Fashion Retail: From the Old POS to the New Point of Experience Comments Off on Fashion Retail: From the Old POS to the New Point of Experience 2513

Igor Santiago8 de June de 2022 20:318 de June de 2022

If you’re a retailer or own a fashion retail business, you surely know how important it is to deliver a great customer experience. As we always say around here, the days of ordinary retail are over, when, to stand out, all you had to do was put up a sign saying “sale” in front of the store and think that was enough.

Sorry to tell you, but that doesn’t work anymore. Not just in fashion retail, but in every kind of retail, the strategies for attracting consumers have evolved, and that requires you and your company to evolve along with them.

Even more so when it comes to fashion retail, where competition is always fierce and consumers pay attention to the smallest details when making a purchase. That’s why innovating with a focus on the consumer experience is the best solution for fashion retail.

In this post, we’ll focus on something specific and extremely important at the moment of purchase: the customer experience.

Stick around to see how the POS has evolved and how the customer experience can affect your fashion retail sales strategy, plus tips for succeeding at the point of sale and the Alice Wonders differentiation strategy, with examples from our own success stories. Happy reading!

The importance of customer experience in fashion retail

Customer experience in fashion retail matters because it’s through that experience that the customer’s perception of your brand or company takes shape, and if the experience is bad, you’ll most likely lose a customer.

You might think otherwise, but experience counts for a lot with customers. According to a survey conducted by PwC (with 15,000 respondents across 12 countries, including Brazil), there are good reasons for companies to bet on and invest in a great customer experience with their brand.

Some of those reasons are:

73% of consumers point to experience as an important factor in their purchasing decisions;
in Brazil, that figure reaches 89% of Brazilians, the highest among the participating countries;
42% of all respondents said they would pay more for a welcoming, friendly experience;
32% of them would stop buying from a brand they love after a single bad experience; in Latin America, that figure reaches 49%.

Whether you like it or not, the experience will happen

That’s right! If you run a fashion retail business and interact with your customers, they’re automatically already having an experience with you. So, whether you like it or not, your store will always leave an impression on your customers – positive, negative or indifferent.

It’s important to understand this, because even if you don’t want to invest in the customer experience, that doesn’t mean your customers won’t have one. The point is that neglecting to deliver a better experience can cost you customers and leave your brand’s reputation less than stellar.

So, since the customer experience is going to happen one way or another, it might as well be a good one, right?

Point of experience: the evolution of the POS

When customers’ shopping and consumption habits change, brands’ strategies inevitably have to change too. That’s more or less how the POE came about.

To understand the concept of the Point of Experience (POE), we first need to look at how digital transformation has changed the point of sale, especially in fashion retail.

The internet has completely changed consumer behavior. Consumers now have a voice and more options for purchases, choices and brands, and they no longer even need to go to a fashion store to shop, since e-commerce offers the same service online.

Technology evolved and people evolved along with it, so consumption habits are no longer the same; they’re completely different. On top of that, the battle for consumers’ attention has become even more intense.

As if the competition among fashion retailers weren’t enough, fashion e-commerce sites are also competing for the same market, and the fight for consumers’ attention is getting fiercer and fiercer.

In that sense, if consumers are demanding fuller, more immersive perceptions of brand concepts, the way forward for businesses lies in innovating the point of experience, not the conventional point of sale.

That’s why experience has already become a necessity, not only for differentiation, but also for loyalty and branding.

From point of sale to point of experience: what changes?

Well, much more than a name change, the Point of Experience reveals a new way of looking at physical stores and customer relationships. It’s a new way of doing business in fashion retail.

The goal is no longer just to sell, and those little “sale” or “clearance” signs don’t work as well anymore. To attract consumers and deliver unforgettable moments, brands will have to go all out with creativity and initiatives that turn the shopping journey into a great customer experience.

So, to move from the traditional POS to the POE, stores must spark good feelings every time consumers are in their space.

And many strategies can be used to do this. Engagement events, entertainment, phygital and interactive technologies, for example, are some of the resources that can turn simple points of sale into true leisure and lifestyle hubs, offering a much richer and more efficient shopping journey.

