Inside Nike's New Futuristic Store | Fast Company

Summary

Nike's new flagship store on Fifth Avenue, Manhattan, blends physical and digital retail to create an enhanced shopping experience. Despite claims that retail is dying, over 80% of Nike consumers still value physical shopping. The store features a 'Retail Home' screen to help customers find products from mannequins, allows customization of items, and includes fitting rooms with dynamic lighting. Additionally, the 'Speed Shop' offers curated selections for New Yorkers, allowing for quick, personalized shopping. The integration of online features, such as reserving products and instant checkout, offers a seamless physical-digital experience.

Takeaways

• 😀 Physical retail is not dead; over 80% of consumers still want a physical shopping experience.
• 😀 Consumers expect an integrated experience that combines both physical and digital elements during shopping.
• 😀 Nike's new store on Fifth Avenue uses technology to enhance the in-store experience, such as QR codes to access product information and customize fitting rooms.
• 😀 Mannequins in Nike's store are paired with digital features that allow customers to scan and get detailed product information.
• 😀 The store allows customers to build a virtual Tryon list, choose their size, and have the items sent directly to fitting rooms.
• 😀 The customization lab offers customers the ability to personalize their items, including the swoosh and other elements like UV prints.
• 😀 The store's fitting rooms offer adjustable lighting to help customers see how products look under different conditions.
• 😀 Nike's store caters to New Yorkers by offering a curated 'speed shop' experience, tailored to local preferences and trends.
• 😀 Data is used to inform the product assortment in the speed shop, ensuring that customers find the best and most relevant products.
• 😀 The store's technology allows customers to reserve items online and pick them up in store, avoiding the need to search for items or interact with salespeople.
• 😀 The integration of digital tools and physical retail may reshape how consumers shop, blending convenience with tangible product experiences.

Q & A

What is the main idea behind Nike's new store on Fifth Avenue?

Nike's new store on Fifth Avenue aims to enhance the physical shopping experience by integrating digital technology, allowing customers to interact with their phones for personalized shopping features, such as virtual try-ons and product customization.

Why do people still want a physical retail experience despite the rise of online shopping?

Over 80% of Nike's consumers still prefer a physical shopping experience because they value the tactile engagement of seeing, touching, and trying products in person. The physical and digital worlds are not seen as separate by consumers; they complement each other to enhance the overall shopping experience.

How does Nike's new store solve the problem with mannequins?

Nike’s new store addresses the frustration consumers feel when they cannot find the product displayed on mannequins in their size or color. By scanning a QR code, customers can view all the products the mannequin is wearing, including availability in their size and color, which can then be sent to a fitting room.

What is the purpose of the 'virtual try-on list' in Nike’s store?

The 'virtual try-on list' allows customers to select items in their size and have them sent directly to a fitting room, streamlining the shopping process and enhancing convenience.

What makes the fitting rooms in Nike's new store different from typical ones?

Nike’s fitting rooms offer customizable lighting options so customers can see how products will look in different conditions, such as yoga studios or indoor gyms. This creates a more personalized and pleasant fitting experience.

How does the customization lab in Nike’s store work?

The customization lab allows customers to personalize their products, such as dyeing items or customizing the swoosh on shoes. Customers can even choose unique designs like a UV print swoosh, which will be ready in about 30 to 45 minutes.

What is the 'speed shop' in Nike's new store, and how does it serve New Yorkers?

The 'speed shop' is designed to serve busy New Yorkers by offering curated selections based on data about popular products. This allows customers to quickly shop for trendy items without spending excessive time in-store.

How does Nike use data to enhance the shopping experience in its new store?

Nike uses data to inform the store's product assortment, offering popular items for New Yorkers. Additionally, it tracks sales information from other floors to continuously refresh the selection in the speed shop, ensuring that customers get the best and most relevant items.

What unique feature does Nike’s store offer for customers who don’t want to interact with store staff?

Nike’s store features an instant checkout system that allows customers to reserve items online, pick them up from lockers, and try them on without needing to interact with store staff, offering a more streamlined and private shopping experience.

What is the potential future of physical retail according to the Nike store’s approach?

The future of physical retail, according to Nike, may involve the seamless integration of both digital and physical elements, where stores offer both hands-on experiences and digital tools to create a more efficient and enjoyable shopping journey. However, only time will tell how deeply these two worlds will merge.