Bluetooth beacons are now offering the traditional bricks and mortar supermarkets a hi-tech interactive way to boost their customer engagement in the competitive retail market.
The technology provides supermarkets with an interactive, bespoke solution to transform the shopping experience in stores forever.
Approaches such as Powa Technologies’ PowaTag have the ability to interact with cheap, low-energy bluetooth beacons, strategically positioned around supermarket stores, to offer a targeted way for retailers to engage with their customers through their smartphones.
A study by ForeSee highlighted the extent to which smartphones are now used as an aid to shopping.
According to the report, of the 70% of shoppers who used a mobile phone in a retail store during the holidays of last year, 62% accessed that store’s site or app.
Beacons also help retailers increase their sales by recording, understanding and reacting to consumer behaviour.
By strategically placing low-energy bluetooth beacons around stores, shoppers receive messages as they approach special offers and making the whole traditional shopping experience much more interactive.
“This technology has tremendous potential to improve the retail experience by creating a more immersive and engaging experience in-store via the consumer's smartphone,” said Dan Wagner of Powa Technologies.
The approach offers a more personalised service that is in tune with the customer’s preferences while retaining valuable data about their shopping behaviour.
© 2014 - European Supermarket Magazine
