How To Create Extraordinary — Or Wow — Retail Experience For Shoppers

Retailer have started focussing a lot on creating wow experiences for shoppers; yet, somehow, a mere 35%, or a third of shoppers, have had “an extraordinary” or “wow” retail experience, says a study by Wharton research.

- Sunil Munshi

The topic of Retail experience has gained the most traction in the wake of digital era. This is not to say that the topic did not hold much credence in yesteryear market. However, a “wow” retail experience is the milestone that all the retailers are striving continuously to achieve as these form the formative steps in actualising repeat purchases in the short term and building brand equity in the long run.

A wow retail experience comprises five key elements:

• Engagement: It encompasses being polite, showing interest in helping, acknowledging and listening.

• Executional Merits: It includes explaining and advising, checking stock, assisting in finding products, having the product knowledge and providing unexpected product quality.

• Brand Experience: Appealing store design and atmosphere, great product quality, making customers feels that they are always getting a deal.

• Expediting: Being proactive in helping speed up the shopping process.

• Problem Recovery: Ability to resolve problems, upgrading the quality and ensuring complete satisfaction.

The advent of the internet has surpassed territorial borders, at least virtually! It has heralded a global marketplace where all sellers and buyers are online. It has also pushed technology innovation like chatbots, virtual reality, extended reality, gamification, etc, empowering both buyers and sellers for touch and feel experience and customer services. The Influencer community has been playing an effective role in building brand equity and pushing business. Deliberations on providing personalized & customized consumer experience has become significant in business meetings. A big chunk of marketing spends is diverted towards realizing this goal.