Retail’s rude awakening: Consumers ask for efficiency first, experience second

Retailers have invested billions creating Instagram-worthy experiences to win over consumers—but could those efforts be better targeted? In certain retail formats, especially those designed to deliver speed and ease, the answer is yes. JLL Design's latest research reveals consumers often value efficiency over experience, a sentiment that cuts across not only store formats but different sectors of retail and regions of the world. This new insight serves as a wake-up call for retailers who've spent years defining, redefining, and doubling down on "experiential retail."

The study, Shifting Priorities in Retail Design, which surveyed 2,002 adults across 15 countries, shows how consumer preferences have changed in the last six years. One major takeaway: Fifty-three percent of global consumers agree their primary goal is to “get what I need efficiently, even if it means less brand experience.”

In 2025, “Intuitive” is the second most important dimension of brand experience, while “Immersive” falls to fifth. More than half of consumers say “finding what I need in a store should be so intuitive it feels automatic.” The message is clear: clarity and efficiency are table stakes.

A hallmark of “experiential retail” has long been digital technology—smart mirrors, immersive displays, and in-store apps designed to impress. These elements often appear in formats meant to create “pinnacle experiences” for their most fervent fans: flagship stores, temporary stores, and extended experiences which transcend a brand’s typical products or services.

But, in JLL’s research, consumers are demonstrating a rising desire for scaling back digital in favor of preserving the sensorial, tactile nature of stores. Half say a “compelling store experience engages all my senses,” as demonstrated by a survey respondent from China: “I want to experience things that online shopping cannot provide—feeling the texture of a jacket, trying the comfort of a sofa, hearing music, smelling the perfume or flowers.”

By contrast, 42% were neutral about or disagreed with wanting to “interact with digital screens or touchscreens in-store,” and 51% dismissed the idea that brands need to adopt AI or AR to stay ahead of their competition.