brand Zara have unveiled a ‘digital store’ concept in Westfield Shopping Centre introducing a retail space that integrates the online presence offline. A key feature within Zara’s digital store is an interactive mirror equipped with RFID able to detect the product the customers is holding and show the item on a model in the mirror to give consumers the opportunity to view the item on. An ethnographic observation within the store was carried out to watch the level of interaction between Generation Z consumers and digital aspects such as the interactive mirror which found: “Younger consumers (Generation Z) appeared the most willing to engage with the technology, the feature attracted more and more consumers who stood to watch other consumers use the interactive mirror service sparking interest amongst the crowds which led to a queue forming to use the interactive mirror showing the appeal and desire for the added experiences as it appeared to add a new level of excitement.” (Ethnographic Observation, Appendix 6) This shows the connected consumers (Generation Z’s) willingness to adopt the digital service and their level of confidence with technologies as digital natives which provides opportunity for physical store retailers to provide more digital experiences to engage the connected consumers as their expectations shift to desire more digital attributes to replicate an online experience instore adding online elements such as convenience.
Conducting one-to-one interviews with Generation Z consumers in Zara’s store asking about their opinions of the digital services such as the interactive mirror all respondents provided positive responses stating the digital aspects added a sense of ‘fun’ along with convenience with an example from a Gen Z consumer stating, “I think it really adds to my shopping experience as much as the digital additions are helpful and convenient they also are really fun to have a go with and I’d say it makes me more likely to come and shop in a store offering things like this.” (zara consumer 1, See Appendix 11 ) This highlights the opportunity for physical stores to revive their store concepts to incorporate digital experiences that bring connected consumers into stores as their expectations today have become altered to expect digital experiences from their reliance on technology within all aspects of their lives. It also reinforces the theoretical underpinning from Sherry Turkle suggesting connected consumers are becoming unable to disconnect therefore physical stores must adapt to meet revised consumer expectations and needs by incorporating digital services to keep consumers connected consequently keeping them coming into physical stores.
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INTEGRATING ONLINE ASPECTS OFFLINE Primary Research interviewing Zara Store manager on the brands online integration strategy added, “We had to adapt to what the customers want today, customers are a lot more digitally-able – we must take advantage of the new technologies today to improve the store. Bringing some features of online shopping into shopping in store helps the store stay relevant. The digital aspects create a better experience for the customer we have seen an increase in customers coming into store to experience our interactive mirror it has had lot of success for the store.” (Zara store manager Interview, see Appendix 8 )
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ADVANCING DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN-STORE The interview with Zara’s store manager showed the importance of engaging with todays connected consumers through digital technologies in-store in a digital era and leads on to opportunities for further expansion of these digital experiences such as integrating advancing technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality or augmented reality in-stores which brands such as Tommy Hilfiger have implemented such as their virtual reality catwalk in-store allowing consumers to watch a threedimensional version of Tommy Hilfiger’s 2015 catwalk collection show live from a 360-degree angle in-store through a headset to engage consumers offering added value through a digital experience. In-depth interviews with Generation Z disclose a desire for digital experiences in-store such as augment reality to add to their shopping experiences: “I’d like things to play with like putting goggles on and being able to see a virtual world I think there’s lots of cool things stores could do it to actually make shopping in-stores easier and would make the difference between me buying online and actually going in-store if I knew I could get these additional digital experiences in-stores - it’s the added value that stores don’t offer.” (See Participant 2, Q2, Appendix 12) This indicates how connected consumers expectations are changing as they now expect advancing technologies to be implemented into their store experience after their experience as digital natives online exposed to advancing technologies.
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OMNI-CHANNEL SERVICES Zara’s high-tech retail space features a dedicated ‘online area’ to pick up online orders through a digital click and collect screen customers can use to scan QR or PIN codes to retrieve their orders incorporating a omni-channel approach combining the platforms for a seamless approach to retailing. Primary Research from the online survey (See Appendix 2) indicates Gen Z consumers attitudes towards the integration of an omni-channel service within retail are positive with 78.3% rating the value of omni channel services when shopping to be a 4 or higher out of 6. (1 = low value / 6 = high value). The primary research focus group (See Appendix 2) revealed aspects such as click and collect services integrating the online and offline retail presence added to Generation Z’s shopping experience as respondents stating it offers added convenience and options for them and offered suggestions for further integration between the platforms. This demonstrates connected consumers desire to integrate the online and offline retail platforms within their shopping experience, providing brick-andmortar stores the ability to adapt their business model to implement an omnichannel presence in order to remain relevant in the future of the digital era as connected consumers expectations evolve as digital natives; expecting the level of convenience they receive through their online shopping experience to be replicated in-stores. The primary research demonstrates solutions to better connected consumers in-store experience using an omni-channel approach involving aspects such as real time updates in-store to meet connected consumers rising expectations for in-store experiences. The research also emphasised the desire and expectation for connected consumers to continue integrating their personal digital devices into their shopping experience which physical retailers will need to adopt. This shows the future of physical stores is set to be digitally engaging for consumers - integrating the online presence to adapt to connect consumers expectations in the digital era and highlights the purpose for physical stores in the future.
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“I’d like an app for when you’re shopping online and see a particular item that’s out of stock in your size or that you just wanted to see in-store I’d like the app to tell me if it was available in any stores near me, which ones and whether they had my size and request to put it on hold till I got to the store.” (see appendix 13, Participant 5, q9)
“Would be a really good idea to be able to search online gather a range of items you’ve found on a particular website that you want to try on and somehow be able to send over this information – then when you go in-store be able to use a personal code to scan in the changing room and have everything sent in for you in recommended sizes and have a mini wardrobe capsule all set up for you in the changing room so that you can try on everything – that way you don’t have to commit to buying it all first and anything you wanted online that wasn’t available in store can be sent to store for you so you have more choices and you’re not just choosing from the small selection in-store.” (see appendix 14, Participant 10, q9)
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HUMANS VS MACHINES IN-STORES Zara’s digital store also incorporated a variety of checkout and payment options other than traditional staff checkout tills. The store offered a digital self-service screen option for consumers to independently checkout items as well as offering the opportunity for consumers to pay scanning items via their mobile devices and making the transaction via their own device. A further option was for the staff roaming the store with i-pads to check-out the customers wherever they are in-store. The diverse range of checkout processes provide options for connected consumers to choose from adding to their shopping experience in-stores. An Ethnographic Observation taken place within the Zara store found,
“I observed how consumers were choosing to pay for items with a mix response (…) I observed a younger consumer demographic to use the digital services over the more mature demographic who appeared to mostly opt for the human interaction. Young consumers appeared confident and willing to adapt to the new digital services in-store.” (See Appendix 6)
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This research was backed up by in-depth interviews with consumers asking about the payment choice they would take given a range of options in-store: “Sometimes, I get a bit anxious at the thought of going up to staff which sounds silly but sometimes if I’m feeling anxious I’d want to go to a screen and do it all myself.” (Participant 5, q1, Appendix 12) “So say there was an app I could literally get up and press start checkout process and it would have access to my camera so I could scan the tags of the clothes and it would all get put in my virtual basket, I could still add in a discount code or something like I would do ordering online and then press pay digitally (…) I think that would make things so much faster and I’d find it quite fun!” (Participant 6, q1, Appendix 12) “I’d like staff to stay they add to the experience especially when they really fit with the brand and I like to have actual conversations, I think another main reason for going to a shop is to actually see other people and not stay in your house all day *laughs* (Participant 4, q2, Appendix 12)
The research demonstrates Gen Z consumer’s diverse attitudes towards their desire for human interaction over digital services in-store; part still yearning for human contact relating to the social interaction it brings as the theoretical framework underpins with Aristotle suggesting ‘humans are social animals’ whilst other’s finding the digital services to release anxiety over social interaction and add to their convenience and demonstrating their confidence using these services as digital natives. This supports the theoretical framework from Sherry Tuckle exploring the theory that connected consumer are becoming less able to interact with humans due to the level of constant connectivity they are exposed to making them more anxious and unable to disconnect and communicate physically. Therefore, for physical stores to remain there are opportunities for brands to adapt to meet connected consumers’ altering needs and expectations of a shopping experience by implementing optional digital services such as variety of payment methods to stay relevant in the digital era as digital methods become an expectation yet keep the social aspect with retail staff which serves as a purpose for visiting physical stores. The research also shows the opportunity to implement consumers personal digital devices such as mobiles devices into the shopping experience in-store as consumers desire ‘apps’ to be incorporated within their shopping journey leading to further opportunities to reach the connected consumers in-store and revive brick-and-mortar spaces to fit the digital era as connected consumers expect similar levels of experience that they receive online therefore stores need to bring that aspect to be relevant today. The implementation of new digital services substituting the role of humans in-stores will however correspondently lead to implications brands need to consider within the economy with the loss of jobs for humans working within the retail segment. (See Appendix 15, Economic)
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beacon technology Aspects of online experiences such as added personalisation through consumers data are being implemented into physical retail spaces to add to connected consumers experiences in-stores and meet their increasing expectations from digital services. Retail spaces with beacon technology can detect when a customer has entered or leaves a store location through enabled technology from mobile devices in which customers who have opted to download the stores app can be reached. Retailers can push timely messages to the consumer offering personal discounts or messages with access to their data to promote products enticing them to enter the store as they walk past. Primary research discussing Generation Z’s attitudes towards sharing their location and data for better in-store experience:
“I would be happy to share information with the stores for a better experience.” (P1, Q7, appendix 13) “…as long as my information is kept secured.” (p5, q7, appendix 13) This indicates Generation Z’s willingness to share their data in exchange for added value through personalisation to better their store experience however states the need for their information to be kept secured leading to mass opportunities for physical retailers. This supports the theoretical framework by (Verhoef et al., 2017) in which retailers adopting this approach need to understand the legal circumstances surrounding this to avoid security breaches. (See Appendix 15, Legal) Asking consumers what they would like to use their mobile devices/beacon technology for suggested;
“If an app could learn about our behaviour it could recommend more to us I’d really like that.” (p5, q7, appendix 13) This leads to expansive opportunities to incorporate innovative strategies in-store incorporating beacon technology to reach consumers and personalise their shopping experiences in the way e-retail provides to improve physical retailing and provide a better experience meeting consumers needs.
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CHAPTER INSIGHTS Future physical stores should incorporate digital interactive experiences to meet consumers expectations mimicking attributions of e-commerce such as convenience and added level of fun for consumers. Stores should integrate online and offline platform to create a seamless channel. Provide a balance between human interaction in-store mixed with a rise in digital machine services. Integrate consumers mobile devices for personalisation.
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concLusion
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Connected consumers retail expectations have modified within the digital era from their online digital shopping experiences. Research from the report indicates online retailing will continue to expand within the future as advancing technologies continue to mimic aspects of physical stores using digital experiences such as virtual reality to develop desired multi-sensory experiences online taking away the need for physical retail spaces. E-retail is able to engage todays connected consumers online and consumers are now expecting a high degree of personalisation through recommendations and predictive machine intelligence with online retailers interpreting personal data adding to connected consumers convenience in which brick-andmortar spaces are currently failing to contend with. Despite this, research indicates brick-and-mortar stores show strong potential to remain and prosper in the digital era by adapting to the expectations of today’s connected consumers. Primary research showed 99% of Generation Z respondents still like to shop in physical stores indicating physical retail’s opportunities to progress. Generation Z’s shopping expectations have altered from their experience online; selling goods is no longer enough to keep them engaged - experiences are now at the fore-front of consumers shopping expectations and the key to survival for brick and mortar stores in the future. Brick-and-mortar spaces look to remain in the future due human’s tendencies as social animals requiring human interactions in which physical retail spaces entail and therefore a solely online digital retail service would lack the fundamental social aspect consumers need that adds to their shopping experience. In order for brickand-mortar stores to continue within the future, research illustrates the need for a revival of the physical space. The structure and business model of brick-and-mortar spaces and its concept should be re-written for the digital age - transforming the retail space with experiences at focus. The report’s research has helped to identify possible solutions and opportunities for a revival of the physical retail space within the future allowing for the physical aspect of retail to remain and prosper - adapted to meet the evolving expectations of connected consumers within the digital era.
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FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON FINDINGS Digital Experiences
SWOT chart and analysis was used to find future recommendations and opportunities. (See Appendix 16)
Physical stores need to comply with the digital era incorporating digital services and integrate aspects of online retail into stores and integrate further omni-channel services to meet the connected consumers expectations. Research showed consumers desire to use their mobile devices within stores therefore physical retailers should integrate apps consumers can use in-store to implement convenience in which connected consumers have come to expect from their online retailing experiences. Store apps could include beacon technology using locations services to alert consumers when they are near an item in-store that they have viewed online helping to integrate online and offline retail and help to locate items easier as well as incorporate real time updates so customers are aware of what items they view online are in-stores and the sizes currently in stock all of which helps to add to consumers convenience mimicking the level of service connected consumers receive online. Through apps in-store, brick-and-mortar retail spaces can also provide the personalisation desired by connected consumers as the app could collect vital data about the consumer which could be used to personalise their store experiences; meeting their expectations of a shopping experience and provide alerts/recommendations/discounts etc tailored to the consumer. Instead of competing with e-retail, brick and mortar stores should work alongside the platform utilising omni-channel services as consumers want the expansive choice of products available online sent to stores to be tried on therefore stores can still remain relevant as trying on and touching products in-store remains important to connected consumers. Digital experiences and services using advancing technologies should be incorporated further with usage of artificial intelligence, virtual reality and augmented reality as connected consumers have come to expect this to add to their experiences in-stores helping to bring them into stores. Connected consumers also desire options and choice therefore expansive option of payment methods should be implemented to keep up to date with consumers evolving attitudes as some connected consumers have become anxious of human contact as digital natives therefore digital options becomes increasing important for store survival.
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VISUAL FIRST As connected consumers have developed low/partial attention spans through their constant online usage, physical retail spaces must utilise the visual aspect of physical retail spaces to engage Generation Z consumers in the future and keep them interacted in-stores and gain their attention as their needs alter in the digital era. Retail spaces in the future need to incorporate modular retail concepts; providing extensive opportunities for retail spaces in the future to revive their traditional visual concept to engage connected consumers. Modular retail allows for opportunities such as creative visual aesthetics providing interesting and engaging ways to showcase products. Physical stores should focus less on incorporating as much stock as possible and focus on showcasing less stock in visually aesthetic ways. Interesting pop-ups and methods of showcasing products need to be implemented further. The visual aspect of physical retail should be revolutionised.
SOCIAL MEDIA RETAILING Research shows the importance of social media for Generation Z consumers (the snapchat Generation) therefore in order to implement success in physical stores, retailers have the opportunity to engage consumers via social media in-store to appeal to their evolving needs and expectations in the digital era. This leads to opportunities to implement services such as using interactive mirrors in-stores to take snapshots of consumers trying on items they can upload to social media through the interactive mirror to add more engaging experiences meeting their shopping expectations. The ‘Instagrammability’ trend should be incorporated offering Generation Z consumers interactive experiences and visuals worth uploading to social media in order to bring these consumers into stores as the research has highlighted Generation Z’s willingness to come into stores if there is a photo opportunity for social media which adds to their experiences in-store.
