Store holds inventory on revolving clothes rack

Jeans, retail and innovation seems to be a pretty good combination. And this recently opened San Francisco shop is nice example to prove that again. The shop constructed from three shipping containers is now home to an even more intriguing inventory system. To maximize space, the Aether team incorporated a custom-built rotating rack that spans all three floors. Watch the short movie to see how it works.

Via Cool Hunting

Strange, interesting and all about retail trends 2

Because the first slideshow compilation I made a year ago was so highly appreciated. I decided to make a new compilation of photos that caught my eye and reflects recent tendencies in retail branding and design.

The most interesting retail of December and January

Since December a lot of new things seem to appear that made me move again. All sorts of concepts and ideas caught my eye because they reflect the new reality. A few I already posted on this blog and I now want to share the rest of the most attention-grabbing ones with an explanation why I consider them interesting.

1.) Polaroid announces plans to launch  polaroid photobar experiential retail stores. 

We will see more old decaying brands develop a retail concept trying to become relevant again.

 

2.) Department store Selfridges introduces a ‘No Noise’ shopping experience.

In our hectic information overloaded urban society tranquillity is becoming a rarity. Retailers and brands that can offer us an escape from this fast-paced world will win.

 

3.) Farmigo is an online farmer’s market connecting organic farmers directly with communities in their direct environment.

The Internet has been collapsing supply chains and rewriting conventional business models for nearly two decades, but until now it has had limited impact on the food industry. 

 

4.) The  Billionaire Shop is an online store for the super rich created by gambling company Multilotto.com.

The world is getting polarized and that counts for (on-line) retail too.

 

5.) The Tommy Bahama flagship store on NYC’s  5th Ave. generates two and a half times the sales per square foot than a regular store because of in-store restaurant and bar.

Big cities become leisure paradises and people like to spend their leisure time shopping. But shopping doesn’t necessarily mean immediate buying. Therefore physical stores have to find new business models that cash in on the leisure ‘shopper’. A successful model is an in-store restaurant or bar to lure people and compensate the loss.”

 6.) Takeo Kikuchi’s flagship store in Tokyo  has no one-way shopping circulation and is a place to feel at ease.

Online shopping changed the rules for offline retail. Not only became stores showrooms or places to relax, the way we enter the shop, how we browse and the moment we pay has all changed. Stores with a one-way shopping circulation will become a thing of the past

Retail concepts and formats that are transforming retail

If you are interested in Retail innovations. Check out the slideshare of Ebeltoft Group they gave during the World Retail Congress 2012.

In this slideshow presentation they point out nine key innovation themes and show examples of retailers that excel in this theme either through format innovation or business innovation.

Themes are:

1. Curated Collection
2. Eco-Friendly
3. Hyper-Local
4. On-line/Off line Mash Up
5. Channel Transformers
6. Service Experience 2.0
7. Technology Intervention
8. Customization/Ask the Crowd
9. Retailvention

Check also the rest of their presentations here

Here’s What Google (Plus Microsoft And Amazon) Will Sell At Their Stores | Fast Company

click here for the article

News Analysis – Online brands are coming to a high street near you | News | Design Week

click here for the article

The best of january

Because I haven’t published that much this month I will therefore give you a wrap-up of the most interesting things I already twittered with some explanation why I consider it interesting.

1. Sleep above the store at Maison Rika in Amsterdam

A guest room above a store? What is more engaging than being so close to the  store the brand and its story.

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2.  Small businesses can sell their product at Target

3. The first  ‘Start up store’ opened its doors in New York

Individualism and an uncertain employment market infuses the rise of a new mercantile class. Retail concepts that offer more niche products/services and takes the (new) small entrepreneurs serious will be winners.

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4. Top shop bus service to promote new store

If viral marketing is the word, than this ‘billboard’ bus that drives you to the new shop location is a winner.

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5. Radio Shack recognize it roots and starts a community site

Acknowledge your heritage by giving your first fans a platform to meet and share knowledge is a wise marketing move for every brand. When this platform is all about creating, it’s spot on the current trends.

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6. Swap vending machine

Now the environment and the crisis are dictating the way we think about consumption. New (commercial) initiatives around swapping are more relevant than ever.

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7. JC Penny’s groundbreaking (price) strategy

In a time that service seems to be a must and price is leading. Thinking different about pricing your product can be  a great way to keep the lead.

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The past the present and the future of retail

My stats show me that people are always very interested in predictions of the future. Thinking about the future is significant, but bare in mind that our capability to think about it is limited by our knowledge of today. Disruptions in technology and culture can make a prediction of the near future totally ridiculous or very old fashioned in retrospect.

The Internet is a recent example that changed retail in ways we never expected and not long ago thought impossible. Mobile is already doing the same in a very short time. And if the technology is in some sort of way quite accurate than cultural and social changes makes the prediction almost comical or satiric.

Culture but also economy and politics are the other big driving forces of change that can be so unpredictable. The (spending) power of women, global migration and recently the economical crisis’s are generators or catalyser of change.

I gathered some cool, funny and remarkable examples of predictions about retail from the past. Some are almost spot on, others are falls or completely ridiculous.

Stunning prediction of on line shopping but in the future classic role models are still going strong in household according this short film.

This high tech department store from the 80’s wasn’t promoted because of the  Technophobia in this decade.

“On-line shopping isn’t possible!”  Was one of the opinions back in the 80’s of last century.

Strange, interesting and all about retail trends

Hello again! It were hectic weeks for me, so I took it easy on the blogging. I made it myself comfortable by only tweeted the things I found interesting. But I know I can’t wait to long with posting some new stuff. Before you know it you’re forgotten. So here is a new post. This time it is not something hot and new. I decided to make a compilation of pictures I collected in the last 12 months. Some photos caught my eye, others reflect tendencies in branding and design but above all they are all about retail.

Xbox becomes AR shopping tool plus airliner and advertising agency start retailing

The last 2 weeks a few pieces on the net caught my eye. Here is the news that I think is exciting enough to mention. It shows a possible technological frog leap for on-line shopping and  great examples of retail being used to elevate an idea or company

Augmented reality shopping screens for stores are still in prototype phase and now it looks like this technology will soon be accessible for owners of the XBox Kinect. KinectShop is an AR shopping platform that allows shoppers to grab items from an unlimited shelf of clothes and share the photos with friends on Twitter and Facebook. It is just a matter of time that every television will have this function with which this 20th century icon finally enters the 21st one.

via fastcompany

Air New Zealand’s looked for an original way to introduce their uniform design. And what better way than using a shopping experience to make the workforce enthusiastic. The store allows staff to choose their uniform and get advice on grooming, makeup and presentation. ‘Clothes Hangar’ co-designed by Saatchi Design Worldwide breaths an eclectic New Zealand Beach atmosphere. Love the design btw.

via dezeen

Today the already much talked about 5 day pop-up shop of advertising agency Wieden + Kennedy opens its doors. This great example of an office that not only designs (retail) experiences for its customers but also organizes them for their self. And it is not only a showcase for their competences but also a charming way to support and connect themselves with the local entrepreneurs and edgy creative’s. I wander when this smart way to lift and connect with entrepreneurship and creativity get followers in my hometown Amsterdam.

via adweek