Tenants increasingly tend to lease smaller retail spaces. These reduced footprints require an especially well-thought-out design concept. A central role is played by the customer journey: how customers are guided through the space, how sightlines function, and which elements are deliberately brought into focus. Especially in small spaces, these aspects are crucial for orientation and the overall quality of the experience.
Equally important is clearly articulated, brand-appropriate storytelling that communicates the brand identity in a simple and effective way. Smaller spaces also demand a consistently curated assortment — more than ever, the principle applies: less is more. A reduced selection creates clarity. Digital touchpoints can provide meaningful support by digitally extending the physically limited assortment and offering additional content.
This commentary was published in ACROSS Issue 1|2026
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Another key factor is the deliberate use of individual highlights that create accents without overcrowding the space. Limited space by no means implies a reduced experience — on the contrary, it calls for intelligent design that makes the most of every square meter.
Hybrid Solutions with a seamless Customer Journey
Hybrid shop concepts combine digital and physical touchpoints into a seamless customer journey that often begins at home and is deepened in-store. Customers can flexibly decide how they want to shop — from online ordering with pick-up to in-store consultation followed by home delivery.
Digital touchpoints extend opening hours, availability, and services, while the physical store becomes a place for consultation, experience, and brand interaction. Clearly defined service and consultation zones create added value, supported by hybrid processes such as self-checkout or pick-up solutions that relieve staff while simultaneously enhancing the shopping experience.
The result is stores that intelligently combine flexibility, experience, and personal service.
Julia Mitteregger
Julia Mitteregger is an interior designer with a Master of Arts from New Design University (2014). She is Director Shop Consult at umdasch The Store Makers in Amstetten, Austria, and a lecturer in Retail Design at the Fachhochschule (FH) Wiener Neustadt (Austria).
