Decathlon is beginning a universal store renovation program in Spain, specifically at the 8,000-sqm store in San Sebastián de los Reyes, on the northern outskirts of Madrid. Nine other stores will be following suit elsewhere in Europe and, in time, another 23 in Spain.
Decathlon seeks to establish a circular store layout, to yield “bigger areas for collections and cleaner, more efficient aisles,” as well as a unified brand identity, to extend “from the visual elements to the buying experience” and, according to Concept Leader María Gonzalez, “from the façade to reception, check-out, the fitting rooms and the identification of sports.” The company’s new shade of blue will play a role in all this.
There will be explicit spaces for “comparison” shopping, customers will have recourse to SafeSize’s machines for foot scans, and there will be a new system for “secured cash payments.” Decathlon’s Second Life service (for used goods), repair shop and rentals (daily and via subscription) will also be available.
In the abstract, the program rests on four pillars: interaction, personalization, circularity and innovation—all in keeping with the “Move People through the Wonders of Sport” slogan that the company announced in March – but Decathlon also speaks of sustainability and general modernization. The idea, the company says, is to go “beyond the application of architectural and technological concepts.”
