E-commerce has become the preferred mode of consumption during the pandemic. A forced adoption which will have finally found its place in the habits of the French, but also in those of many sectors. Even TikTok has recently been inviting brands to join its new shopping program. Could this be the end of physical commerce? Well no ! Physical commerce resists while betting on omnichannel, with the use of online and offline channels. At the same time, consumers want to have real shopping experiences that are: practical, simple, fast, personalized and fun. Digitization can meet their expectations. A look back at 5 trends to adopt in your store.
Dynamic display or the atmosphere creator
For consumers who use technology on a daily basis, digital signage is ideal for sharing content in-store. We can distinguish different types of display: in the window to capture the attention of passers-by in the street, on the shelf to sell more easily and at the checkout, to reduce the feeling of waiting.
Rivoli’s Pull & Bear in Paris is a perfect example. Large LED screens are placed in the store and broadcast videos of the latest collections and present partnerships with other brands and influencers. Or The Koople des Champs Élysées, for which one of its two entrances is an event space intended to offer part of the collection or a collaboration. The space is covered with a leopard print and a huge wall screen that broadcasts a dedicated video spot immediately immersing us in the atmosphere. Especially since this type of technology, which gives life to products and services, is important for 44% of French consumption. The objective being for the brands to create a complete immersive experience in the atmosphere of the store.
Screens and mirrors to interact with customers
Interactive screens are also great assets for getting customers involved in the store and interacting with them. Go Sport République has used this type of technology to give customers the opportunity to perform sports exercises with one of the coaches and present the products (shoes, clothes, etc.) to him.
We are also witnessing the emergence of smart mirrors with, for example, Browns in London. Driven by this innovation, this flagship has developed this solution so that customers can try products that are no longer available in stores.
In the same spirit, there is the H&M of Beverly Hills. Its fitting rooms are equipped with smart mirrors that recognize the products brought into the room and offer the customer accessories, shoes and clothes to complete their outfit. Consumers can even virtually try on clothes from connected mirrors in the store. These new technologies offer the possibility of increasingly interacting with consumers and meeting their expectations in terms of the shopping experience.
With or without case, the choice is yours
The deployment of technology and consumer expectations have given rise to new payment solutions. While for 53% of French people self-service checkouts have become important, this new practice could well be part of their daily life. Do you know the stores without checkouts?
Tesco is currently testing GetGo stores with a hybrid payment model: with checkout or without checkout! The cashless option is done from the Tesco app, customers then choose their purchases and leave the store.
Aldi is also experimenting with this solution in a store in the Netherlands where customers scan a QR Code from the app to enter the store. Sensors register the products that customers put in their basket and then the receipt is sent by email to the user. A purchasing process that is intended to be as quick and practical as possible.
Augmented reality for more immersive experiences
Retailers offer immersive experiences to customers so that they can test their products through different tools such as augmented reality. This technology, which is important for 57% of French people in their store experience, is reinventing the store of tomorrow. For instance, IKEA has developed “Kreativ Scene Scanner” a tool integrated into its application. This feature allows you to scan a room and erase existing furniture. From there, it is possible to install new virtual furniture. If you don’t want to scan your interior, the tool also offers virtual rooms to decorate.
And because the experience begins even before entering the store, Google has also initiated this practice by announcing that it will be possible to locate on the screen of your phone, all establishments or services nearby from Maps. Thanks to the image of the camera of his smartphone, information will be inserted in shops, cafes, restaurants, hotels etc. A perfectly intuitive and very practical tool for discovering new shopping addresses.
Virtual reality, the real emotional tool
VR is a great tool that allows businesses to build deep connections with their customers. This technology is the key to attracting attention and creating a sense of empathy among users. Also important for 57% of French people in their in-store experience, brands are taking it over more and more!
This is the case of Virgin Holidays, which has launched immersive concept stores to allow customers to soak up the holiday atmosphere. They can, for example, test airplane seats or experience the virtual reality installation taking them on a “Roller Coaster” trip. It’s Meta’s turn to open its first store to promote virtual reality. Customers can test and purchase the Meta Quest 2 virtual reality headset, but also sunglasses connected and equipped with a microphone and other functionalities: the Ray-Ban Stories. The virtual is indeed in the process of re-enchanting physical commerce!
Finally, we couldn’t talk about AR and VR without mentioning the metaverse. For 48% of French people, having a virtual space in the metaverse in stores is important! This technology allows brands to present their products in a more fun and immersive way, while getting closer to consumers and innovating the relationship they have with them.
All figures from Mood Media’s “In-Store Trend Barometer” study
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