These technologies include tablet technology, video screens and in-store kiosks, digital signage, interactive hangers, augmented reality, use of social proof, and virtual reality.

Tablet Technology

Touchscreens have become key components to the in-store experience. They come in two forms: kiosks and digital signage. Touchscreens encourage interactivity and engagement on the part of the user. Some retailers have used tablets to remove checkout desks.

Tablets can turn an ordinary dressing room into a place where customers try on new clothes and then capture and share experiences through their social networks. Giant touchscreens on showroom floors could become interactive mirrors people use to assess the potential for new purchases. At some retailers, tablets are made available inside stores in order to capture customers’ interest and then lead them to the right product at the right price. Retailers are learning to adapt to shoppers using personal devices before, during, and after purchases.

Tablet technology in store can help to ensure the correct fit for customers. Acustom Apparel in New York customizes clothing with the help of a 3-D body scanner. Using its digital measuring technologies, the store gathers 200,000 data points to create a 3-D body model that is then fed into its proprietary algorithms to create custom clothing.

Hellman’s Mayonnaise installed touchscreen tablet computers on grocery carts. The devices could detect RFID (radio frequency identification) tags on the products inside the carts to suggest recipes that use the condiment. The tablets also served as an additional informational resource.

Tablets offer retailers a chance to deliver meaningful visual experiences that engage shoppers who are using tablets to