FTSE 250 Retailer

An iconic British, multi-category retailer and household brand approached us to explore the future role of brick-and-mortar stores in the age of e-commerce. We took a holistic view of the current retail landscape and utilised ethnographic research methods to gain insights into the drivers behind a shopping trip, how customers plan for it, and how payment takes place.

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As we delved deeper into our research, we recognised the importance of creating a people-centric vision that would highlight the special role the brand plays in people's lives. This shift in perspective opened the board's eyes to the value of human touch in the shopping experience. We helped the brand to balance traditional retail metrics such as cost to serve (CTS) with more experiential metrics such as customer lifetime value (CLV).

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Our findings emphasised the importance of offering choice in the shopping experience to cater to customers' diverse needs and preferences, from introverts to extroverts. We also identified the brand's place in an ecosystem of retailers and recommended designing for two shopping modes: Fast - a focused shop - dash in to get exactly what you want in the lunch aisle or underwear department; Slow - a browsing experience to discover what’s new or get some inspiration.

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To ensure the brand stays ahead of the curve, we presented a roadmap with an investment case for various retail concepts, with a focus on payment and check-out technologies, highlighting the role they would play in future shopping journeys. 

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Outcome

As a result of our partnership, the brand shifted its mindset and embraced a people-centric vision that is now being realised through various initiatives. We are proud to be a trusted partner, working with different parts of the business to further enhance their retail experience.

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