As an effect of the exploding e-commerce, an increasing number of stores have been forced to shut down the last years, which has resulted in an increased interest in what will be required of the physical stores in order to survive a digital era. Digitization has changed the global retail industry for consumers and has changed the playing field for commerce and challenged successful business models. Competition in the retail industry is harder than ever and more companies are expected to step in and take market share. The purpose of the thesis is to increase the understanding of how the physical stores work with their customer relations in order to create customer loyalty in a digital era. Previous research has shown important factors that affect customer relations, but this research is mainly carried out outside Sweden. Therefore, this thesis focuses on physical stores' customer relationship work in Sweden. In order to gain a deeper understanding of how physical stores work with their customer relations, semi-structured interviews were conducted with standardized questions and follow-up questions and analyzed using previous research in the field. The conclusions of the analysis were that the work with customer relations is an important factor that affects the customer's loyalty to physical stores and the choice of online stores. In addition to that, the personal contact, the expertise and competence of the staff, service, the importance of customer analysis were important factors.

Background – Previous research has evaluated different distribution systems and chan-nels that companies operate through. However, research primarily has focused on the richness of online channels rather than the value of physical stores. The following report will examine the reasons and implications underlying the choice of channel strategy. Purpose – The purpose of this thesis is to examine the reason why companies within the fashion and apparel industry, operating in Sweden, choose to operate through a certain market channel strategy. The thesis aims to evaluate four types of market channel strat-egies with the help of case companies. Method – A qualitative approach to the research has been chosen which consists of a case study including four companies representing different channel strategies. Data col-lection for the analysis where conducted through interviews with persons having vital positions within one of the four companies. Results and Discussion – The case companies ASOS, Bubbleroom, Cubus and Dressmann each represent one of the chosen market channels. The interviews presented in the results section implied that the companies chosen channel was more appropriate for the market they operated in as well as the target group they were aiming to reach. Conclusion – Even though research states that today’s society is moving away from the physical store market channel, this study proved that one single strategy is not appropri-ate for all businesses. A company will have to research their target market before ap-propriately selecting a channel strategy.

Denna studie handlar om sinnesmarknadsföring i fysiska butiker inom modebranschen och den utgår från konsumentens perspektiv. Syftet med studien är att analysera hur konsumenter upplever sinnesmarknadsföring i fysiska butiker inom modebranschen. Studien undersöker även hur de olika sinnena kan påverka konsumenternas köpintention. Då vi anser att sinnena syn, hörsel och känsel är mest relevanta för studien avgränsas studien till att undersöka endast de tre sinnena. Smaksinnet och luktsinnet utesluts alltså från studien. Tidigare har det forskats mycket om sinnesmarknadsföring ur företagsperspektiv och därför ville vi undersöka hur konsumenter ser på sinnesmarknadsföring i fysiska klädbutiker. Det är en kvantitativ studie med utgångspunkt i en abduktiv forskningsansats. En enkätundersökning användes som datainsamlingsmetod och den låg till grund för analysen och resultatet av studien. Utifrån tidigare forskning formades tre hypoteser vilka testades med hjälp av chi-två test i SPSS från resultatet av enkätundersökningen. Slutsatserna vilka kan dras av studien är främst att konsumenter upplever de tre sinnena som använts i studien, syn, hörsel och känsel olika mycket. Syn och känsel ansågs bidra mycket till upplevelsen och hörseln lite mindre i jämförelse med de andra. Studien visar även att konsumenter påverkas av sinnesmarknadsföring vid köptillfället. Studien visar att respondenterna påverkas till största del av sinnena syn och känsel. Hörseln anser respondenterna däremot att de inte påverkas av. / This study centers on sensory marketing in physical stores in the fashion industry and it is based on the consumer's perspective. The aim of the study is to analyze how consumers experience sensory marketing in physical stores in the fashion industry. The study also examines how the different senses can affect consumers' purchase intention. As we believe that the senses sight, sound and touch are most relevant to the study, the study is limited to examining only the three senses. The sense of taste and the sense of smell are excluded from the study. In the past, a lot of research has been done on sensory marketing from a business perspective. Therefore, we wanted to investigate how consumers view sensory marketing in physical clothing stores. This is a quantitative study based on an abductive research approach. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data, and it formed the basis for the analysis and the results of the study. Based on previous research, three hypotheses were formed which were tested using chi-squared tests in SPSS from the results of the survey. The conclusions from the study are mainly that consumers experience the three senses used in the study, sight, sound and touch differently. Sight and touch were considered to contribute a lot to the experience and sound a little less in comparison with the others. The study also shows that consumers are affected by sensory marketing at the time of purchase. The study shows that the respondents are largely affected by the senses' sight and touch. The respondents, on the other hand, believe that they are not affected by sound.

