DDi - April/May 2012 - (Page 34)

34 M U L T I C H A N N E L R E T A I L What’s next for Four technology trends that are shaping our industry By Sheena Patel digital retail? W Omnichannel As we become accustomed to the level of control we have over our online shopping processes—choosing where, when and how we buy—we’re starting to expect the same flexibility in-store. What’s more, we expect to be able to merge the two experiences to suit our needs. “Multichannel” was the word on everyone’s lips last year, but perhaps we should be talking about omnichannel. While this isn’t exactly a newly coined phrase, it’s only just starting to creep into the mainstream. Essentially, it allows customers to use multiple channels simultaneously as part of their overall shopping process. And technology is playing a key role in syncing the online and offline experiences. U.K. fashion brand Oasis has recently revamped one of its central London stores, with screens and iPads throughout that act as mobile POS points, allowing customers to browse and buy from the brand’s full online catalog. In this way, they can touch and feel products in-store, buy online and arrange for home delivery. For those in a rush, the brand offers a 90-minute delivery option. On the busiest days, the iPads account for up to 25 percent of takings. Design: Dalziel and Pow (www.dalziel-pow.com) Design: Saguez & Partners (www.saguez-and-partners.com) French bank Credit Foncier has opened a virtual megastore in Paris that aims to simplify the home-buying process. Customers receive an electronic card on arrival, called Le Pass. They can then store all their property and finance options by swiping their card at different information kiosks as they navigate the store. These details can then be accessed at home via an online client page. ith technology becoming such an integral part of everyday life, it’s inevitable that it will play a significant role in retail, too. But, the speed at which these technologies are being developed and adopted means that deciding what to do—and how to do it—isn’t always clear. And the pressure to get it right is growing, as consumers become increasingly tech-savvy and demanding. At GDR, we’ve been carefully watching the different ways that brands and retailers are incorporating technology into their bricks-and-mortar stores over the past year, and we’ve identified the following developments: | April/May 2012 http://www.dalziel-pow.com http://www.saguez-and-partners.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DDi - April/May 2012

DDi - April/May 2012
Table of Contents
From the Editor
From the Show Director
Newsworthy
Shopper Insights
Greentailing
Editor’s Choice
Design Snapshot
Loblaws
The new food retail
Channel Focus: Jewelry
What’s next for digital retail?
Mobile wallets
Product Spotlight: Technology
Right Light
Post-Show Coverage
Calendar
Advertisers
Classifieds
Think Tank

DDi - April/May 2012