Fashion – A New Trend of In-store Customer Engagement

Recent years have seen significant changes in the retail fashion sector.

Fashion brands have faced the simultaneous threats of declining in-store footfall and rising e-commerce sales.

Yet fast forward to 2022 and it’s a brighter picture. Shoppers still want a physical shopping experience according to internet retailing but they want it to be as speedy and efficient as shopping online.

Luring shoppers back into brick-and-mortar stores means meeting changing demands and reframing expectations.

In this blog, we draw on Scandit primary research and explore aspects of in-store shopping that will be critical to the success of future fashion retailing.

Consumers want exciting and immersive in-store experiences

A primary motivation for today’s fashion shoppers is to be able to connect emotionally with brands in store in an extended way. Top of the list is that they want to see, touch and try items on, and then buy them immediately without having to wait or incur shipping costs.

In a similar vein, shoppers want an environment that is innovative and more experiential. – something online retailing simply cannot deliver.

Clever formats, in-store events, interactive demos, and VIP personal shopping appointments deliver much needed immersive and exciting shopping experiences. As does the ability for shoppers to use their own intuitive and familiar mobile devices to engage more with items in store. Read more about customizing personal in-store experiences with smart data capture on mobile devices.

Experiences that will motivate shoppers to return to stores

It’s clear that shoppers no longer want traditional shopping, fraught with friction.

Mobile apps provide an accessible solution to all these frustrations. More than two-thirds of consumers would use apps for the convenience of being able to access personalized promotions and offers, check item availability in alternative sizes, see product information, as well as pay for items immediately with self-checkout.

The draw of being able to do all this without needing to find and speak to a store associate is even more appealing for younger Gen Z and Millennial shoppers.

Being able to pick up and return items to stores is also a motivation to return stores for 40% of consumers, according to our research – reflecting an increasing blurring of boundaries between digital and physical shopping.

 

It’s vital for us to migrate all online and offline experiences into one unified channel/Strategy

Source: Turkey-Based Retail Group incorporating multiple luxury brands

The benefits to consumers of digitalizing fashion stores

The ability to offer seamless omnichannel experiences is essential in today’s modern fashion retailing. Mobile apps enabled with smart data capture bring digital experiences into stores where consumers can enjoy a range of exciting benefits:

• Access to product information: with a simple scan and augmented reality (AR) overlay consumers can access product information instantly, whether that’s alternative sizes, colors, fabric details or care instructions. 25% of consumers say AR experiences will attract them to a fashion store.
• Endless aisle shopping: consumers are not limited to just in-store stock availability. Instead, they can instantly check stock availability at other local stores, order online or order for delivery from another store.
• On-the-spot ordering: with a perfect fit, customers can buy a product on-the-spot for home delivery or in store at a time that suits them best. Alternatively, items of interest can be scanned and added to a shopping list or wish list.
• Offers and rewards: simply by scanning a shelf or item on a rack, a customer can see offers overlaid on the device screen, be it general store promotions or personalized offers. Other incentives could be cashback offers linked to a loyalty scheme or suggestions that might complement an outfit.
• Gamification: Any shopping experience can be gamified with AR. For example, retailers could gamify bargain hunting or guide consumers to put together full outfits.

Digitalize your fashion stores with smart data capture

It’s clear that in-store digital engagement will be instrumental in attracting customers to fashion stores, so they return again and again.

A simple way to introduce new digital experiences into the physical world is to enable mobile apps with smart data capture technology. Consumers are already app-savvy and very familiar with their own mobile device which makes using them intuitive.

Smart data capture incorporating augmented reality delivers the kind of experiential shopping that consumers are looking for. Not only does this differentiate the store and promote footfall, but it also boosts customer satisfaction levels.

The data captured from using the apps also gives retailers insight into shopping patterns, enabling them to orchestrate personalized and timely offers. Cross-selling and upselling by having deals, promotions and product information at a consumer’s fingertips induces customers to spend more and return to stores more.

Read our ebook for more insight into the future of in-store fashion retail. Or to start a conversation about how you could digitalize your fashion store, please contact us.