• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, February 1, 2022

Walmart is moving into its next era of store design, unveiling a prototype with more discovery options and digital dazzle. The retail giant says this is the latest step toward bridging the gap between fulfillment -- the boring task of helping people get the stuff they need -- and inspiration.

“Stores continue to be the most important touchpoint for Walmart, even as its digital business has grown,” says Michelle Fenstermaker, strategy director North America for Landor & Fitch, which led the design effort. Ecommerce, especially, does a great job of “getting people to the products they need pretty quickly. But it fails to dial up on inspiration, especially in some of those more discretionary categories. It’s important that a store experience do both.”

The redesign in the Springdale, Arkansas store includes activated corners designed to pull customers into the aisle, and displays that let the customers “touch, feel and become a part of the space.”

Those areas are roomier, so shoppers have space to explore and get more of that “store within a store” feeling. They also incorporate many digital elements, including digital screens and the liberal use of QR codes.

For instance, a shopper using those codes in the pet department might explore multiple dog bed options, read about pet insurance or order a giant bag of kibble for home delivery.

So far, the new design includes the nursery, home, apparel, beauty and pet departments, Fenstermaker tells Marketing Daily.

The effort, called “Time Well Spent,” aims to support Walmart’s brand identity, built around “Everyday low prices.”

“One of the key things has been making sure we’re communicating to customers that an elevated shopping experience and great value are not mutually exclusive,” Fenstermaker says.

The effort also plays on the store’s reputation for convenience. “Getting inspired and spending time in stores doesn’t mean spending a long time there. It just has to be time well spent.”

Fenstermaker says the goals of inspiration, value and convenience in the shopping experience matter more now as many people have returned to in-store shopping.

This is the second phase of Walmart’s new store design and digital shopping experience, which began last year and has now rolled into 1,000 stores. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer hopes the new look and layout “facilitate browsing and discovering throughout the store, while still respecting customer’s shopping time,” it explains in its announcement.

Fenstermaker says that issues of store design will continue to gain importance. When people are aware that they can get almost anything online, they need to feel that taking the trouble to go into a store will be worth their time.

“We want people to feel good and rewarded by the experience,” she says. “The last thing we want is for a shopper to feel like, 'Darn, why did I waste my time and drive here when I could’ve got that online?’”

This thrust is crucial in discretionary categories like apparel and beauty, but also "cuts across all shipping missions," Fenstermaker says. "Even if they come in for groceries but spend ten extra minutes exploring, they can get a real emotional connection from that interaction.”

The new design encourages impulse purchases, with plenty of grab-and-go possibilities. But it also allows for a longer timeline, and Fenstermaker expects many shoppers will turn that in-store inspiration into an online purchase later on.

In addition to sales increases, key metrics guiding future rollouts will include customer sentiment, brand engagement and associate feedback, she says.