For all the talk about experiential retail, when it comes to buying furniture or mattresses, the in-store experience today remains much as it did in years past.
There are, of course, exceptions; however, for most the primary changes are in the ability to track the consumer throughout the purchase path rather than in enhancing the store environment to make shopping more entertaining and interactive.
Certainly, those things are necessary.
Still, at a time when store traffic is declining, the need to get more and particularly younger consumers into stores is increasingly critical.
That is what makes the opening of Casper’s newest store last week in Costa Mesa, Calif., worth watching. The 2,700-square-foot store eschews the traditional sea of rectangles in favor of a more intimate and interactive consumer experience.
The new concept offers several unique features including a Pillow Lab for testing pillows and a Bedroom DeZZZign Center that provides personalized service and enables the consumer to design a personalized sleep set up.
It is nothing new to test pillows during the mattress shopping experience. In fact, many furniture and mattress retailers make it a habit to put a pillow in the consumer’s hands at the outset of the consultation.
What is unique is the setting Casper has created, with curtained rooms and softer lighting that make the experience feel more home-like and provide a sense of privacy unlike that found in a more traditional retail setting.
Taking that one step further, the former boxed bed specialist is allowing customers to book complimentary nap appointments in the store with 30-minute, 45-minute and one-hour appointment times where they can test product or just enjoy a nap.
Guests can store their belongings in a locker, and each napper receives a Sleep Provisions Kit that includes relaxation aids such as an eye mask and essential oils to further reinforce the connection between the mattress and the totality of the sleep process.
The store also features a Snooze Bar, a dedicated consultation area not unlike the design consultation areas found in better furniture stores, along with a Bunkhouse getaway for kids to enjoy and test twin beds while their parents shop.
None of this will turn retail on its head, and some of it is as much marketing as it is innovation, not unlike Apple calling its customer service department a Genius Bar. However, there are some clear elements that enhance the consumers shopping experience, such as providing a home-like and secluded setting for bed and pillow testing.
These little touches are the types of things that intrigue consumers enough when they hear about them to come and see for themselves or, having experienced it, give them something to talk about with friends and family.
At a time when every footstep through the door is a victory, it will be well worth watching to see how this Casper concept performs. Those most likely to succeed in the next era of retail — and make no mistake we are entering a new and different era — will be those who can get out of their comfort zone and into consumer conversations.