August 16, 2012
The Age
FORGET aimlessly browsing through a store, lining up for the change rooms and paying at tills.
Australian consumers still enjoy traditional shopping but they want to be able to virtually try on a pair of jeans or use a map on their smartphones to locate the product they want, new research from Monash University revealed.
The research from the Australian Centre for Retail Studies, based at Monash, showed that consumers were not ready to abandon bricks-and-mortar stores in favour of online shopping but they expected more from the in-store experience.
Selma Mehmedovic, a retail consultant from the centre, said they found the key drivers getting shoppers into stores were still price, product range and products always being in stock.
But Ms Mehmedovic said they also discovered shoppers wanted more from stores, including maps and coupons on their phones and in-store kiosks to access information, make purchases and even try on clothes virtually.
Ms Mehmedovic said the research showed interactive maps to find products and the ability to order online and pick up in store were by far the most useful store experiences.
Gen Ys particularly liked the ability to ”click and collect”, with 40 per cent of them finding it a ”highly appealing” option.
“The research found 91 per cent of respondents rated interactive maps to assist with locating products as important to the shopping experience,” Ms Mehmedovic said.
“Interestingly this figure was just as high for older generations as Gen Y.”
She said that the US pharmacy giant Walgreens had developed an interactive map for smartphones so shoppers could access store maps for all of its 7900 stores and find the location of any product on the shelves.
At OPSM’s flagship Eye Hub store in Melbourne, shoppers can try on a range of glasses and playback mirrors take a photo that replays so shoppers can see which frames suit them. And the international fashion retailer Topshop has set up virtual fitting rooms so shoppers can see what outfits will look like on them without having to set foot in a change room.
The ability to order online and pick up in store also rated highly with 84 per cent of respondents, while 77 per cent of respondents were in favour of interactive kiosks providing inspiration and ideas.
“For the brick-and-mortar store to survive it is important retailers understand fully the type of in-store experiences consumers require,” Ms Mehmedovic said.
“They have to offer experiences consumers cannot get online.”
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