Here at Liberation we are constantly designing the future of retail, posting innovative ways in which shoppers can navigate products and experiences in more exciting ways. In our digital and technologically evolving world, we are inundated with groundbreaking gizmos that enhance our retail experiences, and where better to get a taste of these innovations than at the Consumer Electronics Show 2020.
Now in glorious technicolour!
3D printing has revolutionised production for everything, from fixtures to packaging, yet has always been restricted by its time-consuming process and prohibitive costs. Previously only able to print in single colour, 3D models therefore required post-painting or airbrushing for a complete design but with XYZ printing's da Vinci Color 5D you can access the full spectrum of CMYK colours into the printing process, giving total design freedom. For creatives like us, we could design and prototype faster and in more detail, whilst the possibilities for retailers are even greater. Install one of these and you could create products in-store without any design restrictions (apart from size and material). Imagine the opportunities for personalisation or location-specific goods; a jewellers perhaps where you can print and wear your own design, or a new take on the 'paint-your-own-pottery' store... ‘print-your-own’ instead!
Touchscreens are so 2000s…
Invented in the 1960’s, touchscreens really took the world by storm in the 2000’s.
Every phone, computer and even classroom whiteboard adopted them and revolutionised the way we interact with technology. In retail, we see touchscreens in the form of fixed tablets, smart mirrors, interactive displays but why stop there? Enter, the Hachi Infinite – a portable projector capable of turning any flat surface into an interactive touchscreen, with HD displays up to 120 inches. With the option to turn any flat surface into a digital touchpoint for customers, store layouts could not only be even more engaging but versatile too. This opens up possibilities for truly modular retail experiences within the same space, tailoring digital touch-points to the needs of consumers. The increase in options for accessibility are truly groundbreaking, fixed screens aren't accessible to all so we're excited to employ adaptable technology in order to create a more inclusive environment.
From car showroom to car ‘no room’
Buying a car has always been a reasonably unfavourable experience, for decades car showrooms and the salespeople that come with them have been associated with hard sells and uninviting environments. However, these could be a thing of the past. A collaboration between ZeroLight, Cadillac and Amazon brings to the game a brand new vehicle-shopping concept. Customised ads lead to a visualisation demo with a fully interactive 3D configurator, allowing the customer to create their ideal car which is then saved and downloadable in video and photo formats. This information is then shared with the dealership itself, so customers can go and experience their custom Cadillac through VR and AR, then take away a personalised and digital brochure as well as an AR-powered user guide. This changes the way car buyers interact with dealerships massively, removing the pressure often felt when the eyes of a salesperson catch you on entry. The decisions rest in the hands of the shopper before they've even entered the dealership, understanding the product they want before being told what they're looking for. A more personalised and customer-centric buying journey is the future of this industry's retail, and this is just the beginning.
In summary, as the industry becomes increasingly digital it's truly thrilling seeing the new ways in which we, as both consumers and designers, interact and create stores. For us, technology, often heralded as the downfall of physical retail, may actually be its saviour. We've barely even scratched the surface of the amazing tech presented this year, head over to their site to dive in further https://www.ces.tech/
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