Clearly, technology has changed the game for shoppers, putting instant access to assortment, pricing, and other information at their fingertips. In fact, approximately 8 out of 10 store visitors use their smart devices before or during a shopping trip. That means retailers need to have the right products in the right place at the right time to successfully make a sale, or else these shoppers will make their purchase elsewhere…in an instant. Can retailers transform their business by using technology as astutely as consumers? We believe they can.
In many cases, retail category and shelf managers are tasked with expanding revenues and profits from each category, but few are given tools to conduct the analysis necessary for success. Because these managers are dealing with an unending stream of SKU changes, a huge variety of fixtures and store layouts, and increasing consumer expectations, traditional business intelligence (BI) data cannot meet the challenge. Additionally, in-store testing can be a long, expensive proposition that takes up a lot of time that the category planners simply don’t have. Despite the best intentions, retailers can fall short in two critical ways:
1) the merchandising plan is not optimized
2) the shopper’s experience is not as good as it could be
What they really need is a solution that will allow them to carefully create, analyze, test and implement winning shelf strategies.
Today’s shelf software technology blends business data and 3D virtual capabilities to give retailers the planning tools to create winning shopping experiences that drive loyalty. With the power to design realistic virtual shopping environments, retailers can see designs through the eyes of the shopper and use virtual product, shelf, and store designs to create new design and layout options. Creating a realistic shopping experience virtually also speeds up the research and validation process while reducing costs and timelines (by up to 33%!) versus traditional methods.
And the benefits don’t stop with the team at headquarters. With merchandising plans created in 3D, store operations will be able execute plans faster and easier by using precise 3D visual merchandising guidelines.
A system based on 3D software empowers retailers with the transformational technology they need to deliver on the experience demanded by today’s consumer, and by enabling faster implementation of winning planograms, retailers can accelerate business results. Retailers that embrace 3D technology can deliver a ‘smart’ shopping experience that will have consumers looking up from their smartphones and taking notice.
We invite Retailers to register for a complimentary Retail Expo Pass too. This provides you access to 3 days on the EXPO Hall at Retail’s BIG Show—completely free.
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