Mobile Retail

The future shopping experience looks different from the now….thanks to the mobile (and social) evolution people are always in touch with the one-another, the product, the store, their friends (peers), … This means off course that the future of retail will be something to think about as well.  The ‘near’ future will know a truly empowerd consumer!
PSFK, a consultancy agency, based in London has done some major research of future of retail. In the next presentation, they make important outlines on the how and when of future retail.

Rounding the basic elements up – think like “the empowered and enchanted consumer“:

• The world is a retail experience. You buy anything, anytime and everywhere.
• Pre-view shopping. You make your (digital) preparation before you go out to shop.
• Tablet enabled service. You get an augmented customer service through tablet use (by yourself or the seller)
• Selling the ideal. You are approached as an individual customer.
• Every store is a flagship. Your experience at the every store has to be the ultimate brand experience.
• Complementary curation. You are being serviced with additional services which might be of interest for you.
• Revolving decors. Your store experience is different every time you visit.
• Taking the store to the customer. You are being served in your vicinity.
• Instantly show and tell. You share your advice and experience in real-time.
• Group Clout. You are part of the community who acts as a community.

The most important part is bringing the mobile, social and local part is being connected to each other! This gives huge opportunities to brands to connect at an individual level to the customer. This isn’t off course, and demands for the retailer and the brand to rethink the shopping experience. Helge Tennø made a good impression on how brands (should) deal with these new changes and opportunities, and rounds up the major elements of the PSFK study in the end.

In a recent report by Trendwatching.com 4 major trends regarding the future of retail are put forward:

1. E IS FOR EVERYWHERE
   For consumers who are constantly connected, buying online is simply another option, rather than a wholly separate and distinct medium. Featuring sub-trends like SCREEN CULTURE, ALL THE WEB’S A (SHOP) WINDOW and ON TO OFF / OFF TO ON.
2. (M)ETAIL
   Going ‘online’ now means immersing oneself in (and enthusiastically adding to) a rich, personalized, social web. Featuring sub-trends CASHING IN ON CURATION, SELL-YOUR-OWN STORES, RETAIL INVESTMENT and AT YOUR SERVICE.
3. E(ASY)-COMMERCE
   All the barriers initially holding e-commerce back (e.g. correct fit, secure payments, convenient deliveries) have been significantly reduced, if not totally removed. Featuring sub-trends PERFECT FIT, DELIVERY DELIGHT, LIFE: SUBSCRIBED and PERFECT PAYMENTS.
4. OH WHAT A WONDERFUL WEB
   Consumer expectations at large are now set online. Endless choice, instant gratification, total transparency, seamless collaboration, the list goes on… Featuring sub-trends like NICHE RICHE, CROWD CLOUT, TOTAL TRANSPARENCY, ETAIL-TAINMENT and EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES

If you put all these items together you can assume that the shopping experience will become a holostic 24/7 everywhere, everytime and everything experiene where social connectivity will play a huge role. As already concluded: mobile we be a huge catalyst in this shopping/retail experience.

Sources:
PSFK – www.psfk.com
Helge Tennø – http://www.180360720.no/
Trendwatching.com