The best strategies for winning over customers at the POS

When it comes to the POE, certain strategies are key to making your initiative effective. Such as:

A focus on perceived value

To build a good POE, it’s important to understand the need for perceived value in delivering good service, aiming for what’s best for the customer and always considering a context in which products and services are secondary.

In this case, having a data-driven strategy is the best solution.

The spotlight

The spotlight matters a lot when we talk about the POE. However, it shouldn’t be on the brand or the POS, but on the customer, who should be at the center of the experience.

Putting the customer in the spotlight in fashion retail brings autonomy, reduces response times and minimizes obstacles in the purchasing process.

Bringing physical and digital channels together

When consumers are about to buy something, they research online, go to the store, compare the store’s price with the online price, and even compare your product’s price with a competitor’s while standing inside your store, browsing the internet.

In other words, consumers are everywhere, and that’s why your brand needs to be everywhere too.

Whether it’s to deliver a consistent, omnichannel customer experience, to keep up with trends, or even to post your brand’s latest news. Always be everywhere.

Technology and innovation

Well, when it comes to technology and innovation, Alice Wonders has it covered. On top of delivering great experiences, our products and services bring tangible results that show up in sales and in the customer’s relationship with the brand.

Technology combined with quality service, which is still essential, and customer experience will bring great results to your fashion retail business.

Relationship

This is still extremely important. The difference is that there are now more places to be in touch with the customer.

Constantly strengthening your relationship with consumers and building lasting bonds is one of the benefits of the POE, when it’s used strategically and consistently.

Now that you’ve seen how important and necessary the POE is, how about checking out some Alice Wonders technologies that have already made the customer experience in fashion retail truly surreal?

Alice Wonders success stories

Virtual fitting rooms

Wonder Fitting Room

The Wonder fitting Room was a case we developed that brought a lot of interaction to the customer experience in fashion retail.

It’s simply a smart fitting room that recognizes garments and suggests complementary looks and accessories, using content to sell more. The fitting room feeds a dashboard with data on the items tried on, generating powerful insights.

Interactive Mirror + Data & Insights

With this activation, we set out to engage shoppers in real time through the interactive mirror + Data in fashion retail. In addition to offering looks, accessories and tutorials to the shopper, the interactive mirror delivered DATA to the retailer in real time.

Virtual Try On (Augmented Reality)

Virtual Try On is simply an augmented reality technology that simulates a given situation for the customer.
It’s a great option for anyone in fashion retail who wants to stand out by making their POS creative, interactive and dynamic.

It can be used, for example, in apparel retail, where customers can see whether a piece would look good on them without having to go to the fitting room. Just standing in front of the device is enough to see the outfit on their body. Interesting, right?

Well, we did exactly that for a fashion retailer that, in this case, sold jewelry. This case was developed for the Flagship store in Monte Carlo. It featured a kiosk with facial recognition and virtual try-on of earrings and necklaces

It was quite an experience, and it generated great results in terms of interactivity and sales.

Loungerie Interactive Window Display

This Interactive Window Display was set up in the middle of Shopping Eldorado, in São Paulo, to promote a giveaway for the Loungerie store, right at the time of year when malls are most packed with shoppers: Christmas.

This activation was a success for the brand and is a great strategy for fashion retailers.

Conclusion

Fashion retail is one of the busiest and most competitive sectors in the market, and that’s exactly why brands need to innovate and stand out from the rest by offering a great experience to their audience.

Alice Wonders specializes in delivering a better customer experience. On top of delivering great experiences, our products and services bring tangible results that show up in sales and in the customer’s relationship with the brand.

If you’re interested in our technologies, get in touch with our customer service team.
We’d love to learn more about how we can help you. See you soon!

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Innovative Retail Experiences: Augmented Reality at the POS Comments Off on Innovative Retail Experiences: Augmented Reality at the POS 2893

Alice Wonders4 de August de 2023 10:324 de August de 2023

Innovative Retail Experiences: Augmented Reality at the POS

If you’re a retailer looking for innovation, we’ve got good news for you: Augmented Reality at the POS is here to transform your business into a space of innovative experiences and efficiency.

