Personalised and real-time in-store banners are being prepared by retailers as the industry begins to use data more intelligently, Retail Gazette can reveal.
The technology, which is supported by data integration company Informatica, will use social media to target consumers in-store and online. A bespoke campaign – based on what they tweet and share on Facebook- could be shown to someone entering a store such as: “Welcome Tony and Happy Birthday! Have you seen our latest range of Liverpool football kits? They‘re located on the fourth aisle, half-way down.”
The opportunity for retailers to use Big Data on such a level is currently only 18 months young but is said to have millions of benefits for business. Clubcard has been around for 20 years but the popularity of social media and mobile devices are set to deepen the information that businesses can access from their customers.
“At the moment (the technology) is dependent on the mobile device they are carrying. If they have a connected device and provide us permission to see them, then we can leverage that data,” explained Greg Hanson, Senior Director at Informatica who is working with retailers to implement the technology.
The firm confirmed that it is looking to embed Vibe, its virtual data technology into manufacturers hardware which could see products from forklift trucks to homeware appliances featuring a component that in real time streams data into large analytical platforms that hold huge amounts of data.
He added: “Once that data is in there you will spot trends and opportunities that you‘ve never seen before because you‘ve got a much more three-dimensional view of the business.”
He believes that wearable tech such as Galaxy Gear Fit will be used to target consumers with relevant products, for example somebody who has told the device they want to lose weight over a certain time period will be targeted with healthy food options rather than irrelevant ads advertising alcohol and junk food.
In order to derive value from the data Hanson said he is seeing “triple digit growth” in data scientist job roles in the UK.
“The future of shopping is mobile. Virtually all purchases will be done digitally irrespective if you‘re in-store or not. You will be doing your shopping list digitally,” he said.
