How To Improve The In-Store Experience With Experiential Retail

In today’s competitive retail landscape, customers are craving more than just aimless aisle strolling and picking up products – they desire memorable and immersive experiences. Experiential retail is the way forward, and many shops and businesses are adopting this strategy to captivate their customers, foster loyalty, and drive sales.

At Murray Uniforms, we know just how important the role of a retail uniform can be. The in-store experience isn’t just about the customer’s journey – it’s also deeply intertwined with the staff’s presentation and comfort. In this blog, we’ll explore how retailers can transform their physical spaces into engaging destinations and examine how your staff, outfitted in thoughtfully designed uniforms, can create an experiential retail experience and Work Smarter®.

Ready to make a great first impression? Let’s get into it… 

What is experiential retail?

Prioritising the customer experience is a vital part of any retail strategy and helps brands ensure they’re connecting with their customers in a personal and engaging way. But customers now expect a lot more than just browsing shelves and making purchases when they enter your store – they’re looking for an immersive environment that goes beyond the traditional shopping experience. In fact, 91% of shoppers reported a positive association with a brand after attending an experiential event. Experiential retail focuses on crafting unique experiences that entertain, educate, and connect with customers emotionally.

Here are some things that experiential retail does differently than traditional retail:

• Creates an immersive and shareable experience
• Prioritises customer engagement and not sales
• Helps nurture communities
• Inspires new approaches
• Stimulates your customer’s senses
• Defies customer expectations
• Addresses customers needs
• Puts technology to good use

Why experiential retail is important now more than ever

As the economy continues to recover from the pandemic, consumers are enjoying in-person shopping once more, with 71% indicating that they now shop in physical stores as often or even more than they did during lockdown. The pandemic fundamentally reshaped consumer behaviour, accelerating the shift towards online shopping and abolishing the need to purchase items in-store.

However, after months of isolation, people began to crave genuine human connection and immersive experiences that couldn’t be replicated online. This is where experiential retail shines – customers want to be entertained, engaged and feel a sense of community now more than ever. But beyond the customer journey, you need to consider the crucial role your staff plays in delivering these experiences. Your team, the face of your brand, must be equipped to seamlessly integrate into this new retail landscape.

That’s where we come in. Did you know that it takes just 3 seconds to make a first impression? At Murray Uniforms, our ongoing research helps you to stay on top and ensures that your team is delivering an exceptional experiential retail experience. When your staff look and feel smart, they Work Smarter®. Our attention to detail means that you’re getting more than just a uniform – it’s a representation of your brand’s values and identity.

5 ways you can create an experiential retail experience

Whether your employees work in a supermarket, boutique, or department store, offering an exceptional in-store experience requires a focus on creating a memorable and engaging environment that goes beyond traditional shopping. Some ways that you can achieve this include:

1.Community and social connection

Humans are social creatures, and, after periods of isolation like we experienced during the pandemic, the desire for connection is even stronger. Experiential retail can provide a space for people to gather, interact, and feel a sense of belonging. People will naturally share their positive experiences with friends and family – a strong sense of community can lead to organic word-of-mouth marketing which is highly effective in driving new customers.

Hosting events such as in-store workshops, panel discussions and local meetups can create vibrant opportunities for a community connection within retail spaces. Exclusive product launches, including VIP releases or ‘sneak peaks’ for loyal customers, can also add a sense of exclusivity that will reward and strengthen brand loyalty. We recommend encouraging employees to become in-store consultants, which can be achieved through the power of uniforms. A well-crafted and professional-looking uniform can give employees more confidence, meaning that they are more approachable and can advise customers accordingly.

2. Offer personalised experiences

Personalisation in retail is about making each customer feel uniquely valued, and it should be done in a way that is authentic and helpful rather than forced and awkward. Customer personalisation, done in the right way, will make shoppers feel special and thankful for stepping foot into your store. Try to gather as much data as possible on your customer preferences, purchase history, and browsing behaviour through loyalty programmes, online activity, and in-store interactions.

Some easy ways to do this are by offering personalised recommendations, greeting customers by name or simply engaging in a conversation with them, and offering tailored promotions based on their shopping history. When it comes to retail, customers are more likely to buy from smart and happy staff. Therefore, your employees should feel empowered and confident enough to make personalised recommendations and offer tailored assistance.

3. Invest in your uniform

Perhaps one of the most important things you can do to enhance the experiential retail experience is to invest in a bespoke uniform. A bespoke uniform plays a crucial role in experiential retail and shaping the customer experience as it serves as a visual representation of your brand. In experiential retail in particular, where creating a memorable atmosphere is key, uniforms contribute to the overall aesthetic and will help customers to immerse themselves in the shop’s world.

A uniform is a projected image of professionalism and credibility and can allow employees to adopt a sense of unity and belonging. When employees feel like they are part of a team, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated, which translates into better performance and customer service. Uniforms aren’t just an item of clothing, they’re a proud statement you can make when giving that first impression to customers as they walk through your shop doors.

