The crossover of virtual and physical is something we are all going to see much more of in the next five years across a variety of sectors. Customers can research products and services 24/7 from any online device whether it is their laptop, tablet, or mobile phone. We like the fact that information is at our fingertips and after the last 5 years of recession in our country it has proven to be smart shopping. It is why people are “showrooming” in retail stores.
So what is a retailer to do to combat this new trend?
Sephora is a retail brand that is starting to jump on the virtual and physical marketing revolution in their stores. They partnered with Lancome to position tablet based kiosks near their product displays. To give the consumer what they want~ information. In a sense they bring online marketing content into the brick and mortar.
We can go one step further however and retailers should. Content, video looping, audio and engaging graphics will lure consumers in. Step two must be engagement. Engage by allowing consumers to ask questions, sign up for loyalty programs, become a fan on social media, and answer a question or two. Now that is powerful.
Across the entire customer journey, every touchpoint is a brand experience and an opportunity to engage the consumer in new and innovative ways. How do you engage?
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As you note, showrooming has become a fact of life for retailers. Innovative companies are beginning to embrace showrooming as a positive, rather than a negative. If the goal is to interest and involve the customer, or prospect, in the brand experience and use multiple media to express benefits, then technology can be one of the enablers of providing what customers have come to need in their decision-making process.
Interesting strategy, E-commerce is the next big thing . Retailers should adopt new technology and integrate mobile into their marketing efforts like this will help retailers connect with customers and omnichannel strategies allows retailers to engage fully with a consumer through all channels thus enhancing the consumer experience while creating brand awareness and improving consumer loyalty. I work for McGladrey and thought this conversation aligns well with a white paper that was created on this subject, if your readers are interested in it.@ “ The one constant in retail is change” https://bitly.com/1hrViqk