SOCIAL SHOPPING ENVIRONMENTS The research revealed that for Generation Z consumers, shopping in-stores is much more than buying goods/services and is done for the added experiences and social aspects it provides. Brick-and-mortar spaces should exploit this providing ‘social environments’ within their stores, incorporating more lounge areas/additional add ons such as branded bars/cafes that fit the brand to incorporate further personality showcasing the brand as well implementing further experiences for consumers and more reason to visit a store rather than shop online. Physical retailers should focus on ‘sharing experiences’ that consumers can experience together forming a social activity in-stores which can’t be replicated online to give more purpose to physical spaces and add to consumers experiences.
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APPENDIX 59
Appendix 1 Online Survey Questions:
6.) Rate the importance of brands offering you added experiences in-stores. (1 = Low Importance / 6 = High Importance
1.) Do you purchase mostly from online retailers or mostly from physical stores? - Mostly online - Mostly in-store - An equal combination of the two
7.) Do you expect a high level of engagement and interactive experience when shopping in-store? - Yes - No - Not Sure
2.) Do you browse for items mostly online or in-store - Online - In-store - An equal combination of the two
8.) To what extent do you receive an engaging/interactive in-store shopping experience whilst shopping? (1 = Receive low level of experience / 6 = Receive high level of experience)
3.) Do you often browse in-store and later buy from the brands online retail platform? - Yes - No - Sometimes
9.) Does the experience you receive shopping online impact your expectations for shopping in-stores? (For example, do you expect the same level of convenience/ease) - Yes, it increases my expectations for in-store experiences - No, my expectations don’t change - Not sure
4.) Rate how much you value omni-channel approaches to retail (combining online and offline retail services such as click and collect services) 1 = Low / 6 = High 5.) Do you still like to shop in physical stores? - Yes - No
10.) Would brands offering more shopping experiences in-store build a better relationship between you and the brand? (For example, increase your brand loyalty or brand perception) - Yes - No - Not Sure
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Appendix 2 Online Survey Results
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Appendix 2 Online Survey Results
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QUESTION 1
Appendix 2 Online Survey Results
QUESTION 2
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QUESTION 3
Appendix 2 Online Survey Results QUESTION 4
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QUESTION 5
Appendix 2 Online QUESTION Survey Results 6
QUESTION 5 QUESTION 6
Appendix 2 Online Survey Results 69
QUESTION 8
QUESTION 7
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QUESTION 9
QUESTION 10
Appendix 2 Online Survey Results 71
Appendix 3 WESTFIELD STORE OBSERVATION / ZARA STORE
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Appendix 4 WESTFIELD STORE OBSERVATION / missguided flagship store
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Appendix 5 WESTFIELD STORE OBSERVATION / LUSH COSMETICS STORE
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Appendix 6 (WESTFIELD SHOPPING CENTER ETHNOGRAPHIC OBSERVATIONAL STUDY) Westfield Stratford Shopping Center Upon entering the shopping centre, I first noticed the mass crowds of shoppers surging through the centre showing the sheer volume of shoppers still willing to partake in physical shopping within brick and mortar stores with little room for movement as thousands descend upon the stores. Whilst observing shoppers I noticed the behavioural patterns shared amongst the shoppers as they walked through the centre; stores that lacked a large presence of other shoppers appeared to avoided whilst busy stores with crowds and long ques appeared to be favoured and attracted further crowds of consumers to walk in to get in on the excitement. A high majority of shoppers were in groups/couples/ families showing the social aspect of shopping in-stores – consumers appear to want their shopping experience to be shared with others and utilise shopping as a day out experience with others instead for a practical purpose done individually. Zara Store Zara has developed and integrated a digital experience strategy in their Westfield Stratford store attempting to integrate an online and offline service within store in which I went to observe to see how effective the digital experiences in-store were received and engaged with by consumers. The store had incorporated a large interactive smart mirror equipped with an RFID able to detect the item of clothing a customer was holding and make outfit suggestions allowing consumers to view what complete outfits would look like in the mirror as well as view options such as if a particular size was available in store or if the item came in a different size/colour and also gave consumers the opportunity to view and explore recommendations based on what they have scanned into the mirror. I observed how consumer interacted with this new technology – I found younger consumers (Generation Z) appeared the most willing to engage with the technology, the feature attracted more and more consumers who stood to watch other consumers use the interactive mirror service sparking interest amongst the crowds which led to a que forming to use the interactive mirror showing the appeal and desire for the added experiences as it appeared to add a new level of excitement incorporating these new features. Alongside the regular tills for consumers to pay from by a member of staff, self-service checkout options were available as well as having Zara Staff members walking around equipped with digital devices/tablets to accept payments on the spot for consumers. I observed how consumers were choosing to pay for items with a mix response. Consumers appeared equally as likely to use the regular human interactive checkout process as they were to use the self-service checkout with ques forming from both types of payment services. I observed a younger consumer demographic to use the digital services over the more mature demographic who appeared to mostly opt for the human interaction. Young consumers appeared confident and willing to adapt to the new digital services instore. The store also had digital screens added for consumers
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to pick up online orders in store in which the customers could independently retrieve scanning a barcode onto the screen. From my time spent observing the screens I found the pickup service was frequently in use showing the want from consumers for the integration of online and offline. I observed consumers opt for a combination of using digital services to pay and interact with as well as opting for physical services and having human interaction with the stores staff showing how the need for humans was not gone there was simply more options for consumers to add to their experience. Listening to conversations occurring around the digital services consumers added, “Look this is what I wanted to see!” as passing consumer pointed towards the interactive mirror showing her social group explaining the concept – this shows how the interactive experience brought consumers into the store and she had come in to see the mirror – the interactive experience motivated her to come into the store. Lush Cosmetics The Lush Cosmetics store in Westfield was particularly busy as ques began forming outside the door as the shop reached full capacity. Consumers walking by stopped to look at the buzz in-store whilst receiving the strong cosmetic scent coming from inside attracted masses of attention. As I queued for entry, the smell of the store from outside was powerful and immediately grabbed my attention as I anticipated entry. Customers waiting in the line with me preceded to go on about the smell, “Ugh, I love the smell it makes me want everything.” Entering the store, I came to an explosion of colours and smells with all products placed out for interaction and touch. Signs were - placed everywhere stating ‘try me’ and ‘touch me’ in attempt to engage and interact the consumers. Staff were scattered across the store delivering live demonstrations interacting with products which appeared to look like science experiments whilst consumers flocked around creating a huge buzz in-store as consumers watched in excitement with consumers videoing the demonstrations and taking pictures for social media. There appeared to be a large sum of staff within the store some stationed to deliver demonstrations whilst others integrated within the consumers offering added information and assistance. Staff were very knowledgeable of products explaining them to the customers interacting with them rubbing samples on their skin to test and try the items themselves for an immersive experience. Observing the consumers, I noticed a large level of interaction customer were repeatedly picking up products touching them, smelling them, testing them on their skin and showing them to their social circle around them asking them to smell the items creating an engaging experience. There appeared a high level of excitement and buzz created through the multi-sensory experience leading to impulse purchases.
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Appendix 6 (WESTFIELD SHOPPING CENTER ETHNOGRAPHIC OBSERVATIONAL STUDY) Missguided Store The flagship Missguided store appeared to capture its brand identity and essence as soon as I entered upon the store. The space was fuelled with humorous slogans such as, ‘If you’re dating my best friend you’re dating me too because I type half her arguments and cry when she cries.’ The language used helps to capture the brands personality. These light-hearted quotes were scattered across the store integrated within stock to capture the heart of Missguided and appeal to their younger Generation Z audience. I observed a large sum of Generation Z consumers within the store shopping in friendship groups. The young consumers fitting the Generation Z age bracket had mobile devices within their hands constantly and took images of the quotes and other quirky features across the store uploading these images to social media. From conversations overheard the general language surrounded, “Please take my pic next to this.” “Let’s get one for Instagram.” As the females posed for photo’s next to the store features in excitement. There was a group of females walking around the store, I overheard the conversation of the young girls searching for a particular collection Missguided had shared on their social media. “Do you think the playboy clothes are in here?” “I really want that cropped hoodie!” “Did you see the posts on Instagram about it I tagged you in the pic of the top I wanted.” They preceded to walk up to a member of staff for help locating the collection they’d seen online. Other features included a huge pink flamingo in the store as well as a vending machine selling drinks made of ‘99% unicorn dreams.’ These quirky features grabbed consumers attention as I observed images being taken next to these features with the hashtag ‘missguidedirl’ (meaning ‘missguided in real life’) written on the vending machine, tech savvy consumers then added this hashtag to their social media posts uploading photos instore which creates more brand awareness for the brand. The added features in-store appear to show off the brands personality of ‘girl power’ and ‘fun vibes’ that appeared to attract the consumers and add to their experience as well as their perception and awareness of the brand.
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Appendix 7 (INTERVIEW WITH MISSGUIDED manager / STAFF MEMBER at westfield stratford shopping centre) Interviewer: “Why do you feel you needed to open a physical retail store after beginning strictly online?” Missguided Staff Member: “I think it has a lot to do with experiences for our customers. Having a store gives more opportunities to engage with customers. I think the store is above other brands when it comes to the customers experience for example when we opened the store we had huge features to attract customers, we had a huge pink monster truck as you walked in the store that got lots of attention and we’re constantly adding new features in-store to grab their attention like our ‘unicorn dreams’ vending machine and aspects like that that they obviously wouldn’t see online – these features show what the brand is all about and make the shopping experience for the customers more interesting, there’s more to see and interact with, so I think the main reason for opening the store for more engagement. I think this is the way forward for brands to stay relevant which I think Missguided is achieving a lot better than some stores on the high-street.” Interviewer: “What do you feel your physical store offers that consumers can’t get online?” Missguided Staff Participant: “Like I said I think it’s mostly added fun and exciting features that make a store today and help show off what Missguided is all about in a way we might struggle to do as much just online. In our store customers can really touch and feel – I think it’s a deeper experience in-store, the added quirks bring it all to life. I think the store is more fun.” Interviewer: “How much do you feel the physical store helps to bring brand awareness and build a stronger relationship with consumers? How much do you believe the relationship has developed since opening a physical store?” Missguided Staff Participant: “Yes, of course just the stores presence alone adds to the brand awareness massively because thousands of people see the brands name as they walk past every day and the shoppers carry the brands name on the shopping bags but all the quirks in-store like the funny quotes and features really build the brands awareness and give a stronger perception of what Missguided is all about and lots of customers are taking pics of these quotes sharing them with their friends which is all going towards Missguided’s brand awareness and spreading it further. All of this in-store experience we offer the customers has helped grow our relationship further with them since coming offline, our customers have become so much more aware of us as brand and our perception has increased the quirks around store have just built up a strong image of us as a brand, which is vital.”
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Interviewer: “How is the brands engagement with consumers online different to in-stores? How does the experience differ?” Missguided Staff Participant: “I think we can only do so much online – I think the main focus’s online for consumers have a lot to do with convenience and getting good deals whereas in-store we have the ability to up the experience in a way we can’t necessarily online. The store tells more of our brand story it shows the brands personality and is more engaging for our consumer, it’s a fun interactive experience.”
Appendix 8 (INTERVIEW WITH zara STAFF MEMBER at westfield stratford shopping centre) Interviewer: “Why do you think Zara have implemented this new shopping experience incorporating digital experiences and merged online and offline retailing?” Zara Staff Member: “I think we had to adapt to what the customers want today, customers are a lot more digitally-able – we must take advantage of the new technologies today to improve the store. Bringing some features of online shopping into shopping in store helps the store stay relevant. The digital aspects create a better experience for the customer we have seen an increase in customers coming into store to experience our interactive mirror it has had lot of success for the store.” Interviewer: “How successful has the omni-channel approach been? (Such as your click and collect service)” Zara Staff Member: “Yes, the service is a big feature in store, we see large volumes of orders being ordered online into store today, the customer likes to shop this way. It’s easier for them the service has been a huge success with increasing amount of online orders being sent to our store.” Interviewer: “How have the additional digital experiences in-store impacted the consumers experience? (E.g. the interactive mirror)” Zara Staff Member: “Yes, the interactive mirror has helped add a better experience for the customer – The customers have engaged with the service and are willing to use the new technology. It has helped to make their shopping journey easier the technology is helping to better the customers shopping experience they like to experiment using the mirror it has added a more exciting component to shopping.”
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Interviewer: “Do customers prefer your self-service checkouts or your regular till checkouts? How successful are your staff walking around with digital devices to take payments?” Zara Staff Member: “I think the customers enjoy the self-service checkout they are a popular method when purchasing items, but they also like to use the staff checkouts still. We have had lots of success for purchases taken by staff on our tablets – customers like the convenience of quick payments and not queuing it betters their experience.” Interviewer: “How have these digital experiences impacted Zara’s relationship with its customers?” Zara Staff Member: “The addition of these new components has improved Zara’s relationship with consumers – the added experiences instore has built a stronger relationship between the brand and the customer – it has grown the brands perception and is now associated with these new digital components, so the customer has a better perception after their experience in-store.” Interviewer: “Do you see digital engagement experiences as the future for retail stores?” Zara Staff Member: “I do, I think other stores need to adapt to stay ahead in what’s going on in the retail industry. Customers want more experiences and customers are also more digital, they like to use digital services in-store I think it will become more expected by customers for stores to have these aspect, I think the future will be very digital, it will be exciting.”
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Appendix 9 (INTERVIEW WITH lush STAFF MEMBER at westfield stratford shopping centre) Interviewer: “Do you think Lush using multi-sensory experiences in-store has had a significant impact on the customer and impacted their purchase decision making?” Lush Staff Member: “Yes definitely! All the senses of touching, smelling and feeling the products makes all the difference. Regularly customers are enticed in from the smell and all the demonstrations going on and end up leaving with a bag of items they had no intention of buying. It’s very effective.” Interviewer: “Do you think the multi-sensory experience you offer brings consumers in-store and make them more likely to come in-store to shop rather than online?” Lush Staff Member: “Yes, our products need to be smelt and felt the experience online doesn’t match how the experience in store leaves customers feeling. The power of the senses is very important which is why our stores do so well. It can’t be replicated shopping for the products online.” Interviewer: “Do the experiences you offer in-store help to build your relationship with customers? Do you believe it adds to the brand loyalty and improves your perception?” Lush Staff Member: “100%. Customers seem to have an emotional response from the sensory experience in store, I think they remember things like the smell of the store that always corresponds to the positive experience they received inside whenever they smell that Lush scent. I think a strong emotional attachment is grown which yes, helps to really build that loyalty and perception of Lush. I think it’s associated with positive experiences that customers remember.”
