During the recent DX3 tradeshow and conference, held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, March 11–12, J.C. Williams Group encountered a number of exciting product demonstrations and displays on the latest technologies that will be rocking the retail world.

Here are a few of the most notable booths we encountered at the tradeshow.

Holographic Displays

The Virtual Messenger

The Virtual Messenger provides companies with the ability to incorporate interactive visual presentations in their marketing and sales efforts. Products includes 3D holographic avatars, live windows (i.e., interactive holograms on glass or rear window of car), and virtual kiosks.

WATCH THIS VIDEO to see Virtual Messenger’s holographic avatar in action.

Virtual Messenger provides retailers and brands with an interesting and entertaining way to interact with, attract, and engage consumers, advertise products, and display or present information.

Use Virtual Messenger to:

Introduce a new product to customers in-store
Greet guests at an exclusive event
Grab attention while highlighting specials at a restaurant

Holographic Technologies

Holographic Technologies provides customized holographic display solutions.

The 3D holographic image is shown above centered in a prism-like display case. The 3D image rotates and can be viewed from any angle when navigating around the display. An interactive touchscreen pad allows the user to manipulate the holographic display (i.e., view different products or actions).

While the interactive touchscreen is an optional function, it does provide a fun and entertaining way for retailers to educate and entice consumers on product assortments and brand extensions while in the store.

It also reduces the need for products to be shipped out in physical format in order to showcase it. With the touch of an email you could send the necessary files to your counterparts to showcase your brand!

Augmented Reality

According to Icreon Tech and Deloitte among others, Augmented Reality (AR) has been cited as one of the top technology trends to take off in 2015.

Blippar

Blippar provides a complete line of services for retailers to launch their own immersive AR campaigns. Using the camera on a smartphone, tablet, or wearable device to recognize images that are “blippable,” users are provided with a response that can range from “unlocking” videos, exclusive offers, interactive games, 3D experiences, product information, and more.

WATCH THIS VIDEO to see some of Blippar’s amazing mobile augmented reality campaigns.

Blippar displayed on product packaging for Pepsi

Regardless of the intended purpose of this technology, there is no denying that it offers new and creative ways for retailers to interact with consumers and enhance the overall customer experience. As this trend continues to grow, retailers should not only keep this on their radar, but also start thinking of creative ways to implement their own AR strategies.

Peek Augmented Reality

Peek provides retailers with the ability to “pop-up shop in consumer places and spaces.” (Peek)

Similar to the 2014 IKEA Catalog app, users can arrange, rotate, and remove objects in a photorealistic setting that takes into account the correct scale and lighting conditions.

WATCH THIS VIDEO to learn more about PEEK.

Demonstration of Peek app: A “marker” is placed on the floor, which then brings a realistic representation of the products to life on screen

Swivel by FaceCake’s Virtual Dressing Room and Beauty Bar

Virtual dressing rooms have been in the market for some time but have yet to gain full-blown adoption by retailers. However with advances in technology, the experience it provides continues to improve. Swivel by FaceCake’s virtual dressing room and Beauty Bar are the latest examples of this fun, useful, and innovative technology. It is more realistic than previous models and offers new features such as social sharing and built-in links for easy purchases.

Swivel virtual dressing room using Microsoft’s Xbox Kinect technology, featured at Microsoft’s booth

Beauty Bar – users can experiment with various types and combinations of cosmetics and accessories.

WATCH THIS VIDEO to learn more about Swivel by FaceCake’s virtual dressing room and digital beauty bar.

Will this technology replace physically trying on clothes or having a professional make-up artist apply cosmetics? No, but it provides another avenue for consumers to research products and brands. It enables “trying on” certain merchandise like accessories (e.g., handbags, scarfs) and jewellery, as well as experimenting with different shades and combinations of cosmetics and providing assistance in finding the perfect outfit or “look.” The only downside to this technology is that at this time it cannot perfectly adjust to body shape and size, or mimic various application techniques of cosmetics.

3D Printing

In the past few years, we have seen the 3D printing revolution unfold. Though still in its early stages, as this technology continues to advance and new uses and benefits for this technology are realized, the impact of this technology could become yet another game-changer in retailing.

3DMakeable

3DMakeable designs and develops custom 3D printed products and offers custom workshops where they teach attendees how to build, configure and calibrate their own 3D printer.

The Maker Space at DX3 – includes 3DMakeable

An example of a DIY 3D printer

3D-printed products

Is the idea of a 3D printer becoming a staple in every consumer household premature? Perhaps, but giving the rapid growth we saw in smartphone penetration or personal computers, it’s not crazy.

3D printers in general provide many benefits for entrepreneurs, R&D, product designers, manufacturers, etc., but on the consumer side, this technology introduces an alternative to current e-commerce practices – buy online, print at home. Now that’s instant gratification that even “same-day shipping” can’t compete with. With the assistance of a 3D printer, consumers would have the ability to buy the product design online directly from the retailer or supplier, and print instantaneously in the comfort of their own home. The application spans across many industries, such as hardware and toys.

