Consulting
FUTURE OF
RETAIL
PSFK presents
a report

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PSFK presents
FUTURE OF RETAIL
Consulting
PSFK presents
FUTURE OF RETAIL
introduction
The time has come
to re-imagine
the future of shopping.
Let’s think less about real estate, staff, footfall and online stores
and start thinking about the entire world as a store; one in which
we can easily make instant purchases regardless of time and
place. Driven by technology, the web, community and the search
for ever-richer experiences, the world of shopping is undergoing
a sweeping transformation. This report seeks to understand the
forces of change and provide a framework in which we can
envision this new future.
Beyond an evolving the decentralized shopping experience,
retailers must begin to contemplate the impact of digital media
and the effects it is having on purchase decisions. Connected
devices, whether a mobile phone or a web-enabled in-store
kiosk, are making what was once a solitary trip to the store a
socially connected event. As shoppers go through the process of
discovering new products, testing them, and reflecting on their
purchases, they are sharing these thoughts with their social
networks and influencing perception amongst their peer group.
Retailers must embrace and facilitate this sharing of information,
and retail outlets need to evolve to create experiences that drive
sales both in-store and within online social networks.
Meanwhile, the traditional physical store remains as important as
ever, providing the environment in which a retailer can provide
an unparalleled experience. Through the dynamic use of space,
the most successful store owners are pushing the boundaries of
storytelling, product testing and education - aspects of evolved
services that lead to loyalty and repeat sales.

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Consulting
PSFK presents
FUTURE OF RETAIL
introduction
Goals
• Identify the key trends driving change
in retailing
• Inspire creative business to react with
engaging retail solutions
PSFK PROCESS
PSFK conducted a research cycle during
which they searched for signs of change
and spoke to opinion leaders about shifts in
the marketplace. Our researchers gathered
several hundred pieces of data that provided
both literal and lateral inspiration supporting
trends impacting the retail experience.
At the end of the research period, PSFK’s
team conducted pattern recognition to
identify trends, the strongest of which are
featured in this document.
ABOUT PSFK
PSFK is the go-to source for new ideas and
inspiration. The New York City based trends
and innovation company publishes a daily
news site, provides research and business
consultancy, manages a network of experts
and hosts idea-generating events. PSFK aims
to inspire readers, clients and guests to make
things better—whether that’s better products,
better services, better lives or a better world.
www.psfk.com
CONTACT For more
information
Jeff Weiner
jeff.weiner@psfk.com
For copies of this report visit:
www.psfk.com/future-of-retail
In the next 80 pages, PSFK will
provide an analysis of the
Future of Retail. We will
explore this future from the
perspective of brands,
shoppers, retailers, and
communities, highlighting how
technology and our senses play
a role in the retail experience
both in and out of the store.
The trends identified within this
document and the examples
used to bring them to life are
inspired by innovation from
around the globe.
This report marks the first of
several upcoming ‘Future Of’
reports, in which PSFK will
contemplate emerging trends
as they pertain to culture,
business and society. By
identifying change, we hope to
provide a framework within
which readers can contemplate
how present and future
innovation might affect their
businesses, their suppliers and
their customers.
How will we shop
tomorrow? Where will we
buy and what service will
we expect to receive?

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key learnings
Increased access to the mobile web is freeing the retail experience
from the confines of the physical and traditional online environment,
allowing shopping to take place virtually anywhere.
Creating a flexible in-store environment through design, product
offerings and promotions, ensures that each visit will feel
like a brand new experience.
Leveraging collaborations based on aspects such as locale or cultural
touchstones, maintains a brand’s relevancy in the eyes of the customer.
Whether physically or through connected technologies, shopping is still
best experienced socially.
In a connected world where access to information is fluid and
transparency is the expectation, brands must actively take part in the
conversation, otherwise their customers will do so without them.
The introduction of connected technologies into retail environments is
changing the ways that stores are able to provide customer service.
Introducing likeminded products and services into standalone
retail environments shows customers that a brand
is confident in their core offering and looking to further enhance
the in-store experience.
Physical stores still provide the best means to communicate
with customers and offer a brand experience.
In the new customer-centric approach to retail, stores need to
continually find ways to lower barriers to purchase and be prepared to
make a sale whenever and wherever a customer is ready.
Empower customers by providing them with all of the tools needed to
make an informed purchase decision.

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major trends
1. World As Retail Experience
2. pre-view shopping
3. Tablet Enabled Service
4. Selling The Ideal
5. Every Store As flagship
6. Complementary Curation
7. Revolving Decors
8. Taking The Store to The Customer
9. Instant Show Tell
10. Group Clout

World As
Retail
ExperienceBuy anything, anytime, anywhere
photos by Catalina Kulczar-Marin ©2010