The emergence of online stores specializing in fast fashion apparel has presented a significant challenge to brick-and-mortar stores and has had detrimental consequences for the environment. Consequently, it is essential for physical stores to stay informed about emerging trends in physical store design. Currently, the fashion industry is acknowledged as a highly detrimental sector in terms of its environmental impact, attributable to its extensive utilization of harmful chemicals, substantial consumption of energy and water resources, and contribution to waste generation and pollution. Therefore, it is imperative to adopt more sustainable practices when it comes to purchasing apparel, particularly in light of sustainability concerns. Moreover, physical second-hand stores play a crucial role in promoting sustainability by offering pre-owned items. To attract customers, these stores need to cultivate a more appealing ambiance and atmosphere. To achieve this, the implementation of a sensory marketing strategy within physical second-hand stores can be employed to enhance the customer experience. By engaging the senses of smell, touch, vision, and hearing in a cohesive manner, a sensory marketing strategy can potentially contribute to a more enjoyable shopping experience and attract customers to physical second-hand stores. This study adopts a qualitative approach, collecting empirical data through semi-structured interviews with female participants aged between 18 and 60 years old in Sweden. The interviewees consisted of individuals who frequently made purchases in physical second-hand stores, as well as those who did so less frequently. The empirical findings were subsequently analyzed in conjunction with the existing literature. The research findings conclude that the implementation of sensory marketing techniques in physical second-hand stores has the potential to enhance the store's image, market position, and overall attractiveness. Creating congruence among the senses can result in a positive customer experience and a pleasant atmosphere, thereby increasing the likelihood of customers choosing to purchase apparel from second-hand stores. Additionally, the study reveals a growing interest among customers in sustainable shopping choices, leading to an increased inclination to opt for second-hand items.

This bachelor degree addresses the importance of sensory marketing in the swedish fashion retail industry among women. The concept of “store death” has become an increasingly talked about topic in Sweden and is something that affects both consumers, entrepreneurs and business owners alike. This is partially because of the rapid growth of technology and the internet which in turn has made it easier to go online and find what you are looking for in the e-commerce market. Sars-Cov-2 has also been a big factor this last year and has forced stores to go out of business a lot faster and pushed some of them to enter the e-commerce market instead. This has reshaped how consumers and business owners look at the retail market and forced them to try to adapt to changes. The purpose of this research is to analyse what makes the female swedish consumers buy things in physical stores. The authors want to examine how the consumers feel and think regarding physical shopping and see if a sensory marketing perspective can help slow the pace in which stores have to close down

Den fysiska handelsplatsen har länge varit kärnan inom handeln men utmanas nu av den växande e-handeln. Statistik från HUI Research och Svensk Handel visar att e-handeln i Sverige har haft en stark tillväxt de senaste åren som beräknas fortsätta öka. Men vad innebär egentligen den ökande e-handeln för fysiska handelsplatser? Genom media får vi bilden av att konsekvenserna av en ökad e-handel resulterar i en butiksdöd. En mängd forskare menar att konsekvenserna snarare är en ökad integrering av e-handel och fysisk handel. Vi genomförde tidigt en förstudie som visade att det finns en avsaknad av ett empiriskt synsätt i diskussionen kring vad den ökande e-handeln innebär för fysiska handelsplatser. Syftet med studien blev således att komplettera nuvarande forskning genom en kvalitativ studie som applicerar ett empiriskt synsätt och undersöker vad den ökande e-handeln innebär för fysiska handelsplatser. Det gjorde vi genom att intervjua fastighetsägare och handelsaktörer inom detaljhandeln. Studiens resultat visar att det finns skäl till att tro att de fysiska handelsplatserna kommer påverkas ju mer e-handeln växer. Den digitala- och fysiska handeln kommer att integreras ännu mer och fastighetsägares strategier förändras för att se till att deras handelsplatser förblir attraktiva när e-handeln ökar. / Since way back the physical retail location has been the core of retail, however it is now challenged by the emerging e-commerce. Statistics from HUI Research and the Swedish Trade Federation show that e-commerce in Sweden has experienced strong growth in recent years and is expected to rapidly increase and transform the physical retail landscape. But what does the growing e-commerce really mean for the physical stores? From what media cover in the news we get the impression that the consequences of increased e-commerce result in a death of physical retail stores. A number of researchers argue that the consequences are instead rather an increased integration of e-commerce and commerce in physical stores. From the pre-study we conducted there was an indication that the discussion of what the increasing e-commerce entails for the physical stores lacks an approach consisting of an empirical perspective. The purpose of the study was thus to supplement current research through a qualitative study that applies an empirical approach and investigates what the increasing e-commerce entails for the physical stores. We did this by interviewing real estate property owners and retail players within the retail sector. The result of the study shows that there is reason to believe that the physical stores will be affected the more the e-commerce grows. Digital and physical commerce will be integrated even more, and property owners' strategies change to ensure that their real estate remain attractive when e-commerce grows rapidly and the market transforms.

