Archive for 2021

Innovation is key to retail success.

Presumably retailers are sick to death of hearing that. We know it. They know it. But when it comes to innovative retail tech, things are not as simple as we’d like. That’s because while there’s a lot you can control with tech, some things you cannot.

Customers, for instance…

Humans can be instinctively wary of change, which means many people are hesitant to try out new technology. 

Yet, there are also plenty of customers who are tech-savvy and will pledge allegiance to stores that offer more advanced systems and offerings.

The question therefore is: How do you keep all customers happy? Calming more cautious customers, while exciting the more curious.

Customers are more familiar with retail tech than they think

The high street is already full of examples of in-store retail technology. Here are some examples of how tech is already part of the shopping experience:

• M&S’s on-the-spot payment system has been in-store since late 2020. Pay With Me lets customers who have a few items in their baskets check out with a staff member, keeping queues to a minimum.

• & Other Stories debuted a smart vending machine in its flagship Paris store which allows customers to try out beauty and fragrance products. The plan is to roll this technology out to other locations.

• A Lush store in Japan uses an app as its primary source of product information. The app replaces in-store demos and products are displayed on shelves and conveyor belts around the store.

• Zara dabbled in AR technology in 2018. Customers could hold their phones up to sensors to see models sporting items from the latest collections. This showed shoppers how to style items and potentially saved them a trip to the changing room.

Keeping all customers happy

Retailers looking to keep their progressive customers happy need to find ways to offer increasingly frictionless experiences. This could mean digital signage which informs, engages and connects the online and offline worlds; pop-up shops where new tech is trialled; mobile apps that feature loyalty programs; or mobile scanning shopping options.

More traditional shoppers can be appeased with easy-to-adopt tech such as click and collect and QR codes. Cautious shoppers will also be grateful for the presence of a real-life associate to answer any questions.

If you’re looking for ways to strike the right balance with your in-store digital signage, Delta can help. Get in touch with the team to find out more: hello@thedeltagroup.com.

There’s always been more than one way to grow a retail business – marketing, advertising, product development, investment, to name just a few. But one way of increasing sales that can be overlooked comes in the guise of IT.

There are various benefits of implementing IT solutions into your retail business, from greater efficiency and customer service to reduced costs. An article on Tech Guide offers seven key benefits of IT implementation in the retail space.

1 Greater efficiency

By automating processes, you are immediately taking one step closer to an easier workflow and greater efficiency. When everyday tasks such as data entry and inventory management are taken out of the hands of staff and dealt with by an IT solution, employees have more time for more important business operations – customer service, for instance.

2 Lower costs

It’s true – investing in retail IT solutions tends to mean significant upfront costs. However, it’s the long-term cost-efficiency of those solutions that retailers need to focus on. You save money over a period of time, with staff able to dedicate more time and energy to serving customers and securing sales rather than being in the back office.

3 Improved customer service

Every business needs to strive for a better level of customer service – it’s what sets them apart from their competitors. By implementing IT solutions, you are helping your retail business run more smoothly and freeing up more time for employees to spend on the shop floor with individual customers. Greater automation also means customer service helplines are answered faster. And that’s a sure way to keep customers happy.

4 More accurate inventories

An IT solution can work wonders for retailers’ inventories. Giving valuable product information such as the number of units available and where those items are located, IT solutions can help retailers make more informed decisions about their inventories. In turn, this can lead to fewer losses as a result of spoiled or expired products.

5 Greater product visibility

You want customers to be able to find what they are looking for. An IT solution allows just that, giving customers more convenience and avoiding the curse of out-of-stock items.

6 Fewer losses

Retail losses due to theft or outdated merchandising practices (aka shrinkage) are the bane of any retailer’s life. Retail solutions can help limit these losses by ensuring proper labelling, excellent presentation, and properly merchandised products.

7 Enhanced marketing opportunities

Effective promotion of your business starts with digital signage, point of sale displays and other digital marketing solutions. A retail solution can offer you all this and more, helping customers find out about the latest deals and special offers.

Delta Signage: Enhancing the in-store experience

Digital signage is a crucial element of in-store technology; it engages customers, shapes perceptions and enhances the in-store experience. Is it time to help your retail business stand out from the crowd by implementing an effective signage strategy?

