Pivoting Physical Retail to Digital

The art of in-store sales has been crafted through generations, and there’s no denying that with stores being closed, some of this magic has been lost. From virtual high streets to online pop-ups, brands are leveraging technology to recreate some of the allure of being in physical stores.

Diesel’s new online 360-degree virtual walk through sales platform Hyperoom is one example of the closing gap between a physical and digital retail experience. Replicated after the brand’s showroom in Milan, the experience, rather than mimicking the standard e-commerce journey, is designed to elicit the same immersive and emotional cues that customers have come to expect from Diesel stores.

Similar to Diesel, Asics launched their new shoe using VR to replace their physical retail launch, which was derailed due to COVID-19. Kanye Wests’ online site is also utilizing tech, gifs and artistically inspired media to create a more interactive, “3-D” online shopping experience.

As stores re-open, brands will continue to develop more immersive online shopping experiences to hedge against finding themselves in similar future situations. However, they will also continue to look at the strategies and tactics that have stood the test of time in brick-and-mortar to guide the e-commerce experience. In many instances, there is no need to re-invent the wheel, but to make a digital version of it.

Contributed by: Michael Krog, Sr. Integrated Planner, Integer London

Image Source: Unsplash