Designing Retail That Shoppers Want to Touch

The tactile turn in retail is more than a trend—it’s a strategy. As e-commerce doubles down on speed and convenience, brick-and-mortar is finding strength in something far more primal: texture. In 2025, the stores that win aren’t necessarily the sleekest or most stocked—they’re the ones that invite customers to reach out and feel something. From bouclé to scalloped edges, fluted displays to ridged ceramics, tactile design elements are taking over the sales floor—and it’s no coincidence. They’re boosting conversions, extending dwell time, and creating physical experiences that digital can’t replicate.

Touch Drives Purchase Intent

It’s not just design—it’s behavioral economics. Shoppers are significantly more likely to buy items they physically engage with. According to a 2024 Retail Institute study, just touching a product increases the likelihood of purchase by over 40%. And retailers are capitalizing on that. Textured surfaces—soft, ridged, nubby, or layered—slow shoppers down. They increase engagement, make customers linger longer in key zones, and create subtle cues that elevate perception of quality. In categories like home goods, beauty, and furniture, feel equals value.

Tactile Merchandising Is Now the Standard

Retailers are redesigning spaces to engage the hand, not just the eye. Fluted wood panels frame display walls. Bouclé benches replace cold, hard stools. Scalloped shelving softens the perimeter and draws customers closer. Even traditionally minimalist categories like electronics are experimenting with felt-lined displays and rounded mountings to invite more interaction. It’s a design language built around dwell time, and it’s working.

Texture Sells Emotion, Not Just Aesthetics

Tactile design isn’t just about trend alignment—it’s about evoking feeling. A ribbed ceramic mug suggests warmth and craftsmanship. A boucle pillow feels inviting and plush. A scalloped rug taps into nostalgia. These elements create emotional cues that influence perception and purchase, especially in environments where shoppers are overwhelmed by choice. Texture helps certain products stand out—without shouting.

Packaging Is Getting the Tactile Treatment Too

The same principles are now being applied to packaging. Soft-touch finishes, embossed labels, and molded materials are showing up across skincare, supplements, and home accessories. In premium categories, the physical feel of a box or bottle often carries as much brand weight as the product itself. Tactile packaging becomes the first point of persuasion—before scent, taste, or performance even enters the equation.

Social Content Is Fueling the Trend

TikTok has become a quiet engine for tactile design. Videos that showcase textured hauls—plush towels, boucle ottomans, scalloped trays—are trending not because of functionality, but because of feel. Shoppers are drawn to visual cues of softness, weight, and grip. Retailers who understand that texture can live both in-store and on-screen are creating merchandising strategies that work across both contexts.

Feel Is Becoming a Merchandising Category

Expect to see stores organize assortments around touch and mood—not just product type. This means walls dedicated to “plush,” “structured,” or “earthy” rather than just “sofas” or “throws.” Texture becomes a new taxonomy—one that reflects how people shop emotionally, not just logically. Done well, it encourages discovery and cross-category purchasing.

What This Means for Retailers

Tactility isn’t a design flourish—it’s a business tool. It slows shoppers down, drives conversion, and creates emotional differentiation in a crowded marketplace. Retailers don’t need to redesign their entire floor plan overnight, but they do need to be intentional. Even a single display zone that leans into texture can increase engagement and deliver measurable lift. If your store feels flat, so will your sales.