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Entire World As Display
App Transforms iPhone Into Credit
Card Machine
World As Retail
Experience
summary
Mobile payment systems and product
identification technologies are enabling
users to interact with and purchase virtually
any product they come across in the world,
regardless of whether or not it is found
in a traditional retail environment. The ability
of an individual to buy almost anything
they see, shortens the path to purchase
by transforming any encounter into an
opportunity to make a sale.
implications
• Now that the potential for a sale exists
anywhere, retailers and brands will need
to be smarter about crafting products
and services that can serve as standalone
experiences
• As more shoppers can access background
information on their mobile devices.
Brands will have to take the lead in how
they tell the story about their product
and service
• Retailers will need to find ways to lower
the barriers to completing transactions,
ensuring the process is easy and secure
• Retailers can augment their in-store
experience by allowing shoppers to
access tailored content on their mobile
devices such as product information and
limited-time promotions when visiting
physical locations
“Everywhere will be a store, everything will be available
to buy and everyone will be involved in the sale. With the
technology available to us, I can snap a picture on my
camera phone of a friend’s shoes and get them shipped for
arrival when I wake up the next day.”
– Piers Fawkes, President, PSFK
Immediate Product Research, Sampling
and Buying
Store-Free Shopping Via Text
Mobile Coupons Offer Opportunity For
Retailers to Reward Shoppers
In-app Purchasing For Augmented
reality Content

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World As Retail
Experience
Immediate Product Research, Sampling
and Buying
Mobile applications like Stripey Lines, ShopSavvy and Amazon use barcode-
scanning or image recognition to enable users to quickly access information
to research products, check pricing and availability and make purchases.
Through these applications users are able to do things like scan the barcode
of a music album, access it through iTunes and listen to a sample instantly.
www.stripeylines.com

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World As Retail
Experience
App Transforms iPhone and iPad Into
Credit Card Machine
Square is a new mobile payment system for the iPhone and iPad that enables
people to check out from anywhere. A small, plastic card reader fits into the
headphone jack, transferring the credit card’s swipe data to the app or details
can be entered manually without the need to swipe. After an employee
enters the amount to charge, the customer confirms by simply entering their
signature with their finger and then the receipt is sent to the customer’s
email address.
www.squareup.com

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World As Retail
Experience
Store-Free Shopping Via Text
Subports is a retail shopping platform through which customers use text
messages to purchase items. Merchants tag their products and distribute a
designated short code, such that users who have their payment information
tied to a Subports account can text the code in to instantly purchase
merchandise.
www.subports.com

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World As Retail
Experience
Entire World As Display
Innovation group Frog Design has envisioned a concept scenario called
ThingBook, in which a future where every object is connected to the internet
plays a critical role in how we might eventually shop for products. With
every visible thing connected as a data point, users will be able to instantly
research information about items such as clothes they see others wearing in
the streets using image recognition systems on their mobile devices and
pay for them through mobile systems. This access will enable people to
shop and buy from anywhere.
www.frogdesign.com

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World As Retail
Experience
In-app Purchasing For Augmented
Reality Content
Augmented reality technology enables digital information to appear on top
of the physical world when viewed through the camera of a mobile device,
creating a hybrid browsing experience anywhere. Layar is one such mobile
app that recently added the ability to purchase exclusive information and
content directly within the app. Content partners can now provide special
paid content and information-rich layers that help users better navigate new
locations, potentially opening the door for a future where users can preview
and buy any product they see.
www.layar.com

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World As Retail
Experience
Mobile Coupons Offer Opportunity For
Retailers to Reward Shoppers
Deal sites such as Coupon Sherpa and Cellfire already enable consumers to
search for discounts from brands and access them on their mobile phones
to be presented at checkout. In addition, as location-based social networks
like Foursquare and Gowalla become more prominent, retailers will have the
ability to target shoppers with promotions as they check in to store locations,
providing limited time incentives to make purchases during their visits.
www.couponsherpa.com
www.cellfire.com
www.foursquare.com
www.gowalla.com

pre-view
shoppingVisualize your trip before you go
photos by Catalina Kulczar-Marin ©2010

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App Offers Turn-by-Turn Directions
Indoors
Webcams Show Which Locations
Are Crowded
Pre-view
Shopping
summary
Smarter mobile devices and improved
GPS technologies are providing shoppers
with details about the retail environment,
often before they ever visit the store. This
information can take the form of interior
views or turn-by-turn directions to help
customers better navigate the aisles
and locate products easier. In addition
to providing increased convenience and
efficiency, this technology also allows for
real-time information about foot-traffic at
retail locations and stands to affect consumer
habits such as what time of day they visit a
store.
implications
• Provide customers with real-time
information about in-store wait times
• Present customers with information that
enables a better shopping experience,
opening the door for repeat business
• Consider the possibility of linking
information such as stock with
recommendations and discounts
• Provide customers with relevant
information that they can react to
including inventory, wait times, shopping
lists, in-store maps, and reviews
Insider Access
Gift Recommendations Guided
By Location
Grocery Application Makes Shopping
More EfficienT
Visit The Store Before Your Trip
“Some people want to do research from their home and
others want to do research in the retail environment.
Brands need to be prepared to accommodate both,
especially as different products categories require different
approaches.”
– Laura Cashill, Senior Manager, Guest Insights, Target

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pre-view
shopping
Insider Access
By overlaying event and venue-specific map data onto Google Maps
technology, developers are able to build mobile applications with maps of
indoor space. Services like Point Inside are able to take these foundations and
provide merchants with the ability to communicate with shoppers as they
move physically along an indoor map.
www.pointinside.com

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pre-view
shopping
App Offers Turn-by-Turn Directions
Indoors
Fast Mall is a mobile app that provides turn-by-turn directions inside locations
such as shopping malls without the need for GPS. Users can sync the app
with their social media profiles, add reviews of stores and restaurants, create
shopping lists, set reminders for where they parked and shake their phone for
the location of the nearest bathrooms.
www.fastmall.com

