In-store technologies: Separating the ‘cool’ from the ‘creepy'

Smart mirrors are a ‘cool’ in-store technology, but facial recognition software is another story entirely.



Those are among the findings of a new survey by RichRelevance, a provider of omnichannel personalization technology. The company surveyed more than 2,000 U.S. and U.K. consumers about how technology can impact their in-store shopping experience, highlighting the differences between what shoppers thought was ‘cool’ and ‘creepy’.



On the ‘cool' side of the equation, 47% of respondents thought fingerprint technology that would allow them to pay for goods and get automatic home delivery would be cool. More than six in 10 (62%) want to be able to scan a product on their device to see reviews and recommendations for other items they may like. And 42% would like to see interactive changing room mirrors that model potential outfits on their image.



Not all in-store technologies possess the cool factor. Seventy-five percent of shoppers thought that facial recognition software that would allow them to be targeted in-store with relevant offers was “creepy." (This is down slightly from 77% in RichRelevance's 2015 survey, which the company says may indicate changing attitudes as this technology becomes more prevalent.)



Also not cool: being greeted by name by a sales associate. Seventy-five percent of respondents said it is ‘creepy' for a sales assistant to greet them by name in store, if their mobile phone or tablet device had signaled their presence.



In other findings:

• Slightly more than half (52%) of respondents are open to receiving pop-up offers on their mobile device, triggered when they enter a store.



• Another 43% would like to receive a digital coupon for a product they looked at but didn’t buy after leaving the store, while 42% would like to see interactive changing room mirrors that model potential outfits on their image. And one-third of shoppers want would like to see product recommendations included on print or email receipts that relates to their purchase.



“Smart changing rooms tend to be trialed in far-flung pilot stores, but clearly there is now a real appetite for more ambitious interactive technologies in-store,” said Matthew Chouard, VP and general manager of Rich Relevance. “There’s no reason why the personalized recommendations being given to shoppers via tablet devices on the shop floor can’t be translated to enhance the changing room experience too. By ignoring this changing room, retailers are missing an opportunity to better serve customers and ultimately, sell more product.”