FC Conversation Series: Leveraging Digital in the Retail Environment
As a Contributor/Member of Fashion's Collective, I have the privilege of being able to attend any of the many fascinating workshops, roundtables and other events that Founder Elizabeth Canon puts together. After a long day spent in the Jade Trau offices hosting an editor and helping to map out the showcases for the upcoming JCK show, I was ready to sit down and just listen (fortunately the always-thoughtful Elizabeth provided much appreciated refreshments as well!)
I really enjoyed the format of the event - there was a projected power point and a group of about 8 of us sat in a half-circle, which was really conducive to interesting sidebars on almost every topic that came up. The main theme of the event centered on how today's consumers experiences with brands are no longer linear; there are a variety of entry points and the individual chooses the platforms/media/experiences that suit his or her preferences. This doesn't just apply to the online space; in fact the lecture was about how to bring technology into the bricks-and-mortar environment to enhance visitors' experiences. Without recapping the entire event, here are some highlights of relevant statistics and tech companies/services I was not previously familiar with:
STATS
1 in 3 millionaires globally weren't millionaires 3 years ago
Millenials do a lot of research, looking at an average of 4 different resources before making a purchase
50-60% of "showrooming" consumers are using their smartphones in a brick-and-mortar store for either ratings or price comparison
NEW TECH COMPANIES TO CHECK OUT:
Nomi - I actually met the founder of this company at the 2012 FC Conference - really fascinating idea. Retailers subscribe to the service and after having their store scanned and a small device installed, can monitor & track traffic and behavior. It's a great way to test how engaging your store windows and displays are, and the tracking is anonymous, based on a unique code that every smartphone has.
Blippar - a new app based on the QR code model. Instead of scanning a QR code with your phone, you can take a photo of Blippar-enabled content and you are taken to a customized rich media/interactive augmented reality page. Very cool but you have to have the app and there's not a lot of enabled content out there as of yet, as advertisers have to invest directly with the company for it to work.
Aurasma - open-source augmented reality tech, which means you can add it to your own app for a truly customized experience for your audience. Check out the case study section for inspiration & ideas.
Perch - interactive display technology using a projector that senses movement. So if you had a table with a product assortment, an image would be projected on top. When a customer picks up a product, specific dynamic digital content is displayed, such as available sizes, etc.
The above are just the top points that resonated with me; the whole presentation was really interesting and relevant. To find out more about Fashion's Collective, sign up for the newsletter (highly curated, 2x weekly articles), request consulting services or to be notified of upcoming events, click here.