5 Tips to Make Your Store Design Irresistible to Millennials

Getting your store design right for millennials can be tricky. Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst at NPD warns that, “previous generations were more easily impressed by marketing and advertising strategies. With [millennials] you must have a strategy to grab their attention in-and-out of stores.”

So, what are retailers doing to grab their attention? Savvy store designs employ all manner of techniques to attract this elusive generation: visual merchandising, product displays, digital signage, interactive shopping experiences, mobile communication and targeted product offerings. Here’s 5 things you can incorporate into your store design, to keep millennial shoppers coming back again and again.

How To Optimise Your Store Design To Millennials’ Taste

1. Optimise Your Store Design for Mobile

It’s been well publicised that millennials love their mobile devices, with 1 in 5 relying exclusively on smartphones and tablets to get online. But mobile doesn’t just apply to your stores online presence, it should also apply to your brick-and-mortar retail space. A recent Accenture study discovered that 23% of millennials surveyed use contactless mobile payments at least once a week, so make sure your store is optimised with mobile technologies in mind like Apple Pay and Android Pay. Doing this will ensure you’re providing this demographic with the kind of customer experience that fits with their lifestyle.

2. Seamless Integration of Offline and Online Experiences

Secondly, millennials have more online credentials that any other generation and are known to extensively browse the web before setting foot inside your door. This might involve them browsing your website, online store and or social media accounts, so it’s important that your branding is consistent throughout. According to another Accenture study 68% of all Millennials demand an integrated, seamless experience regardless of what channel they’re using. That means being able to transition effortlessly from personal computer to smartphone to physical store in their quest for the best products and services. So, businesses should ensure that the shopping experience across all consumer touch points is consistent and delivers the same brand message. Your online presence and your physical one should feel like the same company.

3. Simple, Uncluttered Store Design

A study by Cassandra, an organisation that studies millennial trends, reported that 70% of millennials interviewed said they disliked loud, busy stores. Instead, they preferred more calming environments. Minimizing clutter and adding more organised “white space” provides millennial shoppers with a calm, relaxed shopping environment. Another study published by the Journal of Interior Design last year found that Millennial shoppers reacted negatively to retail spaces that appeared unorganised. Instead, these shoppers appreciated clearly organised merchandise, using techniques like colour blocking, that facilitated their shopping experience.

4. Build Multisensory Environments

Furthermore, think about how your store designs sound, smell and feel. Aside from being simple and uncluttered, your store design should stimulate the senses. This is according to research by J. Walter Thompson Intelligence. It found that 70% of millennials crave experiences that stimulate their senses. Therefore, you should create a shopping experience that excites multiple senses simultaneously. Make the most of your brick-and-mortar stores and employ techniques in your physical retail space that you can’t online. Create an environment that appeals to all the senses. Try utilising soft lighting, playing calming music and wafting enticing scents tailored to your brand. Create a tranquil environment where customers can unwind and enjoy the shopping experience you have to offer. Do this and they’ll spend longer in your stores and come back more often.

5. Humour

Finally, don’t be afraid to make them laugh. A New York magazine article titled, “Millennials Just Wanna Laugh,” states that 88% of millennials consider humour to be vital to their generation’s definition of themselves. Millennial shoppers respond well to tongue in cheek humour. So why not add a little personality to your store design to capture the attention of weary millennials.  Experiment with new ideas and try out techniques like novel mannequin displays, playful imagery or witty signs.

With over 35 years’ experience, Storebest is Ireland’s leading shopfitters. So, if you need help fitting out your retail space for millennials, or any other generation for that matter, get in contact today. We can provide you with a unique design tailored to your individual needs.