Click before you buy

Social Retailing’s In; Buyers Share In-Store Trial Pictures

MOVE over social networking — it’s time for some social retailing. A new in-store experience that combines social networking and shopping, social retailing is the latest fad among the world’s top-end retailers. Social retailing technology uses an in-store intelligent mirror that can send photos and videos of shoppers in outfit options to their family or friend’s e-mails and mobile phones for some real time feedback. So, even if your significant other couldn’t join you for the shopping, she can see what you are buying, or well, trying. Social retailing will allow customers to see what others have purchased. Retail chain Bloomingdale started using this last week in its stores in the US. While retailers in India are keen to adopt new technology, something like interactive mirrors is too futuristic for them. “Competition will drive them to adopt new technologies both in the back end and the front end, but it’s still early days,” says Technopak chairman Arvind Singhal. Social retailing has been developed and trademarked by US-based IconNicholson and was first demonstrated at the ‘Store of the Future’ conference in the US a few months back. It allows an interactive mirror placed outside trial rooms that streams high-definition videos of shoppers modelling clothes to mobile phones or computers.

Social retailing may take time to catch up in India

ABOUT the use of social retailing in India, Pantaloon Retail MD Kishore Biyani told ET, “We have seen the social retailing product. It is interesting, but in India, shoppers tend to come with their families. It may not be very relevant immediately in India. However, we are looking at other technologies like predictive analysis, mobiles as ecommerce tools, and using artificial intelligence to understand customer behaviour.” Indian retailers will first tackle the back end before getting to the front end. Also, retailers don’t spend too much on technology. Says Mr Singhal, “India is still not that tech-savvy. For technology applications in retail, there has to be a certain scale. Many retailers do not have even the basic ERP and supply chain systems. Most investments will go in the back end before they target the front end. Some retailers are experimenting with cell phone-based coupons that can be redeemed at retail outlets.” Technology spends are typically less than 2-3% of the turnover for Indian retailers. Says Balaji Jagannathan, country director, Sybase India (a software integration company), “Technology adoption by retailers still has a long way to go, particularly at the front end. Airlines have, however, been at the forefront of change. Some airlines such as Jet Airways and Kingfisher are using hand-held terminals for quick issue of boarding passes to travellers who don’t have check-in baggage with them.” Hopefully, social retailing will also get there soon.

Courtesy: EconomicTimes

For more detail on Retail India visit: www.retailindia.tv