Vincent Quan
Associate Professor Fashion Merchandise
Management, Fashion Institute of Technology
Mobile apps, e-commerce, mobile checkout, omni-channel retailing and
social media…These are just a few of the big industry buzzwords in wide
use going into 2013. Retailers have started to integrate one or more of
these solutions and concepts into their retail strategies for next year
and beyond. The ultimate retail challenge is how to use technology to
solicit, engage and satisfy consumers. The goal is to deliver increased
traffic, conversion and market share with faster inventory turns, higher
sell throughs, and healthier gross margins.
However, is technology the ultimate panacea for consumers and retailers alike? The answer is an affirmative “not yet.”
During a visit to one of the newer stand-alone cosmetics and beauty
specialty stores in New York City that has pioneered mobile POS, several
customers who were in the process of being checked out with mobile
devices were getting frustrated. The reason was that the mobile checkout
devices were freezing in the middle of their transactions. Needless to
say, the customers weren’t the only ones getting annoyed.
Meanwhile, back at the mall…A visit to the branded denim bar (within a
department store) demonstrated some wonderful technology. It had two
iPads that allowed consumers to flip through their preferred cut, fit
and wash while seated at the “bar.”
However, why would a time-sensitive consumer exhaust precious minutes to
play with an iPad if the product was within sight or displayed at the
“bar”? Touching the product beats touching a screen any day. But this is
not the end of the story. Two sales associates were observed discussing
among themselves that the two mobile checkout devices (iPads equipped
with credit card scanners) were not working.
Here is a conversation overheard at an eclectic specialty store between a
sales associate and guest. Sales associate: “Hi, would you like to
check out via a mobile device?” Guest: “That would be great, but how do I
know that you’re not scanning my credit card on your phone?”
In the end, retailers must realize that technology is just an enabler.
Technology does not supplant the need for great product, terrific
service, a personal connection or security.
SOURCE: Retail Info Systems News
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