Kiwi retailers are watching a hi-tech development in shopping options being offered by London’s famous Regent Street. In a first for Europe, Regent Street regulars have access to a dedicated mobile app which gives them shopping information direct to their phones.
More than 120 stores along London’s “mile of style” are involved and the Regent Street Association says destination shopping streets everywhere could benefit from such an app.
Launched in 2014, the app co-ordinates activities on behalf of all businesses in Regent Street with the aim of making visits more enjoyable for shoppers as well as boosting sales for retailers.
Henry Lawson is CEO and co-founder of autoGraph.me, which supplies the opt-in profile-building technology that is (along with in-store beacons that enable personalisation) central to the app.
“The app allows each user to be exposed only to the Regent Street offers they’re interested in by utilising autoGraph’s user-generated profile solution,” he says.
Lawson stressed that retailer content was not discount-driven. “It is about experiences that can only happen in-store – such as the autumn/winter collection now available in-store at Burberry.
“We are very proud of being the first luxury shopping experience in Europe that is fully beacon-enabled,” Lawson said. “Other ‘destination’ shopping streets could certainly benefit from having an in-app experience personalised to every shopper.
Mark Knoff-Thomas, CEO of the Newmarket Business Association in Auckland, is more than interested in what’s happening in London.
“In Newmarket, we embrace anything that enhances the consumer experience! NZ, in general, still has a way to go with technology, some retailers for example, are yet to fully get to grips with the on-line side of things”, he says.
“But having said that some Newmarket retailers are top-of-game with their Omni-channel retail offerings, and reap the benefits of it. The business association has had talks with a number of organisations that are developing new retail-focused apps, with a couple even eyeing up blue-tooth beacon technology solutions. It is a fast moving space and we expect to see new tools launched over the next year or so.”
Share this Post
