A major technology trend that companies will be facing throughout the next year is the rise of showrooms. Companies that have long-term physical presence may be adding these exhibit-style displays to their existing locations, while those that have never had brick-and-mortar stores before may land in new locations. This is part of an overall trend toward advertising and brand awareness on the part of merchants. In fact, it’s a page out of Apple’s old playbook. The Apple Store, after all, takes some of the finest elements of showrooming and allows customers to play with and examine Apple devices. That kind of trust in technology allows potential customers to experience what it would be like to own a device before being asked to pay for it.
Taking the digital to the next level – the physical
Brick and mortar retailers may not be unused to the idea that they should worry about Amazon buying up property next to them, but that’s exactly what they should do. Internet retailers are no longer content to exist in the world of digital dreams, and are now buying physical locations. A major example of this is Warby Parker, a discount designer glasses seller, which was exclusively online before it started offering physical locations for customers. Similarly, Birchbox, an online jewelry merchant, has recently founded a major store in its NYC area, designed to cater to its clientele while offering a nice experience in a real-world setting.
“Online companies should consider what they stand to gain with a physical retail presence.”
Similarly, even companies with existing physical presence are adding showrooms to their locations in an effort to show consumers what their products are like. This is why Rocky Mountain Hardware of Great Falls, Minnesota is currently adding a showroom. This is not just a piece of local news, either, it’s an example of a trend moving through the nation. When companies as diverse as Warby Parker and a hardware company operating in Minnesota are both doing the same thing, it’s a sign that the economy is moving in a very specific direction. Low and high-tech trends don’t necessarily converge often, and when they do it’s a sign that companies of all sizes and levels should be ready to make this new strategy work for them.
Another Google versus Apple showdown
A recent experiment by Google has been to open up “shop in shop” stores within the UK. These new stores are built into existing spaces, but are Google-centric. They are hosting code academies for children, product demonstrations and similar events. It’s hard not to read this move as a direct challenge to Apple. With the competition between Android and iOS phones and applications in the mobile market, it would make sense that Google would move to challenge Apple directly in a realm that Google had previously never competed in – retail space.
Maybe your online presence is a little too dull
The question left by these new moves by companies large and small, digital and physical, is how do showrooms fit into their model? Some of these groups are using them to allow customers to try on accessories like glasses or jewelry. Others are interested in providing examples of their work to give clients an idea of what a finished product would look like in their home. Google‘s move, on the other hand, is more of a calculated decision to increase its “real-world” presence and branding.
Online companies should consider what they stand to gain with a physical retail presence. There’s more to the world than just what people read online, after all. Grabbing the attention of customers with physical events and with representatives they can connect with is worth a lot in a frequently disconnected age.
