Thinking beyond the shelf

Stores seeking new ways to engage customers and build relationships have taken to innovative ways to engage the senses and even adopted the role of curating experiences. Richard Seah finds out more. 

What exactly constitutes store fittings? If you think only in terms of shelving, signage and other fixtures, perhaps it’s time to think beyond the shelf?

A visit to the Abercrombie & Fitch (A&F) flagship store at Knightsbridge along Singapore’s Orchard Road tourist belt will open your mind – and titillate your senses.

Even before the store opened in late 2011, it attracted much attention with its building-sized billboard visible from hundreds of metres away. What more, the billboard featured a bare-bodied man dressed in low cut jeans, which caused at least one member of the public to take offense and complain to the press.

The billboard is no longer there but more unique experiences await visitors. As you approach, you will notice that the store is dimly lit inside. Step in and, on certain days, you will be greeted by live male models – they were bare-bodied on opening day – handing out samples of A&F fragrances. Otherwise, the scent is in the air.

There is music too. It is loud. It has a strong beat that makes you want to move your body. Yet it does not cause ear fatigue that makes you want to get out quickly. The wall beside the staircase is painted with a mural that goes all the way up to the top floor. Next to the stairs is a larger than life statue. Behind, another mural leads down to the basement. The entire place is dark, with the steps of the stairs being the most prominently lit object. Spotlights shine on a face or two of the mural. And yes, on some clothing items. You are in a store. But the feeling is of being in a disco club, a classy one at that.

So “store fittings” at Abercrombie & Fitch include male models, its signature cologne, music, wall murals and more. “The idea is to create a multi-sensory experience that will engage customers,” says one industry observer.

“There is a growing trend of brands creating bespoke in-store experiences to enhance the shopping experience for customers. Physical stores are taking on the role of curating fun, interactive experiences that shoppers cannot get with e-commerce. Although online shopping is more prevalent in countries like the US or Japan than in Singapore, stores must continue to find new ways to engage their customers to build relationships with them.”

Not many stores go the same distance as A&F, mainly because of budget constraints. But those that can afford, such as the cosmetic houses, certainly make the effort. For example, at ION Orchard just past the exit of the Orchard MRT stations, three cosmetics stores fight fiercely for attention – again by appealing to the different senses.

Also at ION Orchard, shoppers might notice a particular scent in the air. It is subtle, intended to be perceived, but not draw too much attention. This is “scent marketing” and its basis is scientific studies that show that the right scent can draw people into a store or mall and make them stay longer once inside. It is not as widely practised here as in the US or Europe, but a few retailers and mall owners have started to implement it. 

Integrated flexible displays

Playing a more obvious role in the fight for attention are “live” video images, against which even gigantic posters and light boxes look “dead”. Taking note of this, Samsung has invested heavily to develop an integrated display solution and its second generation of Samsung SMART signage platform, both of which were launched at end-July.

The signage system basically comprises Samsung display screens, the biggest that is commercially available measures 95 inches diagonally across. But again, if you only think of them screening pre-programmed videos, you need to think beyond.

“Intended for the new business experience, our total display solutions are smarter, better customised and more differentiated. They will revolutionise the way businesses relate to customers,” says Andy Sim, Samsung’s general manager for enterprise business.

Unique to Samsung, two or more screens can be joined together at any angle – not just vertically or horizontally – and moving images will flow smoothly from one screen to the next. Alternatively, each screen can be split to display up to four channels.

Another capability allows the user to transfer any material – text, images, videos and so on – from a handheld device, such as mobile phone or tablet, onto the display screen simply by “pushing” the item across with a finger. A touch screen overlay easily converts an ordinary screen into one with interactive functions. This can be used not just for navigation, but even for content creation, including having artists paint and draw on the screens.

Samsung says these screens can be used as menu boards in restaurants, for retail advertising, way-finding, public announcement messages and so on. A single screen can replace a whole lot of banners and posters, giving a much neater store or mall layout. In fact, live screens could spell the end, or at least the decline, of posters, banners, light boxes and other traditional in-store displays.

“We offer a wide variety of displays, from high-end systems with state-of-the-art technologies and features, to entry-level displays with simpler design and basic functionality,” Sim adds. “The screens are very easy to use. For example, content from USB devices or SD cards will play automatically when plugged in. Users buy and install only the display screen, without having to worry about computers, connecting cables and other accessories. Everything is built in.”

The Samsung displays are already being used in all Samsung stores. Meanwhile, they have other applications and the first in Singapore to fully adopt this new technology is GEMS World Academy, an international school that will use the screens for classroom teaching, replacing the traditional blackboards and white boards.

As such displays are still relatively new in Singapore, most stores still ask their designers and fitters for traditional light boxes. But other electronic devices are gradually making their presence strongly felt, especially tablet devices like iPads. Indeed, Apple has had to switch to using handheld devices for transactions when sales proved stronger than originally anticipated.

Not-so-regular features

Away from technology, there remains room for regular store fixtures to create an impact. For the design and build firm of Chooi & Thang, this is achieved with dramatic structures at the entrance and on the ceiling. Executive director Clara Tang explains: “For the swimwear company Arena, we put a huge Arena logo on the shop ceiling. This has become part of their signature look, which they will always retain even when other features are dispensed with. For Vito, which sells exercise equipment, we created a store entrance with a distinctive, irregular shape.

“Not all stores have big budgets for design and fittings and retailers may not want to spend too much when the typical shop lease is only two years. Within [their budgets], we do what we can to create a distinctive look that will etch in the minds of shoppers.”