Retailers in 2021: Online presence in offline stores

In 2021 most shoppers still visit physical stores because they want to ‘experience’ the product. They want to see it, hold it in their hands and try it before spending money on it. At the same time they are also looking for and using digital solutions, e.g. comparing prices in-store using their smartphone, gathering product information, etc. Retailers are under great pressure to please those consumers in-store who are used to the comfort and speed of online shopping.

Wired

There are an endless number of creative ideas, from interactive shop windows through self-service kiosks to extended reality. For instance interactive shop windows can serve as virtual shelves, but they can also be some kind of catalogue – by this saving lots of space inside the shop.

Interactive shop windows can serve as virtual shelves, but they can also be some kind of catalogue, thereby saving lots of space inside the shop

Shoppers can use touchscreens to find and read about the products they wish to buy, doing it at their own speed. Vehicle manufacturer Polaris has used its virtual shelf to assist customers in visualising the company’s full product selection, and to personalise the car they have chosen. With this step the company increased car sales by 26 percent and spare part sales augmented by 44 percent.

The Swiss Freitag set up a mini-manufacture, in which customers can compile their own bags: in the shop they select the colours and materials of the main parts, and then watch the bags be manufactured on site

They even know what we are thinking (?)

Face recognition has been present in the world of retail for years. Retailers can use this technology to gather more information about shopper preferences. In Australia cameras built into digital posters monitor customers’ reactions to digital ads, and by analysing the data the in-store shopping experience is made better. A holographic menu from Holo Industries offers safe contactless food and drink ordering.

A holographic menu from Holo Industries offers safe contactless food and drink ordering

Consciously for the benefit of our planet

In 2021 shopping doesn’t only need to be comfortable and personalised, but eco-friendly as well. Vollebak designed a compostable, plant-based sweater that decomposes in the ground in just 12 weeks. Non-profit company The Ocean Cleanup makes sunglasses exclusively from plastic collected from the oceans.

Have a pub in your own home!

Since the outbreak of the pandemic even a simple shopping trip has many dangers and difficulties, and retailers do their best to create a safe shopping environment. A London brewery has decided to develop the Signature Brew Pub in a Box: the product contains a beer selection, a pint glass, a couple of snacks, a coaster, Spotify playlists compiled especially for drinking beer and a music-themed pub quiz for the authentic pub experience!

A London-based brewery enabled pub-goers to create their own pub at home

The case of the digital soap

As retailers are becoming more and more dependent on the digital world, many of them are integrating related technologies into their business models.

In the Japanese city of Harajuku Lush opened its first shop where the company’s own application is the No.1 source of product information and in-store interactivity. Customers can scan any of the bath balls available for information on product composition and benefits, and they can even watch a short video about the ball dissolving in water.

In a Lush store in Japan customers can scan any of the bath balls available for information on product composition and benefits

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