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Appendix 10 (1-1 Interview with lush consumer 1) Interviewer: “What do you think of the multi-sensory experience you receive in Lush?” Lush Consumer 1: “I really like being able to open to all my senses in the store. I have shopped in Lush for a few years I really like the smells and the chance to try products on my skin and feel the textures – that’s why I’ve always shopped here.” Interviewer: “Would this in-store experience make you more likely to shop in-store than online?” Lush Consumer 1: “I have never bought from a Lush website, the aspect of smelling and touching is important to me, it feels special to come in the store and smell all the products and watch them being used by the staff I wouldn’t get that shopping on their website, so I never have.” Interviewer: “Does the experience contribute to your purchase decision making?” Lush Consumer 1: “I think so, once you feel the product and test it and get to smell it I think it does influence me to buy it – a lot more than it would if I could only see the product.” Interviewer: “Has the multi-sensory experience in-store grown your perception and awareness of Lush?” Lush Consumer 1: “Yes, I think the strong sensory experience they offer makes me more aware of the brand than I would be otherwise, and I have grown a strong perception for the brand from the sensory experience I have received which wouldn’t be as apparent without the added sensory value. Interviewer: “Do you feel you have grown an emotional attachment to the brand through its offering of multi-sensory experiences?” Lush Consumer 1: “There is an emotional attachment to the brand yes – every time I smell the store or a Lush product it reminds me of the memorable experiences I have encountered with the brand. I associate the brand with positive experiences.” Interviewer: “Is this in-store experience meeting your expectations of a shopping experience?” Lush Consumer 1: “Yes, the Lush store is a store I thoroughly enjoy going to, it has always met by needs and expectations and feels like a treat to visit.”
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Appendix 10 (1-1 Interview with lush consumer 2) Interviewer: “What do you think of the multi-sensory experience you receive in Lush?” Lush Consumer 2: “I really enjoy it – I frequently visit the store to have the multi-sensory experience Lush offer, not enough stores offer such a full sensory experience, so I always find myself coming back for the experience.” Interviewer: “Would this in-store experience make you more likely to shop in-store than online?” Lush Consumer 2: “Yes, I think the store offers an experience that can’t be replicated online – it has to be touched and you have to feel it all and immerse yourself. The experience in a Lush store brings us in. I feel very connected and engaged when shopping in the store I don’t believe I would receive that through my phone or laptop ordering online.” Interviewer: “Does the experience contribute to your purchase decision making?” Lush Consumer 2: “Inevitably I think so yes, I think I can’t help but be influenced to buy an item after I’ve smelt them, or the staff has shown me how to use them and how they work. Watching the bath bombs explode in the water whilst in store definitely influences me to buy it afterwards.” Interviewer: “Has the multi-sensory experience in-store grown your perception and awareness of Lush?” Lush Consumer 2: “I think so, I think Lush are known for this experience they offer and that really adds to their awareness and build up their perception.” Interviewer: “Do you feel you have grown an emotional attachment to the brand through its offering of multi-sensory experiences?” Lush Consumer 2: “I suppose so, I guess Lush has been able to create an emotional attachment with me through the experience I receive I do feel emotionally attached to the brand I think I have built up a strong relationship with the brand.” Interviewer: “Is this in-store experience meeting your expectations of a shopping experience?” Lush Consumer 2: “I would say it often exceeds my expectations when shopping. It offers lots of opportunities to engage the store is very interactive and the sensory experience is what I want when shopping, I want more than simply buying products, it’s a real experience.”
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Appendix 10 (1-1 Interview with lush consumer 3) Interviewer: “What do you think of the multi-sensory experience you receive in Lush?” Lush Consumer 3: “The experience is a great addition to the store the combination of senses that I’m in touch with when in store really add to my experience.” Interviewer: “Would this in-store experience make you more likely to shop in-store than online?” Lush Consumer 3: “I would rather shop in the store for a Lush product part of the fun is smelling all the products and sampling them – I have bought Lush products online before, but much preferred my experience in the store it offers a lot more that I can’t get through online site.” Interviewer: “Does the experience contribute to your purchase decision making?” Lush Consumer 3: “Yes, often I go in the shop for a little browse but the experience I receive usually ends up making me purchasing item I didn’t intend to once you’ve interacted with the products the way you do so in Lush you easily end up deciding to buy more and more.” Interviewer: “Has the multi-sensory experience in-store grown your perception and awareness of Lush?” Lush Consumer 3: “It must have, I don’t believe I’d have the same perception and awareness if it wasn’t for the experience I’d received in their shops. The experience I receive makes me remember the brand and makes me want to go back it grows my loyalty and the positive experience obviously creates a positive perception of the brand for me.” Interviewer: “Do you feel you have grown an emotional attachment to the brand through its offering of multi-sensory experiences?” Lush Consumer 3: “I’m not sure, possibly without realising I have grown a level of emotional attachment through the strong experience I receive but wasn’t aware of it.” Interviewer: “Is this in-store experience meeting your expectations of a shopping experience?” Lush Consumer 3: “Yes, my expectations for a good shopping experience are the added value a store can offer – Lush offers me a lot of added value. It seems to me more like an experience service rather than just a store selling products, it’s seems a lot more so definitely meets my expectations.”
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Appendix 11 (1-1 Interview with zara consumer 1) Interviewer: “How do you feel about the incorporated digital engagement strategies such as the interactive mirror? Do you prefer using aspects like this to add to your experience?” Zara Consumer 1: “Yeh very cool, not used to seeing many of these digital experiences so I was intrigued and yeh it really added to my experience shopping in store.” Interviewer: “Is this in-store experience meeting your expectations of a shopping experience?” Zara Consumer 1: “Yeh it’s really cool to see new technology coming into stores, I think it really adds to my shopping experience as much as the digital additions are helpful and convenient they also are really fun to have a go with and I’d say it makes me more likely to come and shop in a store offering things like this.” Interviewer: “Did you or have you used the click and collect service and how did you feel about it?” Zara Consumer 1: “Yeh I haven’t today but I’ve used click and collect before – I think it’s a nice touch to add into shops sometimes I just find it a lot easier to search online for what I want then send my clothes to the store to try on straight away and then I can send them back from in the shop if I don’t want them – it’s a lot easier for me I really appreciate it.” Interviewer: “How did you pay for your items in-store? (Using the regular checkout tills served by a member or staff / using the self-service checkout / using the staff tablets to check out anywhere in store)” Zara Consumer 1: “Well I haven’t bought anything today, but I actually like to go to a friendly face normally so if I had of bought something I think I’d have gone to the normal tills to be served by staff, I like the interaction. I think adding all these digital bits is really cool, but I think it’s still just as nice to talk to a person.” Interviewer: “Would you like more digital experiences to be implemented within your shopping experiences in other stores?” Zara Consumer 1: “Yeh course, I can see them being the future of stores I think they’ll transform our experiences I think all the developments are positive and make it all exciting I think it would be a cool thing but I’d still like the option to talk to a person alongside all the digital experiences.”
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Interviewer: “Do you feel the digital experiences you engaged with in-store impacted your relationship with Zara? Has it added to your perception/ loyalty/awareness?” Zara Consumer 1: “I probably see Zara more digitally innovative now – which is a good thing, so it’s improved my perception of them. I like that they’re doing something a bit different to add to our shopping experience and yeh I’m probably more aware of them through it.”
Appendix 11 (1-1 Interview with zara consumer 2) Interviewer: “How do you feel about the incorporated digital engagement strategies such as the interactive mirror? Do you prefer using aspects like this to add to your experience?” Zara Consumer 2: “Yeh I love the digital incorporations myself, I think utilising technology is a really smart move for Zara. I used the interactive mirror in-store today, I had a great experience it was really fun and interesting to see what this magic mirror recommended for me based on what I’d shown it, it was actually really helpful and transformed my normal experience in-store.” Interviewer: “Is this in-store experience meeting your expectations of a shopping experience?” Zara Consumer 2: “Most definitely, I really love the new features, this is my first time experiencing these new features and it has more than met my expectations for when I shop in Zara. The engagement level is a lot higher and makes me want to come back and play around in store again. I was very impressed.” Interviewer: “Did you or have you used the click and collect service and how did you feel about it?” Zara Consumer 2: “No, I haven’t used the service before, but I do see it as a great idea to link the online Zara with their store, I think it adds to our experience.”
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Interviewer: “How did you pay for your items in-store? (Using the regular checkout tills served by a member or staff / using the self-service checkout / using the staff tablets to check out anywhere in store)” Zara Consumer 2: “I actually used the self-service checkout, I really enjoyed being able to do that myself and have that option. Even things like that added to my experience in store and made it seem more exciting.” Interviewer: “Would you like more digital experiences to be implemented within your shopping experiences in other stores?” Zara Consumer 2: “Yes please – I think they are a great idea they make shopping more fun, I really enjoyed watching other shoppers use the mirror, lots of us were stood around to watch it was very interested and I think more digital experiences would really add to the experiences in stores.” Interviewer: “Do you feel the digital experiences you engaged with in-store impacted your relationship with Zara? Has it added to your perception/ loyalty/awareness?” Zara Consumer 2: “It has added to my awareness for sure, I was actually told by one of my friends about this mirror and that’s why I’m here I’ve come to see it and experience it for myself so it’s raised my awareness for the brand.”
Appendix 11 (1-1 Interview with zara consumer 3) Interviewer: “How do you feel about the incorporated digital engagement strategies such as the interactive mirror? Do you prefer using aspects like this to add to your experience?” Zara Consumer 3: “Yeh I watched another girl using the mirror, it really brought the store to life – he was putting outfits together on the mirror without having to really try them on I thought it was really impressive and was excited to have a go. It’s fun to play with and yeh I’d like more these digital aspects.” Interviewer: “Is this in-store experience meeting your expectations of a shopping experience?” Zara Consumer 3: “Yeh what they’ve done in this store does meet my expectations – I like having that added experience which I don’t think I receive enough from brands in-stores, so I really like what Zara have done it’s much more interactive then I’m used to, it raises my expectations and makes me want to shop in store more.”
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Interviewer: “Did you or have you used the click and collect service and how did you feel about it?” Zara Consumer 3: “No I didn’t use it but I did notice the service when shopping, I will most likely be using it in the future as it is a really helpful system and I can see why it’s becoming popular for people to buy online and be able to pick it up here. I think Zara trying to add the online aspect into store is pretty smart.” Interviewer: “How did you pay for your items in-store? (Using the regular checkout tills served by a member or staff / using the self-service checkout / using the staff tablets to check out anywhere in store)” Zara Consumer 3: “I used the self-service checkout, I usually do in supermarkets was interesting to see it in a retail store today. I much prefer the convenience of being able to go through the process and pay myself.” Interviewer: “Would you like more digital experiences to be implemented within your shopping experiences in other stores?” Zara Consumer 3: “Yeh, digital seems to be the way forward, us as consumers are very digital beings these days so it makes sense to add it in stores, I think brands would benefit from this to keep up with the world we live in today. I think we want a lot more of these experiences that are appearing.” Interviewer: “Do you feel the digital experiences you engaged with in-store impacted your relationship with Zara? Has it added to your perception/ loyalty/awareness?” Zara Consumer 3: “My loyalty for Zara goes up a long way – I feel more loyal to them having had such a good experience in their shop today, so I feel more inclined to come back soon and keep shopping with them and I want to see what they do next.”
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Appendix 12 (1-1 Interviews with GENERATION Z consumers) QUESTION 1 Interviewer: “Imagine, you want to buy an item you’ve found in-store – you see all these methods of payment options in front of you which one are you instantly drawn to and why? If none, how would you like to pay?” *Shows serveral images of payment options to respondent*
Self-Service Checkouts
Digital screens to checkout online whilst in-store
Use own mobile device to checkout online.
Staff using tablets around store to help customers checkout.
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Face-to-face till checkout
Respondent 1: “The staff checkout…I always just go for like the standard checkout process I want to see a member of staff it’s just easier for me that’s what I’m used to and I don’t know if it’s a good thing to have everything digital and not speak to other people anymore – especially if there’s like a problem I don’t want to try work it out on my own using a digital service I just want to explain it to a human for me that’s so much more simple.” Interviewer: “So, what do you think of combining the two – having a member of staff come up to you with a tablet and be able to check you out from wherever in the store?” Respondent 1: “Well yeh I guess that would be ideal in the sense I get to still have that human contact speak to the staff and not waiting in a queue, they’re coming to me. Yeh if that actually sped up the process and didn’t make it longer! Also it would depend like would that mean I’m ordering it to the my house/to the store or can I actually have the item scanned and checked out and paid for leaving the store with the item with the help of a member of staff on their tablet – because I’d like to be able to do that not so sure about having it sent to my house/or the store because I can do that on my phone.” Respondent 2: “I never really see half these options in store to be honest it’s either the staff checkout tills or order it later myself on my phone – there like the options I’m used to coming across and use. If I had all these options, I’d probably do something digital maybe because it seems a bit more fun to use like a screen and do it all yourself just because I never really get that option. I’m good at using digital screens and things I know it would be simple, so I’d opt for either the self-service checkout of it there were those screens like in McDonalds where you scan the item and checkout/put your card in – I’d like that would probably be faster. But sometimes I like to have a look online first to see if there’s any cheaper options of what I’ve found in store and usually I might end up buying it online cause there’s a discount code that pops up or something but I don’t like have to order it and wait for it to be delivered when I could have it there and then in store so unless they didn’t have my size or something I’m impatient so would just buy in the shop. But yeh I also like the independence you get with the digital options of doing in yourself.” Respondent 3: “I’d look on my phone to see the item online first – cause then I can find out a bit more info, I have a look to see if anywhere might sell it cheaper or anything like that and see if I can get discount online. I normally go onto the brands Instagram, I go onto their tagged photos where basically influencers who are working with them sometimes upload photo’s wearing the brands outfits and in the caption there’s like a personal discount code to use on the brands website so an influence called Holly might have a code like ‘HOLLY10’ and I’d look for that then order what I found in the shop online and get it cheaper – but I’d probably order it back to the store to get free delivery as well.” Interviewer: “So if the item wasn’t available online in your size or something or there was no discount code or cheaper alternative, would you buy the item in the store?” Respondent 3: “Yeh, I’d probably just use the self-service checkout I like doing things myself so would just go checkout on a screen, but I’d need it to be simple enough like I want to be able to scan my student card easily and get discount and things like that. If it was complicated I’d go to a normal staff till but yeh normally I check my phone first.”
