The retail experience compromises of more than just a brick-and-mortar store, put your products in, slap on some prices, and expect money to roll in. For a truly holistic brand experience that supports the brand values, look no further than Apple store.
In the Apple store, the main objective isn’t to just sell products. It is to create an memorable experience for anyone that walks in. It is a place for people to gather, to try out products, to mingle with the staffs and above all, just enjoy being in the shop with like-minded individuals. The entire store is designed to support this vision. Even people who shunned Apple should be sensible enough to notice the level of craft and architecture details.
That’s something other competitors can’t copy freely because it’s the mindset from the top management that filters down, level by level to the very front line staffs. Everyone understands the values of Apple. They believe in the vision, and they stride towards it in unity.
When I read about the news of Nespresso setting up a concept store, the resemblance with Apple is striking similar. They are defining how customers walk in, interact and go through the entire buying process. Nespresso’s products are not cheap. I would classified them as a little pricer range of the spectrum in the consumer market.
Their machines though, are well designed, something you would be proud to display prominently in the house. The coffee makers are clean, elegant and modern. The coffee refills have to be purchased from Nestle themselves. Every single experience is purposefully crafted and designed.
Sounds familiar? It probably is. By now you would have realized Nespresso is doing heeding Apple’s success in the tech field, and apply them to the coffee industry.
When you enter the store, you may belong to one of the following categories:
- Coffee lover
- Wants to get refill pack
- Just passing by and pop in to have a look
- Wants to get coffee machine but don’t know where to start
- Wants to get coffee machine and already have shortlist in mind
Assuming you belong to any of the above, you can feel at ease with the concept in the Nespresso store. Remember the experience of certain stores catering to a particular type of crowd. From novice to experienced coffee tasters, no one gets left out. I presume this is especially true if the store sells a polarizing product such as coffee. Instead of turning non coffee drinkers away, they welcome them in and educate them. In this way, they wouldn’t feel out of place if they came in with a coffee lover.
This is an extract from the Pandodaily:
When I walked into the coffee retailer’s Union Square shop in San Francisco, the feeling of being in an Apple Store also came over me. Nespresso representatives are everywhere and eager to help you pick out the perfect Nespresso machine or a coffee pod that best fits your taste. There are iPads available to dive into the details of the selections on your own. But even more, there are coffee makers on display, with Nespresso representatives on-hand to help customers learn how to use the machines – customers actually get to drink the product of their labor.
Retailers are coming to terms that retail space is not just a premise to sell. Framing it around the products, to engage with existing and potential customers in a way that really delight them. The onus is convincing people to buy into your products, not just buying the product.