At the same time, many brands have seriously rethought the offline sales system as a whole. For example, the Bloomindales department store chain, instead of opening ordinary points of sale of thousands of square meters, opened the Bloomie's mini-format. This is a completely new concept for such giants, which implies a more personalized approach to each customer. In such a store, there is not all the variety of a department store, but thoughtful selections are presented to simplify the selection. The buyer can not only conveniently receive and return an online order, but also chat with a stylist or just relax.
On the other hand, Sook's "flexible retail platform", based on the concept of using space without imposing long-term leases, has become increasingly popular.
Many shops in London closed down during the pandemic, even those in busy shopping areas. Sook, which is a startup, offers these spaces a new lease of life. Crucially, their concept is not about offering static pop-up spaces created specifically for a particular brand or event, but is about providing technological and design solutions with smart mobile combinations of digital screens and modular furniture. New tenants can customize the spaces and showcases for their own purposes in minutes, not hours or days, and use them for presentations and launches, as well as for brand events such as yoga classes, exhibitions and concerts.
Despite the fact that the public has repeatedly said that online has beaten offline, reality shows that, in the era of omnichannel formats, companies which have chosen to adapt and change without completely abandoning traditional sales formats are more successful.