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Appendix 12 (1-1 Interviews with GENERATION Z consumers) Respondent 4: “I’d go for either the self-service checkout or just the normal checkout with a human it wouldn’t make much difference to me which one I chose would probably come down to which one had less of que. That’s how I chose in the like a Tesco or somewhere but because I’m not used to seeing self-service checkout in a shop I’d probably be up for trying it more I’m not sure why it sees a bit more fun I like to use a bit of technology. But yeh I think it should be incorporated into clothes shops because these days self-service is used pretty much everywhere, I use it in supermarkets, checking into the doctors, I use it at university yeh in most aspects of my life so why not in clothes shops.” Respondent 5: “If I’m buying it in the shop I’d want to walk up to the self-service checkout I think, I like to think I could do the transaction a bit quicker than some staff! I don’t think we should get rid of staff, I like to see staff in shops sometimes I do like to just quickly ask them a question and get help from them they have a lot of uses but I love the idea of all these digital options! Sometimes, I get a bit anxious at the thought of going up to staff which sounds silly but sometimes if I’m feeling anxious I’d want to go to a screen and do it all myself. I’d like to see those screens in the shop where you can quickly order something if they don’t have your size or something but as much as I like them I think I’m more likely to use my own phone in my own time really but yeh I do like the idea maybe if they had lots of cool features and it was more of a cool app for in-store I’d be more likely to use it but yeh it’s either self-service if it was available or my phone.” Respondent 6: “I’d walk up to the staff checkout I think, that’s what I always do! If a member of staff came up to me though with one of those tablets and said she could check out for me quickly I’d be happy to do that it would feel more personal I’d like that I didn’t even have to go find the checkout tills. Maybe I’d like to use my phone to checkout though – if I could scan an item on my phone and use apple pay and walk out the store without having to que anywhere or talk to anymore that would be the best option – it would be so much faster cause sometimes store ques get really long.” Interviewer: “Tell me more about using your phone to checkout, how would you like the process to work?” Respondent 6: “So say there was an app I could literally get up and press start checkout process and it would have access to my camera so I could scan the tags of the clothes and it would all get put in my virtual basket, I could still add in a discount code or something like I would do ordering online and then press pay digitally like use Apple pay with my fingerprint and it would all go through I could grab a bag as I leave the store premises, everything’s gone through, I have an e-receipt and that’s the process. I think that would make things so much faster and I’d find it quite fun!”
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QUESTION 2 Interviewer: “If you were to walk into a store tomorrow to see the store digitally transformed to include aspects like this: How would you feel about it?” *Shows images of digitally transformed retail stores to respondent*
Respondent 1: “Yeh – as long as it was ‘including’ these digital additions and not substituting them like I want these digital additions, but I want human staff to stay, I want to still see and touch the clothes physically still because that’s why I go in a shop really. I want to get a sense of the brands clothes quality, how they feel, how they look on. So yeh, I want all these cool interactions I love digital technological advancements I think stores need them to engage us and keep us entertained and create experiences as well as help better our shopping journey but in moderation – I want to keep the physicality of the origins of a store.”
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Appendix 12 (1-1 Interviews with GENERATION Z consumers) Respondent 2: “Yeh I think this digital world is what we’re heading towards, it looks exciting and anything that betters my experience I’d love to try. I know I’d definitely walk into the store if I saw pictures like this from outside – the whole atmosphere just looks engaging and futuristic I feel like I’d end up staying much longer in the store and just be playing around and experimenting so yeh I’d be happy to see this in a store tomorrow. I’d like things to play with like putting goggles on and being able to see a virtual world I think there’s lots of cool things stores could do it to actually make shopping in-stores easier and would make the difference between me buying online and actually going in-store if I knew I could get these additional digital experiences in-stores - it’s the added value that stores don’t offer.” Interviewer: “So new technologies excite you rather than make you wary?” Respondent 2: “Yeh I feel quite comfortable around technologies and seem to pick up new technologies quite fast so feel I’d have no problem engaging with these types of services.” Respondent 3: “I’d love it – I think it would make shopping 10 times more fun I would be a lot more willing to go into stores then because there would be so much more to do, and you could have fun with your friends doing it, it’s still like a social environment. It would open up so many more possibilities and looks so much more imaginative and creative which I think stores lack a lot of the time.” Respondent 4: “Yeh I love how virtual everything looks! It’s like I’m in a giant app or something! It’s like they’ve brought the online world to the store which is exciting because I love shopping online for its ease, but I do like to go actual shopping and visit stores, and this seems to keep up with the times! I would be likely to get engaged with all the offerings especially like augment reality experiences its exciting isn’t it, opens door to possibilities.” Interviewer: “How do you feel about not seeing any staff” Respondent 4: “To be honest I’d like staff to stay they add to the experience especially when they really fit with the brand and I like to have actual conversations, I think another main reason for going to a shop is to actually see other people and not stay in your house all day *laughs* so I wouldn’t like to not see any staff I think they are still important and sometimes I need staff over technology services I need that human interaction. So, I want choices.”
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Appendix 12 (1-1 Interviews with GENERATION Z consumers) Respondent 5: “Yeh it depends what all these things actually did and that but yeh I think my experience would be a lot better obviously a lot more interactive and I can see myself videoing this experience for snapchat showing myself using all the cool virtual services and having fun in the shop that would be shared with my mates to let them know I’m having a good time and show what’s happening, which would be good for the shop because it would attract more people. I hope it happens *laughs* I’d be shopping more I like that it’s not all focused on the clothes there’s like more than that going on.” Respondent 6: “Umm… I think it’s a good concept, but I just feel like the point of a store is getting a little lost, it looks like it’s turning into a digital website which I’m not sure if is a good thing or not. As long as a lot of physical aspects of the shop remained then yeh I quite the addition of this tech world I’m sure it’s all easy to use and advancing technologies I’m sure would better the experience and I can see myself wanting to have a go at a lot of these new options.”
QUESTION 3 Interviewer: “Do you feel you often shop in-store and later purchase online? If yes, why? What’s the thought process behind this?” Respondent 1: “Yeh I haven’t ever thought about it but yes I go into stores for a browse even though there’s more options looking online it’s nice to go see the products and feel them and try them on and sort of work out what size I am in-store. I just like to shop in the store for the experience but I do then sort of keep a mental image in my head of what I liked or take a picture and then look for it online later to see if I can get it cheaper and just see how the model looks wearing it online, see if I get sent any discount and then will probably be more persuaded to go through with the purchase and it just feels easier to do that and think about the decision a bit longer than spontaneously buying in store maybe.” Respondent 2: “I don’t think I do that often if I see something I want in store I will buy it there and then I don’t want the hassle of waiting around and ordering online I can’t see the point – the only time I would do that is if I couldn’t decide in store at the time maybe I’d see it online later and just get it then or if it wasn’t in my size when I was shopping in store then I’d look online, but yeh I’m more inclined to just buy it when I see it instore cause I’ve tried it on then and it’s right there ready for me to take home.” Respondent 3: “Yeh this is how I shop most of the time I rarely just buy it store unless it’s like a something I don’t think I’d find online like a sale item or something but yes I normally window shop all day out shopping take a pic of the labels of all the bits I want so I can find them later online then I’ll pick them up online so I can just get them all sent to my house and I don’t have to carry them around all day and I’ve got the best deal I think.”
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Appendix 12 (1-1 Interviews with GENERATION Z consumers) Interviewer: “So do you think it saves money?” Respondent 3: “Sometimes, like if two brands like ASOS and Urban Outfitters stocked the same jumper one might have like 20% off for students or something so I just do a bit of comparing like that. Just got to be smart *laughs*” Respondent 4: “Yeh, a few times if I didn’t want to carry clothes round with me shopping all day as I walk out the shop I’ll get on my phone and order whatever it was that I liked just to make sure I can still get it. It’s just nice to go in the shop to get a feel for what you might buy later and obviously get to try it on etc, but I don’t do it often because then you have to wait for it to be delivered etc and I like to have it straight away!” Respondent 5: “I only really do this if I can’t decide on an item instead of just buying it I’ll wait and look more into it online after getting a feel instore but really I’ll buy an item in store if I like it I don’t like having to wait and then it might go out of stock and things like that so I can’t say I see much point waiting to order it online although it could save a bit of money.” Respondent 6: “Yes, I think it has something to do with wanting to do more research online like I’ll go onto a brands Instagram first and see if there’s a picture of a model wearing the item I’m interested and see how they’re wearing it or type it in online to see if anything comes up seeing anyone else where it just to be really sure I like it.” Interviewer: “So, it’s when you want a bit more persuasion that you really want the item and can style it?” Respondent 6: “Yeh just see what other people are doing with the item to give me a little inspiration and also I’ll probably take a few pictures trying it on in the changing room and send me to my friends so will want to discuss it with my friends before I buy it so I think I just wait a little longer before committing and if I’ve left the store and feel like I still really want it I know to order it online.”
QUESTION 4 Interviewer: “Tell me about a time you’ve integrated online and offline retail such as using a click and collect service? Would you like further integration of the online and offline retail? What type of services would you like?”
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Appendix 12 (1-1 Interviews with GENERATION Z consumers) Respondent 1: “I’ve never actually used click and collect I’m not too sure what it is, is it ordering online and then just having it delivered to the shop to pick up?” Interviewer: “Yeh exactly just integrating the online and offline” Respondent 1: “Yeh I personally haven’t used it I would use things like this though maybe brands need to make customers more away it’s an option and the same for ordering online when in store and having sent to your house I think they could do more of that.” Interviewer: “So you’d like to integrate the two platforms” Respondent 1: “Yeh if it makes shopping easier I’m not sure why more hasn’t been done.” Respondent 2: “I use click and collect, I’ve only just started doing it because I kept missing parcels coming to my house so I basically go pick up all the parcels I’ve sent to all the stores in one go – that way I just get the job done have them all safe and saves the worry of waiting in for a delivery at my house. It’s also free so I save a lot on delivery. I’m not sure what else I want brands to do to integrate online and offline though, maybe have an easier method to do click and collect in reverse just like order on an item in a particular size of something to the store if it’s not in stock or be able to send it to your house from the store and more options like that.” Respondent 3: “Yeh click and collect is really handy. I think more can be done with creating apps to link the online and offline just let me know information about particular stores like what’s in stock and what sizes are in stock before I head out to a shop all things like that to make it easier.” Respondent 4: “The only time I can think of integrating online and offline is just through using click and collect I think – I use it occasionally just as an easy alternative to sending it to my house I’d be happy to have more things that link the online and offline of retail its convenient and sometimes more engaging. But in terms of new idea’s maybe connect us more in store and to online social media like if I could send pictures to my friends in store on a digital device of some sort showing what I’m doing in a shop or send pictures in an outfit and ask them about of make a poll on Instagram to see whether I should buy it – things like that would make it more fun.”
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Appendix 12 (1-1 Interviews with GENERATION Z consumers) Respondent 5: “I don’t think I’ve ever really combined online and offline when shopping, but a lot of my friends prefer to use click and collect I’ve been with my friends to pick up their click and collect items and we end up getting side tracked in the store and looking round for ages and buying more anyway so it’s good for the store. I think we should add more online aspects to the store definitely because the world has become so online stores need to keep up with it I want new ways to shop like that, having options like that is important.” Respondent 6: “I’ve had good experiences using click and collect the main reason I actually do it is to get the free delivery so I order a lot of items to the store and try it all on in the store before taking it home because that way all the things I didn’t end up liking because I have to sort of guess a bit more online on whether I’ll like it or not, all the things I didn’t like I just take back to the till and return so maybe they could make that returning bit a little more digital like scan it on your phone press return and put it in a robotic portal or something cool it’s a bit of a process returning it at checkout. But yeh I like the service because there’s more chance a certain item I wanted wouldn’t be in a particular store and in my size so ordering it all to the store guarantees that and I try it all on in one go and easily leave what didn’t work. I hate ordering things to my house and having to make labels and venture out to the post office I don’t have time to return things this way – it’s too much of a long process so anything to speed these sorts of things up and make them more convenient I’m a big fan of.” Interviewer: “Anything else you can think of that you’d like to have that incorporated the two platforms online and offline together?” Respondent 6: “I know I’d like more incorporation of the two but as far as what I want I’m not too sure, just convenient and digital services in the shop.”
QUESTION 5 Interviewer: “When you experience an interactive or engaging moment in-store or see an interesting new feature whilst shopping or see something in store that visually grabs your attention or appeals to you how likely are you to take a picture for social media and why do you do so?” Respondent 1: “Yes, I have pictures on my Instagram of just some shops displays or some interesting visual element they’ve added. I like the aesthetics in Urban Outfitters and their whole like run down industrial setting it goes with my Instagram theme so yeh anything visually pleasing in a shop I take a cute picture of, it’s pretty much unconscious I don’t even realise I’m doing it. Interviewer: “How important are store aesthetics to you living in a time where we post everything on social media? Are you more likely to shop in a store offering a visual experience in terms of aesthetics and layout?”
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Appendix 12 (1-1 Interviews with GENERATION Z consumers) Respondent 1: “Honestly, yes - I’d be much more likely walk in to a shop if they had something interesting I could post on Instagram like it is part of shopping today – I can share what I see, keep my friends up to date with what I’m doing and try show the best version of myself for my social media.” Interviewer: “Does knowing a store has a cool experience you can put on Instagram or snapchat make you more willing to go inside to take a photo to share?” Respondent 1: “Yeh for sure I’d be more likely to go inside if there was a cool art wall, or something related to the brand like an Instagram backdrop I could take a picture with, it’s all about getting those ‘Insta’ shots these days *laughs*” Respondent 2: “Yeh probably, it’s not often I really see anything too visually engaging to Instagram but yeh if there was something I’m sure I’d be taking a photo. I do see a lot of pictures on Instagram or snapchat of people in shops people like to post what they’re up to and show off some cool store design so yeh it’s something I’d be likely to do if I came across something worth photographing.” Respondent 3: “I’ve uploaded an image onto my Instagram of a photo of me and my friends in Urban Outfitters photo booth so that was an engaging moment in store I wanted to share with everyone else, I can’t really explain why I did it I just wanted to show it off. I’d upload more photos like this if there were more engaging and nice visual displays to take photos of.” Interviewer: “Do creative ways to showcase products add to your purchase decision making?” Respondent 3: “Yeh the presentation of products and clothes and how they’re shown is actually really important I don’t like everything squeezed into a store like Primark – I prefer less items in the store and have them all displayed visually well and creatively so I can take cute pictures and it would better my experience.” Respondent 4: “I guess so, it seems quite impressive to show off some cool interactive feature or layout design you see in store and show it off to your social media following, it’s nice to validate yourself that way. I like some gratification for what I’ve experienced I like to feel important and validated so if everyone sees a really cool picture I’ve uploaded in a shop I’m happy.” Interviewer: “How important are store aesthetics to you living in a time where we post everything on social media? Are you more likely to shop in a store offering a visual experience in terms of aesthetics and layout?”
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Appendix 12 (1-1 Interviews with GENERATION Z consumers) Respondent 4: “Yeh I think that’s what I look for in a shop today I want something different, I want it to look visually pleasing on a different level, I want brands to really turn up the creativity level and make it more than stocking clothes make it art.” Respondent 5: “Yeh I’d be probably to an Instagram story of a snapchat video if I saw something I wanted everyone else to see, just like an update on what I’m up to and what I’m looking at. If the visual or the feature or whatever was really impressive of course I want to share I want everyone else to see everyone likes to upload aesthetically pleasing pictures and videos it must have something to do with everyone pretending to have perfect lives for social media so seeing a perfect store layout or really cool visual that’s going to make you look cooler you just so happen to end up uploading it Instagram.” Interviewer: “Does knowing a store has a cool experience you can put on Instagram or snapchat make you more willing to go inside to take a photo to share?” Respondent 5: “Yeh, in fact if there was an app showing where these cool experiences or store displays were on some sort of map saying, ‘cool feature here’ when you were out shopping or send a notification when you walked past I’d for sure go in to see it myself and then probably share it online.” Respondent 6: “Yeh I upload to social media all the time, my phone is always with me and I want everyone to know what I’m doing so yeh I want to show creative aspects that I’m exposed to, that’s the great thing about social media you can share something with others when they’re not there and it helps show who I am with what I’m sharing – if I share a picture of some visually pleasing store feature or experience it makes me look better, it shows that I’m this creative person having fun and experiencing things. The better the visuals/experience the more likes, you know. It’s not something you really think about though you just do it, as soon as I see something that I think could get me likes on Instagram I’m taking a photo and uploading it!” Interviewer: “Does knowing a store has a cool experience you can put on Instagram or snapchat make you more willing to go inside to take a photo to share?” Respondent 6: “Yeh for sure.” Interviewer: : “Do creative ways to showcase products add to your purchase decision making?”
