Exploration of retail design in integrated bricks & clicks environment

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore the emerging themes within the discipline of retail design. The advent of multiple channels within the physical retail channel (showrooms, kiosks) and digital retail (mobile applications, e-commerce marketplace) pose challenges in the form of consistency of communication of brand identity and values. The research is a combination of thematic maps and qualitative interview techniques. Purposive sampling was considered for the selection of participants. In total 45 interviews have been taken of the various stakeholders – retailers, retail designers, communication designers and customers. Three broad themes emerged from the analysis- Technology, Design Elements and Communication, each having a number of sub-themes. 1. The themes that have emerged are based on views of minor representative of each category 2. Interviews from the social media and ecommerce marketplaces could have been taken. This can be the future research area. 1. The effects of deployment of AR/VR, 3D on the consumer decision-making is still not fully realized by the designers. 2. The consistency in brand imagery across channels can act as market differentiator. 3. The marketing communication managers should seek to enhance brand salience 4. The integration of customer data across various touchpoints (Big data) will be a distinguishing feature in near future. 5. Not all social media platforms are equal in creating and sustaining brandstorm and e-wom (word of mouth). This study is an attempt to make contribution in the area of retail design in the multichannel retail ecosystem. The themes that emerge out of the study are expected to assist in developing the framework wherein the brand image can be communicated consistently across channels.