Sony is once again looking at their retail options and dipping their toes back in. Dubbed Sony Square NYC, the new store will be located in New York City, as the name suggests. Steven Fuld, senior VP-Corporate Marketing at Sony Corp. of America:

 With this space, we’re trying to give consumers an emotional connection with the brand 

Unlike previous efforts where Sony attempted to replicate the success of Apple retail, this store is less about selling and more about experiencing. So what does that mean?

Adrianne Pasquarelli writing for Ad Age:

 The site will be staffed with a half-dozen employees, and though consumers will be able to buy from a sole cash register—tucked away in a recessed corner—the goal will be product interaction. 

That means that, while you’ll be able to find their latest 4K projectors and even their futuristic ‘N’ headphones which are being developed here in the states by Sony Future Lab, their new and experimental division, it’s really less about selling you products and instead getting consumers familiarized with Sony once again – or that, you know, they still exist. Alongside PlayStation, Sony also hopes to capitalize on the growing trend of IoT products in its store by showcasing their latest products that take advantage of the extra connectivity and integration, be it iOS or Android.

What’s more interesting is that while

 Sony’s opening theme is “innovation,” the store’s product mix will change every four-to-six weeks; in September, it will transition to be about virtual reality. 

Steven Fuld:

 Curiosity has been a part of Sony’s brand for so long—playfulness as well. We’re okay with showing that playfulness to consumers. 

Though they’re more than happy to sell you something as well, so don’t be shy. Curiously, the store is supposed to be open today but I’ve yet to see a single media outlet reporting on it, nor anything from Sony on their own blog or via their social media channels. Perhaps not so coincidentally, the man in charge of the company’s marketing cannot be found on even Twitter which says everything about the current status of Sony and their promotional efforts.

As for the store itself, I’m quite excited. While Sony’s previous retail efforts didn’t gain traction, I had the chance to visit a few of their grand openings, including their vision for what their store strategy going forward would be with their flagship Century City store and it was simply beautiful.

Unfortunately like a lot of Sony products, it seemed like the store was unveiled and left there on its own in hopes of somehow gaining traction. On the other hand, you can argue that Apple retail itself is a product from the Cupertino company that’s fully supported via marketing and constant tweaking.

Let’s hope that Sony finds success with this model and similar versions pop up in large cities throughout the world.

Discuss:

Do you think Sony should offer more of these experience-based stores throughout the world?