Scala’s European retail research report revealed the ways in which retailers are changing their footprints to better serve customers. Harry Horn provides an overview of these trends and introduces Scala’s latest solution paper.
Over half of the European retailers that we spoke to as part of ourEuropean Retail Research Report, Planning for Post-Pandemic Success: Recovery Solutions and Store Strategies for Retail Brands, told us that they were planning on changing the footprint of their bricks and mortar premises in the near future. Whether it is favouring stock space over display areas, introducing more self service POS systems or, my favourite, installing more digital signage, it is clear that retail brands of all types are looking at how their footprints can better serve their business-critical operations.
As stores have reopened, I have personally noticed a shift in how services such as click and collect have been prioritised as well as the introduction of, quite understandably, more safety messaging in store such as stickers on the ground to assist customers with social distancing or information on the health and safety measures being encouraged in store. Some brands have used digital channels to implement and operate these changes but many have not, instead using measures such as paper signage or repositioning queue systems.
Our latest solution paper, Assessing The Aisles: Recovery Solutions and Store Layout, employs the results of the European Retail Research Report and offers a few use cases for retailers looking at switching up their footprint and possibly augmenting their brand offering with a digital solution. In some cases the digital solutions can offset the potential liabilities of a physical store change such as increasing warehousing space for example, while other solutions presented in the paper can bring greater efficiencies to business-critical areas. From shelf-edge signage technology to occupancy management tools, Scala solutions are flexible enough to work for brands of all types and can help build shopper insight, customer loyalty and sales. Take a look at the solution paper and let me know what you think.