A reflection that deals with the big structured distribution clusters and the small local retail; a rationalization of changes of which the first ones are boost carriers for entrepreneurs who work to develop this distribution pattern.
This is the approach I will follow dealing with the store pattern topic.

Nowadays retail is the main subject of many marketing studies, from which it draws techniques and means to be developed at best. I will try, anyway, to make a summary generalization, without being pretentious to sum up this topic. I will do my best to show some of the most innovative techniques, in order to find a lowest common denominator between them.

My analysis starts from a couple of premises. First of all retail, whether small and lacking in structured patterns, is going through serious troubles.
Besides single economic data, it’s clear that small shops undergo a suffering situation that makes times when this activity was once considered a sure profit source, harder and harder.

Secondly, consumers buying behaviour is evolving according to give the act of shopping as much relevance as possible. I’m trying to talk about the shopping ludic dimension, that is the thrilling and exciting buying experience search.
Retail has to understand that today people enjoy doing shopping as a free fun; consumers are delighted to wander through shopping centres. You don’t buy just simple items, but also the feeling ensued from their purchase.

So, innovative and often extreme techniques emerge in a frame characterized by troubles and changes. Unconventional marketing patterns called Guerrilla stores belong to this last class. They are temporary stores characterized by a sudden opening and a forthcoming closing already scheduled. Those PS close and reopen in different locations, just as a collection changeover. Selected locations often keep the same precarious conditions as they were found, in order to hold costs down; no room for advertising and absolute trust in passing the word. You sell your goods at low rates as much as possible and then you close!

I now introduce the typical logics behind the emotional marketing, referring to one of the remarks as requirements of the following consideration.
From being considered a simple rational operator, used to compare different offers according to product functionality and price, the topical emotional consumer is now more “romantic”, because he seeks a pleasure beyond his purchase. In this context the PS skill of interacting with all its customers’ senses is required; from the interior design to the careful choice of lights, colours, music, scents and now even flavours.

I carry on with my reasoning quoting another awful marketing definition: visual merchandising. It means the product theatricalization or spectacularization, where the store is the stage where items play. In this frame brand conveys its value through several architectural tricks. It’s also true that in a so structured PS, you buy the brand and its features relived inside the location.

I end with my paper referring to the concept store; in this case the discipline provides ambiguous meanings as well. I just try starting from product concept idea as a way to experiment with. The concept store is exactly a kind of testing ground where you can mix different styles, products and services usually unsuited.

I think I can find the common denominator I was looking for in these last sentences: the ability to innovate and to design a very appealing store for customers.
The skill to show something new meeting customers’ way of shopping. The temporary store, the multi-sensoriality and the store as a theatre are all attempts to provide new lines to customer. Remember that if you plan an unusual store, you won’t need to spend further money in communication, because the same customers
will talk about it and your idea will be spread throughout the media.

A store will be successful whether it will be able to overreach the ordinary rules and conventions usually applied to plan it, and being finally a new lines carrier for its customers.

Dott.Dario Ferrigato Senior consultant ADVBOUCLE & Partners