Sure, experimental stores like this are exciting, and I commend Dick’s management for putting in the effort, but what’s the end game? While stores like these may be exciting to visit for shoppers, at the end of the day, they also need to be profitable. Having a handful of stores that have these immersive experiences and “elevated customer service” won’t make much impact across Dick’s 800+ store operation. Here’s an idea: offer “elevated customer service” in all Dick’s stores – that will have a material impact on results.

Dick’s is right to experiment with new concepts, especially ones that add value and are more experiential. While the company has done incredibly well over the past few years, there is still an opportunity to deepen spend in certain categories and sporting areas. If you take climbing as an example, this is an area where REI and more specialist retailers excel, but Dick’s falls a little short. More focused stores should help Dick’s test how it can chase this spend.

It’s hard for me to envision a better example of experiential retailing than what Dick’s is about to offer. My own definition is Explore + Experiment = Experience, and Dick’s is about to offer an abundant menu of precisely that. They are opening stores that will offer a rich learning environment across a wide breadth of activities that will serve the family, not just the individual. Sounds like a pretty good reason to get up off the couch — not just to shop, but then to play.

Kudos to Dick’s on this strategy. Experiential retail is the hot topic. Sporting goods stores with climbing walls, virtual golf ranges, or pools to try kayaks and canoes tend to be busy places. They reinforce the brand message about outdoor activities and they are able give customers another reason to visit a store to build a relationship with the retailer.

Experiential stores are the flavor of the month and, as a one off or five off, or whatever, it’s fine — if you like stores that are tourist attractions and testing labs, but I think the Achilles’ Heel in experiential marketing is that a “great experience” is defined by the seller rather than the buyer. Is this what Dick’s shoppers really value? Is this the kind of experience that interests Dick’s target customer? Or is this the product of a bunch of Dick’s employees and consultants’ Google searches? If the answer to the question is that this is based on a broad-based, qualitative and quantitative study of actual consumer need, I salute it. If not, I’d be careful how many I opened.The second question is an interesting one. If the brand is about transactions and a few stores are about experience, one or the other is probably a sub-optimal approach. Better to give consumers whatever it is THEY really want.

“Will consumers immerse themselves in Dick’s new experiential concept stores?” Sure! When it is new and interesting. After that it will become just another store to them. Or, worse, shoppers will come and not buy, just play.

Opening this store in the Rochester, NY area suggests that it is a test rather than a flagship. That is a worthy try. It also suggests if it works, it may be duplicated in all stores. But to me, that is the problem with headline experiential stores. If the retailer can’t duplicate it in all stores, is it worth doing at all?

While this isn’t an original idea, I see it as a brilliant one for Dick’s. First, let’s think of this as a test. Many here have commented that providing these experiences in limited locations will do little to improve Dick’s overall sales figures. And what about delivering such great “elevated services” at all stores? Both are valid points. However, if Dick’s can learn how to execute on this experiential promise at these handfuls of locations, they can deploy pieces of it in other stores. Not every store needs to be identically experiential. For example, one region may adore the Dick’s Soccer Shops concept because soccer is widely popular there, but other regions may favor baseball shops or lacrosse shops. Dick’s should experiment with all of these and adjust their store formats and footprints accordingly based on location. That’s why I encourage retailers to do what Dick’s is doing and learn from the experience. One size does not fit all, and it doesn’t need to! Plus, I expect that Dick’s will find customers who visit these… Read more »

It’s truly impressive to see Dick’s bring this vision to life. They are spot on with delivering elevated experiences for both young and older customers. This is a new era for sporting goods stores and Dick’s is leading the way.

There are too few stores right now to gauge impact on full-line stores but it’s not unlikely that customers will soon come to expect similar experiences at all Dick’s locations. While these full experiential stores may not be right everywhere, it’s probably a good idea to start thinking of how this elevated experience translates to full-line stores.