Business

Bricks and mortar retail 'must invest in digital capabilities to survive'

THE retail sector must scale up its digital capabilities in the recovery phase of the Covid-19 pandemic if it is to attract people back to brick and mortar stores quickly, according to shopper engagement agency Velocity Worldwide.

In a survey of over 2,000 UK consumers, it found that 52 per cent would visit a shopping destination more frequently if they could pre-book their shopping trips.

Responses to the questionnaire revealed that it is imperative that retail destinations are able to report on live store queue times in order to motivate people to physically come in to shop regularly at their destinations.

The research also highlighted that feeling safe while shopping was the most important priority for shoppers when in both the high street and shopping centres.

The next most important consideration for consumers was being able to find out that the products they are looking for are available in store in advance of their shopping trip, to encourage them not to simply shop online.

Velocity Worldwide is a customer engagement specialist that develops personalisation and insight technologies designed to grow retail businesses. With offices in New York, London, Belfast and throughout the UK, the company has delivered a combination of creative marketing and retail technology services through its proprietary platform Darius for Retail, which is designed to generate revenue and build a better customer experience.

This month, it has launched Darius-Q, an advanced reservations app for shopping malls and retail brands, which is designed to reduce queue times for shoppers, regulate visitor numbers, help retailers with track and trace and increase the amount of time and money shoppers spend in stores.

Velocity Worldwide chief executive Enda McShane said: “The global pandemic has escalated a path that shoppers were already on towards a physical shopping experience with supporting digital capabilities.

“What we have seen in the last few months is that the retailers who are investing in this space now and preparing for the future are the ones who are going to be in the strongest position during the recovery phase.

“This Christmas is going to make or break a lot of retailers, and in order to reclaim lost footfall, shopping centres, supermarkets and retail brands need to take the uncertainty out of the physical shopping experience.

“Queues are set to be one of the biggest barriers and by offering customers the option to reserve and plan their shopping trip in advance, they will provide the security that many shoppers want in order to visit physical stores.”