Shopping Experience: Urban Outfitters
Keeping a customer’s attention is important, so as a brand or retailer it’s key to surprise your clients. A concept store delivers the emotional connection between brands and consumers and creates unique shopping experiences. US fashion & lifestyle chain Urban Outfitters was the first to provide a multi-layered customer experience based on the principle that “everything is for sale” in their concept shops; not only the clothes and shoes but also the furniture, magazines and gadgets. Portrait of a global retail trendsetter.
A concept store is the first thing what comes to our minds when we think of the term “retail innovation”. The original idea to offer a complete and delightful retail experience to costumers was born in the United States of America. This happened in the seventies when a Philadelphia based retail chain Urban Outfitters’ marketing team realized that it is better to offer more range of products and aim for a bigger target market than dealing in just one type of product and a limited audience. As a result, their first lifestyle shop was established in their hometown. According to Urban Outfitters’ CEO Glen Senk, the concept of a concept shop was discovered rather accidentally. A lot of antiques in the shop were used as props and decoration, and customers showed interest in buying these items. It might sound a bit out of the blue but this was how the store management realized that they can make their store authentic by selling everything available in the shop.
Expect the Unexpected
Urban Outfitters soon came up with the concept to offer only the best and most exciting stuff in clothing and accessories. They started building their identity and brand by making their shops a true shopping paradise, full of surprises, gadgets and vintage treasures. This ensured brand awareness as customers were guaranteed an exciting shopping experience in all the Urban Outfitters’ shops throughout the world.
On being interviewed by the Fast Company magazine, Glen Senk said, that the 250 Urban Outfitters stores offer a sensorial experience of a place where people come to connect. A person really needs to be identified as a different individual and the store caters to these individual needs. Even the music in stores is played with great care to add on to the experience. Every store has at least two artists working full time and creating various forms of art to
Today, Urban Outfitters offers premium clothing labels like Diesel, Lacoste, Miss Sixty, Adidas and many other brands. A variety of products like clothing, accessories, bags, shoes, furniture, home ware and food are offered under one roof symbolizing the overall image and attitude towards life. Urban Outfitters is also attracting its target customers to their website, offering a superior online shopping experience. On www.urbanoutfitters.com, shoppers can find new arrivals, sales and shop trends plus original and even exclusive gadgets.
The combination of unique product range, top brands and a strong e-presence of the store has created a dynamic image of the Urban Outfitters brand. After all these years, Urban Outfitters has become a well known and a strong brand with an exclusive customer experience offering passion, honesty and individuality. Urban Outfitters depicts urban life and culture. It is almost impossible to see anyone leaving the store without buying a single thing, as there is plenty lot of choice for everyone.
