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calm
confidence
clarity
choice

Craving Control

Discover the 4 levers brands can leverage to offer consumers control over the built environment

Re:Mix Series: Download our Q1 report

Calm

A major consequence of the past year, for many of us, has been the strong emotional reaction to its uncertainty: shock, stress, fear, anxiety. Public health mandates that have been necessary to reduce the spread, like social distancing, have left consumers feeling less in control in all aspects of their lives — living, working, shopping, dining. As we return to some semblance of our normal routines, brands have a responsibility to recognize this continued anxiety and help consumers to not only cope, but to feel a renewed sense of agency over their physical and emotional well-being in-store.

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Is the fun ever coming back to holiday shopping?

Most shoppers are intending to either continue or accelerate the shopping behaviors they picked up during the pandemic, including BOPIS and curbside.

Rebag opens new store in Beverly Hills

At the store’s “Clair Corner,” consumers can use a self-service kiosk to receive an instant price quote on the item they are selling via the Clair by Rebag software suite.

5 key takeaways on the evolving customer journey

With the ever-growing use of technology in checkout, customers want to be confident their information is secure and safe.

Nordstrom holiday plans include in-store photo booths, pop-ups and virtual Santa

Nordstrom’s holiday marketing campaign, called “Making Merry,” features a wide range of people coming together for the season.

Giant Eagle adds autonomous shopping tech to 4 more stores

Giant Eagle is a key partner for Grabango as the startup looks to build its presence in the market for systems that allow customers to avoid checkout counters.

Costco reinstates purchase limits on some items

Costco is reinstating purchase limits on products like toilet paper, bottled water and paper towels due to a host of supply chain challenges.

Express wants to win customers back with this new store concept. Take a look inside.

The store features accessible capsule collections and groups together like colors and places products in ways that shoppers can easily create outfits.

France to require COVID-19 pass to enter shopping malls, restaurants

To get a pass, people must have proof they are fully vaccinated or recently recovered from the virus, or have taken a recent negative COVID-19 test.

Ulta Beauty’s first mini shops in Target will open in August as both retailers chase new customers

At each shop, Target employees will be specially trained by Ulta to recommend beauty products.

Target unveils remodeled stores

In its latest updates, Target plans to expand and upgrade its Guest Services, Order Pickup, and Drive Up areas in an attempt to make them more convenient.

How Hilton, Love’s Travel Stops and more are preparing for a summer on the move

As consumers return to travel, those in the hospitality industry are ready to make them comfortable, even if the experience might look a little different than before.

Macy's reveals Herald Square revitalization plan

The project involves a $235 million private investment in the neighborhood surrounding the store with upgraded subway access and improved transit connections.

Trader Joe’s new move toward accessibility

The retailer has partnered with Magnusmode, who have created digital “Card Decks” that gives users instructions and visual cues designed to help navigate grocery store tasks.

Target gives customers an incentive to get vaccinated in its stores

The discounter is offering guests and employees a $5 Target coupon when they receive a COVID-19 vaccination at a CVS at Target location.

Browns’ & Anya Hindmarch’s Luxury London Openings

Two luxury brands using bricks-and-mortar space to maximum effect though a branded village and an app-navigable flagship.

Yanks set to welcome fans on Opening Day

There is a testing requirement to get inside the stadium. Fans will have to show up with either a negative COVID test or proof of vaccination.

How kiosks improve the in-store experience

The popularity of kiosks has skyrocketed during the pandemic as retailers look for ways to provide the service customers expect in a socially distanced, low-touch environment.

of consumers feel less in control of their social lives, work lives, dining, and shopping experiences compared to before COVID-19Source — Re:Mix, Thought Leadership Series, Q1 2021

Confidence

In the context of psychology, “control” generally refers to how a person regulates themselves or wishes to regulate their environment. One of the biggest weaknesses of physical retail this past year has been consumers’ feeling of powerlessness over their own well-being while shopping. As of March 2021, only 39% strongly agree they felt safe on their last trip to a physical store or restaurant — a percentage which has decreased from 49% in December and which indicates a continued lack of confidence in the safety and service standards put in place by brands.

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Ikea expands resale program across 33 US stores for the holidays

The program is limited to loyalty members, who can get store credit for their "gently used" Ikea furniture, which is sold through an "As-Is" section at the store.

How Walmart is testing sustainable bags

Walmart is making progress toward finding sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic bags through several in-store pilots and initiatives.

The adapting landscape of luxury retail

Oliver Chen, managing director of retail and luxury at Cowen, shares the challenges and the opportunities coming out of the pandemic and how luxury retailers are catering to consumers’ changing values and shopping patterns.

