Over time, the retail industry is growing and producing many new innovations. Although it’s been exist since a long time ago, concept stores are becoming increasingly in demand as one of the marketing strategies. So, what is concept store? This is a shop that sells carefully curated product choices that have an interconnected under a theme. Different from stores in general, the concept store is adjusted and only attracts a specific target audience. The product sold can vary from fashion, beauty, lifestyle and up to household product. Interestingly, the concept stories about discovery and experience. So, not only the products but also the interiors inside the store must also be able to implicitly tell stories or themes in new and interesting ways. South Korea is one of the countries in Asia that is being looked up and followed for their retail industry. Known for its distinctive young, cheerful and unique style, below are 03 interesting concept stores for us to visit after this pandemic!
01. Espoir – Pub
Espoir is a cosmetic brand from Korea that has a concept store with the theme “Pub Makeup” that reminds us of beer houses. This shop is intentionally designed for millennial generation who pursue a fun experience. In Korea, make up is a major necessity and going to a beer house is a major activity for youth culture.
This shop is filled with interiors and fixtures that resemble real beer houses. There are many different foundation colors and come out of nozzles just like a cold beer usually comes out. Moreover, staff will also offer variety of color charts made like menu to find the perfect color for consumers. This concept store provides different rooms and services so each visitor can totally change their appearance when visiting the store. Here, they provide professional consultation for customers to find the most suitable make up product andhave make-up service from professional makeup artists without making advance reservations. To make it feel more real, a variety of samples and beverages are provided free of charge to al visitors.
(Pict Source: koreantrip.com)
02. Chuu – Supermarket
Chuu is a korean fashion brand that emphasize the impression of feminine and sweet. The main product of Chuu is a “-5kg jeans” where it’s supposed to be able to make you look slimmer like you’ve lost -5kg when wearing it.Their products are suitable for young girls in the early to the mid-twentieth. This concept store is the second store of Chuu that raised the supermarket as its interior theme.
This shop is decorated in pink color, which really illustrates the impression of feminine and sweet like its products. When we enter the store, the whole fixture really resembles a supermarket. They have sleeves shaped like a refrigerator to display accessories products such as shawl, earrings, necklaces and bracelets. They provide a trolley to make it easy for visitors to bring the items they want to by. Interestingly, they have a fake cashier at the side of the entrance just like in convenient store. All clothing products are arranged exactly like the product arrangements in supermarkets that form an aisles so that customers can freely push their trolley and have the same experience when do the groceries shopping. Each product price is immediately listed and can be found on a shelf like we see the price of cereal.
(Pict Source:m.en.chuu.co.kr)
03. Village 11 Factory – Chemist Lab
Village 11 Factory is a make up and skin care brand originating from Korea. Their best selling item is “Real Fit Lip and Cheek” which is a versatile lipstick with a choice of various colors and has a lightweight and non-sticky formula. The entire store environment depicts a luxurious chemist laboratory.
The exterior of 11 Village Factory looks like a cargo and one of the coolest things is they have a vending machine to sell their best selling item. The store is decorated with the huge pink gas cylinder, which is surrounded by a conveyor belt that showcase their several best item products at the main entrance. Other product are arranged exactly the same as the arrangement in the laboratory where the fixture used is mostly made from stainless steel. They also have a real small lab with a variety of tubes that are useful for concocting skin care directly for each customer. So, Village 11 Factory has a dermatologist who will provide a free consultation for each visitor to get the best skin care product. In order to support the concept, all stuffs using a uniform shaped like a lab coat.
(Pict source: janelku.com)
Bibliography:
Seoul's Village 11 Factory (빌라쥬11팩토리): #Geek_Strange_Lab and Moisture Cream Review. (2017). Retrieved 10 August 2020, from http://www.janelku.com/2017/06/seouls-village-11-factory-11.html
Bae, I. (2017). Espoir introduced new concept store 'Make-up Pub' in Seoul - Retail in Asia. Retrieved 10 August 2020, from https://retailinasia.com/in-shops/espoir-introduced-new-concept-store-make-up-pub-in-seoul/)
Nice to meet chuu ;). (2020). Retrieved 10 August 2020, from https://m.en.chuu.co.kr/page/offline/map-myeongdong-flagship.html
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