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pre-view
shopping
Grocery Application Makes Shopping
More Efficient
Grocery IQ is an iPhone application that gives users a simple method for
tracking and organizing the groceries they buy. Upon first use, items from a
shoppers’s list are automatically sorted to match the rows of the store they
shop. Over time the application learns the user’s purchase habits and default
items to arrange shopping lists even more efficiently.
www.groceryiq.com

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pre-view
shopping
Visit The Store Before Your Trip
Google has launched an initiative that provides shoppers with an inside view
of a location’s setting, facilities, ambiance, merchandise, layout, and decor
when searching for the right business. Google photographers organize visits
with retail business owners, building an interactive tool for customers at the
location’s Google Places page.
www.google.com/places

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pre-view
shopping
Gift Recommendations Guided By Location
NearbyNow provides gift recommendations for multiple stores within a
mall. The application aggregates top gift guides into one location, allowing
shoppers to narrow down gifts by descriptions of the recipient and pointing
shoppers to nearby retailers that may carry them.
www.nearbynow.com

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pre-view
shopping
Webcams Show Which Locations
Are Crowded
In an effort to lessen waiting times and prevent overcrowding at
Singapore’s health clinics, the country’s Ministry of Health has
developed Queue Watch, an online service that provides a real-time
picture of what’s happening at each location. An interactive map
reveals not just the number of patients waiting for registration and
consultation, but live webcam images show the waiting areas for
registration, consultation and pharmacy payment.
www.he.ecitizen.gov.sg

tablet
enabled
serviceSmart devices enable superior customer service
photos by Catalina Kulczar-Marin ©2010

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Tablet Enabled Service
summary
The introduction of internet-enabled mobile
devices like the iPhone and the iPad into store
environments is allowing retailers to deliver a
higher level of service to their customers. The
in-store experience can now provide real-time
access to information on the web alongside
one-on-one assistance from sales staff to
create a personalized shopping experience
that helps ensure repeat business.
implications
• Leverage technology within the retail
environment to provide customized
experiences for shoppers based on their
particular needs
• By using handheld devices, sales staff are
freed from desk positions to interact with
customers and help with transactions
• Provide staff with the tools to easily
access information within stores, instilling
greater confidence in their ability to
provide superior customer service
• Offer customers an experience that
feels both personal and exclusive by
giving staff an easy way to access a their
previous shopping data - purchases,
preferences etc
• Consider being more transparent by
letting customers watch transactions on
screen such as inventory searches and
checkout. This brings customers into the
process and encourages patience and
participation
Hotels Equip Front Desk Staff
With iPads
Floor Staff Equipped With Handheld
Devices
iPod Touch Provides Personalized
Shopping Experience
Japanese Hotels Lends Pre-Loaded
iPhones to Guests
Car Dealer to use iPads on the
Showroom Floor
Interactive Nightlife Space Connects
Patrons And Staff
“Retailers need to empower their staff by providing them
with real-time information and putting it at their fingertips.
In the right hands, tablets have the power to make a retail
visit a highly personal experience for the shopper.”
– Piers Fawkes, President, PSFK

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tablet
enabled
service
Hotels Equip Front Desk Staff With iPads
In an effort to offer better service to its guests, Intercontinental Hotels
Resorts have announced plans to equip its concierge teams with iPads,
enabling them to provide local recommendations, interactive content and
turn-by-turn directions and complete transactions such as tour bookings and
restaurant reservations all from one handheld device.
www.intercontinental.com

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tablet
enabled
service
iPod Touch Provides Personalized
Shopping Experience
When shoppers visit appliance manufacturer Miele’s latest store in Vianen in
the Netherlands they are asked to register basic information and in return are
given an iPod Touch that leads them on a tailored guide for the store. The
device also reacts with the information displays and store elements to create
an interactive browsing tour.
De Limiet 2, 4131 NR Vianen, Netherlands
www.miele.com

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tablet
enabled
service
Interactive Nightlife Space Connects
Patrons And Staff
Upon entering the MiBar Martini bar in South Africa, patrons log in to a
special network that is accessed through touchscreen interfaces throughout
the interior, allowing them to interact with other patrons and bar staff.
Customers use these MiTables to access the menu and order specialty drinks.
160 Jan Smuts Ave Rosenbank, Johannesburg, South africa
www.mi-world.co.za

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tablet
enabled
service
Floor Staff Equipped With
Handheld Devices
Home Depot has announced a plan to distribute 10,000 portable devices to
its store associates during 2010. The handhelds will assist staff with stocking
shelves, locating inventory, communicating both in-store and with other
locations and checking out customers throughout the store. In testing the
devices, Home Depot found that its stores ran more efficiently and provided
a better overall level of service.
www.homedepot.com

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tablet
enabled
service
Japanese Hotels Lends Pre-Loaded
iPhones to Guests
During the flower viewing season in Kyoto, the Hyatt Regency Hotel handed
out iPhones to its guest to help them better navigate the city and take in
the sights. The phones came with pre-installed apps, focusing on the special
events taking place, including an events calendar, cultural background, tourist
information and GPS navigation to get around.
644-2 Sanjusangendo-mawari, Higashiyama-ku
Kyoto, Japan 605-0941
www.hyatt.com

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tablet
enabled
service
Car Dealer to use iPads on the Showroom
Floor
In an effort to provide better customer service on the showroom floor,
Mercedes-Benz Financial will distribute iPads to 40 selected dealers
throughout the United States to test the handheld device as a business tool.
The company points to the numerous benefits - the tablets will provide
salespeople with instant access to marketing programs for specific vehicle
models, quicker turn around time on the credit application process, and
increased speed and efficiency on the return of lease vehicles.
www.mbusa.com/mercedes

