“We should now have shopping malls with completely different atmospheres, experiences and retailers. Create a more diverse environment. Let consumers go to shopping malls weekend after weekend and experience inherently different experiences, so that each shopping mall meets the expectations of a specific audience.” – Vice President of Marketing at Placer.ai Ethan Chernovsky
Now, after many Americans ventured back to shopping malls and shopping malls, they quickly discovered that everything was different. . The extent varies depending on the retailer. Some malls have limited occupancy, closed fitting rooms, floor markings designating where to stand at checkout, and plexiglass erected at check-in desks. Contactless delivery has also surged, and curbside pickup isn’t limited to takeout. Some of these changes may be long-term, while others may disappear post-pandemic. At the same time, shopping malls must find ways to minimize the impact of the epidemic on consumers and themselves.
Wearing or not wearing a mask has always been a focus of debate. In mid-July, the National Retail Federation issued a statement encouraging retailers to uniformly require customers to wear masks nationwide to protect customers and Health of mall employees. Matthew Shay, president of the National Retail Federation, told Fox Business that the NRF is studying relevant economic factors and does not want retailers to be closed again due to epidemic infections. He said calling on everyone to wear masks makes sense because there are reports that multiple vaccines may take 18 to 24 months to reach the market.
“Before that happens, I think we all need to recognize that, even though we don’t want to, something needs to change, and wearing a mask is part of that behavioral change.”
Nearly 70% (68%) of consumers say their experiences during the coronavirus have changed their shopping, according to Cotton Incorporated’s 2020 Coronavirus Response Survey (Round 2, April 27-30) Way. Gen Z consumers (64%) are less concerned about the virus than Millennials (70%) and Gen X (71%).
According to research from the Coronavirus Response Survey, before the epidemic, only 30% of consumers said they frequently shopped online. The majority of respondents (55%) said they “sometimes” do so, with 14% saying they rarely shop online and 2% saying they never shop online. But after the epidemic began to spread across the United States, 44% of consumers said they shopped online more than before. Nearly 60% of shoppers (57%) say they feel safer shopping online than in-store.
A McKinsey & Co. survey found that after the epidemic, apparel industry executives expect online penetration to grow by 13%. The company said, “Unless malls provide a compelling reason for consumers to do so, foot traffic in physical stores – which was already low before the coronavirus outbreak – will continue to slowly decrease. Consumers are now accustomed to Staying at home for weeks on end, shopping for a wide variety of products online. From now on, they won’t go to stores unless retailers give them a good reason.”
Create a more engaging in-store experience The need for experience is undoubtedly urgent. The Coronavirus Response Survey found that nearly a quarter (23%) of consumers said they would still prefer to shop online as stores reopen and the pandemic passes.
McKinsey said that retailers need to redefine the role of stores and provide unique consumer experiences, rather than simply serving as an offline transaction place for shopping. This includes providing a “superior product discovery experience” and offering exclusive merchandise. Retailers also need to be omnichannel, especially as consumers look to contactless purchasing options such as curbside pickup and order online/pick up in store (BOPIS).
In addition, McKinsey recommends that retailers invest in training and equipping store associates to engage with customers online so they can continue the in-store experience by engaging with consumers after purchase. Finally, the company said that if store associates have access to consumer data generated in-store and online, they can tailor interactions with customers accordingly and provide personalized service to consumers in-store.
Consumers who don’t want to linger may appreciate this attention when they return to physical stores. According to the Coronavirus Response Survey, the top items they plan to purchase in-store include casual shirts (25%) and denim (24%). This is followed by underwear (23%), casual pants (21%) and sportswear (20%).
Coresight Research senior analyst Steven Winnick said in a recent webinar that retail sales increased 9% year-over-year in June, which may be due to the decline in March and Due to pent-up demand in April. However, he said clothing retailers experienced a 24% decline in July, with department store sales also down 12%.
Ethan Chernovsky, vice president of marketing at Placer.ai, a traffic analytics platform, said in a recent online discussion with Winnick that retail sales�A lot will change in the coming months as outdoor malls try to move indoor stores to outdoor plazas. In this way, as more space will be released in enclosed shopping malls, this opportunity will be presented to “those brands that do not mainly rent outdoor shopping mall stores, they can test different types of business formats in indoor environments at a lower cost.”
“This is a very exciting time, and ultimately, diversification of outdoor malls has the potential to create a better retail environment,” Chernovsky said. He said consumers are basically fed up with the status quo in malls because the stores are all the same. We should now have shopping centers with completely different atmospheres, experiences and retailers, creating a more diverse environment. Let consumers go to shopping malls weekend after weekend and experience inherently different experiences, allowing each shopping mall to meet the expectations of a specific audience. ”
Over the next six to 12 months, outdoor malls will benefit from reduced traffic at enclosed malls as many consumers are afraid to shop indoors, Winnick said.
Chernovsky also mentioned that malls will survive the epidemic, but they will look different.
He said: “Some innovative ideas in malls include refocusing , providing a wider variety of food and entertainment options, as well as serving the people in the office buildings attached to the mall, making the mall a place for them to eat, exercise and shop. I think this mindset and paradigm shift is really important. ”
Chernofsky also said that brands that “own relationships with customers” will stand out.
“Puma is launching its own true offline business,” Chernovsky said. Novsky said with great anticipation. “Nike announced the addition of 200 stores, and Levi’s announced the addition of more than 100 stores because the wholesale business is declining. Look how successful these companies are. We expect that it is only a matter of time before business comes to a standstill due to the epidemic. I think the greater likelihood is that we’re going to see an environment that we haven’t seen before, where real estate costs come down as a lot of brands close and more space is freed up. So whether it’s an experiential mall like Neighborhood Goods or whether it’s a permanent store location, we expect this trend of change to continue and accelerate. ”
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