If consumers aren’t necessarily spending more, how can brands give them more reasons to buy?
When consumer spending remains largely consistent — as noted by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — many brands realize they might need a few more exciting ways to stand out.
One answer: experiences! From branded cafés to immersive retail spaces, hospitality is opening up new ways for brands to capture attention, build connections, and give shoppers a reason to come back.
These new approaches to product and brand experiences go beyond brick-and-mortar stores to offer a more immersive approach to advertising.
Humans remember moments, not products. Consider gifts given for birthdays or holidays. They’re not just items; they’re purchases that also have a sense of purpose. Candles lit, songs sung, and friends gathered change the ordinary into the experiential.
It’s this feeling that brands hope to capture by moving into hospitality. By prioritizing connection over conversion, experiences lay the groundwork for deeper customer relationships.
Not surprisingly, luxury brands are leading the charge. These brands have both name recognition and on-hand capital to create bespoke cafes, restaurants, or spas. Research firm Deloitte notes that experiential luxury will likely grow faster than its material goods counterparts as buyers look to form meaningful connections with brands.
While money helps, midmarket and small brands can still get in on the experiential action. One easy example is a vendor stall at a thematically relevant location. Consider a sporting goods company. Along with a physical store and ecommerce shop, the brand could also attend local sporting events to sell both standard catalog items and local team-inspired merchandise.
Brands can also create experiences that capitalize on time-sensitive trends, such as “Summerween.” Occurring in July and August, Summerween happens when Halloween lovers start searching for spooky-season decorations.
Source: Bath & Body Works
Think July was too early for a branded Halloween experience? Think again! One limited-edition scent sold out in a single day on TikTok Shop, and Bath & Body Works leadership has pointed to Summerween as a trend now bigger than ever.
As noted by the National Retail Federation (NRF), 49% of consumers started shopping for Halloween in September or earlier in 2025.
With Halloween just days away and the holiday shopping season fast approaching, now's the perfect time for you to think creatively about memorable seasonal moments.
For example, what are some meaningful customer connections and/or in-person experiences that give shoppers a reason to choose your brand?
Here are three brands showing how to turn everyday shopping into an experience worth remembering, plus four tips to help you make your next brand experience count.
For retail brands familiar with selling products online or in-store, the shift to hospitality can seem daunting.
Experiences aren’t one-size-fits-all; there is no “right” way to connect with customers. Instead, it’s about building experiences that resonate with your current audience and encourage them to return.
Here are three brands with three different approaches to the experience.
Byredo is a Swedish brand founded in 2006 that sells fragrances, makeup, and accessories through its website and ecommerce portal.
To help bring the Byredo experience directly to consumers, the brand partnered with Marriott to create an exclusive line of shampoo and conditioner. At select hotels, guests are given Byredo products during their stay and can then buy these products directly through the Marriott website.
Image Source: Marriott
It’s a win-win for both companies. Marriott improves the guest experience with Byredo products, and Byredo gets the benefit of customers using — and enjoying — its products first-hand.
Many larger retail stores now feature coffee shops that provide a much-needed pick-me-up for shoppers. In most cases, however, these coffee shops are third-party companies that offer their own brand of curated experiences.
Clothing brand Ralph Lauren took a different approach by creating its own in-house business beanery. At Ralph’s Coffee, customers can sit, sip, and shop in a carefully crafted café that features the company’s iconic green-and-white color scheme, along with cozy vibes and (at least according to reviews) coffee that’s not half-bad.
Image Source: Fuwud’s TikTok
This approach accomplishes two goals. First, it keeps customers from leaving the store for a coffee and potentially not coming back. Second, it provides a place for prospective purchasers to slow down and unwind in a space the company says “balances rustic ease with tailored refinement.”
Nike is a brand known globally for its products and sponsorships, but the company wanted to create a more immersive customer experience. The result is Nike’s House of Innovation, with locations in New York, Shanghai, and Paris.
Each house contains Nike products curated to match the city’s style, along with the Nike Sneakerlab and Nike By You, which let customers see what’s next and design the product they’ve always wanted. Visitors can also explore the Nike Arena, which showcases the latest and greatest brand offerings.
Image Source: Nike
The House of Innovation gives customers a look at what goes on behind the scenes. This helps Nike stand out from the crowd as a brand that’s driven to evolve, rather than rest on the laurels of products past.
Creating experiences doesn’t guarantee a positive impact. Missing the mark is expensive, since customers are far more likely to criticize than compliment, especially if brands are trying something new.
According to data from Zendesk, 75% of customers say a bad interaction with a business can ruin their day, and more than half of consumers will switch to a competitor after just one poor experience.
The result? It’s important to hone in on what makes hospitality work before opening the doors to a new experience.
Here are four tips to help focus your efforts.
Authenticity and trust are critical for improving brand experiences. Salsify’s “2026 Consumer Research” report found that 68% of shoppers have paid more for a product in the past year because they trust the brand.
When asked what factors highlight product quality and value, the consumer survey showed that authenticity can take multiple forms:
Consider the sporting goods example above. While showing up at local games is the first step in building an authentic experience, the quality of merchandise offered also plays a role. If team jackets, hats, or jerseys are poorly made or designed but still carry a premium price tag, customers' interest will quickly evaporate.
Before debuting any new experience, evaluate its authenticity. If the experience adds no measurable value for customers, scrap the idea and try again.
Experiences offer a point of view. As such, they need to speak for themselves — and do so confidently.
This confidence is evident in the Nike House of Innovation. The company is certain that customers are curious about the entire product process and are willing to spend money on custom-made kits.
The house itself highlights Nike’s contribution to sport, but does so in a way that brings customers behind the curtain, rather than leaving them in the audience.
Product accessibility is next on the list. While hospitality experiences can boost buyer connection, they don’t always lead to immediate sales. Many customers are leery about purchasing items from concept stores or pop-up shops; instead, they’ll often go home and research products online.
This creates an opportunity for brands. By making products accessible both in-store and online — but often for a limited time or with a limited release volume — companies can capture consumers who consider first and act later.
The core of any hospitality experience is people, both customers and staff. For retailers, this means building teams of brand ambassadors with the skill to actively engage customers. From the barista at a Ralph Lauren coffee shop to the experts in the Nike House of Innovation, people are the foundation of a standout experience.
Ecommerce hasn’t killed brick-and-mortar stores. Instead, these approaches now coexist across the customer journey. Experiences are simply the logical extension of the shift from selling to storytelling; companies can deliver more impactful narratives when they go beyond the product.
Think of these experiences as the flipside of generative AI (GenAI) search and recommendations. Instead of providing access to intelligent solutions that deliver personalized outputs, experiences deliver inputs that build connections between brands and customers.
Bottom line? Physical stores paved the way, digital commerce sites charted a new course, and brand experiences are the way of the future.