TRENDING
R E TA I L T R E N D S
How Spa Will Thrive in the Future of Retail
ONLINE SALES HAVE BEEN GROWING at such an alarming rate, traditional retailers
can’t keep up. It seems a new large chain store is shutting its doors every week. So,
BY
KELLY
HEITZ
what direction is retail headed and how does all this affect the spa retail space? To
get both sides of the equation, we asked a spa director—Dawn Tardif, founder and CEO of
BodiScience Wellness Center & Spa in Beverly, Massachusetts—and a resource partner—John
Linnehan, director of sales and merchandising at Ipanema in Orlando, Florida—to weigh in on
what’s trending in the world of retail and how spas can use those trends to thrive.
1.
1.
PRODUCT QUALITY, TRANSPARENCY
AND SUSTAINABILITY
These days, you can find pretty much any information you
want online, which means shoppers are no longer content not
knowing everything about the products they’re purchasing.
“Regardless of the market segment, I wholeheartedly believe
that the best product with the most thoughtful
merchandising and the most
compelling backstory will always
be the first choice of retailers,”
says Linnehan.
Consumers are becoming
more interested and invested
in where their money is
going rather than simply
what it’s buying, which
means it’s not enough anymore
to sell high-quality products with
no information on their backstories.
Abbajay agrees by saying: “Transparency
is a movement, not a fad. It’s getting to the heart and mission
of a company’s practice. The public is driving this shift, and it’s
not just limited to one generation; it is invigorated and
demanded by all ages. Clearly, we live in a world where content
goes viral in seconds, so trust and honesty is a crucial
measurement as over half of consumers today will check the
ingredients before purchasing.”
26
PULSE
■
July 2017
2.
MOBILE PAYMENT SOLUTIONS
TechCrunch estimates that 70 percent of all mobile users in the
United States will make a mobile payment in 2017. Mobile
payments in general this year are expected to total US$60 billion,
and according to Business Insider, by 2020 mobile payments will
account for US$503 billion in sales.
“Quick and easy payment methods are what consumers are
seeking as our lives have sped up,” notes Tardif. “Having tablets
accessible, membership programs, and prepaid services will
allow the spa client to feel special and connected to the
spa, at the same time allow for ease of purchase and
limited waiting.”
Linnehan agrees by saying,
“Making it easier for
customers to actually pay
for goods and services
should be a no-brainer for
any retailer for obvious
reasons. Common sense tells
me that a person treating
themselves to a spa day isn’t
necessarily carrying a purse or
wallet under their soft and fluffy robe.
They’re much more likely to be wearing
their Apple Watch or Fitbit or other piece of wearable
tech that has a built-in payment system. A mobile payment