Putting our knowledge to good use, we’ve curated an insights deck that shines a spotlight on the current state of the retail landscape. Our Incubeta Industry Insights retail report looks at what we can expect from the retail industry as brick & mortar stores re-open, consumer confidence increases, and eCommerce is challenged. Click download to access the full report.

How ‘normal’ will normal actually be?

There’s no denying that the pandemic has drastically shaped consumer behaviour and shopping habits – but we’re still yet to see the full effects of Covid play out. Across the world people are still working from home, and avoiding offices, and crowded spaces. This makes it hard to anticipate the impact on large city centres where commuters are a big proportion of customers. There’s no saying on how the return to work will impact retail; but we’re definitely still a long way away from pre-Covid ‘normality’. 

Even with consumer confidence making a recovery, the legacy of lockdown on retailers’ balance sheets remains, and although the moratorium extension will be welcomed, more support is still required. 

What does this mean for experiences in retail? 

Consumers will return to physical retail, but for now they still favour health and safety measures such as hand sanitiser and capacity restrictions for a safe shopping experience.

It’s crucial for marketers and advertisers alike to consider an omni-channel approach. Previously, shopping online and shopping offline were seen as separate journeys, however there is a growing bank of evidence and understanding that these purchasing methods are often a one customer journey. The synergy for offline to online will be crucial in multiple aspects of marketing; such as the ability to access online customers and order information in store.

Throughout Covid-19 many physical focused retailers experimented with increasing their online presence amid shop closures in the pandemic – a trend that is very much here to stay.

How will brands use digital to adapt? 

The pandemic has left us, as consumers, craving more social interactions than ever before, and injecting an in-store feel to the digital experience will help engage and inspire those browsing and shopping online. Brands should be identifying how they can use digital to transform their marketing and answer the ever-changing increase in consumer demand. 

Brands that incorporate engagement strategies that harmonize the relationship between physical and digital will see both channels drive growth and enhance one another.

We’ve already seen French luxury fashion house Dior practicing an omni channel approach with their home fragrance consultation campaign. Hosted by Fragrance Ambassador Carl Groenewald, live from the Dior Salon De Parfum in Harrods, London, clients are sent a fragrance tester set, featuring mini samples of hero scents to their home. Groenewald then talks clients through each perfume, in a bid to replicate the in-store experience.

Download our Incubeta Industry Insights: Transitioning to the Till deck to access the full report, or for more information, get in touch with the team today.