Delta Signage is one retail solution that delivers the goods and keeps customers happy. From helping you operate safely in a post-pandemic environment to displaying the latest product information, your key messages appear on sleek screens at the point of sale.

As far as digital signage solutions go, this one is scalable, powerful and used by both global brands and high street retailers.

Are you ready to get your best content in front of your customers? Get in touch with the team at Delta to find out more: hello@thedeltagroup.com.

Reading the headlines, the UK’s high streets sound, at best, depressing. At worst, pretty desperate. The figures second this outlook: 1,400 retailers have gone into administration since 2010, reports Marketing Week.

But then certain headlines come along that make you think twice. Last month, for example, the BBC reported that music retailer HMV plans to open ten new stores this year, including a new London flagship store.

The Covid-19 pandemic was seen by many as the final nail in the coffin for the high street. Restrictions meant that more people relied on online shopping during lockdowns, while bricks and mortar stores faced the challenge of closures, limited footfall, and reduced sales. In the midst of the first lockdown in 2020, a third of all retail sales were taking place online.

But are we focusing too much on the negative headlines? After all, the ‘high street’ isn’t a single entity, it is made up of multiple sectors – all of which have experienced varying levels of misfortune (or in some cases, fortune) over the past 18 months.

Retail parks, out-of-town shopping centres, city centres, and small town high streets have all performed very differently from one another. But one has performed better than the rest: the local high street.

The high street vacancy rate has remained at 12.5% since 2013, suggesting high streets across the UK have been continually reinventing themselves. What have in the past been seen as weaknesses – fragmented ownership, low rents and lack of central coordination – are helping the high street experiment, evolve and meet the needs of the local community.

Post-pandemic working patterns may also help suburban high streets. With many people newly self-employed and businesses set to move away from five-day office weeks, there will be more people working from home during the week. That means more people heading to their local high streets during lunch breaks and early evenings.

We are also seeing a more community-minded attitude towards shopping starting to emerge. According to a study by Deloitte, 57% of people plan to spend money with businesses selling locally-produced products in the future.

Another shift has occurred in what we buy – moving from ‘stuff’ to ‘self’. Since 2013, there has been a rise in people visiting nail salons, coffee shops, restaurants and barbers. These are all experiences you can’t replicate online and give bricks and mortar retail a well-deserved boost.

Perhaps it’s time to start looking beyond the headlines and understanding that purchasing and regional trends could be just what our local high streets need right now.

The Delta Group helps retailers get more from their physical stores by giving them the tools they need to enhance the customer experience. Get in touch to find out how we can help your business grow: hello@thedeltagroup.com.

Not tried virtual try-on when online shopping yet? According to a new consumer study, you’ll soon be in the minority if you don’t start soon.

Research by 3D and AR retail experts Vertebrae has revealed that 44% of consumers have used virtual try-on when shopping online. In addition, 69% say they ended up buying the product either online or in-store as a result.

Virtual try-on is a combination of AR and a front-facing camera which allows consumers to see what a pair of sunglasses, lipstick, or necklace would look like if they were wearing them. The technology shows the items at the same size and scale as real life on the customer’s face or body.

The study confirms that virtual try-on technology isn’t just a quirky add-on to an ecommerce site. It’s a digital tool that can attract more customers and boost sales.

As more shoppers turn to virtual try-on to assess an item’s style, fit and colour, retailers are realising they need to start embracing this technology or risk losing out to their competitors.

According to the survey, 75% of shoppers who have tried virtual try-on did so in the last 12 months. Meanwhile, 49% of respondents said they were likely or very likely to buy from a brand if they offered virtual try-on.

Virtual try-on is used by cosmetic retailers. Everyone from MAC and Maybelline to L’Oréal and Chanel are helping customers try out the latest beauty looks from the comfort of their sofas.

However, it’s the eyewear category that currently reigns supreme in the world of virtual try-on. Seven in ten consumers said that sunglasses and glasses were the number one most useful item to virtually try-on in order to make an informed purchasing decision. 

