Creating The Most-Talked-About Customer Experience In Australia With Canon
Problem
In Australia, traditional camera retailing struggled against online competition and evolving consumer expectations, lagging behind other sectors in experiential innovation. To stimulate channel growth, it became essential to reimagine the retail experience, offering something beyond the convenience of online shopping. This shift aimed to meet changing demands and position the photography sector at par with other retail categories in delivering engaging, innovative in-store experiences.
Pressure
The traditional retail model, with its gear-behind-glass approach, 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. The challenge was to shift away from this and flashy tech-centric 'experience stores' to a more meaningful, customer-focused retail approach that prioritises engagement.
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.
Impact
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 experience barriers,” says Jason Mclean, Director – Consumer Imaging, Canon Australia. “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 MCLEAN, DIRECTOR - CONSUMER IMAGING, CANON AUSTRALIA