The Sony Metreon is a 350,000 square foot complex in downtown San Francisco that allows consumers to experience products in a unique retail setting. Sony built the SONY METREON CASE STUDY SUMMARY

Metreon to create an experience for its customers by enabling interaction with its products in unique ways. Sony believes there is a trend to interact with and touch the customer on a deeper level. All of its products, newest movie releases, a Playstation game bar, an imaginative playhouse, and much more are all under one roof, combining cutting edge technology products in an environment similar to an arcade. The company wants to make a lasting impression on its customers and through this impression build relationships. Additionally, the Metreon gives Sony an opportunity to see how people use their products and how the products work together. For example, there are mini-living rooms where people can watch TV on the newest screens. Sony can observe the habits and behavior of people watching TV. Partnerships with Bundi, the Discovery Channel, and Jelly Belly have added to the interactivity of the Metreon. There are weekly events, virtual games, and a real life "Where the Wild Things Are." Learning and playing is a new model of experience. Sony believes people are looking for connections and an extension of who they are in their product purchases. The Metreon was created to meet this need.

Discussion Questions: What factors would seem to encourage a company's use of company-owned retail strategy, such as the Sony Metreon?