As they are forced to maintain social distancing in stores and maintain the highest hygiene standards, retailers have also been battling with ensuring they continue to provide the best possible experience for shoppers.
Cadogan Estates, which owns vast swathes of Chelsea including 300 shops and flagships for Valentino and Versace, is toying with the idea of lining up musicians to entertain shoppers while they queue outside stores. Selfridges will put on live entertainment, such as DJs, to create a “joyful” experience for shoppers.
Simon Thompson, retail and hospitality director at Fortnum & Mason, says the most important thing will be making sure customers feel safe and comfortable.
“The environment is the same; we’ve still got the chandeliers, the red carpet,” he says.
“It’s about making sure that you create convenience for customers so that they can interact within the environment while making sure they feel safe. That creates an atmosphere in the store which I think immediately puts people at ease, and then they focus on just enjoying what they’re there to do.”
While the crisis has delivered a body blow to the vast majority of the retail sector, some operators plan to use it as a way to find new ways of working and communicating with customers.
Pablo Sueiras, retail operations director at Fenwick, says it is using the pandemic as an opportunity to tap into changing consumer trends.
The retailer has taken its existing garden furniture range and expanded it into an “outdoor living” offering which will be displayed throughout its stores, while the increase in home cooking during lockdown will be reflected through its displays.
“This situation will continue to be unpredictable, we will continue to be shocked and surprised and have to react quickly,” Sueiras says. “Monday is just the start.”