Amazon Go has opened its doors to the public, introducing the concept of an entirely new shopping experience. Raising the question what is the future of retail?
Following on from the success of self-check-out in stores, the evolution of mobile technology and AI has paved the way for totally checkout free shopping.
Despite queuing being perceived as a national sport in Britain, 57% of consumers say that queuing is their biggest frustration with the in-store experience. Can you imagine a shopping experience that does away with the arduous task of waiting in long payment lines?
Only 10% of people really relish the in-store sales chat that we sometimes endure while paying or browsing, yet only 3% of Brits say they no longer shop in-store. This research highlights that we are still big fans of the high street, but we only enjoy aspects of the experience, with the majority of customers looking to avoid too much interaction and unnecessary delays.
With the technology now available to enable customers to complete transactions using only their smartphone, the revolutionary experience offered by Amazon falls in line with the consumer’s desire to combine the efficiency of online shopping with the immediate gratification of in-store purchases.
As more high street stores begin to adopt a similar approach, one that adheres to the requirements of today’s mobile society, staff and consumers will need an instant and direct way to communicate with customers.
In the early stages of adoption, requesting feedback on new more mobile friendly processes like payments or stock checking through mobile surveys is going to be vital. Providing consumers with a feedback form which can be completed using just one device offers real-time convenience, in turn creating reportable results that retailers can use to improve the experience.
SMS offers a seamless way to help this process and a plethora of others run smoothly, allowing consumers to compare prices, use personalised offers and sending immediate payment receipts directly to a customer’s mobile device.
This new wave of transformation for the retail industry aims to rectify the main pain points for shoppers, returning goods bought online, high delivery costs and long lead times, really looking to combine the experience of online browsing with the ability to walk away with your goods on the same day.
As the modern shopping experience continues to develop, one thing remains certain smartphones and mobile technology will remain an integral part of the customer journey.
