Apparel July 2019 Apparel July 2019 issue | Seite 164

FEATURE
THE LANDSCAPE AND
DIVERSITY OF INDIA WILL
NOT ALLOW PHYSICAL
STORES AND SHOPPING
MALLS TO GO EXTINCT
JUST YET.
cloud platforms, etc. are enhancing consumers’
engagement more than ever and will end up
being more effective in engaging a customer
in-store as well. These technologies, when
combined, can offer a seamless experience for
the consumer at contemporary apparel stores—
making it more engaging, convenient, and
providing the consumer with a plethora of
shopping options.
The buying experience then becomes engaging
and unique in value for the consumers, thus
encouraging repeat visits as well as word-of-
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July 2019
mouth advertising. Stores such as Lifestyle are
trialling AR to showcase a vast range of products
‘virtually’, allowing shoppers to browse the
catalogue and make selections, thereby reducing
the physical space required by stores,
much like the model that is followed by
e-commerce portals.
In many cases, a ‘virtual’ catalogue is
connected to social media platforms, allowing
consumers to get real-time feedback from fellow
consumers who have bought/used the products,
see the advertisements, promote the products,
and also check for their favourite celebrities who
may have used the products, further enabling
them to make a choice.
To give an example, Delhi Land & Finance
(DLF), one of India’s real estate majors and an
owner of several malls in Delhi, has adopted
technology effectively to make shopping a
unique experience for customers. The company
has IoT sensors to track customer behaviour,
point-of-sale (POS) machines to track customer
transactions, a mobile application called ‘Lukout’,
which lets customers view catalogues across
DLF stores and brands, thereby enabling them to
personalise their experience, offering them various
discounts and offers.
While e-commerce continues to grow
exponentially in the country, the landscape and
diversity of India will not allow physical stores and
shopping malls to go extinct just yet. What we will
see is the evolution of these bricks-and-mortar
stores evolving to incorporate technology and
many more innovations through brand extensions
and partnerships, to create a truly incredible
experience for the customer. In the end, however,
the customer will continue to win.