But retailers thinking about implementing this technology should remember that the key to success is simplicity. A total 43% of those questioned said they were unlikely or very unlikely to use virtual try-on if it meant they had to take additional steps such as uploading a photo or entering measurements.

Customers rated the top three uses for virtual try-on as:

–        Checking if the style of an item suits them (63%)

–        Seeing if the colour suits them (51%)

–        Getting an accurate sense of the size of an item (46%)

Speaking about the research, Vince Cacace, founder and CEO of Vertebrae stated: “Virtual try-on is transforming shopping for entire categories like eyewear, hats, footwear, and soon clothing.”

He continued by saying that the findings reveal “a huge opportunity for retailers to use virtual try-on to differentiate and drive sales, particularly as consumers expect the best experiences to come from the brands themselves.”

At Delta, we empower brands to differentiate, deliver impact and drive sales. Find out how we can help your health and beauty brand to better connect with customers today: hello@thedeltagroup.com.

The Covid-19 pandemic clearly impacted in-store consumer traffic. But with the continued success of the UK’s vaccination programme, consumer footfall on the high street is on the up, with customers feeling more comfortable about heading back through the doors of physical retail stores.

Pent-up demand has meant bricks-and-mortar retail is enjoying a resurgence. And that has led to retailers seeking ways to deploy new technology to boost business, attract new customers and increase brand loyalty.

Digital signage fits the bill perfectly. And in a post Covid-19 landscape, digital signage is proving to be more important than ever. Not only will we see digital signage continue to be used to promote products, services and offers, it will also increasingly be used to share information on policies and expectations for in-store shoppers. Having the ability to change messaging from a centralised location in real time makes digital signage the ideal choice for retailers looking for technology that is a differentiator.

Retailers are continually looking for ways to increase the length of time consumers stay in front of (and interact with) digital screens. They also have to be aware of changing consumer behaviour.

As a result, we will see the technology shift up a gear, moving away from interactive touchscreen displays towards greater interactivity through a shopper’s mobile device. This touchless retail display technology not only benefits the customer experience, it also offers retailers greater insight when it comes to purchase analytics.

In short, this new technology allows retailers to transform their digital displays at the same time as addressing cross-contamination concerns.

Contrary to what some retailers believe, not all digital signage is made equal. The quality of screens and the technology powering them can differ hugely.

In the quest for innovation and increased sales, retailers need to take their time when choosing a digital signage platform. They should also seek the support of the experts.

Delta Signage is a cost-effective solution that allows retailers to display engaging, relevant messages that add real value to the customer experience at the point of sale.

At Delta, we can help you give your customers the reassurance and convenience they crave at the same time as helping you transform the physical retail experience, increase sales, and boost loyalty.

To find out more about Delta Signage and how we can support you in generating creative content for your digital signage, get in touch today at hello@thedeltagroup.com.

Following the Covid-19 pandemic, shoppers might be happy to stick with online retail. But retailers have other ideas. They plan to entice them back in store by creating a more omnichannel experience, reigniting in-store demand by investing in more digital integration.

The GET SET. GROW: How UK retailers are preparing for the return of demand report by Klarna and Visualsoft, cited by Internet Retailing, reveals that more than two-thirds of retailers plan to invest in digital over the coming year.

Almost nine in ten (88%) retailers are getting the wheels in motion to ensure a smoother, more seamless omnichannel experience for their customers, allowing them to start their buying journey on one channel and complete it on another. Meanwhile, 28% of retailers intend to make customer profiles available across all channels.

Across the industry, there is belief that the demand for in-store shopping will remain high. Over half (54%) of retailers questioned said their bricks-and-mortar stores would always be the main focus for their brand and that physical stores would coexist with online channels for some time to come.

With the in-store experience remaining strong, 56% of brands think that technology will help to replicate in-store customer experiences online.

In-store technology ranges from VR to data analytics, but all tech initiatives provide retailers with the opportunity to innovate and re-invent the in-store experience.

Technology retailers will be investing in over the coming year includes:

–        Building more responsive websites (27%)

–        Increasing in-store signage to promote online-only items (24%)

–        Ensuring in-store staff are equipped with mobile point of sale systems (23%)

–        Using QR codes to bridge the online/offline gap

As David Duke, digital director at Visualsoft explained, over the last year it has “felt like a sudden shift of power in retail.” 

