This mirror takes photos of shoppers wearing an item, which they tweet or upload to Facebook to get their friends’ opinions (above, left), while eBay’s pop-up shop (above, right) showcased its products and let customers use mobile technology to make a purchase


customers with the augmented reality app could point their smartphone or tablet at images of the clothes. They were then taken to video content or the online shop. That’s not to say convenience isn’t important. Amazon’s


lockers are aimed at making it easier for customers to shop with the etailer, by eliminating the need to wait at home for a delivery and allowing customers, who are not able to receive personal packages to their place of work, to order from it. Collect+ is a reserve-and-collect service that enables customers of retailers including Shop Direct Group to pick up their deliveries from participating shops. The easier it is for shoppers to buy and receive goods, the more likely they’ll spend more. The best etailers have had a successful decade because of


New future growth options are needed and stores are the


obvious answer for some. However, Partridge warns that run-of-the-mill retailing won’t be enough to keep shoppers interested. Instead, he advises following Apple’s example, which showed bringing new ideas to retailing can work: “When Apple fi rst opened stores they had very little product, but took a large store so people perceived the brand to be ‘big’. They then themed areas around ‘importing and editing your movie on a Mac’ or ‘managing your music on a Mac’ so that people understood what they could do. Simple retail stores seem a little old fashioned and just off ering a normal retail store is not enough. Going the extra mile seems essential.” While etailers have done a sterling job of building their


brands online, many customers still love etail for its conve- nience rather than the fun factor. If etailers are to keep growing, this will be something they need to change and an offl ine presence can help. Chris Sanderson, co-founder at trend forecasting agency


The Future Laboratory, says: “Consumers no longer see the product as the sole reason for engaging with a brand – it’s about an experience.” He says initiatives such as Net-a-Porter’s pop-up window


shops are an extension of the brand, bringing it into the real world. The luxury fashion etailer has used augmented reality in two separate initiatives, most recently to launch its Karl Lagerfeld collection. Using pop-up window shops,


their ability to innovate – they moved quickly in response to new technology and grabbed market share from the big-name traditional retailers. But complacency is not an option. Those who want another good decade can’t rest on their laurels and their innovation will be crucial for their development. Land Securities commercial director Ronan Faherty concludes: “There’s an absolute realisation that people want to shop in diff erent ways, not just online. Both the online and offl ine worlds can naturally co-exist and it’s essential retailers aff ord their customers this opportunity.” Pure-play success won’t be enough for some – the etailers


that are acting now could be some of UK retail’s biggest names in the coming years as their footprint grows. ●


HOW ETAILERS ARE HEADING OFFLINE


For several years, the growth in etail has been so quick the problem has often been keeping up with it, rather than having to seek more. Now this is starting to change, and one of the ways etailers are fi nding new routes to growth is to enter the bricks-and-mortar world. Consumers are demanding more from their interactions with retailers. Convenience is necessary but not enough – many shoppers want interesting experiences. Etailers will need to be innovative in their approach to bricks and mortar and provide experiences that make them stand out. Technology developments are helping, as the widespread adoption of mobile technology is seen across retail. Mobile can act as a helpful link between physical retail and etail for every business in the industry, and etailers are no different. Mobile applications complete with barcode scanners, image recognition technology and augmented reality can all be used creatively to engage real-world shoppers. Etail has been the exciting young upstart of the retail world for the past decade, but in the longer term customers are likely to demand more from pure-plays. The biggest may still rely on the web as their main sales channel, but many shoppers will want more than online shopping provides – the ability to try out products, use services such as click and collect, return goods to a store and the chance to showcase a brand in the real world will all be important.


Consumers no longer see the product as the sole reason for engaging with a brand – it’s about an experience Chris Sanderson, The Future Laboratory


spring 2012


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