Engineering Inc. - May/June 2019 - 7

retailers are using different ways to connect
with their customers-online, mobile and
physical retail."
The omnichannel impact on store design
has been significant.
To lure buyers away from their computers, retailers are creating a great customer
experience, says Bennett. "They're focusing
on beautiful stores with higher end finishes
and catering to the customer when they
walk in the door," she says.
As a result, says Wollum, clients are
shying away from cookie-cutter designs.
"Retail stores are becoming more
customized with the focus on customer
service. Retailers are looking to create
more experiential spaces," he says.
Store spaces are also getting smaller.
"People are changing the way they shop,"
says Wollum. "They go to the store to get
an idea of what they want and then order
it online and have it delivered to their front
door. Stores don't need to carry an extensive inventory or have a large sales floor."
"Convenience and transaction time
will continue to be a key for capturing
more of the market," adds Bennett. "One

of our grocery clients is adding smaller
brick-and-mortar stores throughout their
service area."
Many retailers now offer buy online,
pick up in store options, allocating sections
of their stores for these quick transactions.
"We're seeing more brick-and-mortar
retailers move to capture the online shopper by offering same-day curbside or home
delivery," says Bennett.
Technology is also playing a bigger role
in store design. While Amazon Go, the
online giant's cashierless convenience store
concept, has grabbed the headlines, many
retailers are developing systems to improve
their customers' in-store experience.
Steinmetz says retailers are looking to
use artificial intelligence to customize the
shopping experience. "They may help a
customer visualize how a product would
look in their house," he says. "Or they
might track an individual as they walk
through the store and shoot a coupon to
their cellphone when they're near a certain
product."
"Technology is going to drive what
we see in retail in the coming years," says

Commercial Construction
Put-in-Place
Change from Prior Year -
Current Dollar Basis
4th Quarter 2018 Forecast
(based on Q3 2018 Actuals)
2013

12%

2014

18%

2015

5%

2016

19%

2017

2%

2018

2%

2019

4%

2020

-3%

2021

-1%

2022

3%

Source: FMI Corporation

Wollum, "creating interactive experiences
in stores and integrating personal devices
into the shopping experience." ■
Gerry Donohue is ACEC's senior
communications writer. He can be
reached at gdonohue@acec.org.

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