NRF Big Show: Samsung Shows In-Store Tech

As retail shifts further into online spaces, the pressure is on for traditional stores to integrate digital features into their physical spaces to keep consumers interested.

At the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Big Show 2017, Samsung Electronics has unveiled its latest physical retail innovations: IoT-enabled digital solutions for traditional brick-and-mortar stores that enable an actively engaging, personalized mobile-first customer shopping experience.

Ted Brodheim, vice president of Vertical Business at Samsung Electronics America, said, “Physical retailers face new challenges in personalizing their connection to customers, as the digital benefits of shopping online redefine shopper expectations. Now, in collaboration with Samsung SDS and SapientRazorfish, we are delivering IoT-enabled retail innovations that merge the best of online and physical shopping for a highly tailored shopping experience that delivers a 360-degree view of in-store operations.”

Samsung’s booth at the NRF Big Show 2017 showcases a retail journey from beginning to end using the company’s innovations. If a customer mobile-orders items on a Samsung smartphone for pickup from a store using Samsung’s technology, the user will be greeted by a digital display that will show them personalized content based on prior purchases. At the same time, a store associate will be notified of the user’s arrival.

The in-store experience technology will facilitate customer interaction with products. For example, if a shopper can’t find a product in the physical store, they can use their mobile app to contact a sales associate, who then is able to locate the customer and help them find the item. Smart merchandising based on prior purchases alerts customers to items they may want, and mobile payment solutions using NFC and Samsung Pay will enable faster payments.

There are benefits for retailers as well — beyond the possibility of increased foot traffic due to digitizing. Samsung’s solutions include consumer data measurement. Using the data collected throughout the day, Samsung says associates can review sales statistics and managers can browse marketing data.