As a real estate professional, you've probably noticed that the traditional sales bubble as we've known it is literally changing. Unwarming, geographically distant from each other, they are now being replaced by a new type of structure: concept stores.
But what exactly is behind this vague notion?
These are spaces grouping together several new regional programmes, larger and entirely redesigned to enrich the customer experience with new media in order to respond to well-known problems: how to help the customer project himself in a real estate programme not yet built?
Customer projection: a common problem in new property purchases
Yes! This question is fundamental for a buyer when investing in a property. It is difficult, if not impossible, for them to imagine the appearance of a property that has not yet been built, to grasp the volume of the rooms, the sunlight or the view... There are certainly the 2D sales plansThere are, of course, photos of the property, or some photo-realistic visuals, but this is not always enough to convince them and support the estate agent's argument.
New sales areas for new user experiences
To overcome this problem, a multitude of tools have been developed to immerse future buyers in the heart of the programme and to promote its advantages: services, geographical location or customised finishes.
The main objective of the concept stores is therefore to completely reinvent the traditional sales area and turn it into a place where all the new programmes in the region are gathered and presented.
New building giants reinvent the marketing space
Bouygues, for example, completely redesigned its spaces in 2016. Gone is the classic prefabricated sales bubble, on a wasteland, dedicated to a single property programme. Working with an architectural firm, the development giant launched the BI Stores concept. These are three types of spaces created in major cities and grouping several offices dedicated to each project. With a surface area of more than 200 m², these places dedicated to the marketing of real estate programmes focus on the user experience and digitalization. To achieve this, digital tools such as 3D models and immersive virtual tours have been integrated into the sales process. These locations therefore offer several immersive experiences that allow customers to quickly familiarise themselves with the property project
Since the mid-2010s, this transformation has been seen in developers such as Cogedim and its "Store Cogedim stores", or Kaufman&Broad and its "La Boutik" concept. Real estate marketing is undergoing a major transformation! There are also certain similarities with the sales areas found in the United States.
Did you know? The Sales bubbles in the US are real life-size experiences ! It is often a space set up as a real living show flat! The furniture and decoration allow customers to get a feel for the future property. Another surprising fact is that American property developers have remained faithful to the physical model and have digitalised it. Artefacto also produces applications for managing the model. The real estate agent then illuminates the various flats on the model using LEDs. The aim is to control the entire customer journey within the sales area. The customer is then guided through various digital workshops. This type of space is very similar to what Cogedim is offering with its new "Le Store Cogedim" concept.
Immersion in the heart of the sales area
Sales bubbles are undergoing their great revolution and are therefore following the trend of digitalization. Promoters, in partnership with specialised design firms, are seeking to enhance the user experience by adding numerous digital tools while meeting customers' needs for projection assistance. This is the case, for example, of the company Excense and its digital compositor allowing for increased interaction with digital content.
Interactive 3D models, 3D films and immersive 360° tours are becoming indispensable tools that aim not only to provide buyers with an extraordinary experience, but also to reassure them that they are making a purchase that is binding on their lives.
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