SELLING
THE IDEALPersonal service for all
photos by Catalina Kulczar-Marin ©2010

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Use A Personalized Shopper Without
Having To Visit A Store
Selling
the ideal
summary
Consumers search for products and
experiences with an ideal image in their head
of how these things should fit within their
lives. Businesses are exploring ways to better
translate this picture into reality through
innovative uses of communication platforms.
These are tools that allow consumers to have
expectations met earlier in the process, to
avoid wasting time further down the line.
implications
• By creating tailored end-to-end
experiences from customer service
through purchase and beyond, retailers
are opening the door for repeat business
• Enabling the customer to lead the
conversation, ensures that they feel more
comfortable during the entire purchase
path
• The retailer can make a personalized
offering before, during and after purchase
• The shopper can preview options before
setting foot in the store
• By providing premium service tailored
to individual needs, the customer is
empowered to make more informed
decisions about their purchases
Travel Agents Bid on Consumers’
Dream Vacations
Hair Salon Offers Skype Consultations
Restaurant Creates Customer-Focused
Experience With Technology
Web-Enabled Healthcare Provides For
Richer In-Office Visits
“In some ways, digital technology allows shoppers to collaborate
with the retailer. Shoppers can show the retailer what they’re
looking for and enter into a dynamic discussion about finding a
product or service that fits their needs.”
– Piers Fawkes, President, PSFK

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selling
the ideal
Travel Agents Bid on Consumers’
Dream Vacations
OfferMeATrip is an online site that allows customers to imagine their ideal
vacations by describing their desires in terms of location, activities, length
of stay and price. A network of approved travel agents can react by offering
customized trip itineraries around the customer’s parameters.
dev.offermeatrip.com

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selling
the ideal
Use A Personalized Shopper Without
Having To Visit A Store
Understanding that not everyone enjoys the experience of shopping for
clothing, the founders of Trunk Club created a shopping service targeted at
men, enabling them to try on clothing from the convenience of their own
homes. Each individual is assigned a style expert who mails them apparel
and accessories based on their personal profile and an initial webcam
consultation. Customers can then choose to buy or send back any of
the selections
www.trunkclub.com

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the ideal
Hair Salon Offers Skype Consultations
Realizing that their clients might appreciate speaking with a stylist prior to
heading to their hairdressers, Plan B Salon in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has
launched a new service offering 15-minute video consultations. Before their
salon visit, customers make a Skype web-video call with the stylist and can
get an idea of what their options are or how receptive the stylist is to their
requests.
99 Mount Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, usa
www.planbsalon.com

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selling
the ideal
Restaurant Creates Customer-Focused
Experience With Technology
4Food is a new organic fast food restaurant which will feature a 240 square
foot monitor to stream foursquare check-ins, customer tweets and info from
the restaurant. At the store, the staff will take orders on iPads. Diners are
encouraged to pre-order their food online before visiting, using a number of
customization options to design the perfect meal. Customers can even name
their personalized creations and market them, receiving $.25 in store credit
for every sale.
E. 40th Street New York, NY 10016, USA
www.4food.com

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selling
the ideal
Web-Enabled Healthcare Provides For
Richer In-Office Visits
Hello Health is a network of physicians focused on bringing a deep level of
transparency, communication, and accessibility to those seeking professional
medical help. The service is built on a social network-like platform that allows
physicians and patients to continually share information relevant to their care
prior to and outside of office visits.
wwww.hellohealth.com

every store
as flagshipUltimate experience at every touchpoint
photos by Catalina Kulczar-Marin ©2010

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Retail Space Re-imagined as Family
Entertainment Hub
every store
as flagship
summary
Retailers are rethinking the ways that they
utilize a store’s real estate, moving away from
the idea of simply making a sale and focusing
instead on the cultivation of an immersive
brand experience. As a result, every branch
is being re-imagined as a flagship store,
incorporating elements of storytelling and
entertainment alongside hands-on product
demos and interactive displays. These details
bring a level of discovery and education to
the shopping experience, making every visit
feel more like an event than a transaction.
implications
• Give customers a reason to visit the store
for reasons other than making a purchase
• Treat customer visits as an opportunity
to tell the story of the brand from the
moment they walk through the front door
• Enable shoppers to discover new products
that they had not previously considered
• Create an environment in which
customers are encouraged to try products
• Treat the physical retail space as an
educational environment, enhancing the
pre and post-purchase experience
Furniture Showroom Promotes
Familiarity and Surprise
Bike Shop Encourages a Community
of Riders
supermarket design encourages
interaction and discovery
Retail Chain Creates Immersive Shopping
Experience
Library Re-imagines Displays For Better
Browsing
“We have ‘way finding’ signs in our stores that are simple, subtle
signs within our retail environment that serve to tell the story
of our commitment to sustainability and act as a connection
to the community. They reiterate values that we share with our
consumers.”
– Tim Pfeiffer, Senior Vice President, Store Design, Starbucks

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Consulting
every store
as flagship
Retail Space Re-imagined as Family
Entertainment Hub
Disney is embarking on a new plan to re-imagine its retail spaces
as entertainment hubs that promote interactive play as opposed to
environments that merely exhibit merchandise. The goal is to get children
excited about going to their stores by providing branded activities and
content that encourage families to remain inside the stores longer or visit
more often, with the potential to lead to increased sales down the road.

