How the iPhone will forever alter Real-World Retailing

Is Your Bricks and Mortar Store Ready for Digital Invaders?

It used to be that if you ran a store and a customer walked into your premise you’d have full control over the consumers user experience, till the moment they left your shop.  Unless the customer has a flyer in their pocket or a photographic memory – the competition had little chance to directly interact with the customer once they entered another business.  But that’s so 2006.  In today’s world your competition can have  interaction like never before with any other retailers potential new client.  Welcome to the world of the smart phone.

The smart phone is a game changer in the retail world.  Customers can now can reach-out and bypass your store all together.  You go from being a retailer to a commodity dealer.  I was reminded of with my last visit to a Canadian Tire in which I utilized the do-it-yourself checkout.  I was struck by the idea that I now shop – in a very large store with Zero human interaction.  So do I try to hunt down a staff member to ask a question? Or do I turn to my “trusted” (keyword there) smart phone for advice, pricing, comparisons, etc.

As consumers get trained to seek advice and answers from their pocket – and not the sales associates – my-oh-my how this changes the playing field.

A savvy competitor should make its move and find ways of courting the customer – whilst in their competitors store.

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