EuroShop Session Highlights

“The customer of today does not have the loyalty of the customer before.”

That was the message from James Damian, former executive at Best Buy, talking to an audience of 200 retail executives and design professionals at EuroShop’s Retail Design Conference in February. Damian was joined by Supervalu’s Sharon Lessard and Neiman Marcus’ Ignaz Gorischek in discussing “Store Design Trends across the U.S.,” a session presented and moderated by VMSD.

Damian challenged the audience to think of ways to bring relevancy to their brands and offer something that will keep customers coming back. “The art of the transaction is not enough,” he said.
Lessard and Gorischek offered examples of how their companies are adapting to meet shoppers’ changing needs.

“We’re really emphasizing the neighborhood,” said Lessard in discussing Supervalu’s diverse supermarket formats. This fall, the company will unveil a new Shop ‘N Save in Pittsburgh, Pa., as part of a community revitalization project. “It will be the first full-service grocery store in the area since the 1980s,” she said.

Speaking on the luxury sector, Gorischek discussed Neiman Marcus’ new Last Call Studio, which launched last year in response to the recession. “People still wanted fashion and value,” he said.
Check out VMSD’s May issue for more coverage of EuroShop 2011.