As companies roll out omnichannel retailing strategies in response to consumers who typically start their shopping journey on a mobile device, the in-store experience is more important than ever. And that means creating an engaging environment at the right location with well-trained sales associates.
It also means having an authentic connection to the consumer that results in return visits to a store, higher conversion rates and higher transaction values.
These were some of the key topics addressed at a recent WWD Forum, Real Estate 20/20: The New Store Experience, where industry leaders also discussed the importance of branding, targeting Millennials and how to leverage new technologies to drive sales.
The event, held in New York this month, featured speakers and attendees from top retailers, brands, real estate firms and related industry stakeholders.
The sessions included presentations by Brendan Sullivan, vice president of VF Corp.; Uri Minkoff, cofounder and chief executive officer of Rebecca Minkoff LLC; Eric Anderson, president and general manager of LensCrafters; JJ Wilson, cofounder of Kit and Ace, and Bridget Russo, chief marketing officer of Shinola, among others.
