CAMP small footprint experiential store in NYC.
The specialty toy store void has loomed large since Toys R Us went bankrupt. No retailer has stepped in to fill the big-box toy retailer’s role as the place to go for a full service toy shopping experience. In this Deep Dive article from July, one of the pieces that Retail Dive points out as missing from the Toys R Us model was a more experiential option – where families could both shop and play inside.
With that Toys R Us hole still looming large, we’ve seen others create their own niche within the toy market. Of course, the transactional toy sellers, like Target and Walmart, know they are in the business of selling toys. Period. They are not looking to engage or delight shoppers, but to create the needed opportunity to make a toy purchase.
On the flip side, experiential toy retailers are also emerging within the segment. CAMP, which bills itself as a family experience, hopes to grow into a national chain. CAMP focuses on creating play experiences within its locations, with a small shopping area near the front of stores. Creating experiential stores isn’t just good business for toy stores, it has become a piece of the puzzle for other segments too. Storefront even argues that it is the future of in-store shopping.
The Draw of Experiential Retail
As the world continues to move forward from the Covid pandemic, we can see that in-store retail is still prominent and desired by consumers. Shoppers do not want to make the complete transition to online and e-commerce shopping, they want tactile and tangible interactions with items before they make a purchase. And creating a space that not only caters to your ability to purchase but also interact and engage with the products is an ideal opportunity for retailers looking to sell goods that are designed for interaction – like toys.
Creating Experiential Displays
A full footprint experiential store, however, may not be in the best interest of your brand or company. And that’s where an interactive and engaging display can make all of the difference. By creating the opportunity for your shoppers to interact with your products before purchasing, you are putting that tactile and tangible experience into their hands from the moment they first come in contact with your product.
Offering testing areas, where a consumer can truly get the feel of your product, is an ideal piece of an experiential retail display. Consumers want to know what they see is what they will get and how it will function in their lives. Test areas make this possible and directly engage the consumer with your product. It also give the “store within a store” feeling to your products – immersing your customer in your brand.
Do you need a partner to bring experiential displays to your brand? Contact us today and one of our experts will be happy to assist you.
