In Shanghai, Vans customers control their experience through WeChat

What:  The new Vans store capitalizes on tech and social media to provide an individualized experience to all customers.

Why it is important: The bottomline is that customers will expect such kinds of experience in the future. Whereas it is based on Chinese social tech or Western ones, matters less than making sure that the experience will be globally the same, even though the tech used will be significantly different.

GDR UK, a consulting company specialized in retail concepts and an IADS partner, has spotted the new customer experience in the Shanghai Vans store making the most of social networks.

Vans has created with Tencent, the owner of WeChat, a "smart retail system" that uses the customers' smartphone as the backbone of their shopping experience. Customers are able to scan QR codes on products, launching WeChat mini programmes which will give them more information about the product itself and its availability. They can also ask for sizes to try, buy the product, ask for a home delivery, in a similar manner to what Nike does in its Houses of Innovation (please link to the Nike Paris House of Innovation article).

Another interesting feature aiming at making the customers part of the Vans community, the soundtrack is exclusive to the store and can be downloaded through WeChat as well.

In Shanghai, Vans customers control their experience through WeChat (pictures)

vans customers in shanghai control their shopping experience through wechat