Titel: En detaljhandel i förändring - En studie om klädbranschens förändring, utveckling och framtid. Författare: Johanna Bengtsson, Robyn Nagy och Emelie Nilsson Handledare: Leif Rytting Examinator: Kaisa Lund Kurs: Kandidatuppsats 15hp. Företagsekonomi III - Marknadsföring. Turismprogrammet, Linnéuniversitetet, HT 2017. Syfte och forskningsfrågor Studiens syfte är att undersöka utvecklingen av olika distributionskanaler samt framtida förändring inom klädbranschen. Studien tar utgångspunkt i ett företagsperspektiv.   Med syftet som bakgrund har vi formulerat följande forskningsfrågor med fokus på klädbranschen. 1. Vad är karakteristiskt för distributionskanalerna inom dagens klädhandel? 2. Hur anser representanter för handeln och konsulter inom området att fysiska butiker och e-handeln kan komma att utvecklas i framtiden?   Metod Studien baseras på en kvalitativ fallstudie på den svenska klädbranschen. Ansatsen grundar sig i en deduktion med inslag av induktion. Den empiriska datan består av åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer med företrädare och konsulter inom detaljhandeln samt klädbranschen.   Slutsatser Resultatet av studien pekar på att kunden är det centrala inom klädbranschen, att allt som utvecklas och förändras är för kundens köpprocess. Att integrera sina distributionskanaler har lyfts fram som ett måste för klädföretag och även att fysiska butiker måste erbjuda en köpupplevelse som är mer än shopping. Men studien har också visat på en problematik mellan kundens krav på låga priser och samtidigt på hållbarhet. / Title: A retail in change - A study on the fashion industry's change, development and future. Authors: Johanna Bengtsson, Robyn Nagy och Emelie Nilsson Tutor: Leif Rytting Examiner: Kaisa Lund Subject: Bachelor thesis 15 credits. Business administration III - Marketing. Tourism studies, Linnaeus University, Fall 2017. Purpose and research question The purpose of this study is to investigate the development of different distribution channels, as well as the changing future of the fashion industry. The study´s starting point is from an enterprise perspective.   With the purpose as a background, we have formulated the following research questions focusing on the fashion industry. 1. What is characteristic of the distribution channels in today's clothing trade? 2. How do representatives of trade and consultants in the area expect physical stores and e-commerce to develop in the future?   Method This study is based on a qualitative case study in the fashion industry. It utilises deductive approach whilst also incorporating some inductive aspects. The empirical data consists of eight semi structured interviews with representatives and consultants in the retail and fashion industry.   Conclusion The result of the study suggest that the customer is the centre of the fashion industry, which means that everything that develops and changes is for the customer's buying process. Integrating their distribution channels has been highlighted as an importance for clothing companies and also that physical stores need to offer a shopping experience that is more than just shopping. However, the study also demonstrates the problem of meeting both the customer’s demands of low prices and at the same time on sustainability.

