Just when retail seemed to be headed exclusively online, new waves of retailers are finding that the shopping experience can’t be fully satisfying without the ability to feel the merchandise. At least not when shopping for clothing. The old models of large department stores with multiple floors crammed with merchandise are too expensive in inventory, overhead and employees. These entrepreneurs are coming up with new ways to give shoppers a personal shopping experience while keeping costs and inventories low.
An article in Forbes, “Next-Gen Retailer? Hointer, Bonobos and Dollar-Shave Club,” examines three innovative retailers who integrated the latest in technology with retail in order to deliver some old-style close-up, personal service to customers who are more comfortable making purchases with a smartphone.
The old model: men want to buy clothing, so they go to a men’s clothing store or the men’s department of a large retailer. They pick up a selection of clothing, take it to a dressing room and try things on. They may do this several times before finally buying something. They may spend a lot of time, taking up dressing room space and creating work for employees who help select and bring clothing to the dressing room and restock what the customers don’t purchase. And, it’s possible that the customer may just be trying on clothing to find the correct style and size and then go home to purchase the same merchandise online.
Bonobos married showrooming, or the ability for men to sample and try on clothing, with high-tech. Customers can browse Bonobos’ website and then touch the merchandise through Guideshop. With only minimal inventory, customers make appointments to try on clothing and then order it online in the store. Customers don’t even have to carry packages to the car. Merchandise is delivered to their home. Bonobos brands itself as a fashion company that uses technology to give customers the personal experience of a retail store with the convenience of online shopping.
Hointer sells about 150 styles of jeans, but you won’t see stacks of jeans on shelves and tables in their retail stores. Customers choose the style they like from samples hanging on hooks. Customers use the Hointer app to scan jeans they like in the right size and color. Before they know it, that very pair of jeans is waiting in a designated dressing room, summoned from a stock room. The ultimate in self-service, all that’s left to do is put the jeans in a bag and scan a credit card. No pawing through stacks of merchandise to find the style, size and length combination. Let the app do it for you.
Razors aren’t sexy or innovative. But they are a necessity for anyone for anyone who wants a close shave. The Dollar Shave Club eliminates shopping for razors by having customers join the “Club” by shipping their favorite razor model every month for about a dollar a razor. These new retailers not only have a product brand, but are also branded as selling merchandise only available online.
It can be tough to figure out what customers want from season to season or year to year. Retailers can lose a bundle if they guess wrong. These online retailers may guess wrong, but it’s easier to change product in an online store than have to move thousands of dollars of inventory that people don’t want. The new wave of retailing appeals to those who don’t want to be restricted to shopping in a store but still need the comfort and security of knowing that the online image is going to be right once the order arrives.
Photo Source: Morguefile.com
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