Brick-and-mortar Stores Counter Webshops With Experience
Especially in the current economic climate, brick-and-mortar retailers are losing ground (+2.5% in 2008) compared to webshops (+24% in 2008). Online shops can offer better prices and have the advantage of time convenience on their side. In addition, mobile and payment technologies are maturing, and more and more people get comfortable with e-commerce (both e-tailers like Amazon and online brokers like eBay).
Brick-and-mortar merchants like BCC try to counter by playing the card of Experience. The Dutch electronics retailer has just launched its new store format in Utrecht, Netherlands. The new store is completely built around creating a (trade fair) experience with elements ranging from drying laundry, a central kitchen with live demonstrations, ironing male models, to an interactive Green Wall. Eric Jansen of BCC is proud of the new store: “It should become a pleasant experience again to buy electronics”. On the other hand it is interesting to see that online merchants try to grow into experience as well by creating online shopping environments in which you can browse through books or walk through a 3D environment; or open brick-and-mortar stores as well. Trying to combine the best of both worlds – online and offline, MyGofer lets its customers browse and order products online, and pick them up outside or inside their brick-and-mortar stores.
We will see more of this blend of online and offline in times in which traditional stores need to react on their changing environment. Create unique shopping experiences, integrate with online interfaces, establish try-out stores, adopt free concepts…
More revenue model examples and inspiration:- EtenPerMeter.nl sells vegetables (commodities) as an experience
- Rancho Bernardo Inn, an un-experience in practice
- Broadcast Shopping, a 21th century business model visualised