He continued: “But the reality is huge changes have been building for some time. As our reasons for shopping have changed, online and offline retailers must also adapt.”

Speaking about the report’s findings, Klarna’s head of UK Alex Marsh added that “retailers should be looking to include in-store in their digital strategy.”

He continued: “Consumers are seeing a completely different high street to the one they knew before the pandemic. […] Having a truly connected vision will be crucial as consumer spend becomes more evenly split across channels.

“Finding new ways to bring the virtual and physical worlds together will be the key to making that happen.”

At Delta, we work with brands and retailers to help them innovate and reinvent the customer experience. Get in touch with our team of experts to find out more: hello@thedeltagroup.com.

The Covid-19 pandemic forced many consumers to find new ways to shop. This led to a surge in new retail trends and retailers keen to find innovative ways to boost consumer loyalty.

According to an article on Retail Insight Network, here are three trends retailers should be aware of in 2021 (plus one we think should be on brand and retailers’ radars, too):

1. Personalisation

Today’s consumer expects – no, demands – personalisation. A survey by marketing company Epsilon suggests that 80% of consumers expect personalisation from retailers.

Personalisation allows retailers to cut through the noise to give customers what they want – essentially, more choice and more recommendations. It also encourages customers to be more emotionally invested, engaged and loyal.

From digital touchscreen displays giving customers the information they need in-store (more about that below), to customised delivery and tracking information – retailers need to make sure they share information that is accurate, relevant and of value to the customer.

2. Automation

One of the challenges for retailers caused by the pandemic was fewer staff on the ground. That has meant that chatbots, digital shopping assistants and self-serve technology are all playing a more important role in the consumer journey.

Not only does this technology empower customers and reduce the reliance on customer service teams, it also allows retailers to cut costs while building a better digital connection with their customers.

AI technology also means retailers can be precisely where their customers are, serving them 24/7 and allowing them greater autonomy.

3. Multi-channel servicing

Offering customers an item cheaper and faster is no longer enough to keep them loyal.

Today’s consumer wants a fully connected experience, shifting effortlessly between mobile device, app, desktop and back again. Retailers need to build these immersive online experiences cross-platform and multi-channel, at the same time as giving customers timely, relevant updates.

4. Touchless digital signage

Touchless in-store displays improve the customer experience and give retailers greater insight into consumer purchasing preferences. By moving away from traditional interactive digital signage and towards touchless technology (where customers interact via their mobile device), cross contamination concerns are dealt with and in-store shopping becomes more personalised.

Delta Group helps retailers meet shoppers’ expectations, gain crucial consumer insights and boost sales. We also help create content for in-store digital screens. To find out more, get in touch with the team today: hello@thedeltagroup.com.

Cast your mind back a year or so – before the world was turned upside down by a global pandemic, and before so many bricks-and-mortar stores had to close for months on end.

Back then, experiential retail was a seriously hot topic in the industry. So, with online sales having surged over the past 15 months, where has that left experiential retail? And is it still relevant in a post-Covid world?

In short: yes. 

With the expectation that physical stores are set to make an impressive comeback, the truth is that in-store retail remains (and will remain for some time) the dominant channel. It’s a huge part of the customer journey and there is pent-up demand from consumers.

That pent-up demand, combined with the UK’s successful vaccination rollout, suggests that customers are keen to head back to the high street. But more to the point, they will expect new, exciting shopping experiences when they do.

But even though non-essential shops are open for business again in the UK, certain restrictions and health and safety measures remain in place. And this could cause a number of challenges for the return of experiential retail.

Here’s what we can expect from experiential retail over the coming months – how it can reinvent the physical retail space and, more importantly, how retailers can maximise its potential.

1. Recognising a desire for the human touch

Online retail is all very well, but it’s hardly the friendliest of retail activities. We all crave more face-to-face contact with people – and that includes the people we interact with when we do something as ‘normal’ as buying a new outfit.

With this in mind, brands that offer customers human interactions will have the upper hand over their ecommerce-only competitors.

