bonprix's ‘fashion connect’ store concept wins ‘World Retail Award’

Yesterday afternoon, bonprix's ‘fashion connect’ store was honoured with one of the internationally renowned ‘World Retail Awards’ at the ‘World Retail Congress’. The company received two nominations and secured an award in the ‘Best Customer Experience Initiative – Retailer’ category. The renowned international jury was particularly impressed by the innovative nature and future viability of the digitally assisted and adaptive concept, which merges the online and offline worlds to create a unique shopping experience for its customers.

"We are delighted about the international recognition we have received with this award. In the year and a half since the store opened, we have learned a lot and are in constant dialogue with our partners, experts, competitors and, of course, our customers. This confirmation at an international level shows us that we are on the right track to help shape the future of modern retail. I would like to thank the entire “fashion connect” team for this,‘ says Rien Jansen, Managing Director of bonprix Handelsgesellschaft and responsible for purchasing, marketing and retail. He also refers to the special situation that brick-and-mortar retailers are facing in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic: ’During this time, it is particularly important for us to offer our customers a safe, low-contact and relaxed shopping experience. We can guarantee this with our store concept."

The innovative ‘fashion connect’ store from bonprix was launched in February 2019 after more than two years of development work by an interdisciplinary team of bonprix experts, Otto Group specialists and external partners – including dan pearlman, dgroup, Vizona, Mieloo & Alexander, apploft, GK Software and SAP – in a central location in Hamburg city centre. The aim is to offer customers a new and unique shopping experience that minimises the classic weaknesses of retail through digital support and is continuously being developed. Instead of full shelves and long queues at the fitting rooms and checkout, visitors can expect a fully assisted shopping tour via the bonprix app. Using their own smartphones, customers can scan the products on display in the store, order them for immediate fitting in the changing room and purchase them via Easy Checkout.

In January of this year, ‘fashion connect’ was named ‘Store of the Year’ with a special award at the 16th German Retail Property Congress. Now the concept has also impressed on an international level and has been shortlisted twice for the World Retail Awards alongside renowned brands: in the winning category ‘Best Customer Experience Initiative – Retailer’ and in the category ‘Outstanding Store Design < 1,200 sqm’.

Daniel Füchtenschnieder, concept manager and head of retail at bonprix Handelsgesellschaft, is convinced that the use of modern technology is the key to a whole new form of customer service: "This year, we have focused on further improving the customer journey. Thanks to important feedback from our customers, we have been able to adapt some areas of the store, for example by adding new features to the changing room displays and introducing so-called endless aisle elements, which allow customers to order additional products from the bonprix online shop as if they were extended store shelves. We will continue to work and learn in order to realise our vision of a completely digitally connected shopping experience. An important future goal is the seamless integration of the entire online range into the customer journey in the store."

The World Retail Awards have been presented for over 10 years as part of the World Retail Congress, which brings together leading figures from retail, business and industry every year. The highlight of the congress is the presentation of the World Retail Awards in nine categories (2020). A jury of renowned international experts selects one winner from the finalists in each category. In 2020, the congress and the award ceremony were held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Further links: fashion-connect.store www.worldretailawards.com