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Primark opens five storey Birmingham store built around digital experience

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Today, Primark opens the doors on its latest – and largest – store and is betting big on the power of digital screens and signage in-store.

Its new five-floor Birmingham branch – the chain’s 187th in the UK – puts customer experience at the heart of its offering, by installing a total of 23 state-of-the-art digital displays throughout the new store, which have been implemented by its in-store customer experience partner Mood Media.

It also features free wifi, drinking fountains, a recycling scheme and a place to charge mobile devices, as well as a restaurant, cafe and barbers – showcasing a total experience for shoppers all in the one store and marking it out as an exemplar of next gen retail. 

From video walls to Window LED screens, Primark will use the digital displays as wayfinders and welcoming screens to advertise the different attractions on each floor – including the three concession stores Duck and Dry, Disney Café, and The Mills – to improve the customer experience as shoppers navigate the store.

A recent study by Mood Media, which surveyed 10,000 shoppers across the globe, found that 46% of shoppers have been influenced by digital content they’ve viewed in store, while 58% of consumers say that engaging video content has a positive impact on their shopping.

As many as one in two Gen Z’ers – Primark’s target audience – say they’ve been influenced by in-store video/digital content, while 39% off fashion shoppers say they’ve been attracted into a clothing store after noticing “engaging content on store screens” inside.

Customers will also find water fountains throughout the store and all water sold is bottled in recyclable or recycled packaging. Shoppers can enjoy free wifi and recharge seating areas, where they can relax and recharge both themselves and their mobile devices. 

Employees at Birmingham High Street will enjoy a comfortable, open and modern back of house area, with a kitchen and bright décor in their own Recharge Café. The store will also become a regional hub for employee training and career development. 

The bold design of the Primark store front is another architectural statement for Birmingham, and it will be one of the first buildings that passengers see when they arrive into the city’s train station. 

Primark’s Retail Director for the UK & Northern Europe, Simon Gibbs says: “Primark is proud to be a part of the fabric of Birmingham. We’ve been in this great city since 2002 and have witnessed its incredible transformation, including the opening of the Bullring in 2003 and Grand Central in 2015. The opening of Birmingham High Street gives us the opportunity to bring our flagship product range and the very best of Primark to our customers in this vibrant and diverse city, which is something we have wanted to do for many years.” 

Primark’s Director of New Business Development, Tim Kelly adds: “Our customers can expect a great experience at Primark Birmingham High Street. They can spend time with friends and family, eat great food, recharge and have fun, and find everything under one roof including Fashion, Beauty and Homewear – all at an amazing price. We’re proud to bring this great store and everything it has to offer, to Birmingham.” 

According to Linda Ralph, VP International Business Development at Mood Media: “Primark has always been at the cutting-edge when it comes to using digital screens and signage to attract shoppers in-store, but this new store opening shows that Primark is willing to go bigger and better when it comes to this powerful medium. Given the sheer size of the store and its breadth of offer, the digital directories can really catch the attention of shoppers while in store, showcasing the various cafes and services on each floor so they don’t miss out on incredible experiences. This is particularly important for beauty, which has been a very successful category for Primark.”

She continues: “We know that consumers are increasingly viewing shopping on the high-street as a leisure experience, as compared to online where more functional and transactional purchases take place. For Primark, this store opening will be an amazing opportunity to deliver this value-add to shoppers, as the retailer seeks to act more like a department store, while placing an even greater emphasis on the in-store customer experience. Other retailers need to take note of this, using the in-store environment to inspire and entertain shoppers, while encouraging them to stay in-store for longer and return.”

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