As consumers we are constantly bombarded with buy this, but that, huge clearance sale, 70% off, buy in the next 15 minutes and you will receive a second Chia Pet absolutely free, we will double your order if you act now and so on. We see thousands of advertisements per day. Think of all of that money being spent trying to get you to buy something you do not want or need. And then we wonder why the cost of all products has continued to escalate even as the economy has suffered and our paychecks have continued to shrink. OK, sing along time – words of wisdom from Mick Jagger:
When I’m drivin’ in my car
And that man comes on the radio
He’s tellin’ me more and more
About some useless information
Supposed to fire my imagination
I can’t get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that’s what I say
I can’t get no satisfaction
I can’t get no satisfaction
‘Cause I try and I try and I try and I try
I can’t get no, I can’t get no
When I’m watchin’ my TV
And that man comes on to tell me
How white my shirts can be
But he can’t be a man ’cause he doesn’t smoke
The same cigarettes as me
I can’t get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that’s what I say
Satisfaction – The Rolling Stones
Yesterday we focused on how the touch screen and mobile technologies have changed, providing us with more and more access to information. This also has provided advertisers with more opportunity to present you with product shopping options. Some retailers are doing some very cool stuff with changing the retail shopping experience. Here are just a couple of examples:
Home Plus, the Korean branch of Tesco, launched a series of virtual stores on subway platforms, enabling customers to make purchases using their smartphones while they wait for a train. So how cool is this. You are waiting for your train and you remember you need a few items at home. You walk up to this virtual wall of products, use your smartphone and place your order. The products are then delivered to your home at the scheduled time or maybe even ready for pick-up when you get off the train later that day – Sweet!
MyBestFit is a free service available in a number of US malls. Customers enter a whole-body scanner, before being advised which different brand sizes will fit them best. Given how every manufacturers sizes seem to be different, this must be a real time saver for the clothes shopper.
A number of retailers are also using automated retail solutions such as Bose and Qantas. These product dispensing kiosks are developed by Vigix, a venture backed company in Massachusetts. These kiosks can be used to dispense products, samples, coupons, interactive and 3D media among other very interesting retail applications. (Disclaimer I have a working relationship with Vigix- the opportunities for highly differentiated interactive retailing are awesome)
Just a few of many ways touch screens and technology is and will be changing the way we shop.
Enjoy the weekend.
Webman
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