Here’s what we’ll explore:

Benefits of Augmented Reality at the POS – Learn how AR can take the customer experience to a whole new level and, as a result, boost your sales.
Augmented Reality Use Cases in Retail – Discover practical examples of how to implement AR in your store.
Challenges and Solutions – Get to know the obstacles you may face and how to overcome them efficiently.

Get ready to transform your point of sale and captivate your customers like never before!

What Is Augmented Reality?

Have you ever seen those social media filters that add bunny ears or sunglasses to your photo in real time? That’s a simple but effective example of Augmented Reality.

Augmented Reality (AR) is a technology that overlays digital information — such as images, videos, and sounds — onto the real world through a device, whether it’s a smartphone, a tablet, or special glasses.

This means that with AR, your customers can use their own smartphones to view additional information about a product, see reviews from other shoppers, or even visualize how a piece of furniture or an appliance would look in their home. And all of this happens while they’re physically in your store.

The magic of Augmented Reality lies in its ability to create a hybrid shopping experience that combines the best of the online and offline worlds.

The result is a more interactive, informative, and engaging sales environment.

Augmented Reality in Retail

Bringing Augmented Reality into your store represents a significant leap forward, not only in the way you sell, but also in the way customers shop.

Product Try-Ons

With Augmented Reality, trying on products reaches a whole new level. If you run a clothing store, your customers can “try on” different styles and sizes without having to deal with the fitting room. The same goes for eyewear, jewelry, and even sneakers.

All the customer has to do is point their smartphone at the item they want and see it virtually projected onto their own image.

Personalized Shopping

Augmented Reality enables a highly personalized shopping experience. Based on the customer’s interactions and choices, you can provide product recommendations, show related items, or even create a unique virtual store environment for each visitor.

Wayfinding and Information

Let he who has never gotten lost in a big store cast the first stone! With Augmented Reality, your customers can easily find what they’re looking for.

By pointing their smartphone at an aisle, they can see digital cues about the products in front of them, saving time and boosting customer satisfaction

Engagement and Gamification

Augmented Reality technology offers a range of opportunities to make shopping more interactive and fun.

You can create digital treasure hunts, quizzes, or other games that encourage customers to explore more of the store and, as a result, discover more of your products.

Watch the video of an Augmented Reality activation Alice Wonders created — packed with technology, fun, and engagement — to showcase all the technology available in modern agriculture:

Customer Behavior Analytics

With Augmented Reality, you can collect valuable data on how customers interact with products and the store environment. This data can be used to improve layout, inventory, and even marketing strategies.

Benefits of Augmented Reality at the POS

Higher Sales and Average Order Value

When you offer a more engaging and informative shopping experience, customers are more likely to spend more. Augmented Reality lets shoppers visualize how a product will fit into their lives before they even make a purchase, building confidence and encouraging higher-value sales.

Fewer Returns

One of the biggest challenges in retail is the high rate of returns. With Augmented Reality, customers get a clearer, more accurate picture of what they’re buying, which minimizes the chances of dissatisfaction and, consequently, of returns.

Competitive Differentiation

In a saturated market, every edge counts. Implementing Augmented Reality at your POS not only improves the customer experience but also positions your brand as innovative and in tune with tech trends.

Better Customer Experience

Augmented Reality’s power to deliver detailed information and realistic visualizations makes the buying process much easier and more enjoyable for the customer. On top of that, this technology can eliminate many of the uncertainties customers have when shopping, resulting in a more positive overall experience.

Store Space Optimization

Augmented Reality lets you make the most of your store’s physical space. How? By using Augmented Reality features, you can display a virtually unlimited inventory, which is especially useful if your store is short on space.

Employee Training

That’s right, Augmented Reality doesn’t just benefit customers. It’s also a valuable tool for training your team. Customer service scenarios, for example, can be simulated to prepare your employees for a wide variety of situations.

Conclusion

There’s no doubt that Augmented Reality is more than just a trend; it’s the future of retail.

By leveraging Augmented Reality at your Point of Sale, you’re taking a significant step toward a world of interactive possibilities, more effective sales, and happier customers.

