Case Study

STS: Brick & Mortar Made Easier

CONTEXT

I went into Setting the Space, in their Falmouth MA store, and immediately fell in love with their product and their vision.

They have incredible products that are arranged across their stores in a way that makes you feel as if you're on a constant hunt for treasure. Sourcing from local companies and artists, Setting the Space prides themselves on providing their customers with products that are one-of-a-kind. Whether it is home decor, furniture, wedding must-haves, or personalized artwork, Blair and Will are constantly finding ways to make the in-store experience as convenient, seamless, and tailored to the individual as possible.

The conversation started with the notion of an online-store but the STS owners and I quickly realized that a basic e-commerce solution alone isn’t going to be the "wow" factor that they were looking for to help their customers' shopping experience stand out from their competitors'. They needed something more.

The comfort of shopping online, in person.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Bring many of the conveniences of shopping online into the store, and remove much of the friction that happens as customers are browsing and checking out with their products.

People today really dislike waiting, and there are a lot of opportunities to engage out-of-store.

44%

Dissatisfaction with businesses that require waiting in a physical line in-store.*

47%

Of people either look online or go to a competing business if a line is too long.*

85%

Pinterest users have made a purchase based on a pin they saw from a brand.**

* https://waitwhile.com/blog/consumer-survey-waiting-in-line-2023/

** https://sproutsocial.com/insights/pinterest-statistics/

Lifestyle brand seeks to redefine people’s in-store shopping experience.

Blair Hamaty, Owner

Some of what he would like to see:

"Being able to allow our customers to shop our products no matter where they may be physically is a crucial part of what 'success' means here."

"It gets busy in the store, so having a way to get more information about a product on the customer’s phone as they browse would go a very long way."

"Waiting in line to check out can be very time consuming, so it would be nice to be able to find a way to allow our customers to complete their purchases on their phones so they can skip the register."

"We ultimately want people to buy our wonderful products, but often times people need time to think about their purchase. We would love to be able to give them a way to somehow save our products to revisit them later."

"We want this app to be an extension of the brand we have created in our stores through our thoughtful designers, knowledgable staff, and our willingness to go above and beyond for our customers. The aesthetic and voice must reflect that devotion."

Who does Setting the Space interact with on a regular basis?

Allison, Interior Decorator

28, Female, Plymouth MA

Allison is an interior decorator professional, so her days are spent with finding her clients decor and furnishings for their homes. She depends on Setting the Space to find unique pieces that complement their style and personality. Managing multiple clients, it's important for Allison to manage their different styles in easy ways. When shopping, she needs to track ideas and purchases to allow for better organization - so she can focus on doing what she does best: decorating.

Jenna, Home Shopper

47, Female, Falmouth MA

Jenna has recently moved down to Cape Cod, and has a beautiful new home that she's looking to furnish and decorate. She loves doing her shopping in-store, and sharing her finds with friends and family. Her sense of style is very aligned to Setting the Space's Falmouth MA store, and she frequently stops in to see what's new that week. It's important for Jenna to be able to not just have an easy in-store experience, but an at-home/remote experience to match as well.

Blake, Staging Professional

53, Male, Nantucket MA

Blake has been staging homes professionally for years now. He has been working with Setting the Space to help stage the properties that he has listed at any given time. It's important to not only be able to walk in on his own and find beautiful pieces for these properties, but to also have a staging partner at the store to help design a strategy for each individual project. Blake has a lot of tight deadlines to stage various spaces, so attention to detail and strong communication are musts.

Jackson, Local Artist

32, Male, Boston MA

Jackson is a painter that takes a lot of pride in their work - but just as importantly, where that work ends up. They found Setting the Space through an interior decorator friend, and has been partnering with them ever since. Jackson has a very nautical style to their paintings, so they work with the store owners to figure out where their pieces would best be suited. Jackson has a need to understand where their pieces are selling best, and how frequently the stores might need any future work.