This desire for human interaction was confirmed in 2020 when 75% of shoppers continued travelling to physical stores, with the vast majority making in-store purchases whilst there. In-store shopping remains the retail channel of choice for many shoppers, and retailers need to meet customer expectations. Retail associates will play a key role here, acting as brand advocates and going above and beyond in terms of customer service.

2. Creating personalised customer experiences

The rapid rise of ecommerce over the past 15 months might lead some to believe that the physical store is no longer essential. But offering a more personalised experience for customers will prove otherwise. The key to successful personalisation (e.g. relevant offers and innovative in-store experiences) lies in the ability to collect customer data at every touchpoint.

3. Using technology to make online and in-store retail more consistent

Online and offline don’t have to be mutually exclusive of one another. They can work beautifully in tandem – as long as you have the right technology.

Click and collect, contactless technology and self-service checkouts have all become more established during the pandemic. As well as creating frictionless shopping journeys, they allow retailers the opportunity to collect valuable customer data that can feed into omnichannel strategies.

Equally, AR and VR technologies can be used to bridge the gap between in-store and online – especially when targeting millennials and Gen Zers. Work out where the gaps lie within the in-store experience and fill them. But remember, the key here is to start small. And stay focused.

4. Empowering sales associates

In-store teams are invaluable in reinventing customer experiences. By giving retail associates the digital solutions they need to provide the curated experiences customers desire, retailers can boost employee engagement, performance and visibility. Successful in-store digital transformation empowers your people, which leads to happy employees and happy customers.

Brands and retailers need to make time for experiential retail in 2021. The Covid-19 crisis has fast-tracked the reinvention of physical stores and experience-craving customers are eager to see what lies in wait for them on the high street.

As visual communications specialists, Delta Group has the skills and solutions you need to empower your brand, empower your people, and reconnect with your customers. Get in touch today to find out more: hello@thedeltagroup.com.

According to CBI’s most recent Distributive Trades Survey, retailers are planning to make significant investment in their bricks-and-mortar offerings.

The reason? An expected increase in sales and footfall, alongside the need to move physical retail up a gear so it’s ready to compete with the rise of digital. After all, expansion is only a valuable part of retail growth if it generates positive cash flow from capital expenditures, reports the Retail Gazette.

The CBI survey reveals that investment plans for the year ahead have risen at the fastest rate in 17 years. Over a third (35%) of retailers said they intended to invest in operations – an increase of 8% since February this year. This suggests retailers are looking at ways to deal with pent-up consumer demand as Covid restrictions start to ease.

However, there are predictions that the post-lockdown lift won’t last and that consumer demand will wane as more hospitality and entertainment businesses reopen their doors. There are already signs that consumer spending has started to shift away from retail stores towards pubs, restaurants and hotels.

Positive changes, one step at a time

A report by Smart Energy GB reveals that independent retailers were preparing for a “big summer of spending”. Its findings show that 58% of local, independent retailers across the UK have made upgrades over the past 12 months. Plus, at least 51% of small retailers have made positive changes to make their business more eco-friendly.

Another report by shopping centre operator Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield UK revealed the retail preferences of millennials. According to the How We Shop: What’s Changed report, 44% of millennials were more interested than other consumer age groups in contactless stores. Meanwhile, 37% were interested in smart interactive mirrors, and 26% in digital in-store innovations.

As Kate Orwin, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield UK’s leasing director explained: “Retailers are beginning to understand the importance of technology investment in their stores to respond to these insights.”

She continued: “Although online shopping has certainly grown over the past 12 months, we have seen recently that now people have the choice again, they’re seeking real life experiences and returning to stores.”

An additional boost to consumer spending also comes thanks to savings. According to data from the ONS, the UK household saving ratio rose to 16.1% in the final quarter of 2020 – an almost-record high.

As Orwin explains, consumers are “craving physical experiences” and many have “online shopping fatigue due to environmental reasons”. 

According to the report’s findings, 57% of shoppers are thinking more carefully about the online purchases they make for reasons such as excessive packaging.

Bearing in mind the number of store closures seen over lockdown (Arcadia Group, Debenhams, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer closed – or announced plans to close – stores), many retailers are clearly investing in digital channels in an attempt to stay relevant.

