Retail environments have always told stories. But in 2025, those stories are no longer about products, but instead, people.
Once a buzzword wrapped in a mirage of extravagant pop-ups and costly installations, experiential retail is now a baseline.
Experiential often felt inaccessible for most, something reserved for big brands with even bigger budgets. Yet, now the focus is less on spectacle and more on substance, intentionality and creating moments that resonate.
This piece explores why people are drawn to emotionally rich retail environments, what makes an experience memorable, and how retailers (no matter the size or budget) can tap into these principles. We’ll unpack how experiential retail is being redefined across stores, showrooms and spaces alike, supported with theory and practical examples.
The question is no longer whether to design immersive experiences, but how deeply you understand the motivations behind them.
Experience Economics: The Shift from Goods to Moments
Pine and Gilmore’s foundational theory in The Experience Economy reminds us that as commoditisation increases, value shifts toward experience. Shoppers no longer simply consume; they participate. And participation, when done right, creates emotional capital.
After all, two stores might sell the same product, but only one offers an experience that aligns with how the customer sees themselves. That alignment isn’t accidental, it’s by design.
At Ripple, we’re seeing clients invest not just in fixtures and layouts, but in the mood, meaning, and memory their spaces create. This shift from selling to storytelling sits at the core of what experiential retail means today.
Designing for Meaning, Not Just Movement
Traditional retail strategy has long been shaped by sales targets and conversion metrics. Understandably so. Retailers want results they can measure, and for decades, success was a numbers game. But experience? That’s harder to quantify, yet harder to ignore.
“If you think about Maslow’s hierarchy, retail has long since climbed past basic need,” explains David Wolfenden, MD at Ripple. “We’re not designing for just function and sales volume anymore, rather, we’re designing for belonging, identity, and esteem.”
That understanding reshapes how we approach layout, lighting, and materials. Every element becomes a cue to emotion.
Why People Want to Feel Something
It follows, then, that customers crave spaces that feel meaningful. But what does ‘meaningful’ actually look like in a retail context? Why do some stores feel welcoming while others feel transactional? It could be calm that offsets the chaos of a busy high street. Or a sense of reassurance that removes the pressure from a high-ticket purchase. Emotions influence memory and behaviour. A space that creates calm can build trust. One that sparks curiosity can reawaken delight. These feelings stick.
Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s concept of flow (the immersive state where time disappears) is key here. Some stores just work. You walk in and something captures you. Maybe it’s the lighting, the pace, the space to breathe. You’re not being pulled along, you want to stay and explore. That presence isn’t forced; it’s earned through careful, human-centred choices.
We recently visited the new(ish) Sports Direct store in Manchester. As we climbed the stairs to the football section, something shifted. The walls were wrapped in tunnel graphics. Sound effects mimicked stadium roars. And for a moment, you were stepping onto the pitch. That fleeting sensation of anticipation, of possibility, that’s the kind of emotional recall brands seek to build. A really simple example of immersion, but impactful.
Image credits: Manchester Arndale, 2023
But What About Sales?
As much as people talk about brand visibility and awareness, let’s be honest, sales still matter. The bottom line is never far from the conversation. Hence, the question still lingers…what does all this emotional connection mean in commercial terms?
Studies show that emotionally connected customers are more than twice as valuable as highly satisfied ones. They visit more often, stay longer, spend more, and recommend you to others.
There’s a philosophical angle here, too. French philosopher Henri Lefebvre once wrote that space is a social product. When brands create a space that customers feel part of, it’s how people connect and gather. Culture shaping, if you will.
Take Manchester Brick Specialists. Their showroom became a destination for knowledge exchange and inspiration. Students and professionals mingle and share knowledge in the co-working and seminar spaces. Brand and supplier events spark collaboration, and the showroom feels more like a shared studio than a selling space. Yes, brand perception
increased, but even more importantly, it shows up as a staple venue for the local design community. And they’ll have a potential customer or referral in all who visit!
Experiential Retail Isn’t Just for the Big Players
So how do you deliver that kind of impact without flagship-store budgets? The good news: experiential doesn’t have to mean expensive. Smaller tools – sound, light, layout, language – can be quietly powerful.
We’ve seen this across pop-ups, permanent stores and showrooms. In one execution, Reprimo used simple ground perimeter markings and visual cues to carve out a distinct branded zone.
As customers stepped inside, it felt like crossing into a different space…separate, considered, and true to the brand. These light-touch elements gave clarity to the experience, increased recall, and invited customers to engage in a more focussed way.
Tactical Meets Emotional
Not all experience needs to be loud or theatrical. Often, it’s the quiet, functional moments that leave the strongest impressions. Click and collect is a prime example. What if that collection area wasn’t a side counter, but a moment that says, “We’ve thought about this”, beyond logistics?
We saw this in our work with Dulux. Their collection lockers featured a clean-up pack that came with every pick-up. A small gesture that turned a functional task into a thoughtful exchange. Because no one wants to deal with spilt paint in the boot of their car!
These micro-moments of foresight show how design can communicate understanding. Details that stay with you – perhaps not flashy, but thoughtful enough to matter.
Showrooms: Where Products Meets Context
In the past, showrooms leaned heavily on product display. But now, they’re shifting toward hands-on, immersive demonstration. Customers want to see products in action. They want to feel what it might be like to live with them.
We saw this at Carvers, where live shower demos offered visitors a chance to experience the water pressure from their shower selections. It simulated what would be the customers’ everyday interactions with the product. This helped reduce uncertainty, especially for high-consideration purchases. The emotional payoff? Confidence.
Behavioural Nudges and the Psychology of Choice
But experience doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s shaped by psychology: how people process choice, respond to prompts, or navigate space. Ripple often draws from consumer psychology and behavioural science to help clients embed these principles into design.
One client saw a 29% revenue increase after we redesigned their showroom layout and merchandise displays. We structured the space to reward curiosity and placed the consultation area at its centre. Around it, product add-ons and sample boards were positioned for easy access, making the selection process easier and more intuitive. Shoppers could compare, visualise, and decide with confidence. These enhancements also made upselling and cross-selling feel natural, not forced. Thoughtful changes should work for both the customer and the business.
And sometimes, the right partner is what you need to help provide these moments…
Why Ripple
At Ripple, experience is the starting point. Every project begins with a simple question: how do you want people to feel when they step into your space? And we work from there.
Our core philosophy is simple: Experience Better. It’s a filter we apply to every decision, from materials to messaging. We use it to guide how a customer’s customer will engage with a space, but also how our clients experience working with us.
For your customers, we’re focused on what they feel, notice, and remember when they walk through the space you’ve created. That’s how we help build loyalty and elevate perception.
For you, the client, we want the journey to be equally considered. You’ll have clear communication, timelines, and collaborative input, paired with outcomes that reflect your ambition. We’re like an extension of your team, because if the process doesn’t feel right, the outcome rarely will.
Whether it’s a collection locker or a flagship showroom, we design for impact and for measurable results. While the retail landscape will keep evolving, the need for human connection in physical spaces remains constant. That’s what we’re here to deliver, one environment at a time.