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Appendix 12 (1-1 Interviews with GENERATION Z consumers) Respondent 6: “Yeh if the products all were displayed in an asthetically pleasing way it makes me more interested it adds value to them and I suddenly want the product more because it’s displayed all pretty and appears better so I’d be a lot more likely to buy it if the display caught my attention otherwise you just walk right past anyway.”
QUESTION 6 Interviewer: “If could redesign aspects of a retail store for Lucy, a 21-year-old for her future shopping experience what would you add and what would it look like?” Respondent 1: “Well because Lucy is young maybe I’d try add more digital interactions because she’d be good at using them as she is probably good with technology and just have crazy big features in the shop to inspire her like to fit the store so in Victoria Secret just like a giant bottle of perfume that sprayed out perfume every few seconds so the whole room smelt amazing just like crazy fun things!” Respondent 2: “I’d have the shop look completely different, I’d have hardly any stock out just lots of visuals and interactive sections for her to play around with just make the shop really creative so it doesn’t even look like a shop and use like tablets to order online whilst she plays with all the interactive features, like be able to look at the clothes on smart mirrors or those virtual glasses that show a virtual version of her wearing it so it didn’t even feel like shopping.” Respondent 3: “I’d make Lucy’s shopping experience really seamless just with lots of assistance maybe from staff as well as digital assistance and apps to help every aspect of what she does like just make it more fun, I’m not sure.” Respondent 4: “Maybe make the whole shop a fully digital journey, have robots roaming round and everything digital like we saw in those photos” Respondent 5: “Probably just add more interactions like click and collect like we said and basically give her all the different options of how to pay, how to order, how to try things on so she can decide herself and make the store more of an experience with music/lights/smell like a more intense atmosphere with visuals to upload to social media.” Respondent 6: “I’d add some digital services into the shop maybe add like a drinks corner or a food bar and lots of entertainment areas, so she can chill with her mates when she’s in the middle of shopping maybe, I don’t really know!”
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Appendix 13 (focus group 1)
P1 = Participant 1
QUESTION 1 Interviewer: “What is your motivation to go into a physical store? Why do you do it?” P1: “I normally pop in to see what’s in this season, I like to go into stores to see what’s about without being too overwhelmed, everything’s in one space - sometimes I think there’s too much option online, like I could spend hours on one website going through thousands of options for a crop top, it’s nice to go into a store and just have a good choice of options in one place.” P2: “Yeh I think I go into stores just to see what’s about, I like to see clothes in person and really get a feel for the fabric, try it on, see what it would really look like before I buy it, get a friend’s opinion and make a day of it – saves ordering online then ending up having to take it back.” P3: “Yeh I agree, and I think I mostly like to go shopping just for something fun to do with friends it’s something we can do together, we always have a few favourite stores we like to go, try on loads of clothes and have fun with it – every few month we go for a big day out shopping in London we go to the big Topshop shop for a few hours, get our nails done in their little beauty bar, take photos in their photo-booth and have a laugh it’s a big day out.” P4: “Yeh shopping online is quite isolating it’s not really a social activity just more practical when you just need something and can order it quickly.” P5: “I just find it so much easier to have a look in a shop where I can see and touch whatever item it is and just see whether I like it or not, you can buy it there and then and it’s yours there’s no waiting for it to be delivered.” P6: “I just hate waiting for clothes to be delivered end up standing by the door waiting for the postman *laughs*” Interviewer: “What if in the future you could feel what a product felt like or looks like on you from your mobile whilst at home using new advanced technology like Artificial Intelligence or Augmented Reality that made that possible – would you still go into shops?” P3: “Even though that would be really handy and yeh I’d probably end up ordering more just from my phone, I think I’ll always like just to go into a shop to have a look as well, it’s nice to have the options, it’s just isolating only shopping on like your phone because it’s something you do pretty much alone. Going shopping in like a shopping centre is more of an experience I think.”
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Appendix 13 (focus group 1) P2: “Yeh, I agree that when you just want something to fit right and feel right that would be handy in an ideal world but wouldn’t stop me going to a shop – I guess if I was in a hurry to get something urgently I’d just get it online using that technology if I could see how it would feel and fit but yeh I’d still go shopping in stores as well.” (*Observed head nods round room*)
QUESTION 2 Interviewer: “How does shopping in a physical store make you feel?” P1: “Guilty. *laughs* - you can see how much you’ve spent all the bags are in your hands when you order online it’s like you haven’t spent any money.” P2: “*laughs* yeh ordering online feels like you didn’t actually spend any money you can’t physically see it – you just put your bank details in and press order it’s as though it was free – when the shopping bags are in front of you and you hand over actual cash to a cashier you know you’ve spent money. It makes you feel bad.” P3: “Yeh I get the feeling of guilt – but I also get excited it’s nice because you’ve bought it in store you know you like the item because you’ve tried it on and I’m normally a bit giddy and just excited to wear it cause I know for sure I like it.” P4: “Yeh especially when you find a hidden treasure – like when I’m shopping in-store and come across some really nice item out of the blue I get really happy and excited feel like I’ve done well.” P5: “I probably feel better when I’ve bought something in a shop then online cause it feels like less risk I know I like it and want the item cause I’ve felt it, tried it on, asked whoever I’m with for their opinion – I’m more certain I’ve made the right choice than the risk I take online.” P6: “Yeh I also feel more sociable shopping in a physical store – cause loads of people are around you it’s like you belong.”
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Appendix 13 (focus group 1) P3: “Yeh it’s nice to just feel part of something and feels good to hang around with your friends and family when you shop.” (*Lots of head nods*) P1: “Yeh it feels a lot more fun than shopping online unless you’re struggling to find anything – I feel more guarantee to find something when I shop online when I’m looking for something in particular you can just search for it.” P2: “Yeh it has its pros and cons it’s more fun if you’re not looking for anything in particular.” P5: “If I needed to find a particular item like I needed a black top with polka dots for instance I’d rather just go online and type it in it would be so much easier than just trying to find it in a store I know I’m a lot more likely to find it online so it’s less stressful.”
QUESTION 3 Interviewer: “Would you say physical stores are currently meeting your expectations of a shopping experience or not and why?” P3: “I think they could be doing more – comparing it to what I experience online like they need to make it more convenient and I don’t feel like I get as much of an experience as I could, like there’s not enough engagement as a whole. Some shops have started to add to interactive bits, but I still think it’s rare to come across. They could have more pop up stations in the store that do cool things.” P1: “Yeh stores haven’t changed much since I can remember, I think they need to add more to get us excited and interact with the store. I want more to engage with to add to my experience. I think today it’s too easy to just shop online there needs to be more from the store to keep us going there.” P5: “Yeh I want to be interacted with more, I want it more personal, I want more choices and more fun. I’d like it to be more visual and creative because that’s where a store can strive in comparison to online where it’s all on a screen, stores could do so much more to inspire us from the visuals, it’s normally quite disappointing.” (*Nods from group*)
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Appendix 13 (focus group 1) P4: “I don’t think the experience is bad but yeh I’m not sure it meets my expectations anymore – to me going shopping today isn’t all about actually shopping for clothes like I want more social areas in the shop to sit down and maybe just chat about the clothes in your hand with your friends before you buy them and maybe have a little coffee bar in there make it more than just about the clothes. I think shopping is a social thing and shops don’t see that enough. It would keep us in there longer.”
QUESTION 4 Interviewer: “What don’t you like about physical shopping?” P3: “What puts me off shopping in-stores is like the messy-ness obviously not with all shops but somewhere like TK Maxx I feel like you walk in and everything’s so unorganised which really puts me off like there’s a lack of structure and organisation and there’s not that problem shopping online.” P5: “Yeh I find that, especially around sale times or a busy Saturday everything is everywhere it’s a free for all - what I want is like you know in supermarkets where is says like ‘Meat’ isle and just has signs around the store to show where each organised section is – I think stores could have more direction like signs for like ‘festival summer styles’ or ‘going out dresses’ and have that all together and have that for each collection so it’s easier to navigate because sometime I like to rush into a store looking for a particular things and I’m running around the shop looking for it for ages so yeh I don’t like the layout sometimes. I want to go to a certain area grab what I need sometimes.” P1: “*nods* Yeh what I don’t like about shopping in-store is the staff, I go into River Island for example and I don’t think any staff have ever come up and asked if I needed any help they’re normally not very proactive. Going into Hollister of somewhere they’re much more helpful and I always get asked if I’m ok or need anything. But when the staff are unhelpful I’d rather just shop online. I find it hard to go up to staff that don’t seem to want to help.” P6: “My least favourite thing is trying on all the clothes going in and out the changing rooms constantly – I end up going back in several times getting more sizes or seeing more options on my way out that I then have to go back in to try on and end up being really time consuming and it’s a lot of effort then I have to do the same again in the next store and it’s hard to show my friends for their opinions because I have to try find them in the store awkwardly walking around in the outfit I’m trying on and feeling judged from everyone else in the store.”
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Appendix 13 (focus group 1) P4: “*laughs* I’ve done that before the staff all look at you like you’re trying to get away with keeping the items on and walking out!” (*nods and laughs from group*)
QUESTION 5 Interviewer: “When thinking about your physical stores what would make the experience better? It would be great if…. what? “ P1: “It would be great if staff were better trained in delivery a better service. I think staff are too generic in a shop like Topshop I want stores to have staff that fit the brand better and don’t just hire anyone to do a retail job like stores should spend more time choosing staff, because staff add to the experience and it makes a difference if they’re helpful/interactive with you and fit the brand.” P2: “Yeh I think some brands get the staff fit right for example in Urban Outfitters I think the staff all look edgy and fit the brand better than a shop like Topshop where the staff are a little mix and match and they seem to hire anyone, and it doesn’t make the experience as good.” Interviewer: “What else do you think it would be great if….” P4: “I think it would be great if stores gave much more information on where the products came from! I want to know the ethical background and we how ethical the item is before I buy it – there’s usually hardly any information on this. I want to be able to scan the item on my phone and have it come up with information about where the item was made etc because that’s an important part in my decision making on whether I buy the item or not and there’s usually no information and the staff also have no knowledge on this!” P6: “Yeh I’d like that too! I really care where my clothes come from and worry when stores don’t give us any information on this I’d feel a lot more comfortable and willing to buy the item if I had that extra information readily available for me in-store. P1: “*nods* I think it would be really cool if stores had screen you could go up to and scan the barcode and it would come up with all the information on the item – like I want to know where the item was made etc all the ethical information around it, I want to know what other sizes there are if it’s in stock in other sizes in that particular store, if there’s other colours I can get and then I want to be able to order to my house from the screen or see what it looks like on from the digital technologies that would be idea for me when shopping in a store.”
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Appendix 13 (focus group 1) P3: “Yeh there are those magic mirrors that I’ve seen on social media that do things like that, but they haven’t really come into stores I’ve never seen one or got to experience one, but I’d love that kind of technology in store.” P5: “Yeh it would just be good to have more options like that to interact with.” P1: “I think it would be good if they had more experience things not to do with clothes like little added spaces to get drinks/food like in Topshop on Oxford Street just to make it a better experience.”
QUESTION 6 Interviewer: “Would you like to integrate aspects such as digital services into stores? (e.g smart mirrors/ self-service checkouts/ artificial intelligence / augmented reality) Would that make you more likely to come into store? What kind of digital services would you like to see?” P3: “Yeh, I really like the idea of digital services I like using them online so think integrating them into the store would better my experience. When it comes to checkouts I’d always opt for the self-service digital option if it was available.” Interviewer: “Why is this?” P3: “I think it just seems quicker to do myself and more convenient I don’t have to rely on anyone to help or deal with speaking to rude staff or undertrained staff. I feel like a digital service is more reliable than a member of staff and consistent. I just think it’s easier to do myself I wish more stores had them.” P1: “Yeh I agree” P4: “Yeh I’d opt for a digital self-service option. I don’t want to have to speak to staff and give them my e-mail and all that *laughs* P2: “Yeh I like the idea of self-service checkouts, but I also want the choice to go to a member of staff to checkout I still like that level of communication it’s still nice to speak to an actual human otherwise the experience starts becoming quite isolating.” *(lots of nods*)
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Appendix 13 (focus group 1) Interviewer: “What about the idea of things like ‘smart mirrors’ where you can select a few clothing options and try them on in the mirror have the mirror take snapshots so you can compare options side by side looking at a 360 degree angle / change the lighting / look at different colours / sizes and have recommendations brought up to you by the mirror having access to your data.” P3: “Yeh the concept sounds like fun – I think it’s a good way to engage and interact with us in the store like if I knew a store had a feature like this I would go inside just to experience it, I like new technologies it’s exciting to see what’s coming next.” P1: “Yeh to me the idea of have the opportunity to compare options side by side and helpful aspects like that would really change my shopping experience and I’d be a lot more likely to end up actually buying something because you feel like you’ve been through more of a thorough process to determine the items right and I think I’d feel more confident in my decision to buy after these using the service. I also love the idea of being able to see it in a different colour that was available in that style without having to try it on and then be able to compare them because often in a changing room I swap from one item in two different colour and can’t decide which I prefer being able to see both on and compare them side by side for me is a game changer.” P5: “I agree, I’d say I would prefer if these mirrors were more private rather than in the middle of a store though, I don’t like the idea of everyone being able to watch – if there were large changing rooms with a few mirrors that you and your friends could use together to try on outfits at the same time and it didn’t feel so public I’d really like it! P6: “If anything it’s a fun aspect to add to the experience I would definitely like it incorporated I would like to engage with it and play around with options with my friends I think it could be really useful actually helping to make decision for me and make the process easier however even if it didn’t actually help it’s a fun element that would add to my experience.” P2: “I really don’t like the idea of stores having any access to my personal information/data so that would be an issue for me personally, I just don’t like in invasion of privacy and I’m just conscious about my cyber security so that bit would put me off. But I am more than willing to try digital services in store just ones that don’t breach my privacy.” P6: “*nods* For me it depends what information – I’m ok with some basic information being given away if it means I get a better service and more tailor and personalised recommendations but I will always be sceptical to give away much information.”
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Appendix 13 (focus group 1) P3: “I don’t really mind giving away personal information if it means I get value from it.” P1: “Yeh I’m the same – I give away lots of information online to add value to my experience, so I would do the same in a physical store setting.”
