The investment pivot: Consumers want less tech, more touch in physical stores
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.
The ROI of restraint: Shifting from spectacle to sensory fundamentals
Brands embracing this sensory-first mindset are already seeing results. At Uniqlo, scaled-back digital displays and renewed focus on fabric touch stations and premium lighting led to increased conversion and a boost in satisfaction. Customers spend more time engaging with the brand’s clothing products and less time navigating distractions.
Similarly, Trader Joe’s has long thrived without screens and apps, instead prioritizing empowered staff and streamlined store layouts. This focus on ease and personal connection earns it the highest satisfaction scores in grocery retail and sales per square foot, roughly double the industry average.
Even in premium retail, sensory-rich design outperforms digital spectacle. Tecovas’ flagship store in Austin immerses customers in its Western heritage through leather seating, boot-polishing stations, whiskey at checkout, and a custom branding iron for personalizing each pair of boots. There’s no tech in sight—just a highly tactile space that keeps customers coming back.
At this inflection point for “experiential retail,” retailers’ design strategies should follow a new hierarchy of spend—shifting priorities from attention-grabbing spectacles to renewed focus on what makes brick-and-mortar valuable in an e-commerce-driven world: tactility, sensory engagement, and clear flow.