White goods in a black store

Men, tech, vacuum cleaners. A chain of associations pioneered by James Dyson. The worldwide store concept is consequently tailored to exactly this idea. And to customer experiences perfected through digital signage. Florian Rotberg visited some of the stores.

White goods and boring go together. Unless you are talking about a Dyson vacuum cleaner. Because this combination stands for a premium technical product. A household appliance that appeals more to men than to women. There is potential in such products: for the maker and for the use of digital signage when it comes to stunning advertising and presentation.

That’s why tech-enthusiastic males are the target group of Dyson Demo Stores. Because just like an iPhone, a Dyson sells best when the setting is high-end. The British technology company already operates over 70 stores worldwide. Their theme is the engines and patents developed by James Dyson. In Europe there are four so far: in London, Milan, Cologne and Oberhausen.

Black is the color that dominates the store design. A human-sized vacuum cleaner nozzle marks the entrance and dozens of digital signage displays decorate the walls. Customers will find the latest technologies here, including cordless vacuum cleaners, fans or air purifiers, hair dryers and styling tools. The retail spaces are not necessarily overly large – in Cologne, for example, they only measure 155 m².

Product experience takes center stage

We have already visited several Dyson Demo Stores in New York, San Francisco and Dubai, each of which is equipped with more than 100 LCD video wall displays. However, the latest stores in Europe feature significantly fewer digital signage screens. Nevertheless, the product experience is central to the concept in these stores as well.

The store is intentionally kept clean; the focus is on the technologies. Visitors are encouraged to pick up the devices and to test them. Making dirt is therefore explicitly welcomed. Various dusting materials, comparable to dirt at home, are available. But the experience for the customer goes even further. In the rear part of the stores, for example, there is a styling bar where visitors can get their hair styled if they wish.

Dyson-Store equals brand temple

Dyson wants to massively expand the number of stores. The company wants to create its own retail spaces and thus stimulate retail, shopping and city centers.

At Dyson, nothing distracts from the product and the proprietary technology. That’s the appeal of the Dyson stores. The product experiences are at the core. Consequently, the stores are „brand temples“. Digital signage installations based on LCD video walls serve as digital stages or create the right ambience as a dynamic backdrop.