{"id":25837,"date":"2019-05-18T13:14:57","date_gmt":"2019-05-18T13:14:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.parcelpending.com\/blog\/the-importance-of-interactive-retail-experiences-in-todays-retail-landscape\/"},"modified":"2023-04-04T17:36:00","modified_gmt":"2023-04-04T17:36:00","slug":"the-importance-of-interactive-retail-experiences-in-todays-retail-landscape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.parcelpending.com\/en-ca\/blog\/the-importance-of-interactive-retail-experiences-in-todays-retail-landscape\/","title":{"rendered":"The Importance of Interactive Retail Experiences in Today’s Retail Landscape"},"content":{"rendered":"

E-commerce sites, subscription-based sites, and even personalized monthly boxes are\u00a0<\/span>becoming the norm in retail shopping. Not only do in-person stores have to compete with these\u00a0<\/span>services, but they must incentivize people to leave the comfort of their homes to shop. At the same time, online retailers who are setting up a brick and mortar have to contend with their own set of problems. Just because they\u2019ve identified a functional sales funnel on their website, doesn\u2019t mean that translates to a great in-person shopping experience.<\/span>
\nThe keys to having a brick and mortar success are adaptability and interactive in-store\u00a0<\/span>experiences. For one, stores must keep up with the times. They can\u2019t refuse to offer the\u00a0<\/span>services that e-commerce sites provide just because they\u2019re proud to be a brick and mortar\u00a0<\/span>store. Adaptation is absolutely necessary if brick and mortar stores want to survive the rise of e-commerce<\/a>. Second, stores need to stick out. They need to be memorable. This is the importance of bringing interactive experiences into the retail landscape.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Your Retail Store Needs Interactive Experiences<\/span><\/h2>\n

Imagine two boutique makeup brands. Both have competent marketing divisions, similar\u00a0<\/span>products, and comparable online sales. They each decide to open a brick and mortar in the\u00a0<\/span>mall. One store uses the traditional layout where customers peruse aisles, find shades they\u00a0<\/span>enjoy, and when they\u2019re ready, they walk up to the checkout line to purchase.<\/span>
\nThe other store, hearing about interactive retail and deciding to give it a try, chooses to do something different. Maybe they have stations set up in the store equipped with AI and VR screens to help customers \u201ctry on\u201d makeup without having to touch their face. Or maybe instead of regular employees, this store hires makeup artists to be at the ready for customers who want to receive a professional makeover. It doesn\u2019t have to be all or nothing. Having something as simple as a \u201cscan and ship\u201d purchasing method within the store can be the interactive experience needed to one-up the competition.<\/span>
\nIt\u2019s these types of experiences that transcend makeup stores and can be applied to\u00a0<\/span>all areas of retail. And the benefits are enormous:<\/span>
\nCustomers are engaged \u2013 Attention is a hot commodity right now. Viral videos don\u2019t\u00a0<\/span>have to be educational, positive, or even remotely beneficial. They just have to be\u00a0<\/span>attention-grabbing. It works the same way for brands. Increasing the number of eyes on your brand is paramount for boosting sales. (Although, it does help if your brand is promoting positive messages behind this).<\/span>
\nIncreased customer return rate \u2013 For the makeup example above, customers could re-up<\/span>\u00a0their supplies online when they run dry. But if they want to try a new color or a new\u00a0<\/span>product, they\u2019ll probably return to the store. If it\u2019s fun and interactive to be there,\u00a0<\/span>customers will be glad to do their shopping out of the house.<\/span>
\nGood Gab \u2013 If a store\u2019s focus is to make their customers\u2019 day fun, exciting, or\u00a0<\/span>memorable, this will result in customers <\/span>sharing their experience with friends<\/span><\/a>. If there\u00a0<\/span>was a flash mob, for example, they\u2019re going to tell people about this wild experience.\u00a0<\/span>Not that you should immediately create a Facebook group to start a flash mob, but the\u00a0<\/span>idea is to make customers talk. To do that, make them happy, let them have fun!<\/span>
\nIncreased Brand Awareness \u2013 What logically follows from all this talk<\/span> around your omnichannel retailing strategy<\/a>? Increased brand awareness. Companies will have an easier time spreading their message and improving their marketing when customers are doing half the work for them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Examples of Interactive Retail Experiences<\/span><\/h2>\n

