Three top trends for retail display in 2019
Each new year brings its own trends to the world of consumerism, and retail display furniture is no different. It’s really important to stay on top of today’s rapidly evolving retail industry – sales might be soaring right now, but do you know what “Generation Z” cares about? And are you conscious of the forces looking to disrupt your business?
With that in mind, we decided to offer you some expert guidance on our own specialist subject: retail displays. So, without further ado, here are three trends that will continue to shape the industry over the next twelve months – make the most of them, and it could pay dividends.
Displays equal data, and knowledge equals power
In today’s high-tech, omnichannel, world, we all know that knowledge equals power. Where does knowledge come from? Increasingly, the answer is better customer data. And where does data come from? In part, at least, from in-store behaviour. And there are few better places to gauge how customers are interacting with your store and products than a retail display. This could be the information that makes or breaks you: according to a Pew Research Center Report, more than three quarters of purchase decisions are made after looking at or trying a product in the real world.
Bob Gatta, the CEO of Data Display Systems, says: “There’s a growing importance for brands and retailers to track in-store display engagement as a crucial part of their overall marketing strategy. Capturing engagement provides an understanding of where, when, how, and which customers are interacting with your products.” The first step in delivering that is ensuring that you have a well-thought out layout to your store, so you know where traffic is being driven – something that P2 has a great deal of experience with. You can check out this blog for more info.
Experiential continues to drive consumption
Long gone are the days when buying goods was a simple transaction to take ownership of a product. Nowadays, experience rules the retail sector. In the wider world of shopping, this might mean more than just operational expertise… it’s time to push the “in-store experience”. And, with a plethora of apps, websites, and ecommerce platforms now operating in tandem with the world of brick-and-mortar, consistency is key.
If you’re selling well-known brands or products, it is not enough to simply display them nicely on a quality unit. Now, you have to take the brand’s online presence into account, the touchpoints created through social media, and more. Reflecting these factors in a beautifully designed piece of retail display furniture is a fine art, and it is one that will become indispensable to shops of all sizes this year. A great example is the bespoke oak cabinets we made for Fortnum and Mason in conjunction with Portview Fitout in 2016. these cabinets captured the same combination of traditional luxury and modernisation that typifies the brand’s online presence – that’s why they’re still a standout feature for London shoppers today.
Sustainability determines purchases for more consumers than ever before
Environmentalism is more powerful and ubiquitous than ever before. Millennials and Generation Z really care about the world – well, they should… they’re the ones who are set to inherit it. And that means that brands (and retail outlets) that embrace sustainability are in a better position to reap the rewards of repeat custom than their competitors. This isn’t a minor point: A report from eMarketer in January found that 68% of inline respondents “deemed product sustainability an important factor in making a purchase”.
Carlos Castelan, managing director of the Navio Group, says: “Customers want to know how products are being sourced, what ingredients they contain, and what the supply chain looks like.” That’s every bit as true of the furniture that products sit on in the store as it is the products themselves. That’s why it pays to work with a firm like P2, which holds certification from both the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).
P2 is an expert at creating beautiful bespoke retail display furniture and installations. We’ve brought our problem-solving skills to brands like Estee Lauder, Clinique, Chanel, LG and Tag Heuer. Will you be next? Get in touch on 01455 288 922 to find out how we can help you today.