There have been some interesting discussions taking place within the retail environment around the internet and the impact on store trading. Some retailers are looking to bring the internet into the store by providing customer self-service and assisted service facilities to complement their traditional till points.
Multi-channel are the words many retailers are beginning to use and are now understanding. Even consumers are becoming street wise and now search for choice of product across a variety of channels. High Street versus the web – the fight is now on, or is it?
In the past retailers have provided a service which the consumer had to fit into, now consumers are calling the shots and retailers are having to adapt quickly. Of course the retailer needs to improve the customer experience, but they are always mindful of increasing their conversation rate and selling more.
Taking the multi-channel strategy one step further, retailers can look to provide an integrated channel within the store itself and there has been a definite shift towards this in the marketplace. For example holiday retailers are looking to entice consumers back to the high street by offering a variety of ways to purchase within the store through the use of kiosks, the traditional sales desk and the use of mobile and handheld technologies.
Kiosks could cater for those customers on a fact finding mission or looking to pay a deposit. Customers can avoid queues and the retailer would benefit by freeing up a consultant to make an actual sell. The sales desk environment remains in the store for those customers wanting a face to face more traditional service. Alternatively with the use of mobile and handheld devices, the retailer could provide a comfortable seating area to discuss bespoke holiday options. For example the mobile device could be used as a tool for the sales person to take the booking, provide additional information, check availability, upsell or take payment.
Fashion retailers still seem to take the more traditional route , but are now beginning to take advantage of on-line retailing and see it as a great opportunity. Many of them are using the web to drive traffic to their bricks and mortar stores and see this as one of the main functions. They believe shoppers still wish to touch, feel and try on, avoiding the hassle of returning goods. However the success of companies such as ASOS and Figleaves demonstrates that there are plenty of consumers wishing to shop on-line, benefitting from convenient delivery options, sometimes a wider choice, option of in store pick-up and confirmation of availability. The challenge for the fashion retailer would be to ensure they manage the specifics correctly, presenting detail, colour, fabric and sizing information. Managing timely deliveries and returns is a challenge and needs to be handled efficiently to ensure the customer returns to the site.
For many retailers, the integrated channel can be built around the customer wherever they may be. With the use of mail order, kiosks and web within the store, the scope of the product range can be increased significantly. Some retailers are providing kiosks in-store to allow customers to access their web-site to order items which may not be in stock at that particular location.
A phone retailer could use a kiosk in store and take it one step further than simply providing an e-top up facility. The customer could log into their own account which would inform them of the amount of credit left on their card and provide them with the facility to buy additional time, upgrade their phone or purchase music and ringtones. Retailers are then able to understand buying patterns and have the opportunity to upsell, offer promotions and discounts, which will take the pressure off the tills and the salespeople. Phone retailers in particular could even consider offering kiosks outside of their estates, for example shopping malls, airports and supermarkets.
There will always be people that prefer to shop with the assistance of a salesperson. Shopping for items such as furniture usually requires interaction with a salesperson and mobile devices are a great tool for such retailers. The customer and salesperson can sit in comfort and go through the order, bringing the till to the customer. The mobile device can allow the salesperson to check stock availability, explore other products, up sell, provide lead times, capture personal information, place the order, provide order confirmation, agree delivery times and take payment.
The Food and FMCG market is dynamic and continually evolving. The UK’s cosmopolitan and generally affluent population drives one of the worlds most diverse and innovative food, drink and FMCG markets. As a result of this they have become one of the early adopters of some of these technologies including self check-out, mobile queue busting, kiosk technologies and special occasion ordering such as Christmas, Easter and special events.
Point of sale has moved to a point of service which integrates a range of functions into a single application including customer ordering, accounts, top up, lottery, product search and availability checks in real time with the addition of access to web applications and time and attendance.
As shoppers become more comfortable with using technology, they will assume that a retailer will have an online store and will also expect to see some form of technology in store whether it be self-service or an assisted service. The benefits to both the customer and the retailer are making these technologies an attractive proposition and there appears to be a significant move towards them. The retailer becomes more robust and spreads the risk as shopping trends change.
Visit the K3 website to see how K3 BTG are using technologies in store to help retailers with the use of Microsoft Dynamics NAV. http://www.theretailpeople.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amanda_Sibley
By Amanda Sibley
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