Let’s Get Phygital at Paris Retail Week with Openbravo

Openbravo is delighted to be returning to Paris Retail Week, now in its fourth edition and taking place at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles on 10-12^th of September 2018.  

This year’s central theme will focus on “Phygital” retail, and while the term evidently comes from the juxtaposition of physical and digital, many retailers may still be wondering exactly what it means.

In its most general definition, phygital  refers to the new retail ecosystem that results when physical and digital experiences are merged together and complement each other in order to offer the consumer an integrated experience across different channels.

How is that different from omnichannel?  Is it show-rooming or web-rooming? Is it just about the technology in the store does it include e-commerce?  And ultimately, will it all pay off?

Phygital is about how all the pieces fit together as a symbiotic ecosystem. Online and offline shopping are merged together, and instead of retailers just pushing information out to customers, they are also collecting information from customers. Retail becomes a conversation. And this information is ultimately used to make their own operations more accurate, more efficient, and ultimately more satisfying for the customer.

What does this mean for your software solution?

When all the pieces are separate, it can seem overwhelming. But today there are technologies and tools that every retailer can use to create their own omnichannel ecosystem.

As retailers create their own phygital ecosystem, they need a software solution that is flexible and gives them the agility to manage inventory more rapidly.

They also need a solution that makes it easy to integrate CRM platforms to build their customer base and communicate with them more effectively. Mobile POS solutions like Openbravo allow store associates to access or gather new customer data at the POS. These same POS solutions should be easily configured to handle omnichannel scenarios.

The system should be able to integrate e-commerce platforms like Magento and streamline orders to suppliers, whether they come from stores or customers online. Retailers should also be capable of taking real-time and historic sales data and turning it into actionable demand forecasting and inventory planning.

And finally, retailers need a system that is capable of integrating new technologies as they become available.

To find out more about how Openbravo can help you build your phygital ecosystem, please visit us at Paris Retail Week 2018 in Stand G 115 where we will be showcasing the latest innovations to our omnichannel software platform.