What gets digital consumers excited about in-store shopping?

Best Buy is still the biggest brick-and-mortar electronics retailer in the US, but online shopping is practically made for electronics. The practice of browsing products at Best Buy then buying them on Amazon was so common it had a name: showrooming. Part of the reason was cost, but just as important was the feeling of getting exactly what you want. And that gave Best Buy, and the Ziba team who worked with them, an idea.

After diving deep into consumer expectations and opportunities for in-store delight, the Ziba team focused on mobile accessories: cables, cases, speakers, headphones. And specifically, on the sense of freedom you get when presented with a range of choices that lets you have just what you want, like a kid in a candy shop. So we designed a candy shop. The Modal line of mobile accessories features simple shapes, straightforward functionality, a range of bright, fun colors—and it’s only available in-store.

The Modal line was a hit, handing Best Buy 11% growth in domestic revenue, and driving enough in-store shopping that online competition ceased to be an issue. By value engineering both the products and the packaging, the Ziba team was able to reduce waste, too, by 20% compared with Best Buy’s previous line.