MULTI-CHANNEL
is connected and personalised, so this means retailers’ own internal operations are affected as marketing departments have to be realigned, merged and generally working intensely collaboratively to serve the omnichannel needs. In this changing marketing department structure everything is now coming together in order to avoid any inconsistency for the end consumer. “The technologies required for all of this are
the usual integration and single customer view solutions. As well as PoS integration. Another important requirement is pricing optimisation, as the concept of personalisation is forcing retailers to completely re-think how to price for customers. The final technology, and possibly one of the most important ones for instore is the location devices. “The proliferation of smartphones has caught
retailers by surprise, but with mobile and social interaction playing a key and growing role in omnichannel, there is now a need to interact at promotion and all other levels, as well as support all different types of handsets.” High street stores are predicted to drive 89%
of all retail sales, whether online or offline, by 2020 according to research released this spring by mobile operator O2. The Future of Retail report identified that retail sales of up to £338.5 billion will be influenced by the presence on the High Street by 2020. But that without stores, it claimed online sales would plummet by as much as £52bn, illustrating the value of a physical store presence to the UK economy. The report also showed the extent to which
the High Street will impact overall retail sales and why it cannot be ignored. As people shift from bricks to clicks, the relationship between online and High Street retailers is evolving as each work to create a world where experiences flow naturally between home and store, street and aisle, mobile and market. As online sales increase, the role of the High
Street store will evolve, provoking counter- innovation from brands and an increase in the “show rooming” trend where stores become experience rather than sales led. The report shows that quarter of all shoppers are hitting the high street, no longer to buy, but to socialise with friends and family. Half (51%) of us go to shops to be entertained, a third (33%) to eat out and three- quarters to be inspired. Feilim Mackle, director of sales and service at O2, commented: “Technology is breathing new
32 Spring/Summer 2014
life into the High Street. With more and more people shopping on their smartphones and tablets, stores are no longer just about buying. They are becoming go-to destinations for social, inspiring and rewarding experiences that ultimately drive sales online. “Retailers have to recognise that the High
Street store is here to stay but its role has fundamentally changed. As the distinction between digital and physical becomes increasingly outdated, the brands that truly embrace technology to create a seamless experience for all their customers, wherever they choose to shop, will ultimately win the greatest share of both sales and customer loyalty.” Topshop has experimented with immersive
technology integration. It used its flagship Oxford Street store to bring the high fashion catwalk experience to the High Street during Fashion Week earlier this year. Footage from the Topshop Unique catwalk was live-streamed to the Oxford Street store, giving shoppers the opportunity to be inspired by the latest collections and gain access to an otherwise out-of-reach experience. Sir Philip Green, Arcadia Group chief
executive, commented: “The live stream in virtual reality takes the idea of the traditional fashion show to a new dimension, as we continually look
www.retailtechnology.co.uk
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