The Retailer Winter edition_2020

A quarter of ‘midi-Alphas’ (13 – 16-year olds) studied by Wunderman Thompson said they would rather purchase in a store than through their screens, and 75% of them in general enjoy the experience of going to an actual shop. They do, however, expect technology to increasingly enhance their future physical shopping experience, as 27% of the same study group desired further interactivity in stores. Retailers need to ensure they are balancing the physical and digital aspects of the retail experience, whilst being mindful they don’t overlook the ‘retailtainment’ factor that in-store offers by pursuing a digital- only model. Today, the Alpha generation are already so involved in the buying cycle in several ways. Alphas’ tastes, preferences and tech-savviness play a significant role in their parents’ purchasing decisions. Typically, they help their parents by viewing products and offering their opinions, they gather information about the product through reviews and they even add items directly into their parents’ baskets. NRF’s research has shown that a lot of parents involve their children in purchases because they will be users of the item and because their opinions matter to them. Only five years from now, retailers will be facing an entirely new and incredibly self-educated type of shopper. It’s essential for retailers to predict and react to these forthcoming desires in order to build loyalty with this group, to avoid neglecting the next generation of consumers before they even begin shopping. This means building an omnichannel solution, one that complements both the physical store and online, and is shaped by innovative technologies that maximise on convenience. By doing this, retailers will be better prepared to create an exciting, future-ready shopping experience that meets the expectations of today’s newest and most influential generation. About Vista For 25 years, Vista has operated as a retail technology support company and we are only too familiar with the evolution of tech in retail. Having implemented major technology transformations for retailers throughout this time, we have a deep-rooted understanding of the technology used within these retail environments and how to deploy and support systems throughout their lifecycles. For more information, visit our website: vistasupport.com

JAMES PEPPER // james.pepper@vistasupport.com

the retailer | winter 2020 | 65

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