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every store
as flagship
Bike Shop Encourages a Community
of Riders
Lance Armstrong’s Austin based bike shop is designed to be a hub for the
cycling life, serving the diverse community at every level of interest from
casual riding to fitness and training. Beyond selling and servicing bikes,
Mellow Jonnny’s features a coffee shop, as well as showers and bike storage
to encourage daily commuting, furthering their mission to get more bicycles
on the streets.
400 Nueces St., Austin, Texas 78701, USA
www. mellowjohnnys.com

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every store
as flagship
supermarket design encourages
interaction and discovery
Traditionally, supermarkets have organized their products by category, but
in an effort to add discovery to the shopping experience, New England
chain Stew Leonard’s has chosen to organize their stores by occasion, (an
example being a barbeque or birthday party). By doing so, they are curating
experiences and upselling new products that customers might not consider.
The store also provides entertainment and refreshments along the way;
animatronic farm animals kids can play with, flat screens showing live feeds of
their own dairy cows, and generous sampling stations.
www.stewleonards.com

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every store
as flagship
Furniture Showroom Promotes
Familiarity and Surprise
Specifically designed to house the furniture makers Home Collection, the
VitraHaus is the latest showroom at the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein,
Germany. The unusual, stacked building is intended to recreate familiar
living settings, while at the same time leaving open the potential for spatial
surprises that suggest a labyrinth as shoppers wind their way through the
connected showrooms.
Charles eames-str. 2, d-79576 weilam rhein, germany
www.vitra.com

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as flagship
Stores Serve as Extension of Brand
Apple has crafted their retail environments to deliver a holistic brand
experience. Cleanly designed interiors focus on developing a deeper
connection with customers through hands-on experiences and one-
to-one interactions with knowledgeable staff members. To foster and
encourage a sense of community, the stores also feature a theater zone to
host presentations and workshops that highlight innovation and provide
inspiration.
www.apple.com/retail

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every store
as flagship
Library Re-imagines Displays For Better
Browsing
The main library in Almere, the Netherlands, offers a unique experience for
visitors by taking its inspiration from bookshops. The library is designed
to function as a both an information destination and community hub. The
space is organized into zones and uses an open shelving system to display
books cover first, promoting easier browsing. Different seating and lighting
combinations are integrated into the design to catering to customers intent
on spending longer amounts of time with study or research.
101 City hall square 1315, xc almere, netherlands
www.bibliotheekalmere.nL

Complementary
CurationIf you like that, try this
photos by Catalina Kulczar-Marin ©2010

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Big Box Retailer to Offer Laundry
Service
Complementary
Curation
summary
Retailers are augmenting their core offerings
by bringing other relevant brands and
services into their stores. These strategic
alignments provide customers with one-stop
convenience and curated recommendations,
adding value to the shopping experience and
enhancing the store’s brand loyalty.
implications
• When considering a new product line
or offering, consider whether you can
provide a best-in-class experience. If not,
consider partnership
• Feature likeminded brands alongside your
own to create a more holistic and accurate
perception about your brand
• Consider introducing complementary
services to enhance your customer’s
experience and providing additional
reasons for them to interact with
the brand
Cross-Merchandising Inside Menswear
Shop and Beyond
Hotel sells art alongside travel
necessities
curation from print to retail spaces
Grocery Store Partners With Real
Estate Agency
Hotel Highlights Local Flavor and
Style Through Collaboration
“Mixing your products with likeminded brands is a no-brainer. The
values of each brand rub off on one another and you are helping
the customer make a choice through recommendation.”
– Piers Fawkes, President, PSFK

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Cross-merchandising Inside Menswear
Shop and Beyond
After testing the idea of showcasing a special selection of likeminded brands
at its Liquor Store concept retail space in 2008, US fashion retailer J.Crew has
extended its curated experience across other stores. Complementary lifestyle
products and fashion brands are merchandised beside J.Crew products to
provide the shopper greater choice and deeper storytelling.
235 West Broadway, New York, NY 10013
www.jcrew.com

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Hotel Highlights Local Flavor and Style
Through Collaboration
The Ace Hotels have become known for their inventive and seamless
collaborations with artists, designers and companies specifically chosen to
highlight the local flavor at each of their four locations. From one-of-a-kind
murals in each of their guest rooms made by local artists to partnerships
with merchants such as Stumptown Coffee, Havaianas, Opening Ceremony
and Converse to develop and sell considered products. Each hotel offers
a stylized but effortless design scheme that comes together to create a
memorable experience.
www.acehotel.com

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curation from print to retail spaces
With four stores around the globe, Monocle Magazine’s shops reflects the
same careful editing found in the printed edition. Driven by international
affairs, business, culture and design, Monocle shops offer their customers a
curated mix of products, ranging from collaborations with likeminded brands
such as Malmsten, BlackBerry, Comme des Garçons, Hackett, Oliver Spencer
and Porter to Monocle’s own creations that sit alongside issues of the
magazine. In the words of the magazine, the stores are intended to be “the
ideal space for gift shopping or a bit of personal indulgence.”
www.monocle.com

