Dan Murphy’s unveils its new-look stores with “magic moments” and digital labels

Dan Murphy’s has unveiled the new look of its future stores where drinks education, discovery, technology and sustainability are at the heart of the customer experience.

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The first store to get the new look is the Dan Murphy’s South Melbourne store, which has undergone a complete renewal.

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“Although customers will recognise that they are in a Dan Murphy’s, we know they expect so much more from us than just products on shelves – and that’s what they will get in our new stores,” said Dan Murphy’s Managing Director Alex Freudmann.

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At the heart of the store is a central area where customers can experience ‘magic moments’, which include wine and spirit tastings, a merchant’s corner with recommendations from the store’s resident Wine Merchant and on-demand ‘micro-classes’ hosted by in-store product experts.

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“We know that our customers want to discover and educate themselves about the world of drinks, but many are pressed for time. The micro-classes are perfect for customers who have 10-15 minutes spare while browsing the store. They don’t have to go through the hassle of booking in advance, instead, these classes are on-demand so customers decide when it suits them,” Mr Freudmann explained.

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Customers can learn about things like organic and biodynamic wines during the micro-classes, and topics will change over regularly and cover all categories of drinks from wine, beer, spirits, cocktails and more.

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Customers can also choose to self-educate themselves by exploring highlighted areas in the stores, which will contain engaging information about a specific product or segment.

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“The most important thing for us is that the customer is in charge of how and what they want to experience or educate themselves about,” Mr Freudmann explained.

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As part of the retailer’s focus on curated store ranging, the South Melbourne Dan Murphy’s offers the retailer’s largest selection of craft beer with more than 450 different products available – all chilled.

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“When choosing what to range in our stores, we use customers’ insights to handpick products that we know locals will love. South Melbourne Dan Murphy’s has the widest selection of craft beer simply because we know locals are huge fans of craft beer,” he said.

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The range offers the full breadth from freshly brewed craft beer in growlers and squealers (brewed the same week as sold in the store) from local craft brewery Brick Lane Brewing to aged beer and anything in between!

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About 30 percent of the beer range is made in Victoria, with many local breweries delivering their products directly to the store.

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Local is a significant focus of the overall range, with brands such as Patient Wolf and Starward also hand-delivering their gins and whiskies directly to the South Melbourne store.

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“We are committed to continuing to support local brands. It’s an exciting time for Australian brewers, winemakers and distillers – there is a lot of innovation in the space, and we are seeing customers choosing to support local products more than ever,” Mr Freudmann said.

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The store also has a fine wine department, and the resident Wine Merchant is there to help guide customers to find the right bottle for the right occasion.

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Technology is a big part of Dan Murphy’s store transformations. Digital shelf labels have NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, so drinks lovers can simply tap the shelf label with their smartphones to get more product information or read customer reviews about a specific product.

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“The biggest challenge for Dan Murphy, the founder of our stores, was to get Australians to try something different than rum and beer that was mainly consumed in the 1950s when he opened his first store,”  Mr Freudmann said.

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“Dan came up with the ‘lowest liquor price guarantee to make other drinks – including different styles of table wine – affordable and to persuade customers to challenge their palates. Dan Murphy’s philosophy was about value, but most importantly about discovery – and that’s what our new stores are all about,” he added.

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Sustainability is a big focus for the retailer, with approximately 15 percent of 246 Dan Murphy’s stores now having solar power.

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“We are making our stores more sustainable, and energy use is a big part of our efforts. We have more stores being switched on to solar every month,” Mr Freudmann said.

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The Dan Murphy’s South Melbourne store is on 100 Market St South Melbourne 3205. The store also offers on-demand delivery (2 hours or less) and express pick-up.

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For more information, interviews or images, please contact [email protected]

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