Scala research reveals investment priorities of retailers across Europe
New research report, ‘Planning for Post-Pandemic Success: Recovery Solutions and Store Strategies for Retail Brands’ shows retailers are set to reconfigure store layout as well as increase digital signage and click and collect capability.
Research reveals that in the next twelve months, European retailers are set to invest in digital solutions ranging from street-facing displays to in-aisle screens as well as greater fulfilment and warehousing space. The research conducted by independent research firm WBR Insights in conjunction with marketing technology and digital signage company Scala, examines retailers’ business goals and investment to cater to new customer expectations following the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Senior executives including COOs, Directors of Innovation and Directors of Omnichannel were interviewed about their plans for investment across their stores. The results reveal a strong appetite for brands to attract shoppers back into brick-and-mortar premises. Retail brands are also keen to accommodate the new shopping habits developed over the last year of restricted shopping and to reassure shoppers of in-store safety. The full report, Planning for Post-Pandemic Success: Recovery Solutions and Store Strategies for Retail Brands is available to download now.
“The research shows that retailers have recognised that shopping behaviours have changed across Europe and that to remain competitive, brands must be available to shoppers across all platforms and offer a variety of ways to purchase and receive goods,” said Harry Horn, VP Marketing Global & GM EMEA Scala. “Customer experience, convenience and safety are clearly top of mind with retail brands as they look at ways to more effectively connect with shoppers and empower their customers with more personalised communications and self-service options.”
Commenting on the research, Pavan Pidugu, Chief Technology Officer, FMCSA, U.S. Department of Transportation, former Director of Digital Customer & Omnichannel Experience, Walmart International added: “I think every retailer should focus on providing a safer shopping experience, a convenient shopping experience and most importantly, a memorable shopping experience that will make them come back. The best and only way to address these three things is by being an early adaptor to innovative technology solutions that are already available in the market today.”
The research reveals that:
- 71%of retailers have been encouraged by lockdowns to invest more in order fulfilment
- 61%of retailers plan to invest more in their click and collect offering
- 56%of retailers plan to invest more in self-service point of sale kiosks
- 55%plan to invest more in street-facing display technology
- 51%plan to invest in geogating technology
- 48%plan to invest more warehouse or order fulfilment space
The research was commissioned by Scala to gain crucial insights into the priorities of the European retail sector as brands look to build business following the global pandemic. The results of the research will be used by Scala to better assist their partners as they develop their digital signage and SaaS strategies.
The impact of lockdowns has changed the in-store marketing and merchandising strategy for 56% of retailers with a similar percentage (55%) looking to reconfigure their store layout to better serve customers and their new shopping habits.
Occupancy management systems to better inform staff and shoppers of the numbers inside store premises is a focus for brands with 46% of those surveyed expressing plans to introduce occupancy management systems, such as Walkbase IntelliCount, to their stores. Installing more digital signage is a priority for 45% of surveyed retailers.
Deployment of an omnichannel experience along with greater customer personalisation and reconfiguring the store footprint are topics which also feature prominently in the Scala research. The full report is available to download now with Scala set to release solution-sighted white papers based on the themes raised in the research in the coming weeks.
About Scala
With 30 years of experience entertaining, informing and educating audiences, Scala, a STRATACACHE company, is known globally for innovation and leveraging emerging technologies to create award-winning solutions that are infinitely customizable. Scala solutions allow you to create audience engagement experiences by connecting networks of digital signs, kiosks, websites, mobile and internet-connected devices. Scala provides the platform for marketers, retailers and innovators to easily create and centrally manage deployment of these digital experiences, while retaining the flexibility to rapidly adapt to local business conditions and audience preferences in real time. Headquartered near Philadelphia, PA with a European head office in Sittard, Netherlands, Scala’s network of partners and developers located in more than 90 countries drives more than 500,000 screens worldwide.
To find out how Scala can help your retail operation, click here.
