Beats | April 6, 2017

In-store shopping isn’t going away, it’s getting an (experiential) upgrade

ImpactAlpha
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ImpactAlpha

Remember how shopping malls were the watering holes for teenage entertainment and social life?

Brick-and-mortar stores may again make a resurgence because of their entertainment value.

A new report from Synchrony Financial anticipates that the stores in 2030 will be outfitted with drive-thru windows staffed by robot assistants, interactive dressing-room mirrors, and 3D printers that build a range of products, like shoes, on the spot.

In fact, the entertainment factor, like live music in a store, will be the reason people continue to shop by foot rather than online, particularly given that many of these experiential “upgrades” will make it to the online shopping realm as well (like virtual reality as a means of trying on clothes that you can order from home).

“People are social by nature and will be drawn to gathering places to share ideas and be entertained,” the report writers say.

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Photo credit: WSJ