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Curation
Hotel Sells art alongside travel
necessities
The Standard Hotel in New York City recently opened the doors of its
specially curated retail space called The Shop. The store sells an edited
selection of items that includes things ranging from everyday necessities and
Standard branded items to small gifts and accessories from NYC and around
the world. It also features a rotating selection of limited edition works by The
Standard’s favorite artists.
848 washington st., New york, ny 10014, usa
www.standardhotels.com/new-york-city

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Big Box Retailer to Offer Laundry Service
Kmart has announced a test program they will be rolling out at one of their
locations in Iowa City this June. Shoppers will now be able to do their laundry
at an in-store laundromat named K-Wash. While they wait for their laundry to
finish, customers can shop online. Purchase orders are compiled and made
available for pickup an hour after they are placed. There will also be a full-
service Kmart register inside, along with drop-off service and free WiFi.
www.kmart.com

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Grocery Store Partners With
Real Estate Agency
Stop Shop plans to incorporate real estate agency RE/MAX’s retail spaces
into a number of their existing supermarkets. The store-within-a-store
will feature a consistent look and feel, cutting down on RE/MAX’s build-out
costs for franchisees, while offering one-stop-shop advantages for
Shop Stop customers.
www.remax-newengland.com

Revolving
DecorsEver changing scenery to keep stores fresh
photos by Catalina Kulczar-Marin ©2010

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revolving decors
summary
In order to keep stores feeling fresh and
relevant, retailers are building their
environments with change in mind. Displays
and decoration are designed to be moveable
and flexible enough to be swapped out so
that the retail experience can be easily
adapted and updated to keep up with
prevailing trends and attitudes.
implications
• Treat store fronts and interiors like
stage sets, providing the opportunity
to continually reinvent the shopping
experience
• Use store displays as a means of
highlighting collaborations that enhance
brand perception and allow brands to
share a point of view
• Consider implementing a flexible
interior to allow for the introduction of
entertainment experiences into the retail
environment
• Retailers that don’t have a flexible retail
space can consider an adjunct space in
which their customers can test, trial, and
be entertained
Interior On Wheels
Retail Annex Changes Offerings To
Promote Collaborations
Transforming Benches
Online and Offline Shop Curates
Rotating Display Walls
Rotating Pop-up Shop Next To
Flagship Store
“In my mind, the ideal store would be designed like a stage
set. It could change on a frequent basis.”
– Alex Calderwood, ACE Hotel

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revolving decorsInterior On Wheels
The MS Café at the Muzeum Sztuki in Lodz, Poland, uses mobile wooden
pods to create flexibility within its retail space, while respecting the historic
nature of the building. The wheeled boxes present a unique space within the
museum that creates new opportunities for social gathering after exhibitions.
Wiéckowskiego 36 90-734 Łódz, poland

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revolving decorsTransforming Benches
Nike’s perma pop-up London retail space 1948 features 12 modular, wheeled
units that resemble tiered stadium bleachers. These versatile benches can
be used for seating during events or arranged to create multi-level table-top
displays for merchandise, enabling the store to easily update its look and feel
based on current events such as the World Cup or the Olympics.
Bateman’s Row Hackney, London EC2A 3HH, United kingdom

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revolving decorsRotating Pop-up Shop Next To
Flagship Store
Gap has installed a permanent, rotating pop-up shop next to its flagship
retail store in New York to promote collaborations with designers and brands
based on seasonal and cultural events. Recent concepts have included
a Crunch Fitness Lab to encourage healthier lifestyles, while the current
campaign features eight ball gowns that were created by up and coming
designers and worn by celebrities at a Metroplitan Museum of Art gala.
680 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10019, usa

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revolving decorsRetail Annex Changes Offerings To
Promote Collaborations
Designer Jeff Staple runs two stores next door to each other in New York’s
Lower East Side. Reed Space, his main store, contains a mix of fashion and
lifestyle products such as magazines and t-shirts. A smaller unit next door on
Orchard Street changes its offering frequently with collaborations between
Staple and other brands, art shows and new brand launches.
151 Orchard St., New York, NY 10002
www.thereedspace.com

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revolving decorsOnline and Offline Shop Curates Rotating
Display Walls
Supermarket Sarah is both a physical store and online shop run out of
creator Sarah Bagner’s home that markets its collection of vintage clothing
and objects in visually impressive ways. Bagner curates a rotating display
of goods that serves as the landing page for her site and also functions
as an interactive web catalog. Her displays have become so popular that
Supermarket Sarah has been tapped to design walls for retailers and galleries
such as Selfridges, Cube and YCN.
www.supermarketsarah.com

Taking The
Store To The
CustomerComing to a location near you
photos by Catalina Kulczar-Marin ©2010

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Burger Truck Whets Public’s Appetite
for New Restaurant Chain
Burger Truck Whets Public’s Appetite
for New Restaurant Chain
Taking The Store To
The Customer
summary
In an effort to better connect with consumers
outside of the traditional retail environment,
many retailers are traveling to their
customers. Whether hitting the streets or
visiting people’s homes, brands are creating
unique experiences by delivering products
and services directly to their audience often
in unexpected locations.
Using social networking and offering location
relevant services allows brands to create a
deeper, more intimate bond with their
customers.
implications
• Consider what areas of the local
community could benefit from a mobile
service offering
• Provide customers with a feeling of
excitement and exclusivity by notifying
them about new retail locations on a
consistent basis
• Deliver unique experiences based on a
particular location or event
• Gain deeper insights and make more
relevant recommendations by engaging
your customers on their turf
• Utilize a mobile retail presence as an
extension of your physical space to offer
a curated, relevant selection of products
and services
Double-Decker Bus Offers Elevated
Dining Experience
Coffee Shop On Two-Wheels
Brand Offers Private Cocktail
Parties in Homes
Truck Outfitted With Home Appliances
Tours Countries
Hair Salon Brings Service To The Home
“As opposed to a general merchandise environment, a
temporary retail store can provide a great canvas for a
retailer to express a strong point of view about a specific
product or service segment.”
– Laura Cashill, Senior Manager, Guest Insights, Target

