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HARMONIC RETAIL ™

TRUTH #

When it comes to Shopper Journey, think:

“ABC” not “DEF”

TRUTH#

It’s all about yourABCs

A major trend impacting the retail industry for the next century has already happened – quietly and without fanfare. The U.S. annual population growth rate shrank to 0.6%1, its lowest level since the 1930s. This means the U.S. is not creating tomorrow’s shoppers. At the same time, technology has allowed an influx of Direct-to-Consumer retailers to flood the marketplace in almost every sector. Brands and retailers are finding themselves increasingly in competition for the same shopper. It’s going to be a buyer’s market for the foreseeable future.

EVERY SHOPPER MATTERS

The good old days of targeting a preferred shopper type and designing retail experiences to suit is no longer working. Success now depends on a retailer’s ability to engage across many demographics and platforms. Underscoring this new age of unprecedented complexity in retail:

Three quarters of shoppers want more human interaction and three quarters want more self-service in retail.2,3 One in five live in multi-generational households, causing shopper journeys

to defy predictable purchase paths.

Information available on the internet means

shoppers are often more informed than staff on product attributes and benefits. For the first time in history, five

generations are “of shopping age” simultaneously. Gen Zs & Millennials create the buzz, but

it is Boomers who still have the money.

Manolo Blahnik leverages local culture for unique shopping design & experiences.

THE ABCs OF SUCCESS So, how do you design a retail experience that satisfies everyone?

Sonos goes beyond traditional merchandising with experiences pods designed for multiple lifestyles, living scenarios & age groups.

Instead of targeting Demographics, Ethnography and Function, we have discovered solutions centered on ABC –

Aspirations, Beliefs and Context offer the greatest revenue lift to a retailer’s bottom line, and an effective way to stand out from the competition. By helping shoppers visualize how a product or service will work and feel in their daily life, we can broaden appeal to a wider range of customers. This allows each customer to absorb information and experience the brand in the way that works best in the context of their needs.

Williams Sonoma provides classes & free demonstrations to patrons of all ages & culinary skill levels, including cooking lessons for children.

Great Britain grocers are testing “Slow Shopping” sessions once a week for eldery & vulnerable shoppers.

Designing at the intersection of accessibility and engagement, through the Harmonic Retail™ filter allows you to balance the physical needs of some groups with the visual and experiential preferences of others. This creates a shopping experience that adapts to stay in tune with each customer.

Solutions resonate with all customers.

Moving from omnichannel to Harmonic Retail™ means building narratives that help people understand themselves and make sense of a complex world. Successful retail strategies and designs need to reflect today’s need for self-exploration in a way that harmonizes with the customer at all times.

SOURCES: 1U.S. Census, 2019. 2PCW, 2018. 3SOTI, 2018

DeAnn Campbell VP, Research & Design About DeAnn: With a degree in Architecture and 20+ years of experience in retail strategy, design and implementation, DeAnn’s role is to maintain long-term, forward-looking knowledge of the retail industry to align Harbor’s solutions with the industry landscape, the consumer, our clients’ competitors, and to support and advance client strategic goals. DeAnn has worked with a wide range of global Fortune 500 Brands and retailers, including Unilever, Pfizer, Aramark, IBM, J&J, Canadian Tire, Hudson Bay Co., Loblaws, Walgreens, CVS and more. You can read DeAnn’s insights and provocative point of view on the future of retail often in Forbes, Retailer Insider, Total Retail, Retail Customer Experience & Internet Retailer.