September is already upon us and the Summer retail experience nearly at an end, meaning it’s time for our monthly update on all things Insider Trends. First off why not check out the latest in London store openings and New York retail offerings? Or how about our round up of the 50 most beautiful concept stores around,at the moment? They could be coming to a retail safari near you soon!

Guiding you to retail success is of course always at the forefront of our own aims and this month we’ve been looking at lots of ways you can improve your retail offerings. ‘Anyone who tells you the in-store customer journey is dead is wrong. According to the latest reports by Accenture, 45% of customers are willing to pay more for better in-store customer service.’ Our guest post from Mark McDermott highlights how to embody this with your in-store digital signage. You’ve probably put a lot of thought into your retail space. You may have spent a lot of money to make sure your store design is attractive and functional but you may have also quite possibly overlooked this simple, quick and inexpensive way to increase the effectiveness of your space…It’s as simple as collecting emails! We’ve gathered tips from some of the companies doing it best so you can think about your own process.

When you’ve got those emails, it’s all about finding out what your customers want, This is when strategy comes into play and ultimately this can determine your retail success. Don’t put tools before strategy and read our tips on creating a plan to deliver the perfect shopping experience. John Pincott of Kebo also explained the importance of keeping the customer central to your plans in his post on escaping the retail graveyard and entering the modern age of retail. And it’s not just a need for retailers to please consumers – staff are just as important too – one of the many things companies need to look at when adopting a new mindset and adapting from a push to pull concept.

One of the main points we picked up through our research this month was removing pain points so naturally we needed to find out more. Ruth Harrison of ThoughtWorks talks about removing pain points through IT in our latest interview where she talks about understanding client’s needs and shaping solutions that fit their future needs and preferences.

Unsuprisingly, a popular customer “want” is a shopping space that feels like home so we also explored how retailers are challenging the typical retail outlet and redesigning the normal to ensure no store is the same. Nobody wants a clinical experience and these companies are doing their best to improve the in-store ambience. Again, our top 50 most beautiful concept stores also comes in handy for some inspiration!

And while this month has been heavily focused on real life experiences, we haven’t forgotten about our technology roots. Find out more about connected home and how this may affect the future of retail because if you don’t, someone else will!

For more of our expert knowledge and to find out about the latest trends in retail, take part in one of our London retail safaris or register for one of our New York retail trend tours.