Post-COVID World
During the ongoing corona-virus pandemic, the ways of shopping now completely different from the earlier days. The experience of physical shopping has totally changed as it was before the pandemic. As it is expected that this pandemic is to stay with us for years, the shop owners and customers will now have to adapt to the new changes.
Along with the whole shopping experience, the layout of retail stores will also be a lot different from now on. Below are 10 changes in the stores you would notice the next time you go shopping.
- Marked Safe Distancing
Right now, many stores are already practicing safe distancing of their customers. These stores have marks on the ground to ensure that all customers stay at least 6 feet away from each other. The stores may make these markers permanent and might add colored carpets to differentiate between waiting areas and other sections.
- Swift Shopping
In the past, the store layout was designed to ensure that the customers explore all sections of the store and spend as much time to encourage more shopping. But now, the stores are planning the design of their layout in such a way that the customers can complete their shopping in the minimum time. Many Target stores have already implemented the layout of the store where one entrance is for quick shopping while the other takes you to items that take longer for customers to decide.
- Relaxing Colors
As the customers have been staying in their homes for quite a long time, the retail stores have started using more relaxing colors so that the customers may feel calm and relaxing. The colors include shades of blues and greens with soft lighting so that the customers may feel peaceful shopping in the pandemic.
- Autonomous Checkout
To ensure no interaction of customers with the cashier, the retail stores are considering using the Amazon Go model in the future. This model ensures that the customers will not have to worry about the interaction with card readers and checkout lines.
- Drive-Through Shopping
For the past several months, many stores have started using the model of BOPIS i.e. Buy Online Pickup In-Store. Some of the retail stores were quite ready for rapid changes and are considering combining this model with their physical stores which will ensure that the customers would never have to leave their vehicles.
- Smaller Stores
As many of the businesses are going online during the corona-virus pandemic, the need for physical stores is not required. These businesses won’t be needed more space in the future, so to reduce their expenses, smaller stores would get their job done.
- New Air Purification Systems
The retail stores would now be using filtration and HVAC systems which would help regarding the cleanliness of the store. Air purification would ensure that the air in the store stays clean and the threat of virus spreading reduces significantly.
- Outdoor Retail Store
One of the biggest challenges of the retail store is to ensure that people do not gather into large numbers. To tackle this challenge, the retailers have decided to use the outdoor space as part of the store so that the people are more spread out.
- Showroom
Retailers are now trying to separate the people who are just browsing and the people who have actually decided to buy something. Showrooms are now been created where the customers first decide whether they are ready to purchase it or order online.
- Extra Physical Protection
Retailers have to ensure the safety of not only their customers but the staff too. The retail stores now use protective glass barriers which divides the shoppers from the staff members and cashiers. The extra protection does not hinder the services provided by the businesses in any way.
COVID has brought a great transformation in the retail industry. The retail stores have to adapt to the changes and evolve their physical stores so that they don’t lose their potential customers.
