FOUR TAKE AWAYS FOR THE RETAIL DESIGN INDUSTRY.

Retail is changing, no question about it. Brands all over the globe struggle to keep up with the evolution. During the last decade or so the pace in retail development has reached high on the logarithmic curve of change. Change in customer behaviors, demands and expectations. OMNI-channeling is now the new concept to reach for.

‍And whilst the pandemic has fueled that change in customer behaviors, it has also brought more light to other aspects for the retail design industry to consider as well. Here are four additional challenges which are important to consider for a successful and future proof retail interior concept.

‍Sustainability. Demands on brands to deliver sustainable (economic, environmental, and social) products are already high. Doing this well is already a huge competitive advantage on many markets. Store interiors or any kind of physical retail channel needs to support that message to stay in the race.

…and because it’s the right thing to do of obvious reasons.
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‍Global distribution for international brands is challenging considering the negative environmental impact caused by the transportation sector. New concepts need to find creative ways for distribution and outsourced production. Designers need to create concepts with good logistics in mind from the very start. ”Design follows logistics”?

‍True value for money. Today, brands are depending on many platforms to reach their community of fans and customers, with each channel competing for their budget share. Believing that real life meeting points are a crucial part of the channel mix also obliges a return on that large investment. Understanding the customer journey through all available channels does certainly seem to be more important than ever.

‍Global raw material prices. A cargo ship blocking the Suez Canal or new global political agendas also affect the success of retail design concepts. Why? Simply because they have a huge influence on what materials to use or not. Future proof design means designing for flexibility to withstand unexpected peeks in raw material prices.