Canon Customer Experience Center
Creating the most-talked-about customer experience in Australia.
Problem
Problem
Problem
In Australia, traditional camera retailing has struggled against online competition and evolving consumer expectations. The gear-behind-glass approach has not only hampered sales but also led to poor consumer experiences and negative brand perceptions. This model restricted product exploration and learning, resulting in customers often buying cameras without fully grasping their capabilities.
To stimulate channel growth, it became essential to reimagine the retail experience with a more meaningful, customer-focused approach that prioritises engagement.
In Australia, traditional camera retailing has struggled against online competition and evolving consumer expectations. The gear-behind-glass approach has not only hampered sales but also led to poor consumer experiences and negative brand perceptions. This model restricted product exploration and learning, resulting in customers often buying cameras without fully grasping their capabilities.
To stimulate channel growth, it became essential to reimagine the retail experience with a more meaningful, customer-focused approach that prioritises engagement.
In Australia, traditional camera retailing has struggled against online competition and evolving consumer expectations. The gear-behind-glass approach has not only hampered sales but also led to poor consumer experiences and negative brand perceptions. This model restricted product exploration and learning, resulting in customers often buying cameras without fully grasping their capabilities.
To stimulate channel growth, it became essential to reimagine the retail experience with a more meaningful, customer-focused approach that prioritises engagement.
[Left] The Canon Experience Store on the day it opened, with Director Lara Dolz standing in the doorway. [Right] The interior of the Experience Store.
Looking beyond our world to unlock a new experience paradigm.
Reframe
Reframe
Instead of starting with the current imaging retail experience and imagining how we could improve it, we stepped away from the world of retail and even photography altogether.
A series of engagements with experts from domains covering everything from retail to hospitality, community & culture, urban planners, emerging technologists, futurists, neuroscientists and educators helped us uncover rich new paradigms to explore. Instead of a place to 'buy', what if we were a place to make, learn, explore, grow or connect?
Instead of starting with the current imaging retail experience and imagining how we could improve it, we stepped away from the world of retail and even photography altogether.
A series of engagements with experts from domains covering everything from retail to hospitality, community & culture, urban planners, emerging technologists, futurists, neuroscientists and educators helped us uncover rich new paradigms to explore. Instead of a place to 'buy', what if we were a place to make, learn, explore, grow or connect?
Instead of starting with the current imaging retail experience and imagining how we could improve it, we stepped away from the world of retail and even photography altogether.
A series of engagements with experts from domains covering everything from retail to hospitality, community & culture, urban planners, emerging technologists, futurists, neuroscientists and educators helped us uncover rich new paradigms to explore. Instead of a place to 'buy', what if we were a place to make, learn, explore, grow or connect?
[Before] A concept sketch of a small photography studio in-store. [After] The photography studio brought to life in the final Experience Store.
Solution
Solution
Canon's Experience Store revolutionises camera shopping with an educational focus, emphasising personal photography journeys over sales.
Visitors enjoy open access to gear, encouraging hands-on experimentation. Store Ambassadors, who are photographers rather than salespeople, provide advice and inspiration regardless of buying intent.
The store design prioritises images over technology displays, creating an environment where the potential of photography, rather than just the cameras, inspires customers, thus redefining technology retailing.
Canon's Experience Store revolutionises camera shopping with an educational focus, emphasising personal photography journeys over sales.
Visitors enjoy open access to gear, encouraging hands-on experimentation. Store Ambassadors, who are photographers rather than salespeople, provide advice and inspiration regardless of buying intent.
The store design prioritises images over technology displays, creating an environment where the potential of photography, rather than just the cameras, inspires customers, thus redefining technology retailing.
Canon's Experience Store revolutionises camera shopping with an educational focus, emphasising personal photography journeys over sales.
Visitors enjoy open access to gear, encouraging hands-on experimentation. Store Ambassadors, who are photographers rather than salespeople, provide advice and inspiration regardless of buying intent.
The store design prioritises images over technology displays, creating an environment where the potential of photography, rather than just the cameras, inspires customers, thus redefining technology retailing.
30+
Experts brought in from diverse fields
to expand the paradigm we were designing in.
30+
Experts brought in from diverse fields
to expand the paradigm we were designing in.
30+
Consumers engaged through iterative co-creation
to shape a meaningful experience beyond just a retail store.
55+
Canon staff engaged
to deepen and widen our understanding of best-in-class retail experiences.
55+
Canon staff engaged
to deepen and widen our understanding of best-in-class retail experiences.
30+
Experts brought in from diverse fields
to expand the paradigm we were designing in.
60+
Consumers engaged through iterative co-creation
to shape a meaningful experience beyond just a retail store.
60+
Consumers engaged through iterative co-creation
to shape a meaningful experience beyond just a retail store.
55+
Canon staff engaged
to deepen and widen our understanding of best-in-class retail experiences.
Impact
Impact
The Experience Store has challenged traditional conceptions of photography retail, bolstering Canon beyond cameras to supporting the photography journeys of thousands of people.
The Experience Store has challenged traditional conceptions of photography retail, bolstering Canon beyond cameras to supporting the photography journeys of thousands of people.
The Experience Store has challenged traditional conceptions of photography retail, bolstering Canon beyond cameras to supporting the photography journeys of thousands of people.
"Our objective was to create the best consumer experience possible. We had no preconceived ideas and deliberately looked to challenge established ways of thinking that become experiential barriers. The result is a space that is welcoming to all, provides unrestricted access to our gear and encourages an exploration of photography, videography and print in a way that’s relevant to you as an individual."
"Our objective was to create the best consumer experience possible. We had no preconceived ideas and deliberately looked to challenge established ways of thinking that become experiential barriers. The result is a space that is welcoming to all, provides unrestricted access to our gear and encourages an exploration of photography, videography and print in a way that’s relevant to you as an individual."
Jason McClean, Director - Consumer Imaging, Canon Australia
Jason McClean, Director - Consumer Imaging, Canon Australia
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