In today's rapidly evolving retail landscape, where consumers seamlessly transition between online and physical stores, retailers must adapt and innovate to meet the demands of modern shoppers. The in-store digital experience has become a critical component of this adaptation, bridging the gap between brick-and-mortar stores and the digital realm. In this article, we explore the importance of enhancing the in-store digital experience and provide examples of brands that are leading the way.
Today's consumers are hybrid shoppers, blending online and in-store experiences to suit their needs. While online shopping offers convenience and extensive product information, the sensory experience of physically interacting with products remains a powerful draw for in-store shopping. According to an IBM and National Retail Federation report, 65 percent of consumers shifted to in-store behavior during the consideration phase of their shopping journey, a trend accelerated by the pandemic.
To serve this new breed of hybrid shoppers effectively, retailers must leverage technology to create a seamless, personalized, and efficient shopping experience. Here are key ways in which technology can enhance the in-store digital experience:
1. Connecting Online and In-Store Data: A robust marketing solution should connect customers' online and in-store data, ensuring consistency and personalization throughout the customer journey.
2. AI-Powered Product Discovery: AI-driven product discovery can deliver highly personalized search and recommendations, helping customers find the products they desire, whether online or in-store.
3. Versatile Inventory Management: Inventory management systems should be flexible enough to scale between enterprise-wide and store-specific environments, matching customer behavior and preferences.
Certain products offer a high experiential factor, making them excellent candidates for in-store shopping. Retailers can leverage customers' past online purchases to encourage them to visit physical stores. For example, if a customer orders a record player online, the retailer could include an in-store discount on high-quality speakers with the order. Customers can then experience the product firsthand in the store, potentially leading to an additional purchase.
Consumable items like cleaning products and personal hygiene are often purchased in-store due to immediate need. Retailers can use past purchase data and location information to send push notifications or flash promotions through their retail app, reminding customers to restock these items conveniently.
Technology can help streamline the in-store shopping journey. By combining shopping lists, product locations, and store maps, retailers can guide customers to the most efficient route through the store. Augmented reality (AR) can be used to display real-time product locations and promotions, ensuring customers make the most of their in-store visits.
Nothing disappoints a shopper more than discovering that a desired product is out of stock. Retailers can use technology to confirm product availability and, if an item is out of stock, present customers with a list of similar items available in-store, ensuring their trip isn't wasted.
- Pop-up Store: Pop-up stores have been found to increase sales for both the brand and the host location. For example, a pop-up shop by e-commerce giant Amazon reportedly generated a 500% increase in sales for the host shopping mall (source: CNBC).
- Robot Assistant: Being greeted by a robot assistant in retail stores across the country will become the norm.
- Design Focused on Sensory Experience: Sensory experience will be the key. With the development of digitization, the tactile experience will become more and more important because the store space will become a place where all our senses will be used to experience products with the help of multi-sensor technology.
- Innovation Center: The innovation center will be powered by technology so that each store and the center itself collects real-time data to satisfy shoppers. We see that the Innovation Center has hired anthropologists, cultural psychologists, and ethnographic experts to transform the large amount of consumer data collected into information that shopping malls and tenant partners can use to enhance and develop the shopping experience. The innovation center combines high technology to create a future customer interaction space.
- Consumer App: In addition to the strategies mentioned above, incorporating interactive displays and apps into the in-store experience can transform your business by providing great content and services that engage people throughout their shopping journey, from checkout to learning about new products, all while enjoying a seamless and interactive Nike-branded experience.
Bayretail™️ leads the retail industry with an advanced omnichannel solution that empowers businesses in today's dynamic market. We specialize in bridging the gap between digital and physical shopping, providing a suite of powerful tools designed to elevate customer engagement, streamline operations, and drive substantial sales growth.
The Bayretail™️ Store App revolutionizes clienteling, fostering profound connections between sales associates and valued customers. Through real-time communication, personalized product recommendations, and efficient appointment scheduling, we transform ordinary interactions into tailor-made shopping experiences. This personalized touch nurtures enduring customer relationships, ensuring loyalty and continued patronage.
Our native mobile shopping application, the Bayretail™️ Consumer App, was developed in a remarkably short span of time. This cutting-edge app seamlessly merges the online and offline shopping realms, allowing you to curate personalized shopping journeys for your customers. With this tool, you empower your customers like never before, providing them with an unparalleled shopping experience.
Harness the full potential of our native retail mobile app—an exceptional platform for cultivating unwavering customer loyalty, boosting in-store foot traffic, and catalyzing a significant surge in sales. Choose Bayretail™️ and revolutionize the way you connect with your customers in the digital age.
Challenges Faced:
We are thrilled to share the success story of Princesse tam.tam, an iconic French lingerie brand that joined forces with Bayretail™️ to revolutionize its shopping experiences.
Founded in the heart of Paris in 1985, Princesse tam.tam has been a renowned name in lingerie, corsetry, homewear, and swimwear. In 2005, this esteemed brand, ranking second in its sector just behind Etam, was acquired by the Japanese retail giant Fast Retailing. Princesse tam.tam sought a solution that would liberate it from the constraints of physical store stocks and enable the sale of the perfect lingerie sets to its customers, anytime.
Key Achievements:
Princesse tam.tam embraced the Bayretail™️ Store App for Salesforce Commerce Cloud, resulting in a comprehensive transformation of their operations:
- Associates gained the ability to scan barcodes to instantly check product availability online, access detailed customer information, including ongoing promotions, and place orders effortlessly.
- Leveraging the Clienteling Campaign module, associates initiated targeted clienteling activities based on customer lists provided by the brand's headquarters.
Impact of Bayretail™️ Solutions:
The adoption of Bayretail™️ solutions significantly boosted Princesse tam.tam's sales associates' engagement and productivity:
- The Clienteling Campaign module empowered the brand's headquarters to equip store associates with essential customer information and communication tools, facilitating personalized marketing campaigns.
- With the ability to scan barcodes and access customer data, associates efficiently managed customer orders while providing real-time information on promotions.
Deployment of Bayretail™️ Solutions:
Bayretail™️ solutions were seamlessly integrated at both the headquarters and in-store levels across France.
Princesse tam.tam's journey with Bayretail™️ exemplifies how innovative technology can reshape and enhance the retail landscape, ultimately leading to improved customer experiences and increased operational efficiency.
In today's hybrid shopping landscape, the in-store digital experience plays a pivotal role in attracting and retaining customers. Retailers that invest in technology to seamlessly connect online and in-store experiences, offer personalized recommendations, enhance convenience, and provide free services will thrive in this new era of cross-channel retail. By understanding customer preferences and leveraging technology effectively, retailers can create a shopping experience that truly meets customers where they are—whether online, in-store, or somewhere in between. Learn how Bayretail can help transform your retail business into a consumer-focused, omnichannel powerhouse.
Get in touch to schedule a full demo of the Retail Super-App and discover how it can help your brand do more.
