CHENNAI: Kanishk Gupta was in for a surprise when he visited a Jealous 21 store in Mumbai. The boring experience of poring through clothes, trying them on and replacing them as they don’t fit is changing.
“Virtual trial rooms did the trick and helped me narrow down the choices and help improve my shopping experience. Just to avoid the hassle of shopping, trying them on and replacing them I took to shopping online. Now, I can visit the store more often,” he said.
As clothes shopping is going towards e-tailers, retail chains are enticing customers by upgrading their experience and revamping their stores. Western and Ethnic wear brand Lifestyle is introducing browsers, make up studios to try on looks. Shoppers can also find digital assistance through pagers in the trial room in the new format stores that will alert customer service executives to help with alternate sizes.
“This increases the footfall and frequency of purchase of buyers by 20% and the frequency of shoppers from 4-6 every year,” said Vasanth Kumar, CEO, Lifestyle International.
The retailer has also launched an app Lifestyle Buddy, currently being piloted in Chennai and Pune, that lets shoppers scan QR codes at stores and place an order online or get customised offers and fashion/ beauty recommendations.
Dubai-based retailer Splash, which is now piloting revamped stores, also has an inventory-linked model that helps overcome out-of-stock situation.
“In a device present at the checkout counter, one can place an order from the other outlets across the country and get their dress delivered in a few days,” said Abhinav Zutshi, chief operating officer, Splash India. The brand sees a 5% improvement in conversion.
Stores not only utilise tech to make the experience better, but also have non-shopping experiences in their kitty.
Ethnic brand Fab India is now brining in a café and wellness centres in their revamped stores. “Book readings and craft workshops are also held to engage with new consumers where the brand does not have a presence. While conversion depends on many factors, we have observed a close to 10% increase in the revamped stores,” said Ajay Kapoor, president – retail – FabIndia. The brand currently has 11 experience centres.
Even as early signs seem positive for the brands, analysts point out that this may not work out in the long run. “Such initiatives are usually taken by retail outlets to alleviate the impact of e-commerce shoppers. But those who shop online do it for the convenience and not for the experience – a pain point which is still found in retail stores. Also, there is a limitation with the number of brands that can be on display in the retail stores. However, those who already are in the mall can benefit from the experience offered,” said Arvind
Singhal, CEO, Technopak Advisors.
Published On : 31-05-2019
Source : Times of India
