Automation might take the spotlight as retail is redefined across Asia-Pacific, but empathy and understanding will win customers’ hearts. The real opportunity, concludes a report written by Glory and Inside Retail: Build smarter stores that serve, not just sell.
“The brands that lead the way will understand people and build stores that reflect how they move, feel, and decide. The opportunity is not just to sell better but to serve better,” the report Winning In-store: What Defines Great Experiences and Drives Loyalty concludes.
Key insights in the report are based on a region-wide study of more than 3000 shoppers across six Asia-Pacific markets: Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand. Commissioned by Glory, the research explores what defines an exceptional in-store experience today – and how retailers can deliver on rising expectations.
Using quantitative and qualitative methods, the report drills down into the moments that matter most through the in-store customer journey – from checkout speed and service quality to store atmosphere and technology use. Glory hopes the findings will help retailers shape customer-first environments that drive satisfaction, loyalty, and commercial success.
The report found that across six markets, experience is everything. “The Apac retail landscape is rich in complexity but united in its direction. From the bustling metros of Hong Kong to the mobile-first habits of India and Indonesia, shoppers are telling us the same thing: They value in-store experiences that are fast, flexible, human, and emotionally rewarding.
“While specific behaviours and triggers vary by country, the expectations do not. Shoppers across the region want smooth journeys, intuitive environments, empowered staff, and a sense of connection – whether through helpful service, immersive displays, or surprise moments.”
Five key constants are evident across the entire region:
- Speed is non-negotiable.
- Staff behaviour drives loyalty – or churn.
- Checkout defines memory.
- Technology should offer control, not complexity.
- Emotion and engagement are the true differentiators.
“Retailers must adapt with clarity and intent. The opportunity is not just to streamline but to elevate.”
One of the report’s opening predications is that consumers “are not asking for the impossible”.
Responses to the survey underpin that gimmicks and grand gestures do not define an exceptional in-store experience in today’s competitive retail landscape.
Rather, it’s about consistently delivering the basics done exceptionally well. “Our data shows a strong regional consensus: Fast, friendly, and frictionless experiences win loyalty.” However, how this manifests and what consumers are willing to tolerate differ by market, which the report delves into.
For example, while the adoption of self-service is growing, most retailers view technology as an enabler, not a replacement – which would seem to match consumer expectations. Digital tools may have become essential in the modern retail age, but their success hinges on how they enhance, not replace, the human experience. “We design our stores for technology to support, not replace, the human experience,” said an executive from Heytea.
“The most valued in-store experiences deliver on both functional and emotional fronts,” the report concludes. “Shoppers expect to be greeted by friendly staff, navigate a clean and logical store layout, easily find the products they want, pay quickly, and feel their time was respected.”
When it comes to checkout, as a further example, unclear signage, a lack of staff, and inconsistent availability continue to be key drivers of frustration in stores.
“If customers make an effort to come in-store, it’s so important we have what they’re looking for or can get it to them the next day at our cost,” observed one executive from Sheet Society.
“Checkout should never feel like admin,” added another from T2. “It’s a chance to delight with dry sampling, beautiful packaging, and multiple checkout points for flow.”
Key recommendations
To meet the evolving expectations of consumers and deliver competitive, scalable experiences across Apac, the report’s authors recommend retailers embrace eight priorities…
- Blend human and digital at checkout: Offer self-service, staffed lanes, and mobile POS – allowing shoppers to choose based on mood, mission, and comfort.
- Reframe staff as experience-makers, not just problem-solvers: Prioritise training in empathy, product knowledge, and engagement. Staff should be visible, proactive, and emotionally intelligent.
- Design stores for movement, clarity, and discovery: Reduce friction through intuitive layouts and signage while enabling exploration through strategic merchandising and flexible spaces.
- Deploy technology with market-specific precision: Prioritise QR and mobile-first solutions in India and Indonesia; double down on self-checkout and automation in Hong Kong, Australia, and Singapore.
- Build impulse and engagement into store design: Use promotional displays, testers, and tactile zones to stimulate unplanned purchases and extend dwell time.
- Emphasise service tone and cultural nuance: Tailor your service experience to reflect local shopper expectations – courtesy, warmth, and trust matter more than uniformity.
- Create small moments of delight: Surprise gestures, samples, tailored promotions, and a well-timed thank-you create emotional recall and social sharing.
- Connect online and offline channels seamlessly: Use digital receipts, app tie-ins, and QR-based product insights to reinforce omnichannel engagement without disrupting the physical flow.
- For a deeper dive into the report’s findings and recommendations, download the report here.
