Samsung has leased a 10,000 square foot store in Midtown Manhattan, but it's not selling anything. Yes, you read right. The company has turned this into an "experience" store where customers can go in to simply hang out and play with all the new fun gadgets.
It only makes sense to have this type of concept. With so much technology at our fingertips these days you need to be able to take your time and get a feel for what a product does. Samsung conducted surveys and found that people who spent time in their experience store were more likely to buy their product in a big box store like Circuit City. 
However, according to Robert Spector, the author of "Category Killers": “In retail, the experience is supposed to be a given.” He believes this concept is a gimmick and won't last very long.
I have to agree with that. Customers are supposed to be welcome in a store and be able to stay as long as they want. They should be able to take their time to test out products and ask endless questions if needed. There should be no pressure to buy and salespeople should be gracious no matter if a customer buys or not.
Source: The New York Times | Photo Credit: James Estrin/New York Times
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