Sometimes we feel like employees are starting to disappear from the store, and Amazon has begun to launch a cashless store that uses shoppers and other high-tech sensors to track shoppers' shopping. Wal-Mart now has a “lifting tower” that can be used as an in-store vending machine for online orders. Technology has begun to blend with traditional brick-and-mortar stores. In traditional physical stores, customers are often welcomed and helped by living clerk. And is the integration of technology and traditional physical stores the future of the retail industry? Do customers want more high-tech products to enter physical stores near them?

If you take this question to the retailer, the answer is yes. But a recent survey found that customers don't want more high-tech products to enter physical stores. A survey of 1,200 shoppers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, almost every respondent said they thought it was necessary to go to a physical store to buy goods. 70% of respondents said that the stores that simplify the shopping process are the most attractive. For example, the location of the store is easier to find, fewer brand choices, or help when needed.

At the same time, most of the respondents had some negative emotions when they went to the store recently, and the store changes made them confused, anxious and overwhelmed. This is exactly the opposite of what retailers want. The gap between the two sides is not only in this respect. We found that 79% of the 400 retail executives surveyed believe that installing virtual reality and artificial intelligence in stores will increase sales, while only 14% believe that these technologies will affect their buying decisions. . Retailers believe that technology is a panacea for solving negative shopping experience problems, but this is obviously not the case.

How to deal with different opinions? Retailers need to understand their customers so that they can carefully design every interaction in the store so that customers are satisfied and want to visit again. It's that simple. Retailers shouldn't rely on technology to work for them, but should be smart enough to use technology to support analog interactions. In fact, contrary to popular belief, customers actually want employees to help them. This starts with training employees to use technology correctly, and this has not yet been achieved.

Nearly half of the retailers surveyed believe that their employees do not have the tools and information they need to provide consumers with a personalized shopping experience. But if employees receive the right training and understand how technology can promote a better shopping experience, they can make shoppers feel valued and welcomed. Equally important, these shoppers will be more likely to visit again.

Retailers shouldn't just use eye-catching new technology just because they can do it, but focus on how to make the often annoying process easier, such as checkout and product targeting. We found that the customer's favorite technology products are self-checkout desks, virtual reality try-on like magic mirrors, and simple mobile payments than swiping cards. These are not robots or anything flashy, but they make the shopping process more coherent and convenient.

Most retailers need to understand what modern shoppers want, which is at the heart of a successful business. Without this understanding, flashy technology is meaningless. Once retailers begin to understand the needs of shoppers, they can use smart technology solutions to meet the needs of consumers and make real connections with them.