Mobile is the key to bringing customers back to stores including luxury<

A Foresight Factory global survey of 20,000 consumers released today in partnership with Snap found that 'connected shopping' is likely to play a key role in getting people back into commerce .

It is evident that consumers are showing a clear desire for the human interaction that accompanies shopping in person, alongside the convenience and engagement of shopping online. "Connected shopping" should be at the heart of brands' strategies to bring shoppers back to their stores, the study below shows that when brands embrace technologies both in-store and online, they strengthen their connections with consumers. consumers. Physical places are not in competition with technology from the moment they have understood to work together. Shoppers want the best of both worlds and brands that can deliver the social experience of shopping with the efficiency of selling online are likely to see the benefits especially among younger shoppers.

One in four global consumers say they shopped online for the first time since the pandemic began, while 56% of those who used augmented reality when shopping online said it helped them encouraged to buy. A major challenge for global businesses is that one in four consumers remain nervous about catching Covid-19 in-store. Shoppers are still eager to try products, with four in ten online shoppers saying they are discouraged when they can't, while the inability to try products in-store before buying has been a major frustration for nearly half of global consumers during Covid-19. Shoppers expect the technology to bridge that gap, with the study showing that two in five people expect augmented reality to be available in stores within the next year, so they can try out clothes in the store, while feeling more secure.

Stores face many challenges and the internet can be a powerful tool to encourage people to return to stores by providing them – especially young people – with a more engaging and efficient 'connected' experience. Increasingly, customers expect the benefits of real-life and online life throughout the buying journey – integrating in-store convenience, while enabling product testing and s engage online. The report reveals that 38% of all consumers and 57% of millennials and Gen Z always use their phone when shopping in-store, while a fifth of them and 31% of Z, would specifically visit a store if it offered interactive services allowing them to try on items virtually. 42% of shoppers say not being able to see, touch and try on items is the most important factor deterring them from shopping online, underscoring the growing appetite for product testing and trials on line.

Millennials (people born between 1981 and 1996)Gen Z (people born between 1995 and 2010)

Some figures

AR

As social media companies have matured and found their user base, they are increasingly turning to e-commerce to increase their revenue. This is the case of Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram. Social media is becoming increasingly important in the customer journey, and the interaction between social media and the physical environment is becoming increasingly seamless.

For example, creative that helps bridge the gap between physical and digital shopping is another big part of Discovery Commerce. Level Shoes, a globally recognized retail concept dedicated to the world of designer shoes for women, men and children, used augmented reality advertisements in the United Arab Emirates during Ramadan 2021. Facebook augmented reality enabled Level Shoes to create awareness of its content with engaging content that had a significant impact on brand recognition.

Luxottica Group, the largest eyewear company in the world is also an inspiring example. As part of its pivot to e-commerce last year, it launched a campaign that combined targeting with breakthrough creative. In partnership with Smartly.io, the brand created a range of innovative video and static ads that used augmented reality to let users try RayBans, bringing physical online shopping to life. The strategy has helped the brand achieve a 5.6x ROI on ad spend, as well as over 600% annual growth across e-commerce overall.

Burberry's luxury store in Shenzhen is a prime example of how smartphones can be used as in-store shopping companions to create a more personalized retail experience, with users able to unlock content exclusive while they shop. Visitors to the Shenzhen Burberry flagship store can use Tencent's WeChat app to interact with the window and play their own music in the dressing room. Burberry and Tencent cooperate to open the first interactive WeChat store in Shenzhen. Tencent and Burberry created a personalized mini-program which was unlocked through WeChat. The user creates a personal profile and gets a digital avatar.

Through this app, shoppers can book one of three themed dressing rooms, pre-select clothes, and play their own music while trying on. They can also use this program to book tables at in-house cafes, make appointments with stylists, and other services. To encourage participation, the program has a reward system for earning “social currency” that can unlock personalized content, such as new characters and costumes for animal avatars, and exclusive menu items. cafes.

All products have QR codes, which can display more information with visual cues. The interactive showcase currently features Burberry's Fall/Winter 2020 fashion show. Mirrors and screens will capture the movements of people interacting with cellphones, and users will be able to capture and share them via their mobiles. Consumer demand for these types of interactive and shareable experiences shows no signs of slowing down!