WHAT'S THE STORY
The Future – Who?
FASCINATING LOCATION – FOR CUSTOMERS AND EMPLOYEES Sport Schuster. “We perceive the tasks of our employees on the shop floor differently than we did a few years ago,” says Konstantin Rentrop of Sport Schuster in Munich. “In addition to sales, modern employees have to fulfil different roles: authentic consultant, good host, congenial coach, and charming promoter. It is not only a matter of fulfilling the purpose, as in selling, but of offering our customers a good time in our house and justifying our reputation as a place of fascination.” For Sport Schuster, this means quickly adapting to changing consumer behaviour with the help of its employees. This includes actively involving them in product tests, incentives, or customer activations such as testing the new The North Face collection during an excursion to the Dachstein. This is the only way to not only become acquainted with the brands and products, but also the customers. This creates stronger personal bonds. In addition, the sports store relies heavily on product presentation in cooperation with suppliers and partners. The latter include outdoor photo collective German Roamers and mountaineering enthusiast community Munich Mountain Girls. The current cooperation with indoor cycling specialist Peloton continues until February 2020. Customers can test the bikes and experience the hype surrounding the digital sports programme first hand in a separate area. A test session can be booked via an online tool provided by Peloton, but the bikes can only be ordered directly from the manufacturer. “The digital-to-store connection is important to us. Digital booking enables us to activate existing customers and attract new ones,” says Rentrop. “Generally speaking, we use such presentations as means to communicate the Sport Schuster brand, generate traffic, and differentiate ourselves from pure e-commerce players.”
At Sport Schuster, employees are authentic consultants, good hosts, congenial coaches, and charming promoters – both in the store and at outdoor activities with customers.
“We believe in the fascination of brick-andmortar retailing,” says Konstantin Rentrop, the e-commerce and marketing manager at Sport Schuster.
DIGITALLY ASSISTED SHOPPING EXPERIENCE Bonprix. In February 2019, Bonprix, a subsidiary of Otto Group, opened its Fashion Connect Store in “Mönckebergstrasse”, a prime location in Hamburg. On 600 square metres, the store combines brick-and-mortar retailing with digital tools. Classic pain points within the retail trade are cleverly compensated with technical innovations. For example, Bonprix relies on a “one piece presentation” in order to maintain a minimalist presentation and facilitate customer orientation. The online shop, however, offers an extremely extensive range of products. The central tool of the customer journey is the in-house app, which accompanies customers throughout their entire visit. This does not mean that competent staff is superfluous. “Digitisation plays a very important role in everyday working life,” confirms one employee who works as a fashion assistant and visual merchandising expert at the Bonprix store. “Without the smartphone, the Bonprix app, and many other technical refinements, we would not be able to offer our customers such a unique and convenient shopping experience. Nevertheless, technology does not replace the personal component, for example when we advise on fashion or other questions. In fact, the new concept allows us to devote much more time and attention to our customers.” 108
style in progress
Bonprix takes stock almost a year after its premiere: the digital tools of the Fashion Connect Store give employees more time for their customers.