In Summary

What do all of these technology tools have in common? They all work to enhance the customer experience, whether at home, online or in the store. With increasing competition and the rapid shifts in consumer behavior, technology plays a key role in differentiating brands and retailers. Brands that are out-of-sync with today’s retail technology or unaware of the massive changes coming rapidly down the road, risk being put out-of-business.

Real Estate & Community Master Planning

Your vision for a thriving business is integral to any economic infrastructure; your customers are at the centre of all planning and decisions. Creating a clear and concise roadmap that factors every facet of the customers’ experience is crucial for success. Your plan must consider vendors, tenants, landlords, developers, government agencies, and other facilities that your retail space will benefit or affect. Your collaboration with the JCWG team will ensure a detailed master plan that includes clear objectives supported by extensive research that considers every component of your business community.

Resources and Techniques:

Retail demand calculations
Trade area analysis
Market gaps and opportunities
Zoning and space requirements
Retail supply audits
Trade area psychographics and demographics
Pedestrian and traffic counts

Expert Witness & Advisory Services

There are many moving parts in a customer-centric business, and you may encounter legal setbacks and disputes at any stage of your business journey. Your collaboration with the JCWG team will provide you with expert reports and testimony in trials and hearings while advising legal counsel to ensure that you have the necessary resources required to manage and support litigation impacting every aspect of your case.

Resources and Techniques:

Discovery
Expert report preparation
Trial testimony
Business strategy review
Determination of damages

Concept Development & Space Planning

Concept Development services include background research, branding, right-sizing, capital budgeting all the way to detail design. JCWG can work from an idea or join a design process to enlighten, validate and support implementation. A vacant property can also be best filled from a concept development exercise.

It may be your idea, our research results, or both. Once a potential retail concept is identified is needs to be developed and validated. The JCWG team has the capacity to develop the concept characteristics from aesthetic & functional planning, design standards, location requirements, capital requirement and validation through demand, trade area and benchmarking analysis.

Resources and Techniques:

Functional planning and programming
Concept design and development of design standards
Detailed design services including base building requirements
Marketing plan and strategy execution
Management and staffing selection
Tenant mix and product curation
Short term and long term KPI definition and monitoring
Operational audits
Expertise sourcing and partnering
Site selection, design development and project enduring, operations human resources, start up inventories, and capital costing
Physical programming and concept design

Branding & Marketing

Winning brand equity must happen on so many platforms in today’s retail world with a consistent message and quantifiable return. JCWG understands comprehensive internal and external brand messaging that identifies the uniqueness and market advantage of a retail busines. Your collaboration with the JCWG team will strengthen your marketing strategy to build stronger connections with your audience through your brand.

Resources and Techniques:

Brand assessments
Unique selling proposition, noble purpose, and differentiation authentication
Brand and marketing implementation
Communications plans
Insightful transition to row market share from research
Customer feedback and product evaluation

Research & Insights

The amount of data available to customer-centric businesses can be overwhelming. Understanding the metrics’ influence on strategy is imperative to success. An experienced eye can save a lot of time and misguided investment to provide relevant and actionable insights.

The JCWG project team collaborative approach provides access to unparalleled experience to mine and capitalize on.

Resources and Techniques:

Custom market studies and benchmarking
Market sounding and listening
Case studies
Global resources through our International partners, The Ebeltoft Group
Demand assessment and market share analysis
Daytime population data, tracking, and analyzing where consumers are and when
Quantitative consumer data gathering, both published and unpublished, from various external sources and our personal database gathered from industry projects
Qualitative data gathering and insights
Interviews (consumer and executive), focus groups, online surveys, and social listening
Employee and customer motivational metrics
Research validation and interpretation to insights

Retail Strategy

JCWG supports retail-related businesses with a proprietary approach that is based on a strategic model developed through nearly 50 years of experience guiding clients. Retail strategy must translate vision into a plan which addresses the client’s resources to implement. JCWG focuses on delivering strategies with vision and is supported by a ‘nuts and bolts’ approach to operationalizing. JCWG applies strategic thinking processes and market research to develop or revitalize your strategy.

Resources and Techniques:

Definition and prioritization of client goals, needs and wants
Thought starter and results oriented workshops to enhance planning team input and integration of JCWG research and expertise
Current situation snapshot, trade area analysis, market gap, and competitive audits (physical and digital)
Tenant and product curation, clustering, and right sizing
Tailored processes to match client cultural, operational, and financial needs
Productivity metrics and comparisons
Active, fun, and energized learning, sharing, and strategizing experiences
Financial modelling incorporating research findings
Risk analysis and mitigation
Threat and opportunity analysis
Omnichannel platform harmonization
Stakeholder and financing approval support

Technology Meets Retail at DX3!

Holographic Displays

The Virtual Messenger

Holographic Technologies

Augmented Reality

Blippar

Peek Augmented Reality

Swivel by FaceCake’s Virtual Dressing Room and Beauty Bar

3D Printing

3DMakeable

In Summary

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Real Estate & Community Master Planning

Resources and Techniques:

Expert Witness & Advisory Services

Resources and Techniques:

Concept Development & Space Planning

Resources and Techniques:

Branding & Marketing

Resources and Techniques:

Research & Insights

Resources and Techniques:

Retail Strategy

Resources and Techniques: