"How can the customer experience be increased and thus the number of visitors in shopping centers and how can you contribute to this with a furniture concept?"
In collaboration with The Design Company & Co, I wrote a case study on how the customer experience in shopping centers could be enhanced.
In this qualitative study, I examined the impact of customer experience in shopping centers from the perspectives of both the centers and their customers. I identified various factors influencing customer behavior and translated these insights into conceptual designs, which holds implications for researchers and shopping center management.
In this qualitative study, I examined the impact of customer experience in shopping centers from the perspectives of both the centers and their customers. I identified various factors influencing customer behavior and translated these insights into conceptual designs, which holds implications for researchers and shopping center management.
The findings indicate that when shopping centers prioritize customer needs over retail considerations, there is a notable increase in both customer experience and foot traffic. The analysis reveals several key aspects of customer experience that are essential for gaining competitive advantages and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Understanding customer behavior proved to be advantageous. Various factors affect customers' preliminary decisions and choices regarding shopping centers, leading to different motivations. This understanding has prompted shopping centers to create diverse environments that blend retail, entertainment and leisure.
Understanding customer behavior proved to be advantageous. Various factors affect customers' preliminary decisions and choices regarding shopping centers, leading to different motivations. This understanding has prompted shopping centers to create diverse environments that blend retail, entertainment and leisure.
I identified negative impacts on shopping centers, with online shopping posing the greatest challenge. Over the years, this trend has spurred various initiatives focused on enhancing the physical shopping experience, including creating more open spaces that offer customers unique experiences unavailable online. These efforts have positively influenced foot traffic and sales in shopping centers.
The comprehensive analysis yielded ten design focus points for shopping centers, which informed further research into sociodemographic needs. The results highlighted that key customer needs include social interaction, entertainment, pleasure, comfort and convenience.
The comprehensive analysis yielded ten design focus points for shopping centers, which informed further research into sociodemographic needs. The results highlighted that key customer needs include social interaction, entertainment, pleasure, comfort and convenience.
There is a shift in customer behaviour resulting in a significant decline in both shoppers and transactions. Especially now with the COVID-19 pandemic you can see the increase in the online market and online presence of shops. This shift in customer behaviour urges the shopping centres to reinvent themselves, which is a challenge that really fascinates me. Drawing from previous experiences, I know that I enjoy working on furniture designs due to the freedom you get in using your creativity and I saw the opportunity that furniture designs could bring towards anticipating this challenge. In addition, I liked the public aspect of this project, to contribute towards the customer experience by creating a friendly and positive environment.
The furniture fits into any atmosphere of modern shopping centre environment with its biophilic, natural and transparant design. In addition, increasing the customer experience of shoppers by offering a spacious relaxation area with useful features. The furniture can be placed in at least two positions in straight aisles of shopping centers, offering the possibility for a suitable placement in accordance with the shopping centre environment.
Here's my paper