Shoppertainment - Taking Shopping to the next level?

Shoppertainment is the buzzword these days! Well, this isn't something that is new. We have had it for ages even in India where children are presented with something new and interesting to keep them occupied when their parents do the shopping. It can be something very trivial starting from balloons to decorations outside the store to buffoons or other cartoon characters outside the store..! Every year, during the festive and the sale season these things to up to the next level! I believe that this is the "Aadi Sale" season and the shops in TNagar would be all set with the frenzy..!

But what is the USP of your store when just everybody around you is coming up with the same thing that you offer? There is no point in being one among the herd. Especially, if you are Warren Buffet, the richest man in the world.

A classic example is the Jordan's furniture Store in Reading, MA which is right next to my house...! This store is owned by Berkshire Hathaway. Well, it is just a furniture store which is like 4 times the size of the biggest Saravana Stores in Chennai! If it had stopped just there, there wouldn't even be the necessity for this post!

The store calls itself the Official Furniture store of the Boston Red Sox. Hmm! Official drink, airline, clothing and now the furniture store! :-D You sure can do interesting things if you have money! The store jumped into the limelight when it offered full rebates on certain pieces of furniture bought between March 7 and April 16 2007 - provided the Boston Red Sox won the World Series. The store took out an insurance policy for approximately twenty million US dollars. Since the Red Sox did win the World Series, Jordan's Furniture gave an estimated 30,000 qualified orders away for free! A promo has been made for the year 2008 too if the Sox sweeps the world series winning the first 4 games! But, considering the current standings, it seems highly unlikely! :-(

Coming back to Shoppertainment...The entire facade once you enter the store is made out of Jelly Beans..! A Town Hall, the statue of a knight, garden and what not everything made out of Jelly Belly Jelly Beans! Then, there is an indoor trapeze school, a ice cream store which tastes better than most places, an IMAX theater. And last but not the least, you have an amazing water fountain which they call 'Liquid Fireworks!".

Above and below : Bean Town and the statue made out of beans! 

Video: Liquid Fireworks... It was amazing! I'm not quite sure if this video can convey the full experience, but it is definitely worth watching! And needless to say, I shot it myself! :-D

It is truly a kid's paradise! And more than everything, they know how to bring in the Children in here and while they are at ease playing the parents can do the casual furniture shopping! It isn't every day that your kids wake up and want to go to a furniture store and well, the number of visits that you make to the store should definitely have an impact on the sale, right?

Have you seen any interesting ideas like this? Do share it in the comments section!