4. Stimulate your customer’s senses

One thing that physical stores do better than any other is engage customers in all five of their senses. Stimulating these senses is a great way to forge emotional connections with customers through personalised and engaging experiences. In fact, brands that focus on engagement and personalisation see their revenue increase by 6%-10%, almost three times faster than brands that don’t.

One great example of this is the retail store Lush. If you want to know what one of their bath bombs looks like, a member of staff will take one straight from the display and demo it in one of their in-store sinks. This simple yet innovative approach means that Lush stores are always full of colour, smell, and sound.

5. Defy customer expectations

Over the years, consumers have been hardwired to expect certain things when they shop in a retail store, like which aisle to wander down and where the cash register is located. However, the rise of experiential retail has taken those expectations and completely defied them. Brands are opening spaces that are more flexible, and some are creating spaces that don’t look or function like retail stores at all. When a retailer goes beyond the ordinary, it generates a wow factor that resonates with customers long after they leave the store.

One of the best experiential retail examples is Huda Beauty, which opened up a sci-fi experience in Covent Garden. The entire exterior of the pop-up resembled a multi-faceted, metallic mass of geometrical shapes. As part of the event, visitors could sit on a throne that Huda used in her launch material, set up to encourage as much social media activity and engagement as possible. Therefore, in a world that is saturated with predictable experiences, surprising customers leaves a lasting impression. Transform your shopping experience into something truly memorable and impactful.

The power that bespoke uniforms have on experiential retail

A bespoke uniform is a powerful tool for retailers who are seeking to elevate their in-store experience. They contribute to a positive brand image, enhance staff performances, and create a memorable experience for customers. At Murray Uniforms, thanks to our Science of Uniform® approach, our research with Coventry University established that when a uniform is right, employees are significantly happier and more productive.

Some other great benefits of a bespoke uniform from Murray Uniforms include:

• Enhanced staff morale and confidence – When staff feel and look comfortable in their uniforms, they’ll Work Smarter®. A bespoke uniform that is tailored to fit well and meet practical needs will contribute to a positive work environment.
• Create a sense of professionalism and trust – Well-designed and high-quality uniforms instil a sense of professionalism and credibility. Customers are therefore more likely to trust and engage with staff who look polished and professional.
• Reinforced brand identity – One of the main reasons for a bespoke uniform is to reflect your brand’s unique aesthetic and values. A retail uniform creates a visual representation of brand identity, ensuring a cohesive and consistent customer experience.
• Recognising staff and enhancing approachability – A bespoke uniform makes it easy for customers to identify staff members, enabling them to seek assistance and shop with ease. This is crucial if you want to create a seamless and enjoyable shopping experience.

How one retailer’s uniform enhanced their customer experience

To back up their claim of being the ‘number one choice for homeware and furniture’, Dunelm’s objective was to create a modern and on-trend uniform that stood out to customers in-store and elevate their brand image. 

Their solution? A Murray Uniform. Dunelm reached out to our team for a uniform that was a strong representation of their brand and that supported several strategic objectives to support their vision of becoming the number one homewares retailer. We created a uniform that was on trend, comfortable, and inspired confidence in the wearer, leading to colleagues that were proud and happy to wear the uniform.

Read the full case study here! 

Give a great first impression with Murray Uniforms

Hopefully, this blog has shown you just how important experiential retail is. Getting customers involved in in-store shopping and browsing has never been so important – after all, if all you can offer your customers is four walls to pay for something in, then why will they need to leave their house when they could do the same thing online?

At Murray Uniforms, we’ve proven that when your employees feel smart, they Work Smarter®. Our head-turning designs and carefully crafted garments will transform not only your people but your profits, too. For more information, please get in touch. A member of our expert team will be more than happy to get back to you.

Looking for a new bespoke uniform for your colleagues? Then don’t forget to book a consultation with our design team today. 

Experiential retail FAQs:

How is experiential retail changing the customer experience?

Experiential retail transforms the customer experience by shifting the focus from mere transactions to creating immersive, engaging, and memorable interactions. These interactions must be meaningful and purposeful, and this can be achieved by creating sensory engagement, community building, and personalised experiences. By following the ideas in this blog, your employees can Work Smarter® and foster deeper connections with consumers

What are some of the best experiential retail stores in the UK?

In the UK, some brands that offer exceptional customer service include well-known names like Pets at Home, John Lewis, Huda Beauty, IKEA, and Lush. They have successfully mastered the art of immersive and engaging shopping experiences by offering product demonstrations and interactions, and using theatrical displays and product storytelling.

They also have passionate staff that are presented professionally. A professional uniform allows employees to engage with customers better and make an important first impression. Check out our brochure to discover more about bespoke workwear at Murray Uniforms.

What are the benefits of experiential retail?

Experiential retail fundamentally transforms the traditional shopping experience, offering a wealth of benefits for both retailers and consumers. For retailers, the benefits include increased customer engagement, enhanced brand loyalty, and a competitive advantage. For consumers, they get an enhanced shopping experience, immersive environments, and even educational opportunities.