Chapter 3: Redefining the Role of Retail Stores

Apr 14
4 min read

　As discussions around OMO continue to evolve, the narrative in retail has shifted from “stores are dying” to “stores are changing.” In lifestyle-oriented sectors such as home improvement and drugstores, physical stores are no longer simply places to display and sell products. Instead, they are becoming the core customer touchpoints that provide not only inventory, but also information, consultation, experience, and reassurance. Ultimately, whether OMO succeeds depends on how clearly stores can fulfill this expanded role.

This chapter examines how the role of stores is being redefined, based on initiatives by leading drugstore chains such as MatsukiyoCocokara & Co. and Tsuruha Holdings, as well as home improvement leaders such as Cainz and DCM Holdings.

Drugstore Stores: One-Stop Hubs for Health Management and Daily Living

One of the most notable transformations in drugstores is the integration of pharmacy functions with daily goods and food retail. According to integrated reports from MatsukiyoCocokara & Co., the company has developed a retail model centered on “beauty and health,” offering a wide range of products spanning pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, daily necessities, and food.

By incorporating prescription services, stores are able to increase both visit frequency and dwell time. Customers who visit to pick up prescriptions often purchase additional items such as supplements, health-related products, and daily necessities. This reflects a broader shift: stores are no longer just places to receive medication, but comprehensive hubs supporting both health and everyday life. Staff roles have also expanded beyond explaining prescriptions to offering guidance on lifestyle and wellness.

Tsuruha Holdings has taken a similar approach by strengthening the integration of dispensing services and retail. Through initiatives such as prescription reservations, medication record apps, and digital customer touchpoints, the company enhances convenience and increases opportunities for store visits. As a result, stores are evolving into platforms that unify health management and everyday purchasing.

Store layout design has also adapted. By placing pharmacy counters in close proximity to daily goods and food sections, retailers create natural purchasing flows, encouraging customers to buy additional items after receiving prescriptions. This reinforces the store’s role as a one-stop destination for both health management and daily living.

Home Improvement Stores: Centers for Consultation, Experience, and Physical Confirmation

In contrast, the role of home improvement stores has shifted from “inventory storage” to “consultation, experience, and physical confirmation.” At Cainz, initiatives are designed around the assumption that customers research products online before visiting stores. As a result, in-store experiences are being enhanced to complement this behavior.

Cainz has introduced consultation counters and strengthened product displays that demonstrate real-life usage. For items such as storage solutions, tools, and DIY materials, customers can see assembled examples and evaluate whether they can use the products themselves. This transforms stores into spaces where customers can make informed decisions, rather than simply purchase goods.

Similarly, DCM Holdings has focused on enhancing in-store expertise. Its integrated reports emphasize the fusion of physical stores and digital channels to support customer problem-solving. Stores are organized by specialty areas—such as construction materials, exterior design, and gardening—where staff provide practical advice based on real use cases.

As a result, home improvement stores are evolving into spaces where customers can consult, experience, and validate solutions. In categories such as DIY and renovation, where product compatibility and correct usage are critical, in-store interaction plays a decisive role in purchasing decisions.

Background: Why Store Roles Are Changing

The redefinition of store roles is driven by changes in consumer behavior. Today, many consumers conduct research online, compare prices, and check inventory before visiting stores. In this context, stores are expected not only to provide products, but also to complement information, support decision-making, and reduce uncertainty.

In drugstores, this means providing guidance related to health and daily living, supported by pharmacy functions and digital services. In home improvement stores, it means offering expertise and hands-on experience to solve larger, project-based challenges such as DIY, renovation, and disaster preparedness.

In both cases, stores are responsible for areas that cannot be fully addressed online. This complementary role is what makes OMO effective.

Conclusion

In the OMO era, physical stores are no longer merely points of sale. In drugstores, stores are evolving into one-stop hubs that integrate health management and daily necessities. In home improvement retail, they are becoming centers for consultation, experience, and physical confirmation.

The common thread is that stores are shifting from places that hold inventory to places that provide services—information, consultation, and experience. OMO can only function effectively when this transformation of store roles is clearly defined and executed.

In the next chapter, we will examine OMO design from a different perspective: how e-commerce should be understood not as a revenue channel, but as a mechanism for driving store visits.