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Taking The Store To
The Customer
Burger Truck Whets Public’s Appetite for
New Restaurant Chain
The BLT Restaurant Group has launched the Go Burger Truck on the streets
of Manhattan as a means of promoting the food at its soon to open chain of
restaurants by the same name. The truck operates around the city seven days
a week, tweeting its location to customers who are fans of haute burgers, hot
dogs, fries and shakes.
www.goburger.com
www.twitter.com/goburger

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Taking The Store To
The Customer
Truck Outfitted With Home Appliances
Tours Country
Home Appliance brand Haier showcases their range of products inside a
traveling van decorated like the inside of a living room, offering guided tours
to visitors and showing how a range of products might fit and function within
their homes.
www.haier.com

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Taking The Store To
The Customer
Coffee Shop On Two-Wheels
Kickstand is a mobile pop-up coffee shop in Brooklyn that travels throughout
the borough to parks and community events via bicycle. The bike not only
serves as a means of transportation, but also helps to provide a portion of the
power used to brew the coffee.
www.kickstandbrooklyn.com

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Taking The Store To
The Customer
Hair Salon Brings Service To The Home
Hair Room Service is a US business created by Michael Dueñas that
brings the salon experience directly to the client, offering in-room
appointments in hotel rooms, homes or offices. As an added bonus,
stylists are able to provide care tips and advice for the new cuts using
items found within the home.
www.hairroomservice.com

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Taking The Store To
The Customer
Double-Decker Bus Offers Elevated
Dining Experience
World Fare is billed as the world’s first BUStaurant, a converted double-
decker bus that serves cross-cultural food and drinks to the residents of
Los Angeles. The lower level features a full-fledged kitchen and window
for ordering, while the upstairs offers open-air seating with views of the
surroundings that change depending on where the bus opens up shop
for the day.
www.worldfare.com

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Taking The Store To
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liquor Brand Offers Private Cocktail
Parties in Homes
In an effort to build its presence, gin brand Tanqueray is running a special
promotion in Spain called the Private Cocktail Experience. On a microsite,
visitors can sign up to host parties in their homes with the help of brand
ambassadors and expert bartenders who will mix specialty cocktails and
share information about the liquor.
www.tanqueray.es/privatecocktail

Instant Show
and TellFriendly advice exchanged in real time
photos by Catalina Kulczar-Marin ©2010

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Instant Show and Tell
summary
Mobile social networks and connected in-
store technologies are enabling shoppers
to receive real-time feedback from friends
and likeminded strangers. The availability
of instant opinions and advice from peers is
transforming even a solitary shopping trip
into a more social experience and helping
customers make more informed decisions
about what they choose to buy.
implications
• Consider adding wireless internet access
to the retail environment, enabling
customers to share information with the
network of peers that is validating their
purchase
• Include social networking into your retail
site, allowing potential and existing
customers to share things with others
• Provide the tools for consumers
to capture and share pictures and
experiences in the retail environment
• Allow customers to take photos in store
Store Camera Connects to Facebook
Creating Videos To Share What You Buy Online Services For Sharing Purchases
Among Networks
Website Shows Only Clothing Your
Friends like
App Allows Real-Time Groups To
Form Anywhere
Ask Community For Outfit Advice
“If shopping 1.0 online was about price comparison across hard
goods as seen on sites like MySimon and NextTag, and shopping 2.0
was about best of breed customer experiences as seen on sites like
Zappos and iTunes, then surely shopping 3.0 online is about the truly
empowered consumer.”
– Sukhinder Singh Cassidy, CEO of Polyvore

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instant show
and tell
Store Camera Connects to Facebook
Diesel has installed a kiosk in some of their retail locations in Spain. Each kiosk
comes equipped with a Diesel Cam that allows shoppers to take pictures as
they try on outfits. They can then post them online and ask their network of
Facebook friends for their opinions on what styles look best.
www.diesel.com

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and tell
Website Shows Only Clothing Your
Friends Like
Levis has integrated Facebook functionality into their website, allowing
users to “like” specific products and share their shopping decisions within
their social network. The site can also be customized to show only those
selections that have been “liked” by your peer group.
WWW.store.levi.com

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Ask Community For Outfit Advice
GoTryItOn is an online community that allows users to upload digital photos
of themselves wearing outfits they are considering purchasing. Users have
the option to share the images with the entire community, or just their friends.
Once an image is shared, community members can vote on the outfit by
saying “wear it” or “change it.”
www.gotryiton.com

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Creating Videos To Share What You Buy
Haul videos typically feature young women sitting before a camera, itemizing
their recent clothing and accessory purchases. They also share their opinions
and tips on their video blogs, creating an active community of likeminded
users where the most watched videos typically generate over 500,000 views
on YouTube.

