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SPOTLIGHT: RETAIL

Eight Ways Technology is

Revolutionizing Retail

Brian T. Horowitz
Senior Editor
Group SJR

n-store traffic may be on the decline, but technology might be see much more clearly what their customers want and how each
just what retailers need to keep customers engaged. New and of them interacts with the brand in a different way,” Phipps says.
Iexciting digital innovations are personalizing the consumer “The ability to market to each customer as an individual isn’t
shopping experience, while too far away. This is the perfect
also improving efficiency for world for a retailer.”
businesses.
Imagine interacting with a 2. ROBOTICS
robot to videoconference with Prominent on the trade
a sales expert on the other show circuit over the last
side of the country, or using year, Softbank’s Pepper robot
RFID-enabled smart mirrors to serves as a next-generation
see what an outfit would look in-store customer service rep. It
like in another color, with- provides guidance to customers
out leaving the fitting room. on which size clothing they
Some of these technologies should choose, makes gestures
are already available in stores, with its hands, has responsive
and experts predict that many eyes and can detect the
more will become ubiquitous in the next decade. “The store is mood of a customer based on their tone of voice. SoftBank says
still incredibly important in the purchase journey,” says Andrew Pepper’s presence led to a 70 percent increase in foot traffic in its
Phipps, EMEA head of retail research at CBRE. tech retail shop, B8ta, during a weeklong pilot in August 2016.
Here are eight technologies that could keep retail stores “I am fully convinced that the next killer application in service
relevant. robotics will be an interactive robot, especially for the retail and
hospitality industries,” says Max Vallet, CEO and co-founder of
1. AUGMENTED AND VIRTUAL REALITY Hease Robotics. Along with progress in artificial intelligence
Of the latest innovations, augmented reality (AR) and virtual (AI), companies such as Autonomous aren’t just relying on
reality (VR) bring the most potential for retail, according to
Phipps. These technologies are a natural fit for businesses, as
customers are already comfortable using smartphones, VR
glasses, goggles and headsets. “VR and AR can really make a
difference, not only in making the stores more interactive for
customers, but also in allowing online retailers to create ‘stores’ in
the virtual world,” Phipps says.
AR, when linked to integrated big data, allows the retailer to
see much more clearly what their customers want and how
each of them interacts with the brand in a different way. The
Sandals Luxury Travel Store in London, for instance, can offer a
virtual 360-degree view of a resort to provide customers with an
interactive preview of its vacation packages. AR, which combines
virtual elements with real-world settings, can also allow stores to The company’s robot, Heasy, offers autonomous interactions with
personalize experiences for shoppers using predictive analytics. shoppers and helps direct them to areas around a store. Autonomous
showcases its Personal Robot, featuring live human interaction, at the
“AR, when linked to integrated big data, allows the retailer to National Retail Federation’s 2017 Big Show. Photo: Brian T. Horowitz

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