Nick Hodson

A version of this article appeared in the Spring 2018 issue of strategy+business. For the past 30 years, business has changed dramatically because of digital innovation — but only up to a point. Although many practices, products, and services have evolved, and a few sectors (such as media) have been fundamentally changed, very few enterprises have had their core businesses disrupted. But that is about to change, in a way that will — or should — affect the strategy of your company.

Sometimes industries hit a tipping point. It looks like nothing is happening for a long time, while forces of change build up, and then everything shifts at once. That is happening in the grocery industry now. A shift is taking place in the most fundamental form of shopping: consumers’ purchases of food products and other basic household goods.

Making it work Bonobos, a trendy men’s clothing company that caters to 18- to 40-year-old men, aptly illustrates the showroom retail concept. Since 2012, the company has been experimenting with showrooms it calls Guideshops, now in 30 locations. Consumers can walk in or book an appointment, and have a beer or a drink of water as knowledgeable salespeople called ninjas take measurements and help sort styles and sizes. Guideshops have all the advantages of a high-end, high-touch retail store.