Here’s how retailers can enhance the customer experience in-store in 2019

The pressure on Britain’s high street is intensifying with shopkeepers preparing themselves for yet another year of declining footfall, driven by low consumer confidence and the growth of online competitors.

Against this backdrop, we’re seeing a number of high street retailers revamping their customer experience in-store and trialling new creative strategies to encourage shoppers back to the high street.

But what does this enriched customer experience look like in practice, and what trends are likely to dominate in 2019?

From customisation 2.0 and brand immersion to community and convenience, today’s customer experience is powered by consumers’ changing expectations and desire to be actively involved in the “inspire and purchase” cycle. While trends like customisation have been around since the beginning of the decade, we’re increasingly seeing their evolution and maturation. Specifically, in the case of customisation, we’re seeing this become more integrated into the point of sale through the personalisation of services, products, or even of the store itself: for instance, by enabling shoppers to influence the music playing, or learn about product features in real-time through RFID (radio-frequency identification).

In 2019, retailers will need to further immerse consumers in their brand’s universe if they want to succeed, which means going beyond product marketing, to actually revealing the brand’s true essence to customers. A great example is the recent t-shirt range at Tesco, designed by children, for children. Not only does this fully immerse consumers in Tesco’s world, but it also transforms the store into a playground where customers want to spend more time. We’re also witnessing an increase in the number of stores that have been designed like galleries, where art, fashion and design coexist, like Samsung in Canada, where visitors are accompanied by shop assistants in their discovery of products through a carefully curated storyline while exploring different spaces in the store.

Following the rise of online shopping, consumers are also seeking new levels of convenience from the in-store experience. One area where we’re seeing progress is in payment technologies, which has resulted in the removal of tills in favour of tablets and mobiles. Not only can this greatly modify the layout of the store, but it also gives sales assistants more time to take care of customers – elevating the role of shop assistants to 3.0 consultants, with transactions carried out side by side, rather than face to face.

Finally, high-street retailers should explore how to “create a community” around their brand. In other words, transforming the store into a living space where customers feel at home. This “apartment” trend – where customers can test all the products in a home-like setting, where they are plugged in and waiting – is already prevalent in the US, with stores like The Apartment on the Line and Sonos leading the way.

With consumer expectations higher than ever, and technology now changing the rules of the game, retailers need to keep up and embrace innovation if they want to remain ahead of the curve in 2019.