Ulta to open 50 stores annually; promises faster delivery, invests in AI company

The beauty giant introduced “Beauty to Go,” a commitment that buy online, pick-up in-store orders will be ready for pick-up in two hours or less.

Torrid, brushing aside its competition, plans 25 new stores each year

The company has found that its Curve lingerie line is bringing in new customers, enhancing loyalty, and boosting basket size, so it will give the sub-brand its own website next year.

Madewell expands resale experiment to include a physical store

The store’s walls feature stats on clothing waste and its impact on the environment. There are also QR code stations throughout the store that link to online guides about the environmental impacts of resale.

Sustainable Store Design, 2021

From zero-waste pop-ups to carbon-negative façades and lower-impact localism – and spanning sectors from fashion to automotive – a spotlight of new eco-led design tactics, treatments and innovations, and the pioneers driving them.

Inside the Allure store, where anyone can be a beauty influencer

While traditional beauty stores are merchandised by brand, the Allure store is organized by headlines displayed above the products - indicating the end-use benefit, like softer skin or an illuminating glow.

Abercrombie debuts new Gilly Hicks store concept as brand goes gender-inclusive

The store does not separate the women’s and men’s departments. The product is merchandised by fabric and end-use rather than by gender.

Check out Google’s first-ever permanent store

The space has an Apple Store-like vibe and invites hand-on interaction with Google services.

Giant Food joins in Maryland electric vehicle charging effort

Volta Charging equipment incorporates marketing messaging on the charging station’s screens, which allows the public to utilize the chargers at no cost.

Best Buy comes roaring out of the pandemic era with 37% sales growth

The retailer is testing new store models that reduce sales floor space in favor of a larger backroom that it can use to fulfill orders efficiently.

Mall owner Simon’s CEO sees shopper ‘euphoria’ as people return to stores

Sales and shopper visits are improving week over week.

Amazon hands palm-based payment to Whole Foods shoppers

Amazon is bringing its palm-scanning payment option to a Whole Foods Market location in Seattle.

Crep Protect unveils its first store in the world famous Dubai mall

The full range of Crep Protect products will be available to buy in-store as well as new additions.

Retailers look to innovate and tempt customers back to physical stores

Pop-up spaces allow retailers to create something fresh while allowing customers to physically interact with new products.

Why Dick's Sporting Goods is betting big on physical retail

Consumers are more inclined to purchase an item after seeing, holding or trying a product in a store, and this new concept maximizes those opportunities.

of consumers feel it’s important to have a sense of control over the shopping experiences they have in-storeSource — Re:Mix, Thought Leadership Series, Q1 2021

Clarity

2020 brought on a tectonic shift in the way we buy and receive goods. The phrases “contactless delivery” and “curbside pick-up”, for example, are now part of our global lexicon. But that doesn’t mean consumers have mastered these new fulfillment types… and any confusion around where to go, what to do, or what to expect can compromise the control they so desperately crave. Brands should help them feel clear on what to expect at every step of their journey, especially when it requires them to go to the store or restaurant. In fact, 76% say they go to physical retail because they know exactly what to expect.

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Amazon opens high-tech grocery store with ‘Just Walk Out’ in Illinois

Once inside the store, customers can shop like normal. Anything they take off the shelf is automatically added to their virtual cart, and anything they put back on the shelf comes out of their virtual cart.

How the pandemic changed retail design

COVID-19 accelerated the debate on the purpose of retail and forced retailers to push their boundaries to stay relevant.

Model behavior: How mannequins display retail's brand values

Diversity in mannequin body size and gender can help shoppers see themselves reflected in a brand, and drive loyalty.

Retailers are making sustainable shopping easier

Among other sustainability efforts, retailers are placing signs and symbols throughout their stores and online to make it easier for consumers to find more sustainable products.

Hoka One One tests brick and mortar with first stores

The Hoka pop-ups are aimed at expanding upon that influence by giving new customers the chance to learn about the brand and "embrace its benefits" before purchase.

How brands and retailers are creating innovative customer experiences by maximizing inventory

There are five essential steps brands and retailers are taking to maximize the inventory they already have to create the innovative experience their customers expect.

Albertsons pilots in-store pickup service with Instacart

Albertsons is expanding its range of in-store pickup options following a substantial widening of the options it offers for on-demand delivery.

Sam’s Club expands Scan and Go solution

Scan & Ship is designed to offer an immediate in-store solution for items that require large vehicles to transport. Customers can also use the feature to select alternate colors and sizes unavailable in the store.