But retailers have to be creative in how they approach their digital transformation efforts. Live-streaming, pop-up shops, rentals and subscription services are all options that need to be considered.

Technology for the future

The pandemic has also revealed the risk that legacy systems can create for retailers. Some of these systems are so old and fragile they cannot be changed quickly. As a result, retailers are looking to the cloud for answers. By looking beyond traditional retail models, embracing new technology and reinventing the customer experience, brands and retailers are doing what they can to grow in the post-pandemic retail landscape.

Cutting-edge technology is key to creating more engaging concept stores, too. Rather than the shop floor acting as a showroom, retailers are now looking to add experiential elements to the in-store experience. These areas need to be kept bang up to date, in-tune with every campaign and highly interactive.

Granted, investment in the technology that allows these visions to happen doesn’t come cheap. The initial outlay will be significant, but in the long-term it will prove its worth as a cost-effective solution that can be updated quickly and efficiently.

By taking an omnichannel approach, retailers aren’t abandoning physical retail. Instead, it’s a chance for them to see every touchpoint as an opportunity to engage with customers in various ways. For example, transforming the shop floor into an experience hub to engage all the senses.

Physical stores give retailers opportunities to engage with customers in a way online retail simply cannot. They help develop deeper relationships with consumers and provide the space to run physical events and pop-ups (thus giving customers reason to return).

The physical experience of retail

There are different reasons why customers enjoy coming into bricks-and-mortar stores. There’s the desire to try on items, test products and physically see what they are about to buy. But there’s also the social element of in-store shopping, the human contact and the interaction.

Retailers need to be able to continue to deliver on those aspects of physical connection so that customer expectations are met. Because no one wants an unhappy, disappointed customer walking out of their door.

Smart retailers will invest not just in their physical stores, but in an immersive combination of both physical and digital. Making use of every square inch of the shop floor allows for a more accessible, contactless, socially-distanced experience. 

And that’s got to be money well spent.

At Delta Group, we work with brands and retailers to help them connect with their customers, meet their strategic goals and create powerful visual communications that deliver impact and boost their bottom line.

For more information on how we can help your business make the right investments, get in touch with our team of experts today: hello@thedeltagroup.com.

Online shopping provided a lifeline for retailers and consumers alike during a string of Covid lockdowns. But as restrictions ease, consumers are keen to rediscover the unique experiences that only physical in-store shopping can offer.

Research by retail and hospitality software provider Fourth reveals that 31% of retailers believe that the brands willing and able to diversify and differentiate the in-store experience will be ahead of the pack this year.

The research is included in Fourth’s most recent whitepaper: Post-pandemic retail: Retail leaders’ plans and predictions for the industry, which considers the future landscape for bricks-and-mortar retailers.

For example, 29% of the UK retail leaders questioned said that they believed a key challenge post-pandemic would be how to attract shoppers back into physical stores. Other challenges include unpredictable consumer demand (27%), competition from online retail (26%), and Covid safety concerns (26%).

One of the ways physical retailers can compete with their online counterparts is by offering a more premium in-store experience. Almost four in ten (39%) of those questioned plan to do this by reducing offers, while another 35% feel that greater brand interaction can be achieved in-store by blending physical and online consumer experiences.

These findings prove wrong the predictions that physical retail will diminish to make way for an online shopping experience. Instead, retailers are showing a desire to focus on bricks-and-mortar retail and make it more appealing to shoppers.

Alongside plans to create a more premium in-store experience, retailers will also be working hard to boost loyalty among in-store shoppers. They plan to do this through apps and technology (33%), or more frequent sales and in-store only offers (32%). Nearly half (47%) of larger retailers intend to expand their product range as a way to compete with online offerings and remain competitive.

Speaking about the research, Sebastien Sepierre, EMEA managing director at Fourth said that some retailers “expected to completely reinvent the in-store experience to offer something customers simply can’t get online.”

He continued: “We can expect to see an increase in pop-up retail spaces and more collaborative shop-in-shop concepts offering unique and immersive elements.”

If you’re looking for ways to reinvent the retail experience for your customers and create a more premium in-store experience, Delta can help. Get in touch with our friendly team today: hello@thedeltagroup.com