D’Art Leads Mi Arcus Retail Transformation with Impactful Store Design

Mi Arcus is indeed one of the most prominent names in the baby and kids’ product segment. In a strategic move to revolutionize its in-store experience, the kids’ brand decided to undertake a comprehensive retail transformation project. To convert its vision into reality, Mi Arcus approached and decided to collaborate with D’Art Private Limited, a well established retail branding and marketing agency that is known for providing integrated retail solutions from a single point of contact.

The respective project revolved around completely changing the physical retail experience within Mi Arcus’ stores. To accomplish this, the retail agency decided to redesign each and every retail aspect within the physical outlets in order to simplify decision making for new parents, enhance the degree of emotional engagement, and strengthen the baby care brand’s overall identity.

In the initial stages, when Mi Arcus first came to D’Art, it was managing more than four thousand SKUs. Well, this is clearly a massive number for any retail space/brand. However, the number of SKUs was not the real issue, but a lack of structure was. When the agency conducted a comprehensive retail audit, it was found that products were not grouped in a meaningful manner, there was a lack of clear logic within the age categories, and it was indeed a very challenging task for the visitors to find and engage with the available products without depending on the store staff.

All these factors overwhelmed the parents and did not support a happy and calming shopping experience. Also, the stores failed to attract young shoppers. Even though the shopping experience was functional. But it wasn’t warm, intuitive, or engaging.

Apart from these, initial store audits also helped uncover deeper issues that were quietly but significantly impacting the brand’s overall performance in a negative manner. A few products were placed too high. Clearly, they could not be accessed by children as they could not reach over there. The store pathways/aisles were tight, compact, and stroller unfriendly. The mirror placement was random and completely non strategic, further leading to the development of visually dead zones. In addition to these, minimal retail signage and a lack of child friendliness were some other major issues.

D’Art started this retail store design project by establishing a smarter categorization system. The firm did not want the parents to navigate aisles that were filled with scattered SKUs. Hence, to accomplish this, the firm grouped the products into clear families. They placed all the related items together in order to allow parents to see and access complete baby care solutions instead of separate or specific products. Apart from reducing confusion, implementing this approach naturally allowed consumers to experience a quick and calm browsing experience and pair complementary items in a more intuitive manner.

Retail visual merchandising was also one of the deciding factors that significantly contributed to reinforcing a new brand identity for Mi Arcus. The team at D’Art designed and executed custom graphics, playful illustrations, and brand led storytelling. All these aspects were mainly introduced to add a sense of warmth and personalization to the available physical space. These VM elements did not just help Mi Arcus maintain operational clarity, but also reflected the brand’s values and identity at the same time.

D’Art introduced a power wall that featured digital screens and brand led video content. It did not act as an advertisement, but instead became a focal point within the store that communicated reassurance, care, and brand purpose. Also, the firm reimagined the cash counter and converted it into a value added touchpoint.

The impact of this transformation could not remain hidden for a long period of time. Instead, it became evident soon after the execution process was completed. The freshly executed store design allowed the stores to evolve from product heavy environments and converted them into experience driven spaces.

Apart from showcasing immediate performance, the retail transformation project also established a very scalable framework for Mi Arcus that allowed the brand to replicate the same retail experience across different store formats and locations without compromising on its brand integrity.

As Mi Arcus continues to expand its retail footprint within the geographical boundaries of India, its new store design and transformed retail identity establish a robust foundation. The baby care brand can now seamlessly ensure that all its stores, irrespective of their size or location, deliver the same clarity, warmth, and operational efficiency. Looking at things from Mi Arcus’ perspective, this transformation actually reinforced its long term vision for future retail expansion.