The old adage, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” is appropriate with regards to physical retail accepting that customers are attached to their mobile/online shopping trends. Therefore, the retail world is working within the online realm to combine the two shopping options into one cohesive, fun experience. Two companies that are at the forefront of helping retailers merge physical and virtual spaces together in a new, interactive way are The ARIA Network and HERO.
In July, The ARIA Network announced it will be the sole provider of augmented reality/virtual reality services for at least 100 malls, owned and operated by Brookfield Properties, in 42 states. These services, which are accessed within the mall’s physical space via the customer’s cell phone camera, incorporate The ARIA Network’s proprietary 360° augmented realty (AR) technology to provide such digitally immersive virtual world experiences as creative retail displays, product location assistance, access to a virtual mall directory and touch-free payment transactions. Expect this new form of promoting various brands within the Brookfield malls to be in full swing by this holiday shopping season.
HERO, another virtual shopping platform technology vehicle, works directly with retail brands, such as Arhaus, Nike, Herman Miller, Sephora, Heyday and Levi Strauss, to provide at-home customers the option of interacting with store employees in lieu of making an in-store shopping trip.
The HERO platform, which is integrated into a brand’s website, lets customers click a tab that will directly link them to the nearest physical store, and allow that store’s retail employees to communicate in real time, via video, text or chat, while answering customers’ questions about a product. Customers can visually see an item, such as a sneaker, up close in the store as if they were physically there. HERO has admitted that one-third of its customers using the personalized online shopping platform end up physically going into the store in the future. In July, HERO was acquired by Klarna, the Swedish-based shopping app that lets customers purchase from numerous retail brands. Klarna is renowned for accepting payment over a three-month period, in up to four interest-free installments. HERO is expected to provide its services to the roughly 9,500 U.S. brands that work with Klarna.
