My last blog was about World of Decor, a huge retail space where the salespeople leave customers alone until they’re ready to buy. Now I see in The New York Times (free registration may be required) that retail giants like Samsung are opening huge “experience” stores where they don’t sell a thing.

“The new stores are designed to put a piece of merchandise into customers’ hands and teach them how to use it. The assumption is that after all the touching and feeling, customers will be willing to spend more.”

That’s what the article says. I can see the thinking behind it, if you’re a big corporation with lots of money to invest in getting consumers to “experience” your products. For most small retailers, though, it doesn’t work that way. You’ve got to get the merchandise off the shelves to pay the rent and wages.

But the concept does have some good lessons for the rest of us. Customers at the newer AT&T and Maytag stores get real hands-on experience with the products, from PDAs to dishwashers.

Even if you don’t have a huge budget and inventory, you can encourage customers to browse. Maybe even add comfortable couches and chairs, like Samsung does, to encourage lingering. Make sure your employees keep current on the products you sell, so they can give hands-on demonstrations. There’s no greater turn-off than salespeople who don’t know the merchandise.

I haven’t been to one of the “experience” stores. But I try to make every store our company designs an experience in itself. We do our best to get customers in your door. The rest is up to you.