Concept stores - experience shopping!

Perhaps one or the other has seen a concept store in a larger city and may have also wondered about the wide range on offer. But what are concept stores anyway?

What are concept stores?

So-called concept stores are stationary retail stores with an unusual store concept. They usually combine eye-catching, exclusive and high-quality brands and offer a wider range of products than conventional stores. It can be said that concept stores are often a mix of boutique and department store. In these special stores, shopping becomes an experience and customers are invited not only to buy, but also to browse and enjoy the beautiful things. This means that you can not only buy clothes in these stores, but also relax with a coffee or cocktail at the in-house bar. Basically, the concept stores should offer a specific target group everything their heart desires and with which people can identify. A typical product mix consists of clothing, shoes, (home) accessories, books/CDs, cosmetics, food and much more. The product range is therefore wide and diversified in all directions, with the products often only being sold as individual pieces.

The idea behind the concept stores:

The idea behind concept stores is simple: You want to offer your customers an experience. They should experience and feel for themselves the thoughts and ideas that go into this concept store. If you like to drift around and meet other people while strolling through the city, this is the place for you. These stores are there to surprise people and encourage them to be curious. That is why concept stores also change their “look” and product range from time to time in order to be able to deliver surprising results to their customers time and again.

The difference to conventional retail:

The time spent in concept stores can certainly be longer than in conventional retail stores. Customer loyalty is also different. By and large, you visit a concept store not just to buy a piece of clothing you're looking for, but to be inspired by the many things and products on offer. When you can still enjoy a coffee in the same shop, that's wonderful. But it's not just a wild, mixed range of products that increases the time customers spend in a shop. With free guest WiFi, you can also achieve this. Especially in fashion stores, photos of the new clothes are often taken and sent to a girlfriend, for example to get a second opinion or to be confirmed in his decision. The WLAN should definitely not be missing.

Fashion, art, home decor, a hairdresser, cosmetics and a bar

A wonderful example of an extraordinary concept store is the 800 square meter shop “Lust auf Gut” in Freiburg. Everything is combined here: fashion, art, home decor, flowers, a hairdresser, cosmetics and a bar, even the motorcycle accompanying the decoration can be purchased. This store has all sorts of surprises in store and offers its customers an extensive shopping experience.Impressions of this concept store can be found here.