Personalised shopping is “the next big opportunity”, as ever more consumers turn to mobile devices for shopping, the World Retail Congress has heard.
Simon Hathaway, president of shopper marketing and retail operations at ad agency Cheil Worldwide, said although a lot of background work had gone into consumers searching and shopping online, the personal element was still missing. But he said the opportunities would be “endless” and highlighted fashion as a particular beneficiary.
Hathaway highlighted a recent trial in South Korea that Cheil had assisted on, in which consumers used their smart phones to “navigate” through a store and find offers. Devises “transformed and personalised their experience,” he said.
Speaking separately to Drapers, he claimed that South Korean retailers were ahead of UK businesses, but that British consumers had higher demand for sophisticated personalised experiences.
He referred to a study of 1,000 Brits that suggested that 50% of people buying a new smart phone regard it as a shopping device.
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