The blending of the physical and the digital realms to create a remarkable shopping experience is called phygital retail. It entails the seamless merging of the online and the experiential from store exploration to product selection and through to checking out. The best phygital experiences combine the best of both worlds erasing the line between technology and in-person.
ShopRite window graphics by Off The Wall
Amazon remains a key player in this brave new world, quelling rumors that the death of "Just Walk Out" were definitely exaggerated with this article: "We have strong conviction that Just Walk Out technology will be the future in stores that have a curated selection where customers can pop in, grab the small number of items they need, and simply walk out." More here in this link.
Another requirement for the phygital experience to become universal is dependable wifi from store to store. Retail Wire points out:
"With wifi, users have to search for the right network and enter personal information or accept long-winded terms and conditions before being granted access," said Stephen Kowal, chief commercial officer at Nextivity. "They then need to repeat this process for each store or restaurant they enter. This is not a good customer experience, particularly in large retail and restaurant venues such as malls and food courts." Click here for more.
Aldi - Customer Pick up Area by Off The Wall
As this Forbes article points out, the newest thing about the phygital experience is the catchy new word. Beyond the emergence of AI, there's not much else we haven't heard of. But the phygital experience is becoming increasingly popular as technology advances. "Phygital experiences allow brands to personalize customer interactions, provide relevant service, and solidify more sales. And they're valuable across all industries, from retail to banking and real estate. The phygital possibilities are endless."
Click here to review the top 15 best examples of Phygital Customer Experiences:
Giant window graphics by Off The Wall
Comments