Evan Schuman's StorefrontBacktalk

Mobile integration into in-store is fraught with very mundane and pragmatic issues, such as “how should an associate carry around a tablet? It’s too big for a pocket.” One chain, Aurora, has gone so far as to design customized associate satchels just for its iPads. Our media partner, Retail Week, has explored how U.K. retailers have been dealing with these issues.

When retailers bank so significantly on in-store connectivity to boost their customers’ experience, considering both usability and the store’s design is vital. Lee Broom, the interior designer responsible for the look of the recently launched Coast, said the integration of iPads as payment devices was integral to the new store’s look. “As Coast is an occasionwear brand and offers a more high-end retail experience, it was about creating an experience that was more like checking out at a hotel. So things like cash desks were made to look as simple and clean as possible,” he said.

The rise of online and multichannel retailing has brought the in-store customer experience sharply into focus. By tapping into customers’ shopping patterns, which are constantly evolving through the use of mobile and online platforms, retailers are working increasingly hard to entice customers into stores.

However, a focus on physical interaction with the customer and superior in-store experiences needs to go hand-in-hand with technology rollout.

“Traditional retailers can compete with, and even beat, the online pure-plays, essentially because they offer the brands that shoppers want and the social contact that still defines shopping,” says Chris Donnelly, head of Accenture’s retail practice for the U.K. and Ireland.

Raising Expectations

John Lewis has introduced self-service kiosks, Wi-Fi and QR codes, and is trying the use of iPads in shops. “Customers benefit from face-to-face customer service and the ability to feel the product, but they can also access our online channel to view products not available in store and arrange a delivery that suits them,” says John Lewis head of omnichannel Karen Dracou. “Customers are increasingly using a mix of shops, online and mobile and as a result we need to constantly adapt and evolve.”

Fashion group Aurora is also adapting rapidly. The use of iPads has been integral to the design of its new flagship stores for Oasis and Coast in London’s West End, and the devices are now being rolled out to further stores.

The iPads are being used as tills, customer service points or stock finders. “Using the iPad, we can offer a seamless and efficient shopping experience,” says Oasis retail director Bridget Lea. “We can open up our complete stock file on the sales floor for the customer to see, we can also search for a product in store or across the business and offer home delivery if an item isn’t available.”

Many retailers are also using mobile devices to make the payment process more efficient, and for queue-busting—Aurora, Hamleys Regent Street and Beaverbrooks for example.

“iPads are considerably cheaper than traditional till points. Also, their mobility allows us to transact across all areas of the sales floor,” says Lea.

But sales are not the sole driver of in-store technologies—they can also smooth customer experience. “Sometimes our customers want to see how they look from the front and back in the fitting room and we take pictures for them or can even E-mail it to their friends to get approval,” says Lea. “We also provide iPads at our seating areas allowing customers to browse the Web or catch up with friends on Facebook and Twitter, bringing social media into the store environment.”

When retailers bank so significantly on in-store connectivity to boost customers’ experience, considering usability and the store’s design is vital. Lee Broom, the interior designer responsible for the look of the recently launched Coast, said the integration of iPads as payment devices was integral to the new store’s look. “As Coast is an occasionwear brand and offers a more high-end retail experience, it was about creating an experience that was more like checking out at a hotel. So things like cash desks were made to look as simple and clean as possible,” he says.

Video Content

Apart from iPads, more traditional modes of in-store entertainment such as video still play a role but they too are evolving. Dharmendra Patel, managing director for Europe for PlayNetwork, is working on the U.K. launch of Victoria’s Secret. He says the retailer’s New Bond Street store will include customized video content such as streamed fashion shows, and that content for its sub-brand Pink will include QR codes to allow customers to engage. “That helps to develop the experience of a relatively new brand,” he says.