PRINTABLE VERSION HERE

*What: IADS recently held a meeting gathering CIOs/CTOs where they shared challenges and strategies in 2023. Also, IADS partner, RetailHub was part of the meeting and invited three innovative companies to share their mission and vision.

Why it is important: The presentations highlighted the possibilities offered by AI-powered and Cloud-based solutions, from reducing return rates and cutting costs related to fit and sizing problems to real-time in-store retail media and search engine optimisation.*

3D Look: Bespoke try-on platform at your fingertips

Winner of the LVMH Innovation Award in 2019, 3DLook delivers an AI- and 3D-powered body measuring technology for better fit experiences.

3D Look helps brands and retailers increase revenue and cut costs related to product return, fit and sizing problems. The company’s patented technology allows users to upload photos of themselves as well as measurements so that the computer can create a 3D body avatar with over 80 points of measurement in under 30 seconds. The platform also enables consumers to make informed purchasing decisions by offering size recommendations and a virtual try-on process.

By simplifying sizing, the tool also simplifies sizing when customers are in-store as they can scan at home and then buy in-store. At a time when personalisation is critical for customer engagement and loyalty, knowing customers' body shape and measurements is key. For salespeople, it is also less time guessing size and more time focused on sales and customer service. Additional services are included: appointment scheduling, sending scanning links to customers at home to create a more sales-centric in-store fitting experience and body scanning for store associates' uniforms.

Results announced by the company are interesting: 80% of online shoppers using it choose the recommended size. 45% of shoppers who did not order a size recommended by 3D Look requested an exchange based on the initial 3D Look recommendation.

Why do we think this is important?

A simple tool that can greatly reduce or even eliminate costs related to fit and sizing will be able to transform the relationship with customers. Retailers and brands could also see a rise in revenue through the platform’s styling recommendations as well as the building of customer trust and satisfaction.

Learn more about 3D Look here

Advertima: Real-time in-store retail media solution

Advertima’s solution upgrades and enhances in-store retail media signage which gives an advantage to the advertiser and the retailer and creates a more relevant advertising platform for shoppers. They intend to play a big role in the Retail Media revolution with their real-time performance measurements./nbsp]

The company utilises Computer Vision and AI technology to transform physical stores into a performance media channel. Customers can be segmented instantly in-store and their movements will be tracked which will feed the funnel metrics of the shop and compute predictive reaches and segments. Relevant images are displayed according to the consumer’s identified interests. Advertima offers pilots of their solution in order for the solution to be tested. The system is able to comply with privacy regulations.

Why do we think this is important?

Retail Media is quickly gaining momentum in the industry as a prime form of advertising to consumers and is playing a critical role in the success of retail businesses. But so far, retail media solutions are mostly implemented online. By bringing the success factors of online channels to in-store, Advertima offers a solution to advertise in-store in a personalised way. Advertima’s live customer segmentation and instant performance metrics can give retailers an edge in the competitive business of audience targeting.

Learn more about Advertima here 

RetailTune: The drive-to-store platform solution

RetailTune is a Cloud SaaS platform which gathers all the tools needed for a local digital marketing strategy. The platform helps brands boost their visibility and catch users’ purchase intentions. It’s a well-known fact that users act very fast after conducting local searches, transforming to online and in-store traffic. According to Google, 76% of users who click on “get directions” on their smartphones visit the store within 24 hours. Besides, 28% of local searches translate into purchases. RetailTune aims to drive the pages of its clients to be on the first page of the Google search.  The company uses dynamic store locators and refines the GBP (Google Business Profile) of its clients to represent accurate data. During the consumer’s search phase, RetailTune makes sure the user has all the information to reach the store such as addresses, opening hours, services, promotions, photos, reviews and product availability.

Actual shopping centre case studies showed the following results: doubled views of the store locator, more than YoY doubled direct access to the store locator, individual landing pages of the tenants rank in the first positions on the first page of Google Search, store locator of the shopping centre ranks first in proximity searches on Google, +20% YoY increase in GBP  listing views and +42% increase in calls from GBP listing.

RetailTune works with many brands such as Gap, Pinko, Kiko, Liu.Jo and department stores such as OVS and Coin.

Why do we think this is important?

Search engine optimisation has become an absolute necessity for all companies as it helps to improve online visibility which leads to store traffic, more sales, and improved brand awareness. Effective search engine optimisation strategies enhance the overall customer journey, increase incremental sales and contribute to long-term success.

learn more about retailtune here 

RetailHub: IADS members’ one-stop innovation shop

Following the meeting roundup, these 3 solutions were in line with what CIO and CTOs were dealing with. Department stores’ CIOs and CTOs face an increased complexity whether it’s about choosing and setting the best platforms, systems and solutions able to increase efficiency and enhance customer experience. Innovation is really at stake as companies need to improve their organisation to generate more ideas able to make a difference. This is why the IADS has struck partnerships with solutions, such as RetailHub, that can help members find the right technology and solutions for their business needs. IADS members benefit by gaining access to RetailHub’s ecosystem of carefully curated solutions and getting connected with experts who can help them bring on the right technologies. Want to learn more about our partnership exclusively for IADS members? Contact us at iads@iads.org to get your free access.