Imagine the ideal shopping experience: what you need is always in stock, the price is right and there is never a wait at checkout. New technology is quickly making this a reality and taking the shopping experience even one step further. From digital mirrors that allow you to virtually try on outfits to technology that lets you hand-gesture through a virtual brochure, new retail technologies are about to change the way you shop forever.
“The retail landscape is expected to change more in the next 10 years than it has in the past 50 years due largely to the explosion of technology,” says Michelle Tinsley, director of transactional retail at Intel Corporation. “Several new innovative technologies have recently emerged that are helping retailers make better use of big data while providing more engaging and personalized experiences for consumers who make purchases at home or in-store.”
Here are some of the top emerging technologies coming soon to a store near you:
Virtual mirrors: Now shoppers can bring the convenience of online shopping into their favorite stores, thanks to MemoryMirror, a digital mirror that allows you to virtually try on outfits and compare looks on a smartphone or tablet. The MemoryMirror uses Intel integrated graphics technology to create avatars of the shopper wearing various clothing. Share the looks with friends to get feedback so you can make a smart purchasing decision.
No more long lines: Waiting in long, frustrating checkout lines could soon become a thing of the past. Using the right technology, retailers can measure and analyze data including real-time traffic in and out of the store to determine the right number of active and open registers. Furthermore, historical transaction data can be used to provide keen insights to managers when determining workers’ schedules and how much staff is needed on different days.
Instant product insight: Have you ever been watching a show and wanted to know more about an actor’s or actress’s outfit? Now you can easily find out and order it with a few taps of your finger. With technology from Intel, NCR and ACTV8.ME loaded on a tablet or smartphone, viewers can identify the clothing an actor or actress is wearing in an episode and receive special offers, play games to earn digital currency, or purchase the outfit instantly and have it delivered directly to their door.
Goodbye rain checks: Going to a store to find out the product you want is sold out is a huge let down. You leave empty handed and retailers lose a sale. By using big data and analytics technologies, retailers can understand and predict product demand to better anticipate the right product mix for each store. Not only does this help ensure they are never out of important products, but it also helps to determine optimal pricing.
The interactive in-store experience: Big retailers are embracing in-store interactive technology like gesture recognition to enhance the shopping experience. For example, if you’re at a car dealership that uses Intuitive Product Customization, you can use hand gestures to browse and interact with digital product information, including various paint colors, interior options and add-on features to customize a car before making a purchase.
Helpful staff: To keep up with increasingly tech-savvy consumers, retailers are now arming their sales teams with tablets and other mobile solutions to improve the shopping experience. From looking up inventory in an instant to researching details about a particular product, these mobile solutions help staff provide superior service. After all, a knowledgeable sales force that is technically proficient can serve shoppers better and provide a smoother experience from the moment they walk in the door to their time at checkout.
Whether you’re shopping for clothes or looking for a brand-new vehicle, the way you research, compare and learn before making a purchase is never going to be the same. Thanks to new retail technology from Intel, you can expect a seamless shopping experience that makes any transaction a breeze.