QUESTION 7 Interviewer: “How would you feel about using your phone in-store more? (Such as having beacon technology aware when you enter a store) *Researcher explains dynamics of beacon technology* and sharing your data?” P1: “Yeh I would try that I like the idea of having my phone incorporated more into my shopping experience in-store, it makes sense as I carry it around the store with me when I shop if it can be used to better my experience I’d be interested. I think the idea of beacon technology is exciting – I would be happy to share information with the stores for a better experience.” P4: “Yeh if it bettered my experience I’d be up for using it in-stores.” P3: “I think the incorporation of that personal aspect would be really important – I think it would put my shopping experience online on par with my store experience if that level of personalisation was added.” P2: “I’m not sure what I feel about it because I like the idea of using my phone in-stores but I’m still sceptical about the use of my personal data being shared even if it does better my experience.” P5: “Hmm I think I can see past that as long as my information is kept secured.” P6: “*nods* yeh I’d want all my information kept private.” Interviewer: “So what sort of things would you like your mobile to help you do in-store?”
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Appendix 13 (focus group 1) P3: “Maybe use my location in store then if I need assistance I can use my phone on an app or something to inform the staff and have them come find me instead of having to find them.” P4: “Yeh that would be cool!” P1: “Or use it to navigate where a certain item is in the store! That would be so handy when you’re in a hurry and if you’ve come in for a particular item and the app could tell you beforehand if the item was in the store and in your size.” P5: “Yeh if an app could learn about our behaviour it could recommend more to us I’d really like that.” *nods from P1 and P3 in agreement*
QUESTION 8 Interviewer: “What is your motivation to shop online? Why do you do it? How does it make you feel? What don’t you like?” P4: “The first thing I think about is having to leave my bedroom, pay for petrol or transport and get dressed and ready to do something I could just do in bed.” P3: “*laughs* I see what you mean but you can’t feel the fabric or anything from your phone screen or socialise.” *inaudible* P2: “Yeh but if it arrives and I don’t like it I send it back.” P3: “I find it a lot of effort to send back though.” P1: “Yeh I end up keeping a load of clothes I don’t want!”
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Appendix 13 (focus group 1) P5: “Well I shop online because I know there’s a better chance of grabbing what I want, I just search for it with thousands of results I bound to find a good option but it’s more luck going into store it’s less choice!” P6: “Yeh online is a lot more diverse a shop can only hold so many options!” P4: “Yeh it’s risky to go shopping in-store I don’t always find something where it’s more guaranteed when I shop online cause I can search for things.” P6: “Online you can also compare prices better and brands send over more discount codes you can only use online.” P3: “Yeh brands always send me discount to use on their website so it’s just more tempting to buy online rather than pay full price in store.” P2: “It’s just hassle going into a shop, online is so much more convenient, you search for what you want find it, and order it.” P1: “You also don’t feel as guilty shopping online because you’re not handing over money your just checking out pressing a checkout button it’s like you didn’t spend the money.” P4: “Yeh I just can’t always see the purpose to venture out to a store and I don’t have to carry bags!” Interviewer: “So what don’t you like about shopping online?” P3: “It’s mostly that you can’t actually feel the product, so you do end up sending a lot back if you even bother to.” P6: “But brands offer a lot to make sure you get as much of a feel for the item as possible like ASOS do 360-degree angles of outfits and you can watch videos of the models wearing it, it’s becoming a lot more advanced which means I’m getting a better idea of what I’m buying and I’m sending a lot less back.” P4: “I don’t like online shopping simply becomes its sort of an individual activity – it’s not exactly sociable” P3: “Yeh I agree”
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Appendix 13 (focus group 1) P2: “It’s hard to integrate your friends when you’re looking on your phone and there looking at there’s – it doesn’t feel like an experience you’re sharing.”
QUESTION 9 Interviewer: “Would you like online and offline retail to be integrated more such as click and collect options? What more would you like?” P1: “Yeh services like click and collect for me are so beneficial any other services brands can do to mix the online and offline would be interesting.” P5: “Yeh I think so too, I’d like an app for when you’re shopping online and see a particular item that’s out of stock in your size or that you just wanted to see in-store I’d like the app to tell me if it was available in any stores near me, which ones and whether they had my size and request to put it on hold till I got to the store. Services like that would be transformational.” P3: “Yeh if you could know what sizes were available before going into a particular shop it would save disappointment – like real time updates would be amazing.” P4: “Yeh I love using click and collect – has been really helpful in lots of situations.” P1: “Yeh I’d also like more services similar to this.” P2: “I wasn’t actually aware of click and collect and services like that before you mentioned it and to be honest don’t see the point and don’t think I’d be bothered about things like this, I don’t want to have to order online and have to go to the store to pick it up, ordering online is to prevent having to go into store.” P5: “Yeh but it’s convenient if you’re not often home to collect the parcel.” P3: “Yeh and you can try it on in the store then and return it in store after deciding if you like it!”
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Appendix 13 (focus group 1) QUESTION 10 Interviewer: “Do you feel more engaged with a brand when you shop online or in-store and why? (Talking about brand personality / story / loyalty)” P4: “I’m not sure because I think sometimes I’m more engaged online and sometimes I’m more engaged in actual shops – like I think the experience I receive online is normally more engaging as it’s linked to the brands social media and I get emailed and the website knows my history and personalises aspects and makes recommendations so on that side online is more personal which is obviously a lot more engaging.” P1: “Yeh online is more personal normally and I always feel more engaged when the shopping experience is personalised then it’s easier and more convenient.” P6: “Yeh I agree, but sometimes actual stores feel really engaging when they actually have interactive features and can show their brand personality through their visuals then I feel really engaged.” P3: “Yeh I always feel more engaged when the store is visual, or they actually incorporate features I can interactive with then I’m far more engaged with them. This is rare but when it does happen it works well.” P2: “Yeh it depends on the brand and situation, but what makes me more engaged is the interactive things brands can do in store that way I build up my perception of that brand it grows my awareness and I get a better sense of their personality and who they are as a brand and what their messages – things all to do with the visuals and layout and the whole vibe of the store and how I feel the most engaged if a store doesn’t have these features I’m not engaged at all and feel much more engaged online.” P5: “Yeh it’s hard to pick because it depends on the situation, but I think now online shopping engages me more but there’s potential for stores to engage me a lot more through those types of aspects of visuals and interactions. I think they miss a trick there sometimes.” P1: “Yeh they have so much opportunity to tell their story through visuals and really engage you and most stores struggle to do this they always look generic.”
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Appendix 13 (focus group 1) P3: “I agree, there’s hardly a difference between say New Look and River Islands stores there’s no strong personality shown through the visual aspect and it’s rare to see any interactive features so much more could be done to engage us, that’s why I prefer shopping online.” P1: “There’s so much potential for all the cool experiences they could do to engage us.”
Appendix 14 (focus group 2) QUESTION 1 Interviewer: “What is your motivation to go into a physical store? Why do you do it?” P7: “Well I much prefer shopping online, I rarely go into stores to be honest but if I was going into a shop it would mostly be just to have a little browse see what’s going on in store then if I found anything I liked I’d take a picture and get it online still. I don’t like carrying it round with me and that. I do go in from time to time normally when I’m with friends or family.” P8: “I actually love carrying loads of bags round with me when shopping feel like I’m Carrie Bradshaw off Sex and the City or something *laughs* P9: “Yeh I quite like going actual shopping – I get quite stressed out shopping online trying to get the right size for me it’s just easier to look in a shop otherwise I have to order loads of sizes and send a load back. I want to feel it and touch it and speak to people.” P10: “Yeh I like to feel it and touch it normally when I order online it feels and looks different to how I expected when you go shopping in-store you know what you’re getting. Just easier sometimes but also shopping online is more convenient sometimes.” P11: “I’ve always liked to go to actual shops to go see the aesthetics, I like to look at store windows and nice displays I like to sort of immerse myself in all the visuals it gets me in the mood to shop more.” P12: “Yeh me too, I get really excited by all the pretty displays.”
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Appendix 14 (focus group 2) P8: “Yeh I like to see how the mannequins are styled for inspiration.” P11: “Also, now some shop have cool extra features to like play with and interact with which I really like.” Interviewer: “What sort of cool things have you seen from your experience?” P10: “Um, like photobooths you get in Urban Outfitters and Topshop” P9: “Yeh I like extra things like that in shops. There’s more reason to go in then, there’s more to do with your friends.” Interviewer: “Yeh, do you find yourself taking pictures of nice visual displays/visuals or interactive features and posting them on social media.” *(Lots of head nodding)* P11: “Yeh, I’ve definitely posted like nice visuals I’ve seen in a shop on snapchat or somewhere, just to sort of let everyone know what I’m up to, it just looks pretty. I want everyone else to see it” P12: “Yeh I like to let everyone know I’m out shopping with the girls and show them the cool things I see. It’s just the aesthetic of it – I like to put it on my Instagram, it fits with my Instagram feed looks pretty *laughs*”
QUESTION 2 Interviewer: “How does shopping in a physical store make you feel?” P8: “Excited mostly – I love the hunt – I love discovering and seeing what I can find and it’s not just for the clothes it’s for the whole shopping experience itself it all gets me excited. Just how the shops look, the buzz of all the people, the whole atmosphere.” P9: “Yeh the anticipation of what you might find is quite exciting.”
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Appendix 14 (focus group 2) P10: “Yeh I get really excited just before a big shopping trip with my friends, like it’s more than just looking for clothes I get excited for the whole experience that comes along with it.” P7: “I’m quite the opposite actually *laughs* like I sort of dread going shopping I like to sit in my bedroom ordering clothes on my phone, not having to deal with people and ques *laughs* I hate the hassle of trying everything on in a changing room and carrying all my bags round all day – I really don’t like it seems so much more convenient for me to do it online.” P10: “*nods* I’m the same – I do like to shop in-store sometimes I get how you guys get excited it can be fun but yeh I don’t want to carry bags round all day, have to que up everywhere, get unchanged in every store.” P11: “Yeh but online is so isolating though, it’s fun to spend the day shopping with your friends to get their advice and see what’s happening in the store and be part of something.” P10: “Yeh I don’t even buy in the store I don’t like carrying bags either I just find what I like and order it to my house. Then I’ve seen it, felt it tired it on I know I like it and don’t have to send it back.” *inaudible* P12: “Yeh but nothing compares to that feeling when you find an absolute gem *laughs*”
QUESTION 3 Interviewer: “Would you say physical stores are currently meeting your expectations of a shopping experience or not and why?“
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Appendix 14 (focus group 2) P12: “I think it depends what season it is and sometimes it does meet my expectations – it also depends on the store like I think more interactive features could be added like I love going to Victoria Secret and seeing the catwalk on a projection screen and everyone stood around watching it and all the sounds and music going on and everything smells really nice it’s like a sensory experience I think that met my expectations like I love projective visual and things like that anything more visual and different and I remember when I was younger places like Hollister and Abercrombie the whole atmosphere and experience you got in the shop was on another level like I loved that it was dark and felt all exclusive and everything smelt so nice and I would always go with my friends just to get a picture with one of the Abercrombie models outside *laughs* I thought it was so good they’d give away free pictures and we’d always put them on Instagram and that to me met my expectations completely really felt like I’d got an experience rather than a product but I think these days every store needs to get to that level and more to compete.” P10: “Yeh getting that photo with the Hollister models was always the reason my friends and I would go into Hollister. It’s part of the experience – that’s the level of experience I want but can’t say I get consistently.” P8: “Yeh I really like the idea of having more sensory things I love going into stores where you can really get a sense of the brand from its smell and then all the visuals to match and being able to feel and touch and interact with it all and then music that fits the vibe to me is the difference between a good experience and a bad one. I agree Hollister did that really well the whole atmosphere I felt like I was having a real shopping experience when I was in there and I’d stay longer because of it. The majority of shops don’t meet my expectations to that level.” P9: “Yeh me too – and I want more like digital technology to be part of it – going to I think it was the Natural history museum there were these like big screens like on the floor which you could step on and play games and it was so much more interactive and I just envision more big screens in shops to search for items and make recommendations and just fun things to get you into the shop. Like there’s a lot of new technology coming out stores could play with like AI I think that has to be added to match the experience online. We like online shopping, so I think bring some of that digital aspect you have online into the store.” P7: “Yeh I really agree – I think the experience we get shopping online has raised my expectation from what I get in store – there’s digital aspects like recommending my size and recommending outfit options that all feel personal to me everything’s more personalised through digital technology and I think that needs to be brought to the store somehow.” P11: “Yeh I think that would be a really cool feature, I think we’re a new generation that are digital beings now we like digital aspects so why not incorporate more in to meet our expectations.”
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Appendix 14 (focus group 2) QUESTION 4 Interviewer: “What don’t you like about physical shopping?” P7: “Like I said before, mainly it’s the hassle of ques, people everywhere, having to keep going into changing rooms and carrying around bags and online has more options and choice I just find it more convenient.” Interviewer: “Anything you do like?” P7: “The social aspect is important I understand and of course it’s helpful to be able to actually get a feel of what you’re buying before you buy it.” P8: “I quite like the ques and how busy it gets though I like being around people all doing the same activity. But I also don’t like carrying bags and the risk of leaving without finding anything you like I think you’re more likely to be sure you find something when you shop online there’s a search bar the defines your result and there’s thousands of options to look at.” P10: “For me I always feel like there’s not enough mirrors to try things on, there will be about two mirrors in the store which everyone wants to use and I feel a social pressure and get nervous trying things on in front of the mirror which everyone standing around wanting to use it too I’d be more likely to buy clothes if there were more mirrors and it took away that social pressure.” P9: “It always depends on the shop though, I enjoy shopping in some a lot more than others.” Interviewer: “What qualities do the good ones have?” P9: “Ones with a good atmosphere, with lots going on where I just feel immersed in the shop even if I don’t find any clothes I want any with added value that go above and beyond to provide an experience that incorporates everything I want and more.”
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Appendix 14 (focus group 2) P11: “Yeh shopping in stores sometimes lacks that experience I want, that’s what I don’t like – some stores focus on just selling a product when I want a lot a more than that today. I’m a lot more likely to buy their product if I feel like I’ve had an experience then the product is worth more.” P12: “Yeh I would even pay more for a product if I experienced a really good shopping experience alongside it.” (*lots of nods*)
QUESTION 5 Interviewer: “When thinking about your physical stores what would make the experience better? It would be great if…. what?” P8: “It would be great if stores could set more of a mood as you walk in I like the idea of sensory things like mood lighting all aspects like temperature and how it all smells just cool lighting and have it visually pleasing so it doesn’t look so much like a store and more of a cool concept visual creative space that sells clothes. Maybe if you could even choose your own music when you shop! I really like putting music on to shop online and obviously have to listen to what’s been chosen in store so maybe personal headsets or options of music you can choose from on a screen from a select list that fit the brand.” P11: “I think it would be great if stores had more photo opportunities – I always want to capture my shopping day on snapchat to show what I’m up to I think that would be a really nice feature to get us into stores.” P10: “Yeh I want that! I want to have pics for the gram *laughs* I don’t know whether you guys have ever been into River Island where they have that wall art with all the flowers on that everyone goes to take pictures next to – I really like things like that but I wanted to take a picture but everyone was watching so I think if they had things like that maybe that could be a little more private so I could take a picture and not be embarrassed, that would be good. I love uploading nice visuals to Instagram and I do go into stores what I know have things like that to then share on social media.”
