3 ways how Brick & Mortar can reinvent themselves

Taking Stock

Malaysians over the past 5 years have experienced what seems to be a shopping revolution. Online platforms have made shopping incredibly easy- no more traffic jams, no more clamoring for parking spaces, no more forgetting the parking ticket, no more endless strolling through aisles, and all the headache that comes with the existing retail infrastructure. Shoppee, Lazada, Mudah and Carlist have created marketplaces for all sorts of goods ranging from household amenities to million-dollar supercars.

Even for the Food & Beverage industry, take-out delivery has met a surge in demand because of the COVID-19 climate. People everywhere are encouraged to stay indoors and eliminated unnecessary traveling in large groups, dining out is hardly worth it anymore- A family of 4 would be forced to awkwardly seat around 2 tables, defeating the purpose of communal meals in the first place. There’s an unsettling air of anxiety, and discomfort, of uncertainty.

1. The Theatre of a Space

I think for all the cases that brick and mortar business have met their downfall against digitalization, there’s an equally compelling case that the best ones, are here to stay.

Space is an essential part to crafting an experience. The warmth or coolness of the light, the texture of the wall and the decorations that hang upon it, the person that greets you, either begrudgingly or with a nice smile; all the nuances there are like an underappreciated theatre, on repetition perpetually as long as hours are open and, an experience that you as the customer, start the clockwork of as you set foot across the boundary from the public, to private, and as a result, enter a space entirely crafted by one, or a few people that envision something for you.

2. Opportunities of Collaboration & Complimentary Co-Branding

Cars & Coppee wouldn’t be complete without equal parts beautiful cars and freshly brewed coffee. It’s an elegantly put together space that serves both a coffee guzzling, dessert munching crowd, and the car enthusiasts. Kopi Chap Tekoh and Abadi Motor Penang curated Malaysia’s first Cars & Coppee Concept store, their relationship is like that between a sea anemone and the clownfish- a symbiotic co-existence that allows each other to shine.

Kopi Chap Tekoh is the warmth, the empathy, the hospitality that is typically absent in the Malaysian Automotive industry. Both first-time and seasoned car buyers alike will agree that most “Recond” (a.k.a parallel import) and Used car showrooms are simple, canopy-covered, and bland places; these spaces serve no other purpose other than housing spotlights on the ceiling and have a table for pricing debate. At the doorstep is a welcome greeting that seems all but forsaken in typical automotive showrooms, where salespersons take turns to approach each customer at the door.

Brick & Mortar spaces, when crafted with care, proper strategy and integration are unique experiences that the digital world fails to fully immerse the consumer in.

3. Personalised Experiences

As they put it, VNKL is a concept store and experiential retail space that enables connection & discovery. The space, similar to our previous example, is a contemporary cocktail of experiences, this time with coffee and chronographs as a thematic.

It’s a beautiful concept. It is the latest iteration of the evolution of our collective tastes as a society that progressively seeks the next new experience.

Spaces with the right personnel offer opportunities for people to learn, explore, and to dabble in new things. Whether it be cars, coffee, or chronographs, everyone starts somewhere. Crafting and bending experiences to suit the level of consumers is best done in person. Holistic experiences and authentic relationships can be built this way; ideas shared and practiced.

And while digitalization will indefinitely take a chunk out of Brick & Mortar businesses, it will also force traditional spaces to rethink their value proposition, either by offering their own online channel of interaction, or reinvent their space. To double down on the strengths of a physical space is to provide a theatre of hospitality, the human touch, and personalized experiences with assets, products & services that serve the user 5 senses.