CONTEXT
Todays consumer engages with brands and products in new evolved ways. They are more informed and involved and they apply this to their shopping endeavours. Experiential elements in retail are becoming more and more integral to todays new retail models and consumers interaction with them. With all the different platforms available to them for retail and brand exploration. On a whole, the existing retail model is not evolving at the same speed and level as the modern savvy new consumer, Particularly local high street shopping environments. The research conducted is focusing on women and fashion.
RESEARCH QUESTION
In what ways can this gap be closed and these retail models/environments evolve to meet the expectations of todays consumer? Quantitative research Survey sample: 65 participants, Sample of respondents consisted of 74% age18-24. Survey was distributed across 3 platforms. (LinkedIn, Facebook, and UCA students) Participants were informed that research was for academic purposes and that results are anonymous. Qualitative research Observational research done in London, Accompanied shopping and my own shopping__ Comments from informal interviews conducted on the shop floors with Sales assistants from stores identified as experiential. and a group of 8 female consumers. (Secondary research referenced in case study to contextualize)
RESEARCH SHOWS • Respondents are using their local high street frequently, 86% had visited their local highstreet in the last 6 months compared to values lesser than 10% for the non traditional, experiential shopping enviroments. • Respondants still consider them to be convenient • Price and product ranked as respondants primary concerns when choosing where they shop. • Visual merchandising ranked as the least important. • 36% of respondants ranked it as the least important thing to influence where they shop. This could be explained by the fact that visual merchandising effects your mood and decisions in quite sub conscious ways that our sample may not be aware of. There has been a lot of research to prove its influence on your buying decisions done by companies such as envirosell to name just one.
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The atmosphere and entertainment were secondary concerns. 67% of respondants described their usual shopping experiences a pleasure 13% a chore or inconvenience 20% said a practical necessity
HOWEVER Qualitative research revealed another perspective. Respondents were asked to complete the following phrases in 5 or less words
My highstreet is.... It makes me feel... I leave feeling... When the totals were analysed results were
32% Positive
21% Neutral
47% Negative