RFID
Interactive Merchandising
Retailers looking for new ways to engage and inform customers caught a glimpse of the future at the Digital Retailing Conference held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco last week. At the conference, Nanonation introduced an RFID-enabled kiosk platform for retailers. The solution enables a customer to select a product from a shelf and have specific information about the product displayed. Customers can also interact with the screen to drill-in and find out more information.
Traditionally RFID technology has been relegated to control backroom inventory. Nanonation sees the opportunities of the technology to expand to customer-facing applications. The technology can be practical and profitable today since it allows retailers to personally link the customer, product information and brand experience at the point of purchase.
In the example debuted at the show, an RFID-enabled shelf holds two different styles of shoes. When the customer picks up a shoe, specific information about the shoe is displayed on the screen. When the shoe is placed back on the shelf the screen reverts to a marketing loop designed to attract attention and inform customers. When the other shoe is lifted from the shelf, specific information about the shoe is displayed.
Using an RFID antenna attached to a store shelf and RFID tags attached to the display products, Nanonation's software interprets the signals of which product is chosen and displays the appropriate information. While the demonstration showcased two brands of shoes, the technology could be used to promote and inform customers about any number of products and categories, from CDs to power tools. The solution is based on Nanonation's software platform that controls, monitors, and measures digital retailing initiatives from kiosks to dynamic signage.
"We're excited to push RFID technology beyond the back room of inventory control and into the front line of consumer interaction," said Bradley Walker, CEO of Nanonation. He went on to say that "Nanonation is always looking for new ways help our clients connect with their customers in interesting ways, to help them personalize the shopping experience and to enhance the overall customer experience at retail. By integrating innovative hardware systems and rich digital media brand assets, we allow our clients to simply stand out and deliver more to their customers."