location _
bangalore, india
size _
900 sqft
status _
planning
OLA Cars is an online car marketplace involving refurbishment and reselling of used cars. The brand was built for a utilitarian customer that finds value in re-use, sustainability principles and need-based purchase.
beyonddesign partnered with Ola Cars to design their experience centres and curate the experience of their customers. The 3-step customer experience was based on the concept of an ‘un-store’ and involved customer engagement, product education and service reliability. The concept of the ‘un-store’ store was conceived to serve the customer in the absence of the product itself.
Offline retail holds value in its ability to create sensory engagement pre-purchase and creates re-assurance of the product and brand. Customers often develop an emotional connect and a perception of the brand based on the product, the store and the experience. While ‘Ola’ as a brand is well-known and easily recognisable, the desire through the Ola Cars stores was to provide visibility and closely knit it with the parent brand.
The Ola Cars stores were designed with an attractive storefront with matte metal panelling and a large digital screen. The materials and articulation are futuristic and minimal in their presentation and talk about the focus of the brand on design, technology on reliability.
In-store, various digital and physical modes of engagement were created to browse the products, get an insight into the processes behind the scenes and to understand the product better.
The use of timber and fabric in the furniture elements in-store were to retain the warmth and comfort of the space. A combination of the materiality and the interactive elements within the space made the design exciting and approachable while simultaneously retaining its sophistication and premium feel. The store's design is inspired by elements associated with car design, electric vehicles, and advanced technology.
