Transforming Spaces: The Impact of Retail Remodeling on the Customer Journey

Learn what customers want from your retail remodel and refurbishment

Seeing a “Closed for Renovations” sign on her favorite store window fills Sarah with a mix of excitement, fear, and anticipation. “What if the new retail store changes too much? Why are they remodeling? I liked it the way it was, I was comfortable there. I hope the updated store feels good,” she thinks.

These are very normal reactions when people are confronted with unexpected change. While retail remodeling is a critical component of a long-term retail strategy, it also delivers unknowns for you, your customers, and your customer service team.

Understanding what your customers want from your brick-and-mortar store and why they want it is core to your retail remodel and refurbishment. Your customers hope the remodel benefits them with a store experience that appeals to their values, wants, and needs and addresses their fears and challenges.

This is a lot for a store to deliver.

The Facts on Why People Shop in Brick-and-Mortar Retail Stores

Your retail store exists to serve people. You want people to buy your products, build brand loyalty, and to be their store of choice.

To do this, you need to understand what compels people to get off their couch and leave their house to browse, shop, and interact with strangers.

The statistics don’t lie, the in-store experience is critical:

85% say the in-store experience is important or very important
92% say a positive in-store experience convinces them to return to the store
60% say they spend more after a positive in-store experience
90% are likely to tell friends about a positive in-store experience
86% are likely to tell friends about a negative in-store experience

Think about your in-store experience:

What is it like for someone to walk into your store? What type of messaging do they see first? What are their first 10 seconds like in your store? Do your customers see themselves in your branding? Is it easy for people to move around your store? Do you have the product inventory people are looking for? Are your customer service staff attentive and able to answer questions? Can people get more from your in-store experience than they can get online?

The facts on why people shop in brick-and-mortar stores:

73% of surveyed Gen Z customers visit brick-and-mortar stores to discover new products
47% of surveyed people say they are more likely to buy from a brand with a local store
46% say in-store shopping is most convenient
65% choose brick-and-mortar shopping to avoid shipping costs
64% say access to knowledgeable sales people compels them to shop in-store
70% say retail brands with physical stores are more appealing than online-only brands

(Online vs In-Store Shopping Statistics, Why Do Some Consumers Still Prefer In-Store Shopping?, Three Reasons Why Shoppers Still Prefer Brick-and-Mortar Stores, 70+ Retail Statistics Marketers Should Know in 2024)

Your customers want to see, touch, and try products before buying. They have immediate needs or challenges that they want your store to solve. Your customers crave human interaction.

Before remodeling your store, make sure you have a clear understanding of what it is your customers want from you. If your retail remodel can’t deliver on what people want – you will lose customers.

What Customers Expect from Your Retail Remodel

Remember Sarah, your customer who is wondering what your retail refurbishment will mean for her? She is hoping to see herself reflected in your store. Sarah wants to know that she still belongs and is welcome in her favorite store. She hopes it is easy, convenient, and stress-free to browse and shop. Above all, Sarah wants to feel comfortable and supported by your store.

Like Sarah, your customers expect a lot from your store:

Experiential Stores and Shopping
People want more than a store that simply sells products. They’re looking for interactive and personalized experiences that are an extension of your products and brand. Think beyond the entertainment aspect of experiential shopping and look for ways you can add value to the customer experience.

For example, spaces in your store to rest and relax, pop-ups for product launches or brand activations, product demonstration zones and events, or consultation areas for one-on-one customer service support.
Belonging and Representation
Now more than ever, people want to see themselves in your store. It’s important your store branding, window displays, signage, customer service team, and visual merchandising are representative of your entire customer base. Ensure your retail store is an inclusive and accessible space and makes it clear everyone is welcome and belongs in your store.

For example, window displays and branding that incorporate diverse and inclusive representation, accessible fitting rooms, aisles, and product displays, gender-neutral spaces, or sensory-sensitive design including adjustable lighting, quiet zones, and rest areas.
Digital Experiences
Customers who have discovered you through your website, app, or social media channels visit your store expecting a similar real-life experience. Your retail store needs to seamlessly integrate your digital presence into your brick-and-mortar store.