So, what are you waiting for? The time to act is now.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Augmented Reality at the Point of Sale (POS)? Augmented Reality at the Point of Sale is a technology that overlays digital information, such as images and data, onto the real world through mobile devices or special glasses. It gives customers a more interactive and informative shopping experience.

What are the benefits of Augmented Reality at the POS? The benefits are numerous and include increased sales, competitive differentiation, a better customer experience, optimized store space, and the potential for more effective employee training.

How can I implement Augmented Reality in my store? Implementation can range from simple mobile apps to more complex systems that use Augmented Reality glasses. The first step is to understand your specific needs and goals, then consult with specialized professionals to choose the best approach for your business.

Is Augmented Reality expensive to implement? Costs can vary, but thanks to technological advances, there are options for businesses of all sizes and budgets. The key is to start with a pilot project and scale up as you see the benefits and return on investment.

Is Augmented Reality just a fad, or is it here to stay? With continuous improvements in the technology and clear proof of value across many industries, Augmented Reality is an innovation that’s here to stay. Its power to engage customers in new and meaningful ways makes it a valuable tool for any retailer striving for operational excellence.

Sensory Rooms: Transforming Experiences at the Point of Sale (POS) Comments Off on Sensory Rooms: Transforming Experiences at the Point of Sale (POS) 1712

Alice Wonders30 de June de 2023 20:4130 de June de 2023

Today we’re going to talk about an amazing tool that can completely transform your customers’ shopping experience: sensory rooms for points of sale.

A New Concept in Shopping Experience

You’re always looking for ways to stand out from the sea of competition in retail, right? One way to do that is by offering personalized, engaging experiences to your customers, and this is where sensory rooms come into play.

Sensory rooms are spaces designed to draw customers into an immersive experience, activating all of their senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.

All five senses come into play, making the shopping experience truly memorable. Let’s look at some examples of how to use each sense:

Sight

You can use sensory rooms with lighting, colors, and visual effects to create a specific atmosphere.

Imagine, for example, that you own a furniture store. How about a sensory room that simulates different types of daytime and nighttime lighting? That way, your customers can see how the furniture looks under various lighting conditions.

Tok&Stok, a leading name in furniture and home decor, uses the visual experience in its stores so customers can picture themselves using the furniture in their own homes. Settings are put together with the store’s products, simulating living rooms, kitchens, bedrooms, offices, and more. The lighting is designed to highlight the products and create a welcoming atmosphere.

Hearing

Music or other sounds can be used to create a relaxing, welcoming environment.

For example, if you own a camping gear store, nature sounds, like birdsong or rain falling on a tent, can enhance your customers’ sensory experience and make them feel more connected to the camping environment.

Centro Nacional Store — Livraria Cultura is an example of a company that uses the auditory experience to create a more pleasant environment. Its stores usually have a soft soundtrack playing in the background, creating a relaxing environment that invites customers to spend more time in the store.

Touch

You can create sensory rooms that involve customers’ sense of touch.

If you own a clothing store, how about offering different fabrics and textures for customers to touch? It’s an amazing way for them to connect with your products.

Natura, the well-known cosmetics brand, lets customers try many of its products in its brick-and-mortar stores. They can feel the texture of creams, lotions, and makeup by applying them directly to their skin. This helps create a deeper connection with the products and allows customers to choose the items that best meet their needs and preferences.

Smell

Smell is a powerful sense, often underestimated when it comes to creating shopping experiences.

However, you can use it to create sensations and environments that match your products. For example:

Some stores, like coffee shops, already use the smell of coffee to create a more welcoming environment.
Imagine walking into a clothing store and smelling freshly washed fabrics. That would definitely improve the shopping experience.
Pão de Açúcar creates an olfactory experience through the aroma of breads and cakes baking in its in-store bakery. When customers walk into the store, they’re enveloped by these delicious smells, which creates a welcoming atmosphere and encourages purchases from the bakery.

A perfect example of a Sensory Room is the Dior activation at Hotel Sephora, developed by Alice Wonders. For a captivating, multisensory immersion in the brand’s exclusive space, we created projection mapping that brought to life the launch of J’adore Eau de Parfum, the brand’s newest fragrance. Check it out:

Taste

Last, but certainly not least, we have taste.

