Dr. Isa Hofmann was invited to participate in a panel discussion during Avantex (September, 18-21) in Paris, September 18, 2017. The topic was: Smart Retail – Web interfaces and social networks: how to adapt to new behaviours. The slogan of this year´s Avantex was “A fashion show that puts Fashion Tech on stage by bringing innovations to life”. Other participants were Kristina Dimitrova from Interlaced; Nardjisse Benmebarek, Studio Nelly Rodi, and Pierre Humblot-Ferrero, Grand Shooting. Gilles Muller, Re Active, was moderating the panel discussion.
Faster, Smarter, Cheaper
A lively discussion was kindled around the question how digital transformation is going to change retail and shopping in a sustainable way. And how the ambitious expectations of the new consumer generation is challenging brand suppliers. Digitization stands for data-driven applications in information and communication technologies. They turn our entire economy inside out, only comparable to the industrial revolution at the end of the 19th century. The recent prediction expressed by the gurus of digitization Horowitz and Andreessen “software is eating the world” is steadily gaining visibility, according to Isa Hofmann. Established industries are replaced by user centered business models und smart services. According to the principle: faster, smarter, cheaper.
How Retail is changing
E-commerce is also changing rapidly. Humblot-Ferrero, Grand Shooting, explains the relatively new concept of the agency that offers retailers and brands interesting possibilities to generate fotos and videos. Nardjisse Benmebarek describes the new shopping experience: digital and analogue are complementary and do not exclude each other. The new generation Z is at the same time heading for the exciting brand experience at the point-of-sale and the immediate access to the product via digital platforms. Already 45 percent of the young consumers are ready to shop on social media platforms. For brand owners, this means to think and interact in holistic systems, according to Benmebarek. They should immerse into the lifestyle habits and mindsets of their customers to be present and meet them on the appropriate digital platforms. She mentions as example Starbucks and their customer relationship program. They associated with Spotify and popular online publications, since they realized that their customers were often listening to music or reading while drinking their coffee. Habits of customers are picked up to forge customized offers.
Dimitrova also outlines several examples of smart customer dialogue, among others the new smart delivery of parcels by DHL directly into the car of the purchaser.
Avantex: Panel Discussion “Smart Retail”
In the following video Isa Hofmann is explaning some new strategic positions of big brands that show how they successfully cope with the volatile digital battle field:
Under the following link you will find the video of the entire panel discussion: https://avantex.fr.messefrankfurt.com/paris/en/exhibitors/events/avantex-conferences.html?nc