Page 44 - July 2020

SPECIAL FEATURE: TECHNOLOGY IN RETAIL

BYO TECHNOLOGY CONCLUSION
As more people adapt to the inclusion of new Much of this article has been about projecting the
technology in their lives, stores have a great opportunity possibilities of the future of retail. While some of these
to integrate the technological capabilities that customers ideas might sound far-fetched, most of them have been
carry in their pocket. Several brands have their own apps, based on trends already emerging well before any
but these need to provide greater convenience and a changes we experienced from the Covid-19 pandemic.
more integrated store experience. Customers should be The impact this virus brings to retail will not be
controlling every node of their digital experience within unforeseen, just unforeseen in time. Trends already being
the palm of their hand. They should be using their phones cultivated have been catapulted forward into relevance
to access product information, call assistants, order items and have been developed at an unprecedented speed.
and pay for products. We can make the store experience The nature of retail has already evolved right beneath
feel interconnected with our daily lives by integrating apps our eyes. The consumer doesn’t distinguish between
that customers already use. different parts of omni-channel or integrated retail –
it’s all one channel. Retail is now following branding –
THE STORE AS A SET it’s everywhere, and its many things. Retail extends far
It may be common for all major experiential stores to be beyond physical stores and online websites. Retail has
streaming events live to home audiences via a designated even extended far beyond just purchasing products to
media channel. How will this impact store design and involve transformational experiences. Everything is
aesthetics? The ‘selfie’ changed female face make-up merging together to become a new paradigm of many
culture with the popularity of contouring; it’s important things - consumption, experiences, purchasing and
what your skin looks like on camera. Instagram changed immersive storytelling. In the emerging world, brands will
fashion culture with ‘Instagrammable’ outfits; aesthetics need to engage all the senses and communicate through
trumps quality. Will stores use materials and colours that many dimensions.
translate to video backdrops above all else? If the quantity Regardless of how we define retail, the importance of
of video viewers exceeds local foot traffic coming into the physical interactions has never been so obvious. Our two
store, surely what people see through the lens of a camera months in social isolation has shown us the importance
is the top priority. Will stores have designated sections of people, place and time. There is no better medium
for streaming content or connecting with live virtual than the physical store to engage all the senses and
audiences across the globe? Crowds might gather around immerse someone in the moment, and the pinnacle of
this part of the store like they do around sets of live retail experiences - escapism; forgetting what else exists
news shows. Or perhaps stores might become the ideal outside of our present experience is what we need to
stage for product photo shoots. Imagine the synergies in drive towards. This is the ‘retail therapy’ we need and
customer journey, by connecting an online product display have missed most. The quest of retailers to become more
to products you display in store. efficient, frictionless or convenient has made us lose sight
Technology has been forced upon us and integrated of the greatest asset of retail. Retail doesn’t have to be
into our lives in many ways, none more so than through associated solely with consumerism and mass production,
the use of video calls and live streaming. While spending it can be a quintessential social activity where we learn,
more time online and attached to our phones, we have relax, connect or escape. Retail can provide this without
established a digital social connection as the new norm. manufacturing endless goods or encouraging needless
Our readiness to use our phones and make video calls is consumer purchases; it can exist in a more ethical and
a huge opportunity for retail. Customers can connect to sustainable world if we want it to. We always react to
stores anywhere, while access to knowledge or expertise how the world presents itself to us. We rarely get an
can be accessed in any store, no matter what the location. opportunity to shape it the way we want it to be. The
The prevalence of digital connections will change the way Covid-19 pandemic may be that opportunity that retail
the physical store is used across many retail sectors. has been waiting for.

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