Creating engaging in-store experiences - Part 1: The potential for innovation

Porters Liquor store utilises flashing lights on electronic price labels to direct customers to wines that match the meal they’re pairing it with. What an innovative in-store customer experience!

The potential for innovation

To inspire customer loyalty, retailers need to provide an in-store experience that customers remember.

Whilst online continues to grow and evolve over time with innovations like smart-bots, online chat, as well as Facebook and Google embedded experiences; not a lot has changed when it comes to the in-store retail experience in Australia.

I remember when I was a kid shopping at Rebel sports (a store I still love), I would play around with different soccer balls and cricket bats, that I then begged my parents to buy for me. In the 25 years since then, whilst Rebel and many other sports stores are still great places to shop, I struggle to see how the experience has changed from the consumer’s point of view.

Especially in a market where retail sales are down and technology is continually advancing, one would think that retailers in Australia would be looking at how they could revolutionise the in-store experience for customers. Australia however, is years behind countries like France, Germany and the USA when it comes to retail technology adoption.

There are a few innovative companies in Australia who are taking things to the next level. Porter’s Liquor in Moonee Ponds Melbourne (a Future Shelf client) for example, has introduced a capability whereby you select what meal you are going to eat for dinner (e.g. lamb, chicken, pasta etc). Customers are then directed, by flashing lights on the electronic price ticket, to the wines that match their meal selection. This provides them with an innovative and fun shopping experience, and encourages them to try different wines.

Customers have been thrilled with the approach and are flocking to the store to enjoy the experience over and over again. Customer loyalty has not just increased but the experience is creating a buzz via word of mouth, bringing new customers.

My expectation is that grocers will offer a similar experience for new recipes, pointing customers to the ingredients that they require from the shelf. However, the possibilities of this technology (digital price tags) are endless.

We’ll be discussing more ideas for in-store innovation over the coming weeks, but if you’d like to speak to someone in the meantime about how retail technology can be used in your store, please do contact us.

Author: Lyall Sundel, Head of Customer Success