New York City’s best in retail

In partnership with leading commerce platform Shopify, AKQA led some of retail’s brightest minds on a tour of stores that are disrupting the industry. Led by AKQA New York and Australia it was designed to explore how one of the world’s leading shopping cities, creates unforgettable in-store experiences.

From Gen Z’s favourite skin care and make-up store, Glossier to Pop Up Grocer, a unique mix between a bodega and a Pinterest board. The tour traversed the Meatpacking district, Soho and 5th Avenue ending at Nike’s House of Innovation, a ground-breaking retail space offering interactive and customisable shopping experiences. Exploring the six-floor flagship store dedicated to athleisure, athletic apparel and sneaker culture.

Hannah Udina, Shopify’s head of partnerships for Australia and New Zealand, who partnered on the tour, said: “The in-store experience has the power to make or break a customer’s engagement and loyalty. Just as retailers need to provide a seamless and engaging online experience, brands’ physical storefronts also need to captivate customers with one-of-a-kind experiences that leverage in-person interactions. Shopify invests a lot in driving the technology to enable such in-store experiences and empowering retailers to create a true omnichannel experience, but this truly comes to life when Shopify partners like AKQA weave their skill into the mix.”

This article originally featured in Inside Retail.