Most companies' desire is to create customer relationships and the working methods have changed as a result of the increased e-commerce. Because of digitalization, the retailing field has changed dramatically. Consequently, physical stores are facing competition from online companies. Previous literature has stated that physical stores now have to focus on what happens inside the store in order to generate a pleasant experience. The research question focused on examining how Elgiganten, the largest consumer electronic store in Sweden, use customer experience and customer value in order to influence store attractiveness. This was carried out by using a qualitative approach, an exploratory nature and by conducting in-depth interviews with consumers and the company's head managers. The main findings of this study suggest that customers can not take advantage of some services when buying through e-commerce. This ability to provide service is an important part of the handling of competition from e-commerce. The retailers need to find the right balance between engagement and emotions in the physical retail environment in order to appeal to the consumers’ desires of trust & reliability in order to create an attractive experience point. By means of this, the thesis emphasised the imperative of creating experience in offline retailing.

E-handeln växer mer och mer för varje år och det har aldrig någonsin varit lättare att köpa produkterän vad det är idag. För fysiska butiker är det därför viktigt att använda sina konkurrensmedel,marknadsföringsstrategier och handelsmiljö på rätt sätt för att överleva på marknaden och för attöverleva konkurrensen från den växande e-handeln. De fysiska butikerna behöver fokusera på hur dekan vara konkurrenskraftiga på marknaden för att inte bli utkonkurrerade av e-handeln. Syftet medstudien är att undersöka hur lokala klädbutiker utan e-handel överlever och bemöter konkurrensen fråne-handeln.Vi har använt oss utav en kvalitativ metod för att kunna besvara vår frågeställning och vårt syfte. Vigenomförde kvalitativa intervjuer med fyra butiksägare av fyra små butiker som inte har någon ehandel,och vi analyserade sedan deras svar genom att jämföra svaren som vi fick med det valdateoretiska ramverk som vi använt oss av i studien och även med tidigare forskning inom ämnet. Vigjorde även observationer hos dessa fyra butiker.Slutsatsen som dragits av undersökningen är att mindre butiker överlever på marknaden genom att haen god service och lojala kunder. Det är dessutom inte lönt för mindre butiker att starta en e-handel dådet resulterar i mer jobb och kostnader. / The e-commerce is growing every year and the opportunities to purchase products such as clotheshave never been easier than it is today. For the physical stores it is now important to use theircompetitive tools, marketing strategies, trading environment in the right way to survive the expand ofe-commerce. Their focus needs to be on how to conquer their market as a store and to not get outconquered by the e-commerce. The purpose of this study is while the e-commerce is expanding andtaking over more market shares how does the physical stores react and what kind of competitive toolscan they use to keep the sales up and going without an online store.We used a qualitative research method to answer that question. We conducted interviews with fourowners of shops that does not have an online store, and analyzed the answers by comparing them toour chosen theoretical framework and previous studies. We also made observations at these fourstores.The conclusion drawn from the survey is that smaller stores survive in the market by having goodservice and loyal customers. Furthermore, it is not worthwhile for smaller stores to start an ecommerceas this results in more jobs and costs.

In recent years there has been a remarkable distribution of the omnichannel environment, which has emerged as a significant factor in the fashion industry. Today's society is characterized by customers who possess extensive knowledge and easy access to information online, with the added convenience of constantly available e-commerce. As consumer awareness has escalated, it has become imperative for businesses to understand how customers' needs, pain points, and desires impact their customer journey in an omnichannel environment. Consequently, the aim of this research is to gain a comprehensive understanding of how Generation Z customers' needs, pain points, and desires influence their behavior throughout the customer journey within the fashion industry's omnichannel landscape. This study aims to contribute new and crucial insights to the existing body of knowledge, given the lack of recent research on this topic from the consumer perspective. To achieve these research objectives, empirical data was collected through a qualitative multi-method study comprising five focus groups and five semi-structured interviews, with a total of 25 participants. The participants consisted of individuals of Swedish origin who were born in, and belong to, Generation Z. The collected data was afterwards analyzed and discussed, which meant comparing and contrasting the results with previous research on the topic. The conclusion of this thesis reveals remarkable observations about Generation Z in Sweden, where this study has identified the most common combinations of different channels in omnichannel atmospheres. Overall, this study highlights a clear preference among female participants to use the services provided by e-commerce, while male participants show a propensity for physical, traditional commerce. In addition, this report sheds new light on the information search and evaluation process, which constitutes the initial stage of the consumer's decision-making process. Finally, needs, pain points and desires based on each step in the customer journey are identified, as well as how the problems can be resolved with initiatives from the companies.