Samsung Offers Glimpse Of The Future Retail Environment: It's Experience Not Store

The face of retail may have changed forever thanks to Samsung’s launch of its first foray into a physical retail experience. The company makes it clear that it is not offering a retail store in Samsung 837, a massive space located in New York City’s Meatpacking District. Shopping was so yesterday. Consumers no longer want to wander aimlessly through shopping centers. Their online digital lifestyles shape their preferences something entirely different should they decide to visit a retail location. For example, sporting good companies that have offered a way to try the equipment on-site have led more consumers to expect a similar interactive experience from other retailers. The "Un-Store" Samsung has decided that consumers want what they are now offering in the form of what they term a “cultural destination” and “digital playground.” Alongside the ability for the public to come and experience the space, it will also serve as the home to Samsung’s marketing team and be leveraged to express its brand through events and product discovery opportunities that will be held there. In explaining how Samsung was looking to enhance its Customer Experience (CX) capability, Zach Overton, Vice President and General Manager, Samsung 837, noted, “Creating a flagship without retail might sound like a crazy idea, but consumers today are seeking interactions (experiences) rather than transactions. We wanted to create a two-way conversation with our customers and visitors -- a personal dialogue.” Overton added, “Samsung 837 showcases how modern brands are relating to consumers today in the connected age. At 837, we're connecting with our customers on a whole new level -- whether it's through checking out the state-of-the-art smart kitchen, taking a selfie on the world's largest mobile screen, discovering a new artist in our Music Studio, getting Samsung technology questions answered by one of our on-site experts, or gaining exclusive access to one of our private events or regular programming. It’s essentially the ‘unstore.’"

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