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Appendix 14 (focus group 2) P11: “I think it would be great if stores were more interactive technology wise. I want them to deliver more digital services that connect me online and offline.” (*significant nods*) P7: “Yeh stores should integrate technology there’s so much they could do to add to our experience through a digital service it would make me much more likely to go and see I’d want to try out any digital services they add.” P9: “I’d also like a better changing room system – they could use digital ways to make it more robust. I like I think its Boux Avenue or M&S their bra fitting services – you can press a button for assistance or it would be good to digitally be able to request another size/colour and have it sent straight to the changing room digitally!” *lots of nodding* P12: “Yeh, and to make it more fun you could have the mirror take pictures of you in the outfit options which you can have printed to upload to social media or you could log into your social account through the mirror to upload it!” P8: “Yeh mainly I think it would be good to have more choice in store – like choose from more options to pay and things like that.”
QUESTION 6 Interviewer: Would you like to integrate aspects such as digital services into stores? (e.g smart mirrors/ self-service checkouts/ artificial intelligence / augmented reality) Would that make you more likely to come into store? What kind of digital services would you like to see?“ (*Researcher explains concept of smart mirror / what is could do*) P12: “When it comes to things like smart mirrors I would really want things like that to be added to the store, but I also want to keep original aspects like traditional changing rooms with normal mirrors – I really think it’s about having more choices to suit yourself. I like the concept of smart mirrors but part of me worries about the accuracy and I’m a little sceptical of the technology when it comes to things like colour pay off etc, but I’d be intrigued to try it.”
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Appendix 14 (focus group 2) P9: “Yeh I like the idea of having recommendations brought to me in the store because I often get recommendations when I shop online because they have my personal data so it would be good to incorporate that into store to make it more personal to me – I think that’s what stores are missing, that sense of personalisation that makes an experience.” P8: “I just want digital experiences that are imaginative and just add a new level of fun into the store that I can share on snapchat and talk about. Adding in things like artificial intelligence or augmented reality to add to the experience would make me travel to the store to get involved and I think as consumers we’re craving more digital ways to engage in combination with ways to have fun in store!” P7: “I’d like to see what stores could do to bring in artificial intelligence and augmented reality options – as someone digitally engaged myself the opportunity to experience more advancing technologies in-store really excites me.” P11: “I’d like to see what stores could do to bring in artificial intelligence and augmented reality options – as someone digitally engaged myself the opportunity to experience more advancing technologies in-store really excites me.” Interviewer: “What about digital services to check-out like self-service checkouts?” P9: “Yeh I’d use them over going to a regular till it’s way quicker and just feels like the more modern way to do it – I feel like regular tills are coming outdated this is the digital evolution isn’t it.” P12: “Yeh I still like a mix of both though – especially if I have a problem I’d rather go speak to a member of staff than try use a digital selfservice checkout.” P10: “Yeh I think we should have a mix of the two again for options and choice!” *pause* P10: “I like when you go into a store and the staff check you out from wherever you are in the store using a tablet – that way I don’t even have to get in a que they come right up to me and ask if I need their service as long as their quick I think that’s great. I get the human contact and the fast and digital service - they can order an item for me to the store or my house.”
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Appendix 14 (focus group 2) QUESTION 7 Interviewer: “How would you feel about using your phone in-store more? (Such as having beacon technology aware when you enter a store) *Researcher explains dynamics of beacon technology* and sharing your data?” P12: “It would depend on how much information I was giving away and what kind of information, I think I’d be ok to share my location and maybe let it pick up on my behaviours if it did really benefit me.” P7: “Yeh as long as there was a benefit.” P9: “Yeh I think it’s a value exchange you share information and it will benefit you so I’d be happy.” P8: “For me it would be dependent on how secure my data was” P10: “I’m not sure I’d be happy about sharing data – I’d have to be ensured my data was really protected I think everything that’s happened with Facebook worries me and the idea of tracking sounds a little concerning.” Interviewer: “What would you want your mobile to be able to do in-stores (if you wanted to use it in-store)” P11: “Yeh I already use my phone in store maybe to search up an item and find out more about it online so if I could use an app or something just to scan the item and have all the information come up easier – things like that. But yeh I already try to use my phone in-store so if this was made even easier with like an actual app for it I’d be really interested in trying it.” P9: “Yeh I want to use my phone in store more – I like the idea of having a personal discount code sent to you as soon as you walk in a store and it registers that – that would make me a lot more likely to buy something if I know I’ve got this personal discount sent to me – I think that’s a really cool idea. I want more to do with customer loyalty, if I’ve been a loyal customer and they can track that then I want some kind of reward for my loyalty sent to me a discount or something would grow my relationship with the brand.” P7: “Yeh that’s a good idea”
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Appendix 14 (focus group 2) P8: “Yeh I think an app should be made to put all these types of features in to make the store experience just easier and convenient sort of like you’re shopping online but still in the store if that makes sense.” P12: “Things like adding a mini sat-nav in big flagship stores just to make things easier to find like if you are after say a red skirt you’ve seen online. I hate walking round the store like 8 times on a man hunt for it and asking staff who aren’t sure.” P11: “I’d also suggest maybe trying include social media somehow like when I walk into the Topshop in Oxford Street and take a picture on snapchat I want a cool filter saying something like ‘Topshop Oxford Street’ like if big stores had their own personal filter or something to add to my picture before I uploaded it.”
QUESTION 8 Interviewer: “What is your motivation to shop online? Why do you do it? How does it make you feel? What don’t you like?” P7: “First of all, it’s more convenient. Most of the time I don’t feel like I even mean to shop online – I’ll be on Instagram and an influencer I follow will post her new outfit which I’ll really like and when I tap on the photo there’s a link to where I can buy it and then a discount code will pop up to spend online or the shop will email me one and I just end up buying it!” P11: “Yeh this is how I end up buying most clothes today” *lots of nods in agreement* P9: “Yeh it’s just more personal, shopping online just happens because I’m recommended options based on what I’ve been looking at and sent personal discount and things like that.” P12: “Yeh it has a lot to do with the personalisation – they know a lot about me, which is a little scary but help me get what I want before I even knew I wanted it.”
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Appendix 14 (focus group 2) P8: “I also just love next day delivery – in urgent times which happens a lot, you get invited to a party tomorrow and you can grab your phone put a quick search in find what you want apply a discount code and checkout – the next morning it’s there at your door waiting for you!” P10: “Yeh it’s a relief to just sort things like that so simply and easily. I don’t think it’s always as fun as shopping in a store though.” Interviewer: “How does it make you feel?” P7: “It’s not stressful, it’s always an easy process and I feel accomplished afterwards.” P8: “Yeh I just get excited for it to arrive.” P10: “Yeh it’s just the wait for parcel that’s a bit annoying” Interviewer: “So what else don’t you like about online shopping?” P11: “Delivery costs! When I panic buy on next day delivery although it’s convenient I end up spending more on delivery!” P12: “Yeh I agree and it’s even worse when the parcel doesn’t even turn up when it said it would” P8: “Yeh I’ve had that! Right before an important event, you pay loads of money for next day delivery and doesn’t even arrive!” P10: “As well as surprise import costs!” P11: “Then if it does arrive there’s the risk it won’t fit or it’s a different colour to online or just isn’t how you imagined because you couldn’t feel it beforehand.” *nods from group*
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Appendix 14 (focus group 2) QUESTION 9 Interviewer: “Would you like online and offline retail to be integrated more such as click and collect options? What more would you like?” P9: “Yes! I use click and collect all the time in stores because I like to order loads online that I think I like then I can pick it up in the store – that way I don’t even pay for delivery. I go into their changing rooms and try it all on, so I actually get the chance to feel the clothes and see how they fit then whatever I don’t want I just can return there in the store and don’t have to pay for any returns.” P11: “I always do this too! I think it’s the most convenient way, I get have a look round the store when I come in which is a bonus and pick up and other things that catch my eye and I don’t have to wait around for my delivery at my house all day and worry about missing it! There’s been so many occasions I’ve waited in all day and the parcel hasn’t turned up so now I always choose click and collect and when I have time I’ll go into store and grab it, I get an e-mail once its ready for me to pick up and it’s all really simple.” P8: “Yeh I don’t use the service too often, I have once before and enjoyed it, so I’d be up to use it again and see what other options brands can do to integrate the two platforms. I think there’s a lot of room for potential to combine online and offline and I’d really like this to make shopping easier and better my experience.” P10: “Would be a really good idea to be able to search online gather a range of items you’ve found on a particular website that you want to try on and somehow be able to send over this information – then when you go in-store be able to use a personal code to scan in the changing room and have everything sent in for you in recommended sizes and have a mini wardrobe capsule all set up for you in the changing room so that you can try on everything – that way you don’t have to commit to buying it all first and anything you wanted online that wasn’t available in store can be sent to store for you so you have more choices and you’re not just choosing from the small selection in-store.” P9: “I think that would be an amazing idea, I’d definitely use that as a service! P12: “Me too, it integrates both platforms well to put the customer first and give them the best experience possible.” P9: “Yeh all things like that and like we spoke about using our phones in-store, just more integration to make things easier but more fun and personal.” *head nods in agreement*
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Appendix 14 (focus group 2) QUESTION 10 Interviewer: “Do you feel more engaged with a brand when you shop online or in-store and why? (Talking about brand personality / story / loyalty)” P8: “Personally, I’ve always felt more engaged with brands in their stores – but not all stores. Stores that provide like sensory experiences any that have strong smells/visuals/interactive ways to play/touch/music/lights all those aspects for me are what makes something engaging and it’s harder to get that online – but not all stores are providing this anyway.” P10: “Yeh it’s the same for me, when I think of Apple, going on their website to buy a product wouldn’t engage me at all but being able to play with their products in the shop and really interact makes all the difference when it comes to engagement. But I agree not all shops seem to have this level of engagement, so it depends.” P9: “Yeh stores that have sensory experiences are always so engaging – much more than shopping online! The sensory experience seems to have this emotional attachment that comes with it and its more memorable and builds your perception of that brand and you associate with a good experience and it adds to your loyalty for that brand – you just feel more engaged and connected to the brand through a sensory experience you get in a store. But more stores need to offer this.” P7: “I’d definitely say online is much more engaging! Brands email me and its more of a relationship they know more about me, I feel a stronger connection and more engaged.” P11: “No, it depends on the brand – I find I have a range of experiences with online and offline retail some engaging some not.” P12: “Yeh it’s hard to judge but I think both can do a lot more to engage us especially stores!”
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By contacting: Amber Martin at amber.martin2016@my.ntu.ac.uk
How can I find out more about this project and its results?
The results will be used as part of my university assessed work, I am using your results to discuss my project title in a report format. It will be read by my tutors and be made available to the external examiner, who is an academic from another university.
What will happen to the results?
The main cost to you will be the time needed to be interviewed. However, I hope that you will find participation interesting, and hopefully open your mind to think about your own retail experiences and what you expect from a retail experience and/or make you think about physical retail spaces and their purpose in the future.
What are the possible disadvantages and benefits?
The recording and transcript will only be handled by me, in line with data protection principles and our approved research protocol. Hard copies of research notes are not accessible to any other person. You will not be named or otherwise identified in any document or medium that is available to anyone. All evidence used in subsequent publications will be anonymised – I will use a pseudonym or a descriptor’. I will exercise all possible care to ensure that you cannot be identified by the way I write up my findings.
How will I protect my confidentiality and anonymity?
In order to keep a record of the interviews I would like to record the discussion and have it transcribed into text. I will then analyse the information and feed it into my results. At the end of the study all the recordings, transcripts and any other information collected will be destroyed.
What will happen to the information I provide?
Your participation is entirely voluntary. No one else will be informed of your participation or non-participation. At any subsequent point, you can withdraw from the project and if you wish, withdraw any of the information that you have given so far (through interview or other). You do not have to give any reason for withdrawing.
Do I have to take part?
You either fall into the category of fitting the research sample (male/female consumers aged 18-23) or your retail knowledge/experience appears relevant to my study.
Why have I been chosen to take part?
Amber Martin (third year student at Nottingham Trent University) studying Fashion Marketing & Branding. I have been trained to conduct this study and I am being supervised by the university whilst carrying out the research.
Who is running this study?
The project is investigating the need for physical retail stores entering upon a digital revolution. Research for this project entails conducting interviews with participants within the retail industry such as retail staff/managers as well as consumers to explore their attitudes. I am looking to carry out a short interview with you to determine your attitudes/opinions regarding your retail experience or knowledge.
What is the project about?
QUESTIONS
Interview respondent information questions
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industry experts information questions
Series of questions were asked to be filled out by respondents taking part in interviews prior to the interview questions in order to establish further background information on respondents for more reliable results. Question forms were made for industry experts as well as Generation Z consumers taking part in interviews/focus groups.
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PESTLE ANALYSIS POLITICAL Lack of Consumer Spending Confidence -- Evolving political factors will continue to have a large effect within the retailing industry. Brexit uncertainties result will result in less confidence from consumers and lack of trust in regards to where to spend their income as Retail Gazette state, “It’s lead to a steep drop in consumer spending power and consumer confidence. In February last year, real earnings turned negative as inflation exceeded wage growth, while unsecured debt now affects one in 10 households.” (Stevens, 2018) This has led to consumers becoming more mindful on what they choose to the spend the income they have on as, ‘Retail trends over the last 3 years reflect that consumers are spending less money on household items/clothing, and more on holidays and entertainment.’ (JC Metalworks, 2016) This is due to consumers having less disposable income they would rather choose to spend on an experience than physical goods which has a negative effect on the retailing industry and therefore shows an opportunity for the retail industry to provide further experiences to continue to succeed within Brexit as selling goods is showing to no longer be enough to convince consumers to purchase – consumers desire more for their money. Devaluation of the Pound / Effect on Retail Workers -- One of the most widespread symptoms of Brexit across retail in the last year has been the deterioration of the sterling. The knock-on effect of this has driven up import prices, meaning retailers are faced with the choice of absorbing costs or raising their prices.’ (Stevens, 2018) This has a negative effect for retailers and has hit the retail industry hard as fashion retailers continue to show financial difficulties as “Sterling is some 14 per cent below its value pre-referendum, the possibility of tariffs, changes to customs regulations and a shortage of labour all threaten to raise costs further, with a shift in VAT rules potentially also forming part of the mix.” (Stevens, 2018) Webloyalty Northern Europe managing director Guy Chiswick states post-Brexit workers’ rights could impact retailer’s employment operations arguing “It important for retailers to recognise the impact this will have on recruiting and retaining employees (…) The People Roadmap report from the British Retail Consortium has estimated that Britain could lose around six per cent of its retail workers unless EU nationals can work freely in the UK after Brexit. This will present several challenges for the retailers and the complete supply chain, with a skills shortage requiring new skilled professionals to enter the sector to help manage stores, warehouse deliveries and support the customer experience, which may result in an increase in automation – both in store and throughout the supply chain.” (Guy Chiswick, See Stevens, 2018) This is important in how the future of retail stores will run as digital attributions rise such as machines to replace retail staff jobs which could result in a possible solution within the future.
