Each year
IRDCers are treated to a whirlwind tour of new and interesting retail trends in
Europe, courtesy of VMSD’s European
editor, John Ryan.
Based in
London, Ryan covers store design for several publications and says the story
this year is format experimentation—thanks to an economy that, in many European
countries, remains difficult. Here’s a preview of his September 8 session, European Retail: In With the New.
IRDC:
Is European retail seeing a similar rebound to that of the U.S.? Which sectors
fared best when the European economy declined?
JR: Luxury remains strong, as does food (to an
extent, due to food inflation), but apparel and general merchandise continue to
suffer. It’s probably worth noting that Europe is far from being a homogenous
whole and that while Germany, for instance, is performing strongly, the
southern reaches of the continent are still feeling the pinch.
IRDC:
What's the most interesting or surprising retail trend you've observed in
Europe over the past year?
JR: I suppose one of the more surprising
elements in the U.K. has been that while the economy falters, U.S. retailers
keep reaching out across the pond to establish a European foothold –
predominantly in London – the very recent arrival of the biggest M&M’s
store to date and the astonishingly rapid expansion of the Hollister format
both being cases in point.
IRDC:
Give us some examples or case studies of European retailers who've found smart,
new ways to draw customers into stores.
JR: The Nespresso flagship in Barcelona,
located in the city’s former bullring, is certainly interesting. Here, a
concierge greets shoppers and books them in for a free tasting session at the
coffee bar and also controls entry to the glass-sided club where members can
benefit from advice given by a coffee sommelier. There are also kiosks in the
club, where capsules can be ordered and then delivered to your home. It’s a
very effective linking of the online and terrestrial retail worlds, showing
that there is life in both.
At the other end
of the scale, in the same city, Happy Pills is a shop selling jelly beans from
medical style bottles where you choose the bottle size and the “pills” that go
into it. The whole thing is decked out to look like a pharmacy and has proved
popular, as well as yielding amazing margins.
IRDC:
You've been reporting on European retail for VMSD (and at IRDC) for many years. What do you think are the biggest
differences in designing stores for those shoppers vs. consumers in the U.S.?
JR: Stores in the U.S. tend to be rather more
themed and lifestyled than here in Europe. Don’t really know why this is the
case, but it is evident. There is also a stronger element of storytelling and
information about product provenance in the U.S., although this is on the
increase in Europe.
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