Digital Meets Physical

Enhanced Shopping Experience

By Erica Rascón on Sep 6, 2016 in News

Although shoppers can find just about anything online these days, more than 90 percent of Americans continue to shop in brick-and-mortar stores. The satisfaction of a multisensory experience still appeals to consumers. The convenience and flexibility of digital shopping stands to make physical shopping even more appealing.

By dissolving the distinction between in-person and digital commerce, retailers can rack in the benefits of both worlds. The following companies offer a few examples of how you can unite the benefits of digital and physical commerce:

Promote Loyalty

Few shoppers take serious interest in clipping and carrying coupons. Customers do, however, appreciate awards for their loyalty. Digital rewards programs by companies such as Ibotta offer mobile convenience at the point of sale. Shoppers receive relevant discounts and cash-back offers during their visit to the store. While standing in the women’s clothing department at JC Penny, for example, shoppers receive coupons for women’s apparel.

Savvy shoppers love to research. Millennials are known for researching online before making a purchase. QR codes allows brands to accompany physical items sold in your stores with digital ads and additional details about the product. These barcodes minimize the gap between buyers’ emotional response to ads and the point of sale.

Once consumers have decided to make a purchase, apps like Swipely correspond with card-free payment options. When consumers pay with a smartphone, they received customized incentives via text or email. These offers reward customers for their patronage and encourage them to return to your business.

Another way to promote loyalty comes through the Cheers experience. As soon as a customer walks through the door and checks-in with Perka, the app alerts staff members. Staff can then greet the guest by name and offer customized services to return customers, such as new styles in the customer’s preferred brand or promotions on items of interest.

Want to reward yourself for a job well done? LevelUp eliminates your payment processing fees and offers rebates for each new enrollee that uses the program. The startup also issues rewards as a form of commission when employees successfully enroll consumers in the program.  It’s one of the few loyalty initiatives that reward employer and employee effort.

Enhanced Customer Experience

One major benefit to physical shopping is the ability to interact with the product: try it on, feel the quality of its construction, and see its colors true-to-life. Digital media can now make reality even more real.

Augmented reality mirrors offer the fun of trying on products without the drama of restocking, messy samples, or hygiene issues.

Shoppers can to try on various finishes and shades of makeup before making a purchase using the Shiseido’s Magic Mirror. Clients can “try on” make up without the mess, clean up, or skin irritation caused by using multiple products in a short duration of time.

Augmented reality mirrors are also showing up in dressing rooms. This is one feature that you won’t want to overlook. A special tag alerts the mirror of what a shopping is wearing and its size. The mirror then displays additional size and color options that are available in-store. There are also options to coordinate the clothing with accessories to complete the outfit. The mirror alerts staff members when the shopper would like to view additional items. You can maintain a tidier inventory and improve customer satisfaction with one device.

Lastly, you will want to hear what your customers think about their shopping experience. This is the best way to continually improve your services. Wyzerr app captures digital, in-personal feedback before the customer leaves the store, at a time when your business can actively correct errors. Data from this feedback can also be used to drive customer satisfaction, retention, and loyalty.