The digital trend is transforming the ecosystem of the shopping and retail sector. Much is said about the digital age and how it can generate new sales and new experiences for an increasingly connected and demanding consumer.
When e-commerce appeared, retailers became frightened and thought it might be the end of physical stores. The truth is that it was not the end, but the beginning of a new era of development and consumer awareness, which is also changing.
Thus retail has a challenge, to satisfy more digital and demanding consumers who seek in a physical world what they find in digital.
This new type of consumer when going to a physical store, has already done an online survey of the product or service. That is, you already have information about what you are looking for and some expectation about it, something that can be both advantageous and catastrophic for sales.
THE DIGITAL ERA
We can say that the digital age offers enormous opportunities that lead to the remodeling of the customer experience. When people, processes, data and all of this digital information are connected, there is an incredible opportunity to re-imagine the retail, provide better experiences and new operating models to increase efficiency and value for the consumer.
In the commercial spaces, consumers look for a trusting experience like the one they have online, which has led companies and brands to adopt an OmniChannel strategy. In other words, brands need to use tools that enable them to gain the attention of their customers, ensure satisfaction and provide new consumer experiences, whether online or offline.
SHOPPING EXPERIENCE
The physical flap is increasingly permeated by digital ! Retailers begin to address the OmniChannel strategy, creating customer contact points along the way.
In this way, the whole course of the client is unified in a personalized and efficient experience. Digital signage displays are dynamic digital content display points and are one of the means of communication used by brands to approach the customer in order to capture the attention of customers.
But even digital signage is evolving. It is no longer enough to be a dynamic screen, it must also make it a physical, digital and real experience.
Retailers now have monitoring systems at their disposal, with the ability to effectively measure and analyze their customers’ in-store traffic patterns. Information that may include: how many customers are in the store, which areas are most frequent, and other information that can assist in adapting store exposure and configuration strategies to maximize sales and minimize congestion in locations.
SHOPPING EXPERIENCE AT HOME / ONLINE :
- Personalization – Sending coupons / customized home;
- Crowdsourced – Decision-making linked to social networks and new influencers like youtubers and bloggers
- Pick Up In Store – Order online and pick up the item in store;
- Cross-selling and Up-Selling – Presenting complementary and / or premium products, encouraging the client to spend more but at the same time, providing the return of a better service / product;
SHOPPING EXPERIENCE AT STORE :
- Digital Mirror as MY VM – MY VIRTUAL MIRROR – in addition to the client view as it is, you can see all the details of the product, publish images on social networks so friends can comment and see, send pictures to email, record videos , See store collections by brand, price, product category, etc;
- Involvement with the customer through the mobile, provided for example by URBIOTIC WIFI or until the mobile payment of the products;
- Multimedia kiosks and Digital Billboards – Access to the catalog, wayfinding , price comparison, registration on the store’s website, completion of membership forms, customer comments, among others.
There are many options that this new technological and digital era offers consumers and retailers.
The store of the future is one that can successfully connect the physical channel with the digital channel and provide the customer with an interactive and satisfying experience. Consumer expectations are those that dictate trends.
INCREASED REALITY
Virtual and augmented reality has also transformed the way consumers acquire and evaluate products.
This is one of the great digital trends. In retail, the interactive mirrors are an example of integration between digital signage and augmented reality.
This can be a very important tool because it allows anyone to virtually experience a piece of clothing, seeing the final result in a few seconds.
All these solutions will, of course, have a visible impact on the concept of physical retail as we know it today.
Interactive kiosks and digital mirrors can also be used in this area and for various purposes such as: branding, product research and comparison, in-store navigation, entertainment.
This platform and media connectivity not only delivers more control over the buying experience but can lead to the customer staying longer in space.
GROWN MARKET
“Although it is a mature market internationally, there is still a lot to be done in Portugal,” said Miguel Soares, CEO and Founder of PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS, a manufacturer of interactive digital kiosks and billboards in Portugal.
PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS through its interactive technology develops several customized projects for different sectors of the market, shopping and retail is one of them.
With more than 17 years working in several areas, namely Interactive Multimedia Systems, PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS has a flexible production capacity that allows a quick response to low and high volumes of production.
The potential presented by these new models of digital communication and presentation of content are indispensable.
The implementation of this digital strategy contributes countless advantages to retailers such as:
- Increase in sales;
- Awareness extension for certain products, services, offers and promotions;
- Virtual presentation;
- Closest relation customer and brand
- Provide Confidence;
- Others.
Are retailers ready for these transformations?
PARTTEAM & OEMKIOSKS knows that and therefore continues to work to develop products and solutions with the quality required of an increasingly autonomous, demanding and technological market.