In some stores, especially those that sell food or beverages, you can offer tastings to customers.

Pão de Açúcar combines the sensory experience of smell with taste, also offering tastings of wines, cheeses, breads, and other products in its stores. This not only lets customers try before they buy, but also creates a more engaging and enjoyable shopping experience.
Another company that embraces this practice is Cacau Show, a chain of chocolate stores, which often offers samples of its products, letting customers enjoy the flavor before deciding to buy.

The Impact of Sensory Rooms at the POS

Now that we’ve talked about how to engage and stimulate each of your customers’ 5 senses at the POS, how about we look at the benefits of bringing it all together in Sensory Rooms for your brand?

The main goal of a sensory room at a point of sale is to create a unique and memorable experience for the customer.

On top of that, you not only set your store apart from the competition, but also encourage customers to come back. It’s a win-win strategy!

Here are some of the many benefits of creating sensory experiences in your store:

Benefits of the sensory experience for brands

The sensory experience helps brands stand out from the competition, increase the perceived value of their products, and create an emotional connection with customers.

Creating an Emotional Connection

When we engage all five senses in a shopping experience, we’re going beyond the simple act of selling a product. We’re creating an emotional connection with the customer.

We know that strong emotions are tied to our most lasting memories, so by providing a memorable, emotionally charged experience, we’re fostering customer loyalty and making sure they remember our brand in the future.

Market Differentiation

In today’s competitive retail world, it’s vital for your brand to stand out.

Sensory rooms can provide a unique advantage, setting your brand apart from competitors. Offering an immersive, multisensory experience is a powerful way to stand out and create a unique identity for your brand.

Added Value

The sensory experience adds value to the customer’s purchase, making it more than a simple transaction.

The customer isn’t just taking a product home, but a complete experience that engaged all of their senses. This can justify a higher price and increase profit margins for your brand.

Longer Dwell Time in the Store

When you provide an engaging sensory experience, customers tend to stay in the store longer. That’s because they’re immersed in an environment that stimulates their senses.

As a result, a longer visit increases the chances that customers will discover more products they like, which in turn raises the likelihood of generating more sales.

It Drives Word of Mouth

Creating a unique, unforgettable shopping experience makes customers want to share it with friends and family.

That’s where valuable word-of-mouth marketing comes into play, amplifying your brand’s visibility in a genuine, personal way.

Conclusion

Investing in sensory experiences at the point of sale is a strategy for transforming the way your customers interact with your brand.

By creating a shopping environment that engages all the senses, you deliver a richer, more appealing, and more memorable retail experience.

This not only boosts your sales opportunities and dwell time in the store, but also drives valuable word-of-mouth marketing, helping expand your brand’s visibility.

However, it’s important to conduct research to truly understand your audience and offer experiences that align with their expectations and desires. And you can count on us to help.

Get in touch with us and learn how you can create unique experiences for your customers and unlock your business’s full potential.

FAQ – People Also Ask:

What are sensory rooms for points of sale? Sensory rooms are spaces specially designed to engage the customer’s senses, delivering an immersive, delightful, and unique experience. This involves using techniques and technologies to stimulate customers’ sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste.
Why should I consider the sensory experience in retail? The sensory experience can significantly improve the customer experience and increase sales. When their senses are engaged, customers tend to spend more time in the store, increasing the chances that they’ll make a purchase. In addition, a unique and memorable experience can lead customers to share it with others, driving word-of-mouth marketing.
What types of retail sectors can benefit from sensory experiences? Any retail sector can benefit from sensory experiences. Whether it’s a furniture store that uses different lighting scenarios to showcase its products or a bakery that uses the aroma of fresh bread to draw in customers, the possibilities are nearly endless.
How can I implement a sensory experience in my store? There are several strategies for introducing a sensory experience into your store, and they can be adapted to the nature of your business and the profile of your target audience. For example, you can use lighting and décor to create an environment that highlights your products’ attributes and encourages customer interaction. You can include themed spaces and strategic lighting to spotlight specific products, and choose colors and materials that evoke certain emotions or sensations.