Technology is going hand-in-hand with marketing these days. Gadgetry is now so intertwined with our daily lives that the physical shop is about to be transformed by innovations that will make the shopping experience even more fulfilling for the shopper, and open up a plethora of new marketing opportunities for businesses.
Here are some of the changes coming soon to a shopping centre near you:
Transparent screens
Storefront windows will become interactive displays, revolutionising the architecture of high streets. Instead of simply displaying goods, the screens will enable shoppers to view product catalogues, special offers and new ranges, by tapping a finger on the glass – even when the shop is closed. The screens will also be installed behind dressing room mirrors, supplying useful information about products without obstructing the customer’s view.
Hologram departments
Because of the ease of installing holograms and augmented reality technology, they will soon become commonplace. Holograms in changing rooms will enable shoppers to try on clothes without the need to get undressed for example.
Holograms will also save retailers space: there will be no need for mannequins, shelves and racks. Technology will allow for virtual, eye-catching displays as well as ads for sale items in specific areas of the shop. If you choose a dress, it will appear, along with a hologram image of the must-have accessories to match it perfectly.
Connected shelves
Commuters don’t want to buy and carry home their shopping after a hard day in the office. This is why we will see more virtual supermarkets like this one trialled in South Korea.
A wall-length billboard was installed in a subway station, designed to look like a series of supermarket shelves. It displayed images and prices of a range of common products. Each image included a QR code. Commuters used their smart phones to scan the code of any product they would like to purchase, thereby adding it to their online shopping cart. The transaction was completed online delivery was made to the user’s home within a day.
Speed shopping
You’ll soon walk into the supermarket, having already input your shopping list on a mobile app – which will link to in-store beacons. Within seconds, you’ll be sent a map of the store and the order in which you can select your desired goods in as short a time as possible, knowing where the queues are, which aisles are congested and if any products are close to selling out.
The future is looking bright!
Hotcow is a non-traditional creative agency that specialises in experiential marketing that goes viral. Our campaigns generate buzz through crowd participation, PR and content sharing. Contact us on 0207 5030442 or email us on info@hotcow.co.uk.
