How the Retail Experience is Improving Thanks to Technology

Our online retail experience has come on leaps and bounds in more recent years mostly thanks to technological advances. The development of the mobile market and the increase in smartphone and tablet ownership has led to an exponential growth of eCommerce and many retailers now offer their customers an opportunity to browse and shop online on their branded websites or using their compatible apps, but technology has not just aided online retail.

The introduction of certain innovative tech has been introduced to the brick-and-mortar side of retail not only to help bring improved customer service and experience but to also assist staff and management. Self-service kiosks and checkouts have become a frequent sight in-store in the last few years allowing customers to make purchases and pay for goods swiftly and simply without the need of face-to-face clerks or checkout operators. This has assisted in customer convenience, helped speed up the checkout process and also given more freedom to staff members who can concentrate of other aspects of their job.

Bluetooth operated beacons are another example of a simple yet extremely useful piece of interactive tech that can interact with customers directly as they enter a store. These small devices are placed around the shop and send out a Bluetooth signal that connects to a user’s smartphone as they enter, if of course they have the app installed on their phone. This then provides the store with the opportunity of sending information to the phone providing the customer with information about upcoming deals, new products lines and also more importantly their price and where to find them in the store.

Smartphone tech is also at the heart of our next personal shopping example. Stores are managing to take advantage of mobile apps that will let customers scan barcodes of products in-store. The app can then find that product for you and provide information about it that you may not have been able to find out just from looking at it. It can even suggest other recommended products or accessories that can accompany the product in question.

Whilst design, layout and other in-store enhancements like rotating ads or interactive product displays are great to look at and can often help to attract the right customer it’s the special kiosks, the Wi-Fi, QR codes and touch screen technology that is helping to drive consumers back into the stores and to improve their shopping experience.