Co-founder of menswear label Scalpers, Borja Vázquez, for example, told FashionUnited that while “the digital channel allows us to expand more quickly at a lower risk, being able to offer our entire offer in the same place, the physical channel allows us to consolidate the brand in a territory and get to know our consumers more directly”.
And they are not the only ones. Sneaker brand Hoff has led a retail expansion plan with which it has added a total of 28 shops as well as 17 shop-in-shops located in Spanish department store chain El Corte Inglés (and rising) to its network. Additionally, jewellery brand Pdpaola opened its first store in Marbella, bringing its total to 17 shops across its home country of Spain and 2,800 multi-brand outlets worldwide. However, for an opening to be successful, there are specific guidelines to follow.
At least that’s what the team at Scotta 1985, the contemporary men’s fashion brand founded in 2014, thinks. FashionUnited spoke to Adriana Méndez, head of retail & project management; Marta Magaña, head of marketing & innovation; and Joserra Murua, head of visual merchandising to find out how to design the perfect point of sale.
Strategic location
For Adriana Méndez, head of retail & project management, the key is to “carefully choose the location of the point of sale”. To find the ideal location, not only in a city but also in a neighbourhood or specific street, it is necessary to carry out “an exhaustive analysis of the market, the traffic and the customer’s profile”
Differentiated value proposition
If you want to stand out in the market, Méndez also noted that it would be essential to “enhance the competitive advantage of the brand with a unique and differentiated value proposition”.
Team of trained advisors
The third step on the roadmap to any retail expansion is “to have a team of trained sales consultants who act as brand ambassadors”, Méndez went on to add. It is not only essential to choose a great sales team, but also to invest in their training so that they truly represent the brand’s image and values.
Premium experience
Communion between the online and offline channel remains a core business strategy. The key is to offer a quality shopping experience, whether in e-commerce or in-store. For Méndez, “offering customers a premium experience is key”.
To achieve this, she suggested “listening to customers, making them feel well attended to and resolving their doubts in a professional manner; as well as continuing to take care of the experience after the sale”.
Updated product mix
The style of Scotta 1985, for example, is classic yet casual with a predominant taste for colour applied to timeless basics such as jackets, polo shirts and shirts, where sustainable fabrics are increasingly used. From the perspective of the head of retail, it is crucial to maintain a balance in the garment proposal. “A mix that combines the continuity of best sellers with novelties” based on trends, which help “to keep the image of the shop updated and renewed”.
Knowledge of the target public
Although it may sound obvious, in the eyes of Marta Magaña, head of marketing & innovation, we must never lose the relationship with the consumer. “It’s very important to know your target audience well in order to understand their needs and tastes,” she told FashionUnited.
Events and in-store activities
To continue a shopping experience and extend the brand universe to the point of sale, Magaña recommended holding in-store events, workshops or activities. “It’s a great way to offer a unique experience to customers and enhance the relationship with them,” she noted.
Loyalty programme
Another key element in maintaining a long-term relationship with the public is, without a doubt, “implementing a loyalty programme to strengthen ties with customers, promoting repeat purchases”.
Personalisation of experiences
Following this customer-centric vision, the strategy that makes the consumer a protagonist in the search for arousing emotions and achieving a real connection, is that of “offering personalised experiences based on their preferences and needs” which contribute to their satisfaction, stated the head of marketing & innovation.
The shop window is still a great eye-catcher
Despite the proliferation of social media, window displays are still an essential tool for interacting with the public. However, it is essential to think outside the box and use art as a source of inspiration. Not only that, but a good intervention or art direction can break down the boundaries between the physical and digital worlds.
Just think of Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama’s giant inflatable in the Louis Vuitton shop on the Champs Elysées in Paris and its instant virilisation. For Joserra Murua, head of visual merchandising, “visual presentation is a crucial form of communication”. To achieve an effective impact, “it is essential to understand who we are targeting and to convey a clear message through our visual actions”, she added. In this sense, the customer is at the heart of its strategies, which are based on three basic points:
This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.ES. Translation and edit by: Rachel Douglass.
