Electronics brands have a tremendous opportunity to bridge the online and offline worlds, or rather, showcase how to make their brand (and products) more approachable and friendly. Brands that are already tech enabled and connecting that experience to retail, do it successfully when they have a true purpose. Creating brand spaces that connect emotionally with customers is vital when building a successful electronics experience.
Blending Experiential and Traditional Retail
We created a whole new way for Xfinity to engage with their customers in a physical branded experience. With the launch of their mobile phone, the store needed to humanize the services they were offering while allowing customers to explore what’s possible with all of Xfinity services combined.
The key to connecting with consumers is sparking imagination. Imagination can build brand affinity and encourage repeat visits to physical spaces. The new Vivo concept lab in Shenzhen was created to expand its user base in hopes to begin competing with Apple. The new 2-story environment has both immersive digital experiences that encourage delightful exploration AND a traditional retail space with a product focus.
A playground of cutting edge technology provides opportunities to time travel and create your own avatar with Vivo Me. Connecting your Vivo device with these moments of engagement, demonstrates how brands can connect products to an idea in a more interactive way. These soft-sell moments are a breath of fresh air to your customer and when they are ready to buy, they make it easy.
Mobile. Media. Mainstreet.
Since people today are always connected to their online world, why not bring that online world into the physical? Access and ease of use is key to building a truly connected experience. We’re seeing entire neighborhoods, across the globe, being reimagined with the tech-enabled consumer in mind. The Funan shopping mall in Singapore was built as a technology backed entertainment destination. With an eye on electronics, brands like GamePro host gaming tournaments, the Nikon Experience Hub provides workshops and tutorials, while TK Foto features a drone-testing area.
Electronic Sustainability
Something to think about: The consumer shift toward sustainability that has been happening in most areas of retail is now beginning to creep into the consumer electronics space. Conscientious consumers are looking for their electronics to be recycled or replaced–demanding their purchased product work harder and for longer. We predict every major electronics retailer and manufacturer (and service provider) will need an answer to how they are meeting this demand within the next 2 years.
Brands like Fairphone are working to limit their environmental impact by creating phones that are easily repaired and upgraded overtime, making their products last longer for owners. They’re not perfect so a true leader is still TBD as market demand increases quickly. A cracked screen should no longer mean consumers have to pay for an entirely new phone–and their previous phone goes to a landfill somewhere. We see this coming into play more within the physical experience. How consumer electronics brands create hubs to encourage phone upgrades or product service centers.