I remember the first time I stepped into a Vans store. I was on vacation with my family in California and we happened to stumble upon one of their stores in San Francisco. I had never seen anything like it before. The store was so cool and hip, and the staff was so friendly and helpful. It felt like a completely different world from the stuffy, boring retail stores back home. Ever since then, I’ve been fascinated by Vans’ unique approach to retailing – which is why I decided to write about retail store case study!

Retail store case study Explained

A retail store case study is a customer research method used to investigate a retail store in order to understand its operation and performance.

A case study of retail outlets can provide insights into the stores’ customer service, product selection, and marketing techniques.

It can also reveal problems and challenges that the store faces, which can be used to improve its operations.

Case Studies Prove Experiential Retail Is The Future

Physical shops are in decline, but experiential retail stores are on the rise.

Millennials are the biggest spenders on experiential shopping, with 52% of their total expenditures going towards these types of products. This has introduced the term ‘Retailtainment’.

Experiential Retail in Action

Brands have to stay creative in order to keep up with their competitors. By providing unique, fun, and immersive experiences, retailers are able to provide their customers with memorable shopping experiences that set them apart from the pack.

Stores are moving away from the features-and-benefits approach to retail sales, and focusing more on creating a memorable customer experience.

To be a successful retailer, you must provide your customers with a pleasant, convenient, and enjoyable experience.

Here are 3 great examples of how experiential retail is being implemented.

Marvel: Avengers STATI-O-N

The Marvel’s Avenger: The Science Behind The Super Heroes is an interactive exhibition that tours around the world.

It’s appeared all over the world, including in New York, Las Vegas, and South Korea.

Based on Disney’s blockbuster Avengers movies, this store has actual costumes and props that were used in the films, as well as interactive exhibits.

The (Marvel): (Avengers) (STATI-O) (project) is not about (selling) (T-shirts) and (mugs). (The goal) of the project is (to deliver) (an in-person) (experience) to fans and (bring) (the brand) (to life).

The Marvel Avengers: S.T. A. T. I. O. N. exhibit at Discovery Times Square is an excellent example of interactive and immersive entertainment.

Fans of the MCU can immerse themselves even further into the fictional world that they enjoy, further cementing their allegiance to the Marvel brand and their love of the franchise.

For a brand as successful as Marvel, it would be easy for them to rest on its laurels. But, they continue to impress fans through creative marketing strategies, such as turning their stores into entertainment centers.

Farfetch: Creating a Retail Experience of the Future

The e-commerce site, farfetch.com, is for high-end boutiques that are looking to create a unique shopping experience for their customers.

The founder of online fashion retailer, FarFetch, believes that the future of shopping lies in using technology to enhance the shopping experience. He predicts that by 2025, 80% of retail sales will still take place in a physical store, but that this percentage will decline as online shopping becomes more popular.

Farfetch’s Store of the Future

The CEO of RetailNext, Robert Neves, envisions a future where consumers can have more human interaction with retailers.

He developed an augmented reality solution called “Store of the Future” that linked offline and online shopping experiences. The “store of the future” featured interactive, touch screen-enhanced mirrors that allow shoppers to virtually try on clothes, as well as digitalized, sensor-enabled, smart-racks that allowed customers to digitally browse items.

The sign-in page at FarFetch gives retail sales reps access to a customer’s order history, wishlist, and profile information.

The mirrors in the changing room allow customers to instantly request different items, sizes or payment methods without having to leave the fitting rooms.

This revolutionary approach to retail allows customers to enjoy the best of both worlds: the personalized experience of shopping in boutiques with the speed and convenience of online shopping.

Huda Beauty: Cosmic Experience in Covent Garden

The luxury cosmetics company, Huda Beauty, created one of a kind immersive shopping experience in London’s Covent Garden. The pop-up gave customers a chance to try on products, learn about the company, and shop the newly launched line.

To launch their new product, the cosmetics company, Huda Beauty, created a futuristic pop-up shop in London. This allowed them to reach a new audience and showcase their products in a unique and memorable way.

The outside of the building featured various geometric and mirror-like shapes and designs. Inside, there were even more reflective surfaces, as well as more ‘spacey’ and ‘cosmic’ features.

At the London launch of her makeup line, the cosmetics queen herself, @hudabeauty, sat on the throne that she used in her marketing materials. This was all part of the effort to get as many likes and shares on social media as she could.

The introduction of the pop-up store was hugely successful. It introduced a whole new set of customers to the brand.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a retail store case study that will make you think, look no further than Vans. This post dives into the company’s unique shopping experience and how it can be used to improve your own business. From their cool and hip stores to their friendly and helpful staff, there’s a lot we can learn from Vans about creating a great customer experience. So next time you’re thinking about ways to improve your retail business, take some inspiration from this iconic brand!