For example, digital showrooms, virtual fitting rooms, and kiosks that let people “try” products before buying, easy-to-use in-store apps and QR codes that help people record the products they’re interested in for viewing later at home, or apps that let people see how furniture or art will look in their home before buying.
Human Connection
People visit stores to interact with other people. Whether it’s advice on what products to buy or for answers to questions about how a product works – people still prefer face-to-face real life conversation. Your customer service team matters as much (if not more) than your products. People want to feel reassured and confident that they’re making the best purchasing decision.

For example, create customer service areas for one-on-one support, offer personalized shoppers, dedicate specific shopping times for high-touch shopping support, make it easy for people to find customer service staff, and encourage customer feedback on in-store experiences.
Efficient and Convenient Shopping
Yes, people want experiences, hands-on customer service, pop-ups, and entertainment – but they also want convenient, efficient, and easy shopping. From your window display to your store layout and checkout, your store needs to be designed with customer ease as the focus.

For example, clear and easy digital navigation and signage, accessible product displays, knowledgeable customer service staff, product inventory and variety, buy online pick-up in store, optimized store layout, and self-checkout and mobile point-of-sale systems.

How are you going to offer all of this in your retail store?

Think about your customers and who they are. Think about Sarah. Why does she choose your store and brand?

Think about your brand and the products you sell. Think about the store experience that makes sense for your customers, your brand, and your products.

Do you sell products that need personalization? Do people come to your store to talk to your customer service team? Do they come looking for help? Do people tend to hang out and linger in your store? Do they know what they want and shop independently?

How To Get Value from Retail Remodeling

To get value from retail remodeling, everything needs to circle back to Sarah and her customer journey. When she walks into your newly remodeled and refurbished store, you want her to immediately feel at ease. Gone are her fears about not belonging or feeling unwelcome.

“Wow, the wait was worth it! I like the new store more than the old one. Look at all the new features, I can’t wait to bring my friends here. I have to take some selfies to share on TikTok and Instagram.”

Remember these five cornerstones to every retail remodeling strategy:

Know Your Customers
Your retail store exists to serve your customers. These people must be your primary motivation for a store remodel. Make sure your store revolves around the customer and what they need.
Customer Experience
Give your customers what they want. Remember that people want to feel supported and welcomed in your store. They want to see themselves in your store and immediately feel like your products are right for them.

Are you selling to Gen Z or young consumers who want high-touch modern tech-enabled shopping experiences that are easily Instagrammable and shareable? Are you selling to boomers who crave a slower-paced shopping experience where they can sit down and get one-on-one sales support?
Store Layout
Regardless of who you’re selling to, the shopping experience needs to be easy. Focus on a modern checkout area designed to prevent long lines and wait times. Consider using mobile POS systems for flexible and accessible checkout options. Choose retail fixtures and millwork that make it easy for people to find and access what they want.
Visual Merchandising
Remember that customers expect your store to be more than a collection of products. People are looking for entertainment, education, human connection, support, and inspiration.

Take advantage of modern retail fixtures and millwork to create a flexible and modular retail store that can be easily changed to deliver new in-store experiences. Incorporate modern digital signs and displays for dynamic product information and promotions. Create eye-catching window displays that spark curiosity and draw in foot traffic.
Customer Service
Great customer service can overcome sub-par products but great products cannot survive poor customer service. There is nothing worse for your customers than dealing with a rude, unhelpful, or uninterested customer service/sales person.

Think of how your customer service people need to interact with your customers and your products.

Do they need a dedicated area to help people try and test products? Do your customer sales staff need to kneel or crouch to help customers try-on or find products? Are your staff standing in one place for long periods? How easy is it for your floor staff to reach and find products for customers? Do people come into your store with a long list of questions for your staff?

Make sure your refurbished store encourages great customer service. Make it easy and convenient for your customer service team to do their jobs.

Your customers, like Sarah, want to make your store “their store.” Sarah wants to know that she can count on you and your store to anticipate her needs and be there for her. You need to make it easy for her to be loyal to your brand and store.

When your retail store does this, you can be confident you have customers who will stick with you regardless of what happens. Remember the pandemic?

Does your store have what it takes to survive another pandemic? Will people line-up and wait to shop in your store? How future-proof is your retail store?

At Dynamic Resources, our unique combination of IN-HOUSE offerings makes us your single source provider for all your retail design, refurbishment, and installation needs. No one understands retail installation better than we do.