Inside Outdoor Spring 2017

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In other words, how can physical
reta e in-store technology in
the near term to keep customers en-
gaged, or even amazed, and ride the
wave of online disruption? Contrary
to common assumptions, the goal is
not to simply replicate the “online
experience” in the store. While omni-
channel customer management ulti-
mately is the end game, several stud-
ies show that shoppers visit stores
because they enjoy and appreciate
precisely what is unique about the in-
store experience – namely, the tactile
experience, the immediacy and, for
some, the ability to interact face-to-
face with helpful humans. So it stands
to reason that in-store technology
strategies should look to complement
or enhance those inherent character-
istics. At the same time, e-commerce
undeniably has changed customer
behavior, so any in-store reboot also
must take into account the expecta-
tions created by online shopping.
Beyond a whiz-bang appeal, busi-
ness technology generally is developed
and deployed to address pain points.
Have work teams spread around the
country? Deploy cloud-based col-
laboration software. Manual inventory
takes too long? Develop scanners and
databases to reduce time and cost.
Crime rising in the neighborhood?
Install a security camera. Pain points
are why we build machines and auto-
mate processes.
One way retailers can apply this type
of thinking to in-store IT investment is
to consider the pain points online shop-
pers have when visiting a physical store.
Capgemini did just that in a global sur-
vey of Internet users, and while there
isn’t really one overriding frustration
that aggravated above all else, a hand-
ful of complaints do stand out.
At the top of the list we see a prime
example of how online shopping has
changed shopper expectations. Seven
out of 10 Internet users said that dif-
ficulty comparing products at physical
stores was an annoyance, just topping
the frustration over long checkout lines.
That seems to suggest stores need to
serve up more product information.
The obvious way this can be done
is through Internet-connected kiosks
and screens, but it’s unlikely custom-
Source:
Frustration with Physical Retail Stores According to Internet Users
Source: CapGemini
I would like a store/brand to know who I am when I walk into
a store because of location-based technologies
(e.g., iBeacons, RFID, geofencing)
Source: Salesforce Research
REI,
6.7% ZPacks,
12.3%
Tarptent,
12.3%
Six Moon
Designs, 5.0%
Difficult to compare products
Long lines at checkout counters
Discount/promotions are not personalized
Not able to locate products
Lack of in-store associate guidance/demos
Strongly/somewhat agree
Strongly/somewhat disagree
39%
71%
66%
65%
65%
64%
27%
14%
61%
73%
86%
Millennials
(18-34)
Generation X
(35-54)
Baby Boomers
(55+)
Inside Outdoor | Spring 2017 30