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ECONOMIC
APPENDIX 15
The economy will be heavily affected if brick-and-mortar stores transition to incorporate digital services within stores such as incorporating AI and robotics to replace staff roles within the store such as staff checkouts are replaced by digital self-services, digital screen’s and apps in-store offering consumers help previously given by staff will continue to replace the need for human interactions. Robotics and AI are becoming implemented for automation; saving costs and improving productivity. “More than 10 million UK workers are at high risk of being replaced by robots within 15 years as the automation of routine tasks gathers pace in a new machine age. A report by the consultancy firm PwC found that 30% of jobs in Britain were potentially under threat from breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI). In some sectors half the jobs could go.” (Elliott, 2017) As advancing technologies progress in-stores replacing humans roles, staff retail jobs will continue to decline leading to a rise in unemployment which will have a negative effect on the economy as unemployment will lead to less financial income for consumers to spend in-stores. “In retail especially, a model currently very much dependent on a low skill, low pay, high turnover labor force, it’s not just workers who will have to change – retailers’ expectations for workers, and for what is required to retain new-skill workers is going to have to get higher.” (Arnold, 2018) This demonstrates that in order for humans to keep retail jobs expectations of skills will becomes higher as robots/AI set new standards which could lead to mass unemployment if retail workers are unable to apart to new expectations. Contrary, it is argued “the age of robots will lead to more jobs” (Elliott, 2017) “There are jobs – the key is the right training of people to work within an environment of robotics and AI. (…) Humans create and humans control. Robots and AI have been created by humans – they are tools that we can use when we give the right instructions. The point is that humans and technology must work together, humans in control and the technology providing what it is programmed to provide. The idea that technology will replace the need for creative thinking, problem-solving, leadership, teamwork and initiative is rather silly right now. The idea that humans can leverage technology to provide a better world for all of us is not silly, however. It’s fascinating.” (Arnold, 2018) This shows the need for humans job roles in the future and the evolving new roles that will be created as technology advances showing robots will not lead to unemployment but the changing of traditional roles staff endure. Andrew Arnold is a contributor to ‘Forbes Online’ therefore lacks reliability as a credible source offering an opinion as an entrepreneur working in the corporate industry therefore his opinion can be considered however the lack of reliably as a non industry expert/academic must be taken into considered. “UK unemployment fell by 75,000 in the three months to July, bringing the jobless rate down to 4.3% from 4.4% in the previous quarter. The rate remains at its lowest since 1975.” (BBC News, 2018) As unemployment rates continue to drop this is positive for retailers as more consumers have disposable income to spend in-stores and online. However, as wages have fallen by 0.4% over the last year (BBC News, 2018) and the devaluation of sterling after Brexit, this will have a negative affect for physical stores as consumers will want to compare prices online to get the best deals for their money in attempt to save therefore making them less likely to come into stores. It also means consumer will want shopping experiences in-stores that add value to products to make products appear worth spending money on therefore shows how important added value and experiences in-store will become.
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PESTLE ANALYSIS SOCIAL Social factors will exceed to disrupt the retail industry as public opinions continue to change/develop leading to behavioural changes amongst consumers. How we shop and our shopping behaviours have altered as we have increased our usage of e-commerce and have more access to online retail. Generation Z at the fore-front of this growing up digitally have new sets of expectations retailers will need to comply with as social media also comes forward to majorly impact how we shop. Societies attitudes are important as the retail industry evolves and changes introducing more digital aspects coming forward such as creating new ways to take payments with self-service checkouts and artificial intelligence/augmented reality and virtual reality being brought forward into stores which success all depends on societies willingness to comply with the changes as we are set to see less human interaction and more digital in order to compete and keep up with e-commerce and continue to provide experiences that young consumers desire. Younger consumers are seen to be more willing to these changes as digital natives therefore retailers need to work to make sure the older generations attitudes towards the changes are also positive to ensure success within the future.
TECHNOLOGICAL Technological advances will play a fundamental role in affecting retail in the future which has contributed to the phenomenon of E-retail resulting in the biggest factor effecting brick and mortar stores. The digital revolution has meant “new advancements bring easier access to products and easier advertising from brands.� (Metcalfe, 2018) Customers are more informed than ever; 81% of shoppers research online before making a purchase. (Metcalfe, 2018) Consumer expectation has dramatically shifted from advancements in technology with consumers now expecting much more after their experience with e-retail. Another huge shift in retail and e-Commerce has come from automated purchases. In the future, consumers will likely have certain items automatically shipped to their house on a monthly or weekly basis. (Metcalfe, 2018) The breakthrough in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality and robots
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PESTLE ANALYSIS will continue to shape and influence the future as both brick and mortar and e-retail introduce these aspects to provide additional experiences for consumers. Aspects such as machine intelligence, personalised recommendations and predictions have transformed consumers retail expectations in which brick and mortar stores need to introduce further to survive against e-commerce.
LEGAL General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) enforced from the 25th of May 2018 has been put into place over the Data Protection Act 1995 which was viewed as inefficient in the digital era in addressing the ways data is stored, collected and transferred. GDPR is reshaping how data is handled with a new standard set of strict regulations businesses must comply with to protect consumers data. The regulations are designed to harmonize data privacy laws across Europe, protect and empower all EU citizens data privacy and reshape the way organisations across the region approach data privacy. (Eugdpr, 2018) “Compliance will cause some concerns and new expectations of security teams. For example, the GDPR takes a wide view of what constitutes personal identification information. Companies will need the same level of protection for things like an individual’s IP address or cookie data as they do for name, address and Social Security number.� (Nadeau, 2018) Types of data protected under the GDPR as basic identity information, web data such as location, IP addresses, RFID tags, cookie data, health and generic data, biometric data, racial and ethnic data and sexual orientation (Nadeau, 2018) all of which will affect how business target consumers making it more difficult. The digital era has meant businesses are making greater use of digital services and big data is more widely available through the democratisation of technology which means businesses are now utilising more of consumers data to add aspects such as personalisation and recommendations and using data to learn about their consumers. However, businesses must be more accountable for the protection of consumers data complying with the GDPR regulation which will help build consumers trust with businesses and companies who have concerns over the usage of their personal information. The GDPR regulation needs to be considered by retailers attempting to integrate using consumers data into stores through beacon technology/ apps in-store as although it offers personalisation and recommendations consumers desire privacy and reassurance of safety therefore a balance must be introduced within the exchange of value whilst complying with the regulations.
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PESTLE ANALYSIS Environmental Environmental factors are becoming increasingly prominent in affecting the retail industry as consumer attitudes are shifting due to their rising awareness. ‘The rise in environmental awareness has caused some retailers to respond in ways that make consumers feel better about their purchases. Many retailers are increasingly offering products made with recycled materials. Additionally, retail giants, such as Patagonia and Nike, take back used items and recycle them for use in other products. Computer companies -- such as Dell -- offer recycling programs as well.’ (Roanhorse, 2018) This is becoming an increasing expectation from consumers for retailers to be as environmentally friendly as possible as influences their decision making when it comes to where they shop and what they buy. There has been debate surrounding whether shopping online or in brick and mortar stores more environmentally efficient, ‘In the early days of online shopping, environmentalists and analysts argued that long-haul deliveries by gas guzzling trucks to bring a single package to a person’s house gave the online option a larger carbon footprint than stores and malls, where a single truck delivery could serve hundreds of shoppers. But as online shopping has grown and evolved, the green line has shifted. As a result, even environmental activists who work together opt for differing “green” shopping strategies (…) seeking out online retailers with reusable or minimal packaging, and for making a sustainable fashion choice.’ (Verdon, 2018) ‘In 2016, a study conducted by Deloitte Consulting, in partnership with Simon Property Group, one of the largest owners of shopping centres in this country, concluded that mall shopping had 7 percent less environmental impact, as measured by carbon emissions, than online shopping.’ (Verdon, 2018) Jerry Storch, chief executive of Storch Advisors, a retail consulting firm says, “The gap is closing online home delivery is still an environmental question mark because of the extra carbon footprint needed for doorstep home delivery, and the additional packaging involved. But e-commerce has grown well beyond home delivery, to include in-store pickup, central delivery lockers, and other options that are more energy efficient. The gap is also narrowing because as more people buy online, “the density of delivery routes is increasing.” In the past a delivery truck might have to make a trip to deliver one package to a single home. (Jerry Storch, See Verdon, 2018) Meaning consumers are more comfortable buying online knowing it’s becoming less harmful for the environment which has a negative affect for brick and mortar stores who must continue to focus on their environmental strengths promoting ‘reusable bags’ and stating where their sustainable clothing was produced etc to gain consumer loyalty.
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SWOT CHART & ANALYSIS The SWOT chart was used to show the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities for the future of brick and mortar retail spaces. The chart reveals despite weaknesses in costs and the major threat of e-retail there are vast opportunities in the future to compete against the threats which includes integrating aspects of e-commerce into a brick and mortar stores to keep up with consumers altering expectations. As consumers such as Generation Z have become digitally native altering their expectations for retail today in which brick and mortar stores have failed to keep up with. The key opportunities to focus on fall in 4 categories in order of relevance; - Digital Experiences - Social Media Incorporation - Shared Experiences / Social Environments - Visual Aspects / Modular Retail With focus on these factors within brick and mortar spaces will ensure success within the future of offline retail and meeting the altering expectations of todays consumers. This will help to provide initial ideas to take onto Stage 2.
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APPENDIX 16
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
• Social Aspect / Human Interactions • Multi-sensory Experiences • High chance of making product discovery / uncertainty (raising consumer dopamine levels)
OPPORTUNITIES • Further interactive/engaging experiences • Instagrammability Trend / Social Media Opportunities • Incorporate modular retail concept / Aesthetics / Creative • Visuals • Digital Experiences / AI / AR / VR / Robotics • Omni-channel services • Digital payment options • Utilise consumers mobile devices in-store • Apps in store / beacon technology / real time updates • Shared Experiences / Social Environments
• Limited product offering due to space • Lack of personalisation for consumers • Cost of rent of physical space • Cost of staff
THREATS
E-retail: • Personalisation - recommendations and predictions • Advancing technologies offering multi-sensory experiences • Convenience online • Expansive product choice online • Ability to compare prices online • No need for human interaction in digital era
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ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1 - (Triangulation Analysis) https://d2jwkq5i8wlgyl.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/triangulation. jpeg (Date Accessed: 14/12/18) Figure 2 - (Missguided Image 1) -- https://the-dots.com/projects/missguided-154508 (Date Accessed: 16/1/19) Figure 3 -- (Missguided Image 2) -- https://the-dots.com/projects/missguided-154508 (Date Accessed: 16/1/19) Figure 4 -- (Missguided Image 3) -- https://sa.volcanic.uk/s3/ W1siZiIsIjIwMTYvMTEvMjQvMTAvNDgvNDMvMTcxL01pc2d1aWRlZCAxLmpwZyJdXQ (Date Accessed: 16/1/19) Figure 5 -- (Missguided Image 4) -- https://engagehub.co.uk/barbie-x-missguided-is-here-and-we-love-it/ (Date Accessed: 16/1/19) Figure 6 -- (Missguided Image 5) -- https://twitter.com/missguided/status/990248954666373121 (Date Accessed: 16/1/19) Figure 7 -- (Missguided Image 6) -- https://styleintelligence.myshopify.com/products/unicorn-diagnostics-missguidedcom-free-download (Date Accessed: 16/1/19) Figure 8 -- (ASOS Fit Assistant) -- https://blog.fitanalytics.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/asos-fit-assistant.png (Date Accessed: 18/1/19) Figure 9 -- (Smart Mirror) -- https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/01/12/24A1ED9900000578-2906563image-a-6_1421065741106.jpg (Date Accessed: 18/1/19) Figure 10 -- (Virtual Reality) -- https://pmcfootwearnews.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/virtual-reality-tommy-hilfiger. jpg?w=1024 (Date Accessed: 18/1/19) Figure 11 -- (Zara Pick-up) http://gdruk.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/zarashop-30.jpg (Date Accessed: 18/1/19)
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ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 12 -- (Robot) https://www.cnbc.com/2017/07/17/elon-musk-robots-will-be-able-to-do-everything-better-thanus.html (Date Accessed: 19/1/19) Figure 13 -- (Self Service) https://cdn-images-1.medium.com/max/1600/1*tyMNROqH75wUuxcsVFdrFA.jpeg (Date Accessed: (29/11/18) Figure 14 -- (Online Screens In-store) https://imgur.com/dgcCnWI (Date Accessed: (29/11/18) Figure 15 -- (Staff with tablets) http://retail-innovation.com/sites/default/files/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ demandware-tablet.jpg (Date Accessed: (29/11/18) Figure 16 -- (Retail Till) http://www.infotechlead.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/ZARA-for-AR-display.jpg (Date Accessed: (29/11/18) Figure 17 -- (Pay by phone) http://s3.amazonaws.com/digitaltrends-uploads-prod/2018/01/sell-clothes-apps-header-1. jpg (Date Accessed: (29/11/18) Figure 18 -- (Smart Mirror) http://extras.mnginteractive.com/live/media/site568/2015/0213/20150213__SJMMIRROR-0213-01~1.JPG (Date Accessed: (29/11/18) Figure 19 -- (Smart Mirror) http://o.aolcdn.com/hss/storage/ midas/3893e52285e45c12cbda1d3698c67898/206502753/guess-fashionai-store-alibaba.jpg (Date Accessed: (29/11/18) Figure 20 -- (Virtual Reality) http://retail-innovation.com/sites/default/files/styles/320_x_240/public/wp-content/ uploads/2015/12/tommy-hilfigers-in-store-virtual-reality_edited-1.jpg?itok=Tv1e-db6 (Date Accessed: (29/11/18) Figure 21 -- (Robot) https://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2017/08/22/01/43735CA600000578-4811202image-a-41_1503362048698.jpg (Date Accessed: (29/11/18)
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ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 22 -- (Personal Data) https://www.logolynx.com/images/logolynx/68/686f71029841d842183b9ec789681885. png (Date Accessed: 19/1/19) Figure 23 -- (Eco Sign) https://www.brickimaging.com/content/themes/brickimaging-2016/assets/img/eco-friendly. png -- (Date Accessed: 20/1/19) Figure 24 -- (Beacon) https://www.simicart.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/beacon-technology.jpg (Date Accessed: 20/1/19) Figure 25 -- (Sensory) https://www.imougm2018.com/yogyakarta/2018/03/Icon_Neuropsychiatry.png (Date Accessed: 20/1/19) Figure 26 -- (Eco Labels) http://www.stylourbano.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/eco-tags.png (Date Accessed: 20/1/19)
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