For research I looked into how digital experiences in shops, public spaces and how people engage with products, services etc through a digital platforms.
Audi City
Audi City London offers a unique experience, the impressive contemporary showroom format in Piccadilly, one of a handful in the World, uses state of the art technology to make clever use of precious Inner City space bringing customers even closer to the brand. The technology walls inside Audi City use Connect technology to put you in the driving seat. The friendly Audi Specialists will guide you through the entire Audi range using the touch screen tables, where you can build your own Audi in realistic 1:1 scale, being able to see every combination available, a truly unlimited experience. Once you have created your Audi you can view it on the customised connect screens where you can view your Audi in even more detail, being able to rotate the car and zoom in, seeing every aspect of your new Audi in exquisite detail. Audi City combines the best of both worlds, a digital product presentation and the personal contact the sales team. Researching into Audi City was evidence that you can offer a memorable experience without the customer consuming the brand, someone could simply visit the branch without buying a car but still feel fully emerged within the Audi experience. The technology offers a more relaxing and inviting experience as you view the cars at your own pace without a salesman hanging over your shoulder, maybe technology increases the enthusiasm of the customer and encourages them to buy. Personal touches like the smell of new leather inside the car and the feel of the interior once you take your first seat in the car are all evaded due to the digital experience but Audi comprises this with the latest technology to make it the ultimate car buying experience. The link below offers the online experience which gives a glimpse of the city branches.
https://microsites.audi.com/audi-city/en/
Tesco scan as you shop
This is concept is now appearing in some of the larger Tesco stores, and it can be very useful for the customer. The way it works is using your clubcard details, you pick up the handset and scan items, then scan as you add items to your trolley. This speeds the process up , keeps a running total of costs and can offer some sort of entertainment to food shopping. The UI used for the scanner is exactly the same as the ones used at the checkouts so isn't complicated for the user to use, and is available in 350 stores in the UK now so it must be proving to be successful.
Nike fuelstation
This interactive store in London's pop up Boxpark mall uses motion sensitive mirrors which display footage of local runners wearing products from the store as customers walk past them. Nike are hoping to change the retail experience as they see the shopping experience in the next 10 years to be all about the customers experience. The concept behind fuelstation is movement, technologies react to your movement to make you feel involved but the fuelstation isn't all digital. It combines technology and physical objects such as wooden walls and mirrors to not saturate the customer but offer them a experience they'll remember.
I found a helpful article on Forbes titled 'How Social And Digital Create The New Retail Experience', I took some key parts from the article for my research such as selling the experience as much as the product and using social media to mold unique customer experiences. Today the realisation is that experiences make people happier than physical objects, people spend more of their money on experiences such dining out, traveling, entertainment and less on possessions. So retailers have decided to focus a lot more on the experience as customer expectations, combined with advancements in technology, fuel the demand for a whole new kind of marketplace. Retailers need to connect with modern customer expectations and provide experiences that engage the consumer, or risk falling behind. Today this affecting retailers but soon it could harm other experiences such as sport or travelling as people demand more now that technology is advancing quicker than ever.
Social media is one of the best ways to connect with consumers and create a new kind of shopping experience. Retailers use Snapchat to reach customers with unique content, Snapchat stories can be especially effective; unlike regular snaps, stories allow brands to collect multiple images, short videos, and text, and share them for 24 hours with a group of followers. The advantage of Snapchat is that content is fresh, exclusive and essentially free. Brands can update content as quickly as trends arise, creating a real-time brand experience. One company that understands this is the clothing brand Free People. It uses Snapchat in a fun, experience-based way by offering sneak peaks of upcoming collections. The company also uses it to humanize its brand by having employees answer fun questions via Snapchat to provide a glimpse into the company’s culture.
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