Reimagining the in-store journey to unlock omnichannel growth

The Challenge

30% of M&S Womenswear customers were leaving stores empty-handed. Nearly half didn't know what to buy alongside their existing basket. The opportunity was clear - reduce missed sales and increase basket size through a smarter omnichannel experience. 

Reframing the problem around missed intent

The barrier to growth wasn't demand, it was friction. Customers were arriving with intent and leaving without what they came for.

By reframing the challenge from driving conversion to helping customers shop successfully, we shifted focus to where the real opportunity was.

Connecting the store into a single omnichannel experience

We reimagined the Womenswear journey as a seamless experience across store, app, and online, not a series of disconnected touchpoints. The store became part of a connected ecosystem, enabling customers to browse the full range, save products, and move between physical and digital with ease.

From individual items to complete outfits

Customers weren't just struggling to find items, they were struggling to build looks. And the fitting room, one of the most underutilised moments in the journey, was the natural place to solve it.

We reimagined outfitting and the fitting room as a connected opportunity: shop-the-look experiences and personalised recommendations to inspire the full look, and an active fitting room environment where customers could request sizes, receive suggestions, and add complementary pieces.

Designing platforms, not features

Rather than isolated solutions, we defined four strategic platforms: in-store digital experiences, customer profiles and recommendations, fitting room services, and extended range access in smaller stores. Each was designed to support multiple use cases and enable ongoing innovation.