BY SARA KARNISH
Shopping can be a multisensory experience. Customers appreciate the opportunity to see, smell, touch, and hear products before making a purchase.
This is one true advantage over shopping online. Rather than simply taking a product out of the box or package to allow customers to pick it up and get a closer look, retailers can take these moments a step further by creating multisensory spaces.
In a recent Fast Company article, Jamie Bettencourt writes retailers can lay out their store in a way that makes customers want to linger. They are looking for inspiration for their own surroundings, not just products. Bettencourt offers three suggestions for retailers to create more engaging, socially oriented spaces:
- Create “gathering nodes.” Position seating and small displays in areas of your store where shoppers naturally pause.
- Design multifunctional spaces that serve practical needs. Bettencourt suggests angling beauty mirrors toward each other rather than in rows. Minor changes like this encourage conversation without a major investment in renovations.
- Use technology to enhance the shopping experience. Highlight user-generated content on your social platforms and invite customer feedback and engagement. Visit fastcompany.com/91318365/ designing-for-experience-the-power-of-how-your-store-feels to read the full story.
