Retail Design Looks to a New Era

Trying to predict the future about anything retail related is always a bit risky, particularly now when the rules of shopping — of retail itself — are changing at a quicksilver pace. But while it's impossible to predict exactly how COVID-19 will impact retail store design, there seems to be little doubt that it will have at least some long-lasting effects.

Chain Store Age asked several design experts for their opinions on how COVID-19 will shape in-store environments in the future. Their answers point to some dramatic changes. One constant, however, remains: The store experience, however altered, will remain crucial to consumers.

Melissa Gonzalez — CEO/ Founder, The Lionesque Group, and Partner/Stakeholder MG2
We will see stores adapt to a more technologically advanced consumer base. Stores will need to seamlessly be able to serve numerous customer journeys — one that is more transaction-based where the store serves as a fulfillment channel, one where the in-store experience is more experience-based and one that satisfies a unified commerce experience where a customer can easily transition from online and offline experiences. 

The average front of house may decrease in square footage, while the average back of house will increase and logistical/operational planning will be even more important than it was before. The cash wrap experience will evolve as checkout becomes more mobile and aspects like augmented reality will be more widely integrated. 

Jamie Cornelius — Executive Creative Director, ChangeUp
I see two strategies moving forward — a stop-gap strategy to implement for the here and now [see sidebar] and one of innovating for the future.

Looking at the long-term, we will need to re-evaluate the moments along the customer journey and adapt to new consumer priorities, behaviors and expectations. 

Consider how to use the outside space and entry point more effectively, or even bring the outside in with more natural cues to put shoppers at ease. If your business is (or is moving to) an appointment-based model, consider adding chairs for an outdoor waiting area. As a first impression, it will be more critical than ever.  

Rethinking the drive-thru is also a prime improvement opportunity. There’s so much potential for efficiency, experience, contactless payment enhancements, but also drive-thru only locations could unlock even more potential.

Bright lighting will be critical — primarily because dark, moody spaces have the perception of being unclean. Brightly lit areas will play a key role in creating open, more welcoming environments. 

Also, expect a boom in post-pandemic materials and finishes born out of necessity. There will be new takes on anti-microbial and hydrophobic surface finishes applied in new ways to new mediums. The key will be a balance of conveying to shoppers that they are in a pristine space, but without feeling sterile. Be intentional about where customers are placing their hands and rethink how those spaces might come to life with a focus on materiality.

Color and pattern always help bring people out of a funk. Use it to communicate the joy of shopping, infuse personality, and get shoppers out of the survivalist mindset. 

Alastair Kean — Development Director, Dalziel & Pow
There will be some practical elements that brands will need to consider in order to ease anxieties and safeguard the health of customers and staff, and this may mean a more ‘hands-off’ shopping experience.  

We may see contactless processes and technologies extended further, self-service wherever possible, the introduction of wider aisles, one-way systems and more curbside pick-up and return options. Touch-screen technology in stores is likely to be reconsidered, perhaps in favor of voice-activated experiences. 

Brands will need to innovate and remain agile in order to serve in a safe and secure way, whilst still delivering the convenience and magic that consumers are after.

Having said that, consumers are likely to still want some element of a personal experience to contrast the loneliness of lockdown. Having a friendly face to discuss requirements with will arguably be more important than ever, and experiences driven by some form of human connection — perhaps on an emotional, rather than a physical level — will be key.

Joseph Nevin — Senior VP, Development, Big Red Rooster (a JLL company)
There are going to be dramatic changes — a result of overcompensating to accommodate immediate needs — that will overhaul current shopping environments and experiences. Some changes will be temporary, as society eventually adjusts to the most effective and intuitive systems, but the need for catering to customers’ sense of safety and comfort will likely remain. 

Retailers must demonstrate and share their core values to empower both their shoppers and employees while appropriately addressing all touchpoints in the customer journey to ensure long-term future success.
 
Ken Nisch — Chairman, JGA
I’ve heard many people say that COVID marks the end of the experience era. I would disagree. Yes, there will be more precautions. Expectations will rise on operators, whether they be restaurants, museums, theme parks or cruises, to operate under a higher standard, which will increase operating costs. Consumers will want to be reassured by the symbols, if not the realities of heightened care and responsibility.