The death of the department store

Been to a department store lately? Yes, I know, many of you are saying “Well, not by choice.” During a recent trip to the mall, it became painfully clear to me that department stores are becoming soulless holding cells for retail brands. Sears, J.C. Penney, Macy’s, etc. have no defining experiences whatsoever. When a consumer is deep in the aisles, it’s virtually impossible to determine one store from another.

This doesn’t seem to be that hard to solve—where’s the thinking around fun chairs at the entrance, branded floor tiles with personality, signature mints upon checkout? Give us anything that creates a feeling about you, the owner of the four walls. There are so many consumer touchpoints in-store that could lend flavor or elegance or uniqueness to the visit.

Stand proud, create and own a brand voice. Relying only on your merchandise, which often isn’t your brand, is a long-term death knell.