Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013 - 39

ENHANCING THE IN-STORE EXPERIENCE AND LEVERAGING TECHNOLOGY: FROM DIGITAL TO
MOBILE PAYMENTS

Willy Kruh: As we have discussed, the shopping habits of today's
digital consumer have radically altered, forever transforming the
business of retail. Staying competitive in this environment, and
differentiating yourself as a retailer, is no longer as simple as employing a bevy of technologies to expedite a transaction with efficiency. Retailers in the country have experienced opportunities
available to them through the marriage of technology and social
media to not only engage with their customers, but to develop
a relationship with them and further solidify their brand. What
types of in-store tactics are you employing, be it technological
innovations or entertainment, to better engage your customers ,
enhance their in-store experience and drive traffic to your stores?

* Mall of America offers 520 stores, 4.3 miles, indoor
theme park, aquarium and adventure golf.
* Box Park in the UK is the world's first pop-up mall,
with 35 shops and restaurants, all refitted in shipping containers so it can readily be relocated to
another location in 4 years.
* Morocco Mall in Casablanca, designed to resemble
a seashell, is the largest mall in Africa stretching to
nearly 2,000 feet along the seafront, and features
VIP shopping, a shark aquarium, and a large outdoor
landscape that uniquely offers meditation pads.
* Mall of Emirates in Dubai features a ski slope in the
desert, 2 five-star hotels, 400 stores, a 14 screen
cinema and a theme park.
KPMG's Consumer Currents 15 publication.

Michael Medline: "Digital technology is being tested everywhere,
and it makes sense in this era. At
Canadian Tire stores we have a
digital catalogue. At SportChek,
we've been on the vanguard of
digital signage. Not only does it
make your store more interesting
and exciting, it's also functional in
that it affords us the opportunity to
change things (prices/product info)
quickly without the manual processes of yesterday. The need to create motion and excitement in store
is key. Stores have to become more
theatrical. If someone is coming all
the way into your store by choice,
you have to create an exceptional
experience that brings them back in
again, and again."
Charles Brown: "The premise of in-store is that you are offering the value
of human interaction. And these interactions need to enhance the customer
experience by helping them to find the right product and we (our sales associates) know what else you need to ensure you have everything when you get
home. So, I ask, can we eliminate the check-out? Can we rid ourselves of the
idea of having to line up to buy something, by letting people buy it themselves
anywhere in the store using technology? I'm not convinced. I want more
labour hours for human interaction, not for changing price tags. Now, that's
not to imply that technology doesn't have its place in-store. It can help in the
sales process. In most cases people come in and say, 'I want X' and if you ask
them three questions you quickly learn they don't always need what they came
in for. We (our sales associates) started asking three questions via tablet, while
in store. People would self-select a product based on their responses to a series
of logical questions. The tablet would then make a recommendation at the
end of the survey, and that boosted sales. The tablet then provided information about the product and, in many instances, that was more beneficial than
a sales associate saying the same thing. In this case technology augmented
their in-store interaction and assisted our sales people in the process."

David Margolis: "We have to
use technology and our vendors
to the best of our ability. If we
put basic re-orderable merchandise on the floor, the sales associate needs to have support from
vendors and access to information to be able to walk up to a
customer and say, 'We also offer
that in pink and blue, and can
have that to your door within
48 hours'. It's not just about
having full-stock inventory,
but it's about how technology,
knowledgeable sales associates,
and all these factors coalesce
to create a great experience for
your customer."

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Canadian Retailer - Holiday 2013

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