The benefits of Store as a Service

With the “Store as a Service” model, digital-native brands and mid-sized retailers can get closer to their customers and expand their market by opening new physical outlets that better meet the expectations of today’s consumers and avoid the drawbacks of an extensive traditional store network.

In the aftermath of the pandemic, the boom in online sales is moderating and finding the right balance between digital channels and a physical presence is a powerful tool for brands to get closer to their consumers where and when they need them.

A good way to find this balance is to reinvent the role of the physical store to transform customer experiences and drive loyalty.

What is Store as a Service?

It is all about changing the role of the store and being open to new ways of understanding retail by joining forces to reduce risk and improve the customer experience.

Online sales have shown us the potential of technology and reminded us of the importance of the shopping experience, putting consumers back in the center stage. Store as a Service combines the experience of the typical eCommerce customer, who comes to pick up their order using Click & Collect, and the loyal physical retail customer, who wants to touch the products and see them first  before proceeding with the purchase.

But it is not only consumers who benefit from this new way of understanding retail.

Retailers can reduce store costs by collaborating with digital-native brands and direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands who, in turn, can conduct market tests in a real-world environment greatly reducing the costs associated with opening a store by installing corners in existing stores.

Multiple benefits

It is clear that the benefits do not stop at cost savings or risk reduction in betting on the physical channel.

The shift from a static to a live proposition attracts new consumers and allows retailers to capture more information about the market, its opportunities and needs.

To take full advantage of the benefits of this new model, it is important to have a tool that facilitates access to all the information needed for a smooth shopping experience: shopper data, preferences, in-store stock, online stock… This is where the role of POS mobile comes into play.

All the information needed by in-store staff, anytime, anywhere to ensure unique experiences.