Future Of Retail: Complementary Curation

This post is part of a PSFK Consulting project aimed at providing insight into the Future of Retail. Complementary Curation is one trend of ten that appears in our exploration of how technology and our senses play a role in the retail experience, both in and out of the store, from the perspective of brands, shoppers, retailers and communities.

Summary

Retailers are augmenting their core offerings by bringing other relevant brands and services into their stores. These strategic alignments provide customers with one-stop convenience and curated recommendations, adding value to the shopping experience and enhancing the store’s brand loyalty.

Implications

• When considering a new product line or offering, consider whether you can provide a best-in-class experience. If not, consider partnership
• Feature likeminded brands alongside your own to create a more holistic and accurate perception about your brand
• Consider introducing complementary services to enhance your customer’s experience and providing additional reasons for them to interact with the brand

Supporting Examples for Complementary Curation

Cross-Merchandising Inside Menswear Shop and Beyond
After testing the idea of showcasing a special selection of likeminded brands at its Liquor Store concept retail space in 2008, US fashion retailer J.Crew has extended its curated experience across other stores. Complementary lifestyle products and fashion brands are merchandised beside J.Crew products to provide the shopper greater choice and deeper storytelling.

Hotel Highlights Local Flavor and Style Through Collaboration
The Ace Hotels have become known for their inventive and seamless collaborations with artists, designers and companies specifically chosen to highlight the local flavor at each of their four locations. From one-of-a-kind murals in each of their guest rooms made by local artists to partnerships with merchants such as Stumptown Coffee, Havaianas, Opening Ceremony and Converse to develop and sell considered products. Each hotel offers a stylized but effortless design scheme that comes together to create a memorable experience.

Curation From Print to Retail Spaces
With four stores around the globe, Monocle Magazine’s shops reflects the same careful editing found in the printed edition. Driven by international affairs, business, culture and design, Monocle shops offer their customers a curated mix of products, ranging from collaborations with likeminded brands such as Malmsten, BlackBerry, Comme des Garçons, Hackett, Oliver Spencer and Porter to Monocle’s own creations that sit alongside issues of the magazine. In the words of the magazine, the stores are intended to be “the ideal space for gift shopping or a bit of personal indulgence.”

Hotel Sells Art Alongside Travel Necessities
The Standard Hotel in New York City recently opened the doors of its specially curated retail space called The Shop. The store sells an edited selection of items that includes things ranging from everyday necessities and Standard branded items to small gifts and accessories from NYC and around the world. It also features a rotating selection of limited edition works by The Standard’s favorite artists.

Big Box Retailer to Offer Laundry Service
Kmart has announced a test program they will be rolling out at one of their locations in Iowa City this June. Shoppers will now be able to do their laundry at an in-store laundromat named K-Wash. While they wait for their laundry to finish, customers can shop online. Purchase orders are compiled and made available for pickup an hour after they are placed. There will also be a full-service Kmart register inside, along with drop-off service and free WiFi.

Grocery Store Partners With Real Estate Agency
Stop & Shop plans to incorporate real estate agency RE/MAX’s retail spaces into a number of their existing supermarkets. The store-within-a-store will feature a consistent look and feel, cutting down on RE/MAX’s build-out costs for franchisees, while offering one-stop-shop advantages for Shop & Stop customers.

Request your free Copy Of The Future Of Retail Report here.

In just over 80 pages, PSFK Consulting provide an analysis of the Future of Retail. This free report explores a future from the perspective of brands, shoppers, retailers and communities – highlighting how technology and our senses play a role in the retail experience both in and out of the store. It features interviews with senior executives from Ace Hotel, Polyvore, Starbucks andTarget. The trends identified within this document and the examples used to bring them to life are inspired by innovation from around the globe.