*By Michael Teich*
Sparkling water and fancy coffee may not be enough to lure consumers into struggling brick-and-mortar shops. But creating uncontrived experiences in stores will help retailers survive the transition to a digital economy, said Rima Reddy, a principal at innovation accelerator XRC Labs.
"The key is to not make them so that they feel like they are forced," Reddy said Thursday in an interview on Cheddar. "That's really hard. They really have to be perfectly on-brand."
Retailers could benefit from Bonobos' strategy of designing stores like showrooms and shifting the focus away from just selling, she said. This would save stores money by reducing expenses on real estate.
Beyond an improvement in the real-life shopping experience, retailers need to invest judiciously in the right technology. Reddy said stores should integrate tech that adds value to shoppers ー not just flash for the sake of flash.
Tech, above all, should make shopping more efficient, Reddy said. And in her view, that means augmented reality.
"AR has really practical implications for customers," she said. "VR, when you have to wear a headset, it's just novel. It's not really helping the customer in any way."
For full interview [click here] (https://cheddar.com/videos/unoriginal-in-store-experiences-wont-save-retailers-says-expert).
Jessica Traver Ingram, CEO and co-founder of IntuiTap Medical, discusses developing the company's Ver Touch device, the crucial FDA approval it just won, and why innovation in spinal blocks and epidurals is long overdue.
Matt Stucky, Chief Portfolio Manager of Equities at Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management chats why Nvidia has been unsteady leading up to its latest earnings results, plus what’s to come for the so-called ‘Magnificent 7.’
Walmart's revenue increased last quarter because customers kept coming back again and again. Are most shoppers buying and avoid the same products as you are?
NBA champion Kendrick Perkins and Edly founder Chris Ricciardi discuss working together to create Nilly, a new platform where fans can invest in name, image, and likeness deals of their favorite college athletes.
Off the back of their latest earnings results, Hungryroot CEO Ben McKean discusses how the company is bringing healthy food straight to customers' doors and how it's using A.I.
Jack Ablin, Cresset Capital founding partner and CIO, breaks down the current market, from all eyes on Nvidia’s earnings to what sectors he’s seen deliver excellent returns.
