Issue link: https://resources.genetec.com/i/1114504
Is the in-store transaction still relevant? Let's stop talking about the transaction; let's talk instead about the whole journey. e experience should be so good that customers want to make that in-store transaction part of that journey. Most importantly, retailers need to create a cohesive experience where a transaction starts in the online world and then seamlessly transitions into the bricks-and-mortar world. e customer can then finalize that transaction wherever – and whenever – they want. Do bricks-and-mortar retailers understand shoppers? Right now, no. ey're a long way away and that's a big challenge. Oen, they haven't solved issues with their core systems to get to that point. I question if they have enough information and how they're leveraging that information, but I am beginning to see an awareness. ere are now some active programs to figure out how they can start collecting more information about shoppers. Has there been a shi toward online shopping? We need to stop differentiating between online and offline. If you're a retailer and you don't have a presence in both mediums, that's a mistake. You need to be everywhere people show up to shop. at hyper-focus on where your shopper shops is part of the problem – you need to create enticing experiences that encourage people to walk into your store, but we shouldn't make it competitive between online and offline. Is it possible to converge these sometimes disparate retail worlds? Making sure store customers can get the right information is essential. Salespeople should never be in a situation where somebody walks in and knows more than they do from Googling the product. Everything retailers can learn about their customer in an online world, we need to be able to do in the bricks-and-mortar store. at means understanding the shopping journey, and what's driving engagement in the store. Large enterprises need to operate more efficiently. Being able to make faster, more informed decisions based on timely insights is vital. "We need to stop differentiating between online and offline. You need to be everywhere people show up to shop." 36 37 Retail Retail reality check