Some retailers have already started riding this interactive train, providing customers with ways to\u00a0<\/span>connect with their brand. Some of these methods are through marketing techniques, new\u00a0<\/span>technology, or just revamping the store. If you\u2019re wondering how to apply this to your retail\u00a0<\/span>store, here are some ideas to get you started.<\/span><\/p>\n

Marketing Stunts<\/span><\/h4>\n

One way to build brand awareness is to use stunt marketing. Large retailers have the resources\u00a0<\/span>to put on a show, involve customers, and build buzz. This contrasts with normal customer\u00a0<\/span>experience in retail, which tends to be drab and uneventful. By making it loud, proud, and in-\u00a0<\/span>person, stores are able to capitalize on heavily foot-trafficked areas.<\/span>
\nTest Case: Adidas<\/b>
\nTo market their new Adidas Originals, Adidas paired with Parcel Pending and Jam 3 to create a\u00a0<\/span>buzz-worthy experience for customers. At ComplexCon in Long Beach, California, attendees\u00a0<\/span>could scan a floating cube after downloading a special app. Then, throughout the day, people\u00a0<\/span>were chosen at random and instructed toward <\/span>Parcel Pending smart lockers<\/span><\/a>. After scanning\u00a0<\/span>their phones, the winners would then walk up to the corresponding smart locker which would\u00a0<\/span>pop open to reveal a brand-new pair of sneakers.<\/span>
\nThis method combined user engagement with a fun interactive experience. Plus, for the\u00a0<\/span>hundreds of attendees who received shoes, there\u2019s a special joy in winning a prize. From this\u00a0<\/span>event, Adidas was able to generate buzz and grab people\u2019s attention.<\/span><\/p>\n

Combine Online and In-Store Qualities<\/span><\/h4>\n

It should be fairly obvious by now, but some retailers are still lagging behind this trend.\u00a0<\/span>Anything a customer can do in person, they should be able to do online. And vice versa. Of\u00a0<\/span>course, not everything can be combined, but successful stores have been bringing together the\u00a0<\/span>best qualities of both worlds.<\/span>
\nBuy online and pick up in-store \u2013 BOPIS is a new trend for savvy customers, <\/span>especially<\/span><\/a>\u00a0around the holiday season<\/span><\/a>. For customers, this grants them all the benefits of in-store\u00a0<\/span>shopping, like seeing the item and comparing brands. However, they don\u2019t have to go\u00a0<\/span>through the hassle of crowded aisles and long checkout lines. For retailers, this means\u00a0<\/span>additional purchases made on the spot.<\/span>
\nShop in-store and buy online \u2013 In a similar vein, some customers prefer walking through\u00a0<\/span>a store and then buying the items online. This also avoids checkout lines with the added\u00a0<\/span>benefit of not having to carry around purchased items. Instead, the items are shipped\u00a0<\/span>right to their home or nearest <\/span>retailer smart locker<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Using Smart Lockers to Enhance Customer Experience<\/span><\/h2>\n

An important word to focus on when it comes to the customer experience is \u201cconvenience.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>Shoppers embrace convenience the way kids embrace candy; the more the better. To facilitate\u00a0<\/span>in-store pickups, retailers have been opting into smart lockers. Smart lockers, like the ones\u00a0<\/span>made by Parcel Pending, allow customers to walk into stores, use an app on their phones to\u00a0<\/span>open a locker, and grab their online purchases hassle-free. There are a number of additional\u00a0<\/span>benefits to installing smart lockers in retailers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Grocery Stores<\/span><\/h4>\n

Smart lockers pair exceptionally well with grocery stores, where lockers can be customized to\u00a0<\/span>different temperatures to hold specific items:<\/span><\/p>\n