News & Insights

Brick and mortar stores are more important than ever, delegates at the World Retail Congress in Berlin heard on Tuesday during a panel discussion on the ‘Art of Shopkeeping in the Digital Age’. 

“The physical store is such a compelling place of realisation,” said Melanie Gallop, former president of Calvin Klein Europe. “The physical store is irreplaceable in terms of that magic of surprise. That anticipation of not knowing what you might discover; it comes down to the thrill of human taste.”

“The store will never die,” added Richard Butler, Vice President of North America Stores, Training and Visual Merchandising at fashion house Coach. “Every decision we make as a brand has to be for our customer – it is the discovery and emotional connection that will keep the brand alive. We learned through Covid that people want the real-life experience. I think it’s our job to keep that alive.”

The panel also shared how retailers are prioritising the in-store experience. 

“I think the store is a place where the brand can come to life in its full expression,” said Butler. He said fashion house Coach aims to build on the senses through things like “compelling” window displays and by creating “ambience with music”. 

“We are building stores not only for experience and discovery, but also just to hang out,” he added, highlighting the popularity of coffee bars where shoppers can enjoy treats like an iced tiramisu latte. 

Timo Weber, CEO of Berlin department store KaDeWe, added that it’s all about showcasing “excellence”. “At KaDeWe, If someone is coming to the store and he is leaving the store happier than before, then we have done our job,” he said. “Shopping is art.”

Butler added that young people are looking for activities beyond social media – and this is an opportunity for retailers.

“Gen Z are definitely looking for an experience outside the digital world,” he said. “Over 75 percent of Gen Z shop weekly in real life and they all say a real-life experience is so important to them.” 

Gallop added that having brick and mortar shops also provided excellent data. 

“Shopkeeping is the oldest discipline of commerce – to create that really special moment for the customer.” she said. “I really believe being in the stores and spending time with the customer gives you more information than any algorithm can.”