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Technology: bringing the online shopping experience to the high street

Technology: bringing the online shopping experience to the high street
Written by Amy

Retail is seemingly in a state of continuous propulsion, fuelled by ever accelerating shopper trends and behaviours, advancements in technology and the increasing influence of E-commerce. Sigma’s Projects Director and retail sector pioneer Thomas Fletcher, evaluates the future of the bricks and mortar store and explores the innovative technologies future-proofing commerce spaces.

 The industry saw the overall percentage of e-commerce retail sales rising to nearly a third of all retail in the UK in May 2020[1] – perhaps understandably given prolonged periods of lockdown and non-essential store closures. But before anyone declares the high street is dead, vendors should be aware of consumers’ innate desire for a physical retail experience.

In fact, research shows that 69% of consumers surveyed miss the in-store experience[2]. While week-on-week, high streets witnessed a footfall rise of 174 per cent, shopping centres 217 per cent, and retail parks 9.8 per cent as the England and Wales exited lockdown[3].

As footfall returns to the high street, it is clear that success lies in companies’ ability to achieve widespread technological deployment and effectively roll-out estate-wide transformation programmes to meet consumers’ needs in a new market.

Whether that takes the shape of implementing sanitising UV-C technology – be that retrofitted into retail store fitting rooms, throughout in-store lighting infrastructures or as part of disinfecting conveyor belt units – electronic shelf labelling or even innovative 3D holograms and virtual reality (VR) displays, remains to be seen.

What is clear, however, is that the deployment of such innovations to encourage shoppers back into store requires a distinct shift in mindset. Main contractors and shopfitters will not only have to carefully consider the technologies they can employ to optimise spaces and enhance the end user experience, but also the very fabric of buildings and the consumers that occupy them.

A strong case for technology

The remarkable influx of retail technology is already changing the perception of how consumers purchase products in-store, and reconceptualising commercial spaces throughout the UK.

A leading supermarket chain, for instance, has tested over 20 different technologies since phase one of its transformational project was launched in August 2019. The prominent grocery retailer became one of the first stores in the UK to introduce 3D holograms. This technology is being used to project three-dimensional imagery into the air to showcase products and provide customer information.

Currently in place in the store’s bakery department, seasonal aisles and on Scan & Go points, the 3D holograms offer an eye catching means to display product information and offers for customers.

Additionally, the store is also connecting customers with colleagues to answer questions about the availability of products with the latest headset technology and the installation of a dedicated device in the produce aisle. Customers can have a two-way conversation with a colleague at the push of a button.

Such a progressive technology led approach extends beyond the food aisles, with large-scale, digital screens installed in the clothing department of the store. Screens of this nature allow retail brands to welcome customers in a whole different way, with hi-resolution imagery and tailored displays with clothing modelled by real people.

Electronic shelf labels are also becoming increasingly common in store, taking the place of the traditional paper-based price labels customers normally see on the shelves. It is predicted that in the future E-labels will be fully integrated into the retailer’s system so any price changes can be loaded up immediately.

Expertise driven

Working with a partner like Sigma, with over 20 years’ experience of transforming commercial spaces, main contractors, shopfitters, and brand groups can seamlessly and cost-effectively deploy complex technology transformational programmes across retail estates and truly realise the potential of their spaces.

Such a partner can efficiently manage transformational programmes across entire estates while collaborating with their own in-house project teams to facilitate and implement new innovation-driven concepts within agreed timescales, pre-determined budgets and with minimal disruption to facilities and occupants.

What’s more, all this can be achieved to the highest standards of Health and Safety, and quality assurance, with all work NIC/EIC, ISO 18001, and Safe Contractor approved.

For more information, visit: www.sigmagrp.co.uk

 

[1] https://www.statista.com/statistics/286384/internet-share-of-retail-sales-monthly-in-the-united-kingdom-uk/

[2] https://premierconstructionnews.com/2021/03/25/reviving-the-high-street-with-3d-digital-twin-technology/#:~:text=According%20to%20research%20by%20Matterport,consumers’%20return%20to%20physical%20shops.&text=In%20fact%2C%20research%20shows%20that,by%20Matterport%20miss%20this%20experience.

[3] https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2021/04/high-street-footfall-rises-174-as-england-wales-exit-lockdown/

 

About the author

Amy