Despite the convenience of online shopping, many consumers are still drawn to shopping at a brick-and-mortar establishment. This has given rise to the “phygital” retail experience, a holistic model that provides a blend of in-person shopping with digital services. We’ve explored this phenomenon and provided examples of businesses that have adopted it successfully.
The versatile nature of phygital experiences
A phygital experience can take many forms. In the physical space, customers could be supplied with tablets or utilise smartphone technology to aid in their browsing and purchasing of products. In the digital space, customers could view a live stream of a person displaying and trying on clothing or accessories before purchasing it online.
The blending of both experiences has been successfully adopted in a range of different sectors, whether it be commerce or digital entertainment. For example, online casinos allow users to play roulette online with live dealers, with games featuring tactile roulette wheels that are spun by real-life croupiers, which are then live-streamed to players. These games have been popular due to their immersive qualities, proving the potential of phygital products.
In-person phygital experiences
An in-person phygital experience provides customers with technology to aid in their purchases or browsing. Often, customers can use tech such as iPads, touch-screen cashiers, QR codes, augmented reality, or wearables that are provided by companies to support their experience. One company that has excelled at this is the Convent Garden boutique retailer Reformation.
The company provides iPads in dressing rooms to create a “magic wardrobe”. All in-store items are loaded into the tablet, with customers able to select items to try. These will then be brought over by staff and placed in a two-way closet. If customers want to change the style or colour, swap requests can be made within the iPad.
The room’s lighting can also be customised to better test how an item will look in different conditions. Not only do these tech-powered features help the customer, but they provide Reformation with valuable insights into what customers want. This can help to identify localised trends and forecast inventory.
Online phygital experiences
