3 September 2006
If you are a retail store designer then the mobile phone merchants and networks must be something of a godsend because they are not only seeking many more outlets but are also looking for a design that differentiates their stores from the rest of the pack.
Carphone Warehouse is the latest retailer to announce its intention to revamp its extensive store portfolio. Apparently the new look will give its stores something of a 'uturistic'look involving shifting the handsets from their traditional position on the stores'walls.
Such a move is a necessity for the UK's leading phone retailer as its store will soon begin to look increasingly dated amid the widespread design activities being seen at its rivals. O2, Vodafone and Orange are among those retailers in the midst of upgrading the look of their stores. And since The Link is now under the ownership of O2 and Phones 4u has just been bought then expect changes at both these chains.
On top of this we are in the early stages of both 3 and Virgin creating a store base using innovative store environments, which are as much about pushing their respective brands as they are about selling. They represent a welcome move away from the traditional hard sell of the mobile industry.
As well as keeping up with the Jones' the major mobile retailers and networks are also being driven to change their stores as a result of the boredom of consumers. They have for far too long been unable to find any differentiation between the individual company's stores.
When this boredom is combined with the aggressive store expansion into shopping centres and retail parks of all the major players - which has led to some developers stopping the entry of any more mobile stores '" then the need to develop a unique offer is crucial.
Source: The Retail Bulletin