The Paper Store deploys custom beverage dispensers in stores
A specialty gift retailer is linking its stores to a connected beverage platform in an effort to improve the brick-and-mortar shopping experience.
Massachusetts-based The Paper Store, which sells products including apparel, accessories, books, and stationary products such as greeting cards and memo pads, sought to improve its in-store customer experience to help attract and retain shoppers in the face of competition from big-box retailers which offer a range of amenities.
The Paper Store decided to implement Bevi custom beverage dispensers, running on the connected Bevi beverage platform, to enhance its overall brick-and-mortar customer experience. Shoppers can use the automated self-serve dispensers to create custom beverages with choices including zero- and low-sugar flavors and enhancements.
According to the retailer, the Bevi machines make a “big difference” in its in-store shopping environment. Positive results The Paper Store attributes to the dispensers include:
- Customers spend more time shopping at The Paper Store and are more interested in purchasing merchandise. In addition, many customers are buying refillable water bottles on the spot.
- More engagement and viral posts—especially with a younger audience—on shoppers’ social media accounts featuring the Bevi machine.
- Increased foot traffic from both new and returning customers.
- Elimination of the need for single-use plastic bottles and cans, making The Paper Store a more sustainable brand that aligns with modern consumer preferences.
"The Bevi machine has really made our in-store experience unique," a spokesperson for The Paper Store said. "It’s a part of our personality now. For other retailers thinking about adding Bevi machines to their stores, I would say 100%, go for it."
The Paper Store modernizes store operations
The Paper Store made a $60 million investment in new and existing stores over the next five years in 2024, as it continues to expand into new markets, which includes upgrading in-store technology.
[READ MORE: Paper Store launches $60 million expansion plan; debuts new retail concept]
Finding its legacy e-commerce and POS systems lacking the speed, flexibility and real-time visibility needed to support its omnichannel growth strategy, the company has partnered with technology consulting firm Perficient and selected Kibo to consolidate workflows across digital and physical channels and deliver real-time visibility into inventory across all stores.
Benefits the retailer receives include endless aisle, unified promotions and a more consistent customer experience across channel and touchpoints.
Based in Acton, Mass., The Paper Store is a specialty retailer offering a selection of gifts, fashion and home decor products. The retailer operates over 105 locations across the Northeast U.S. and is expanding into new regions of the country.