Bloomingdale's unveils concept store Bloomie's

The new store features a "tech-enabled stylist service model," where in-store stylists can access products from nearby Bloomingdale's stores, the company website, and the flagship store in New York.

Amazon to open its first Fresh supermarket with checkout-free technology

When they walk in, shoppers will be asked to choose between a traditional shopping experience or the Just Walk Out experience.

Inventory management holds the key to omnichannel fulfillment success

In this new, increasingly omnichannel landscape, retailers have had to strengthen their fulfillment, distribution, and delivery methods.

Sephora at Kohl's to host blockbuster lineup of over 125 beauty brands

The experience features Sephora-trained beauty advisors, testing and discovery zones, a rotating assortment, and in-store returns and pickup at Kohl's stores.

Exclusive Q&A: How Kroger enhances store experience — with music

Kroger has partnered with audio OOH advertising company Vibenomics to provide customized music and ads in its stores.

Close to half of grocery shoppers use omnichannel services

Data confirms that grocery orders which start online often end in a brick-and-mortar store.

Retailers begin to give consumers the sustainable products they crave

The retailers that are doing it really, really well are connecting what their customers understand about sustainability with their business objectives.

Department stores like Nordstrom and Macy’s are still Americans’ favorite place to buy shoes

Customers are drawn to department stores for their expansive assortments, as well as for the customer service.

Finish Line optimizes merchandising with AI

The retailer is testing the viability of AI to aid workflows and make the shopping experience intuitive for customers.

of consumers say they go to physical stores or restaurants because they know exactly what to expect from the experienceSource — Re:Mix, Thought Leadership Series, Q1 2021

Choice

Going into last year’s holiday season, half of consumers in our October Pulse survey said they planned to start shopping earlier out of concern for availability — after months of product scarcity being a very real threat. Enter 2021, where they now feel empowered by choice… able to get what they want, when they want it, and by whatever means necessary. But consumers are still choosing to go to physical retail — for not only the enjoyment of picking out products in person, but for the immediacy that cannot be replicated online. Brands must solve for anything that interferes with this perception of not only choice, but speed.

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Panera Bread unveils next-gen restaurant

Digital innovations include contactless dine-in and delivery, updated ordering kiosks, automatic loyalty identification, and a fully digitized menu both in-cafe and in drive-thru.

Staples opens two new Staples Connect locations

The stores are designed to offer interactive displays of tools for remote work and feature office set-ups for remote work tools and airplane seats to test products like laptop trays and travel luggage.

How traditional teen apparel brands went out of style

Specialty brands, once considered a staple, are now staging a comeback in an attempt to lure the young consumer group that left them for trendier brands.

Kohl's touts new brand partnerships ahead of the holidays

In addition to the partnerships, the store is also highlighting its offerings in key holiday categories like home, toys, cozy products, and active and casual apparel.

Navigating the brave new world of bricks-and-mortar retail

How the pandemic helped flagship stores merge the digital and physical worlds.

Athleta to be sold in 135 REI stores

Through the partnership, customers can shop Athleta's lifestyle, hike, and yoga bottoms, as well as select tops and accessories.

How outdoor furniture brand Outer grew its unique showroom model

The company invites existing customers to apply to be "hosts" and show the Outer products they bought to potential customers.

The new toy store experience

Today's toy stores operate in one of a few different ways, as points of commerce, as store experience centers, or as brand-building locations.

Malls may not even need anchors. Here's why.

"It's not about an anchor anymore," according to one real estate developer. "It's creating an experience with different elements — residential, events, retail."

CVS to change key loyalty benefit for the first time in 20 years

Starting in July, the retailer will display the 2% ExtraBucks Rewards within the CVS app, its website, and on digital and printed receipts.

Digital expectations in a physical world

As consumers become more accommodated to the variety and offerings of digital, they’ll have elevated expectations of those digital amenities when they visit brick-and-mortar stores.

5 signs that retail is going to be OK

Despite the last year's challenges, there are key indicators that retail will once again thrive.

Survey: Shoppers expect omnichannel services

Retailers who introduced features like curbside pickup during the COVID-19 pandemic should plan to keep them long-term.

Amazon’s new high-tech hair salon

The store gives hair and beauty businesses access to Amazon’s selection of over 10,000 salon and spa products and supplies.

Harry Potter New York

The three-floor, 21,000-sq.-ft. store will have virtual queuing in place in addition to offering personalization on many products.

Westfield reveals shoppers' post-covid priorities

Global mall group Westfield reveals the post-pandemic UK consumer's bricks-and-mortar retail wishlist.

Grove Collaborative to enter physical retail for first time via Target

Grove is launching an exclusive new citron and white rose scent at Target locations nationwide.

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