After two years of rapid acceleration, e-commerce is cooling off as consumers look to trade convenience and utility for the sensory experiences and connections that can be found within physical stores.

As consumers deal with digital fatigue, retailers and brands are luring them back through a new host of IRL services, experiences and tools. From discovery to post-purchase needs, retailers are layering in everything from brand activations, to on-demand access to subject matter experts and full lifestyle programming in order to better connect with consumers beyond digital clicks. While the role of the store has evolved, the ways people shop has been radically impacted, and as shoppers head back into stores, they have new expectations around service (i.e. personalization, expertise, immersive browsing) that are setting the stage for the next chapter of retail. 

In this report, PSFK iQ researchers analyze how leading retailers are rethinking their offerings, and catering services to generate a new revenue stream, cultivate brand community, boost traffic and dwell time, and strengthen consumer loyalty. To differentiate themselves and drive consumer interaction, retailers need to reconsider the store’s role within their brand ecosystem, and how they can leverage their physical footprint to better support consumers and their communities. Through the lens of six innovative strategies, understand the evolution of physical spaces, and examine how retailers in different verticals are leveraging and designing services that organically complement their ethos and product assortment.