Avatars, robots and holograms will work in the store of tomorrow
Physical stores will soon employ fewer people but offer a better experience for customers. This is what innovation leaders in retail technology are saying. Such a development could be a response to staff shortages and strikes that have affected many companies in the wake of the pandemic. But what does that mean for the customers?
The German software developer Humanizing Technology relies on the “avatarization of the service staff”. “Self-service kiosks and info points in stores are neither friendly nor inviting,” CEO Tim Schuster told FashionUnited. “They are also not intuitive and cannot provide support beyond simple transactions.”
True to the company’s name, the goal is to “bring humanity to technology and robots to society,” but Schuster also stressed the importance of “emotionalizing engagement,” adding, “Our interactive avatars offer a unique opportunity for the tech-savvy customer.” :inside of today.”
Cute avatars guide you through the store
The company’s extremely personable-looking cartoon avatars indeed seem to offer a full service experience: they can greet customers and show them around the store, recommend products, promote special offers and offer other services. They can up- and cross-sell and communicate with audiences in multiple languages, while their looks can represent both cultural diversity and brand loyalty.
The devices only require power and an internet connection, and consumers interact with them in the same way as they would with a tablet. Retailers who choose this technology don’t have expensive hardware or maintenance costs, can get 24/7 help, and sign up for a pay-as-you-go system where every “go” is a Represents interaction between customers and avatar.
Humanizing Technologies has also partnered with Temi, an Indian robot manufacturer, to offer consumers an even higher level of personal care. A vertical unit that looks something like a vacuum cleaner with a screen can connect with customers and then take them on a guided tour of the store or take them straight to the item they are looking for. Pleasantly talkative, intelligent and fast, the Temi robot is tasked with taking good care of customers. So expect these little novelties to be scurrying around in a store near you soon.
Burberry is already working with holograms
Verizon’s Proto, a holographic human, has already been adopted by Burberry and is currently being rolled out in flagship stores to showcase the new collections. A 3D hologram that rotates and poses like a model in the showroom appears as if in a large box and is so lifelike it even casts a shadow. A voice output guides the viewer – be it buyers, a sales team or a room full of VIP customers – through the outfit: Samantha wears the mini skirt in classic, traditional check with matching mules and shoulder bag. A 3D image of the leather handbag then appears, which opens with a tap on the screen, revealing the luxurious details inside, the plush lining, the hidden pockets and the all-important authenticity tag. With a few more clicks, customers can customize the item by choosing from a color palette and a menu with more details. Traditionally, luxury shoppers have been reluctant to make a purchase based on a thumbnail online. They want to be able to rotate, zoom and examine their capital goods down to the smallest detail. Now they can – and the term “window shopping” takes on new meaning.
So, have we caught up with the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when Charlie, the Golden Ticket winner, reaches into a screen and pulls out a bar of chocolate? Not quite yet, but we’re getting close to Harry Potter’s Hogwarts, where the pictures on the walls come alive and start chattering as he approaches them.
With 3D holograms like Verizon’s Proto making their way into retail, there’s a “full-body effect” that’s important for discerning the drape of fabrics, the fit of garments, and all the body language cues – gestures, posture, attitude – that are so important in selling fashion.
The possibilities are endless. During London Fashion Week, a New York-based customer could be invited into her local store to sip champagne and see the latest catwalk looks live, as if she were a front row seat. “Burberry sees this as an opportunity to bring their VIPs closer to the brand,” James Hughes, Verizon’s chief technology officer, told FashionUnited. He described a successful implementation at supermarket chain Tesco when the CEO couldn’t travel to a conference but his hologram was beamed directly into the conference room to deliver his speech to the assembled team members. IWC also used Proto to add Formula 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton to the Denver Broncos ownership community. Forget airline miles and maybe even Zoom. Brands can now bring their brand ambassadors, influencers or employees to any meeting, in different locations and at the same time.
New devices and technologies are conquering the market
Kiryl Chykeyuk, CEO and founder of London-based holographic display manufacturer Hypervsn holograms, founded in 2011, told FashionUnited at January’s NRF Retail Big Show in New York that the company “has been in full swing over the past year” and launched two new products has launched, a medium-sized and a large-format, both of which have breakthrough brightness, pixel pitch and detail.The products can be individually scaled to fit any environment.Without going into too much detail: if the pixels are further apart, must the viewer further back to see the content, making the device ideal for larger spaces like department stores and airports, while the smaller device’s closer pixels are ideal for luxury boutiques.
Hypervsn SmartV Digital Avatar enables two-way interaction with a digitally rendered human avatar, which transfers the metaverse into the physical world and enables real-time conversations with users.
With many of the interactive holographic solutions, customers can change the content via voice control or by simply swiping the screen. In other cases, a camera captures the initial characteristics of customers such as age, gender, and gestures, and manipulates the content based on the information captured.
Another offering from Hypervsn is a high-resolution product display, in this case a sneaker that appears to be floating in the air at eye level, with every design feature crystal clear. The display is designed to attract the attention of even the most casual passer-by, increasing footfall.
“Contact with audiences around the world is increasingly being determined by purely digital technologies. Standing out from the crowd is more important than ever,” said Chykeyuk. “We’re marking the rise in both retail and entertainment, giving leading brands tools that just didn’t exist before.”
Digital helpers, digital mannequins, green screens and avatars represent a phygital world and we simply live in it.
This translated post previously appeared on FashionUnited.ukj.