The Evolution Of The In-Store Customer Experience

Many in-store “features” consumers today take for granted were novelties back in the early 1800s—changing rooms and price tags on items, to name a few. This cool retrospective illustrates how far have we come since then.

Two hundred and seventeen years ago, Napoleon conquered Italy, Washington, D.C., became the capitol of the United States, and Charles Goodyear (of tire and rubber fame) was born.

At the same time, and, of course, closer to home for marketers, department stores and shopping centers were on the rise. Many in-store “features” consumers today take for granted were novelties back in the early 1800s—changing rooms, price tags on items, and cash payments, to name a few.

How far have we come? The following infographic—by Mood Media, in collaboration with Bruno Daucé, professor and researcher in retail and marketing at the University of Angers, in France—represents an analysis of eight historical periods, from 1800 to 2050. The team identified and observed different aspects of the customer experience, including store format, atmosphere, services offered to customers, payment methods, shop windows, as well as the influential personality of the period.

Click on the infographic, below, to enlarge. For additional analysis from the research, click here.