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and tell
App Allows Real-Time Groups To
Form Anywhere
Apple is rumored to be working on a concept called iGroups, an application
that would allow for the real-time formation of “groups” within one’s social
networks using a shared location such as a store, concert or restaurant as the
basis for privately sharing information. The application could help shoppers
quickly discover nearby friends or contacts and solicit their advice on
potential purchases or recommendations.
www.apple.com

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Online Services For Sharing Purchases
Among Networks
Services like Blippy, Shop Social.ly and Swipely link with shoppers credit
cards to enable them to easily share their recent purchases within their social
networks, either automatically or through an opt-in service. As these services
develop, they function as group recommendation engines for particular
products. Brands might eventually be able to access this data and offer
special promotions to particular users and their friends.
www.blippy.com
www.shopsocial.ly
beta.swipely.com

Group CloutFlexing the power of community
photos by Catalina Kulczar-Marin ©2010

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Online Group Payment PlatformDaily Deals Offered for Group Buy-In
group clout
summary
Customers are using online networks to
collaborate on communal purchases that help
increase their individual buying power. By
connecting with likeminded shoppers en
masse, shoppers can take advantage of
discounts and wield influence over the
product and service offerings made by sellers.
At the same time, retailers are welcoming
the access to a larger audience and the
prospect of promoting greater sales and
mind share.
implications
• Leverage mobile social networks reward
and promote additional purchases among
consumers who are already visiting your
location
• As groups band together to make
discounted purchases, retailers need to
be prepared to ensure that this initial
shopping experience is a positive one,
both increasing sales in the short-term
and promoting long-term growth
• Speak with communities to better
understand their needs and receive
their input on new products. This early
involvement can help form instant
audiences when a product reaches the
marketplace
• Encourage customers to interact with
your brand through the offer of group
discounts and community forums
Groups Decide Which Furniture
Is Produced
Businesses Leverage Mobile Social
Networks
Consumer Network Rewards Ethical
Businesses
Collectively Buying Solar Power
“We’re finding that people are tweeting, updating their Facebook
status and emailing to tell their friends about amazing deals available
through our service. These individuals are community organizing
in real-time and taking part in group purchasing activities in an
unprecedented fashion.”
– Rob Solomon, President, Groupon

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group cloutDaily Deals Offered for Group Buy-In
Groupon offers a daily deal in various cities throughout the US and Canada.
The deal becomes valid only if a specified number of people commit to the
purchase. Groups benefit from discounted prices and businesses receive a
guaranteed number of customers.
www.groupon.com

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group cloutOnline Group Payment Platform
WePay is a payment system that enables groups of users to set up shared
financial accounts with varying levels of access, giving them a way to manage
group payments and finances. The group accounts are FDIC-insured and can
make payments via a WePay VISA prepaid card, paper checks and electronic
transfers
www.wepay.com

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group cloutCollectively Buying Solar Power
San Francisco-based company, 1BOG, offers a service through which
communities can gather to pool their collective buying power. The focus of
the community is to generate enough buying power to purchase solar energy
generators, an item that is too expensive to purchase as an individual.
www.1bog.org

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group cloutGroups Decide Which Furniture
Is Produced
Made.com connects customers directly to designers and asks them to vote
on which pieces are produced and added to the site’s retail store. After an
order is place, customers can keep track of the entire manufacturing process
up until it is delivered to their door.
www.made.com

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group cloutConsumer Network Rewards Ethical
Businesses
Carrotmob is a network of consumers that rewards businesses that make
socially responsible decisions. Rather than boycott goods and services to
promote change, members are able to focus their collective buying power
and use positive reinforcement to encourage good behavior amongst
businesses.
www.carrotmob.org

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group cloutBusinesses Leverage Mobile Social
Networks
Businesses are beginning to take advantage of the tools provided by mobile
social networks like Foursquare and Gowalla, offering deals and promotions
to customers that check-in to their shops. One potential outcome of this
might be special discounts for large groups of people that all visit the same
location simultaneously.
www.foursquare.com/businesses
www.gowalla.com

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PSFK presents
FUTURE OF RETAIL
Credits
about PSFK
PSFK is the go-to source for ideas and inspiration for creative professionals
around the world. We are a New York City based trends research and
innovation company that publishes a daily news site, provides trends research
and innovation consultancy, manages a network of freelance experts and
hosts idea-generating events. We aim to inspire our readers, our clients and
our guests to make things better—whether that’s better products, better
retail, better lives or a better world.
www.psfk.com
psfk consulting
Leveraging a global network of scouts experts, PSFK provides trends
research and innovation consultancy to leading international corporations.
Since 2005, PSFK has worked with segment leading companies across
Automotive, Food Beverage, FMCG, Media, Retail and Technology. Clients
turn to PSFK for its global reach, access to local intelligence and our ability
to find lateral inspiration that informs marketing innovation and product
development.
The Future of Retail project team
Lead Consultant
Francisco Hui
francisco.hui@psfk.com
Project Director Business Development
Jeff Weiner
jeff.weiner@psfk.com
646.520.4665
Research Analysis
Piers Fawkes
Scott Lachut
Kyle Studstill
Brian W. Jones
Jeff Squires
Antonio Varas
Photography
Catalina Kulczar-Marin
Creative Commons 2010
Attribution Non-Commercial
No Derivative Works 3.0 International
May 2010 v.1
CONTACT
Jeff Weiner
Director, Business Development
jeff.weiner@psfk.com
+1 646.520.4665
466 Broome St. 2nd
Floor
New York, NY 10013 USA
www.psfk.com