From the use of beacons to engage shoppers on their smartphones to online ordering innovations, 2016 has been a momentous year for technology in retail and leisure.
As Pokémon hunters caused spikes in footfall back in August, we opined that there could be considerable scope for landlords and operators to benefit from tech innovation in the form of augmented reality – the blurring of boundaries between the digital and physical world.
This is perfectly exemplified by Capco’s Covent Garden launching as the world’s first augmented reality shopping destination for Christmas, with 140 shops and restaurants taking part. While some retailers have already benefitted from harnessing AR both in store and online, activation on this scale is unprecedented.
Covent Garden’s AR Christmas offers consumers immersive experiences, from a virtual treasure hunt to bringing a digital reindeer to life, and unlocks exclusive offers from shops and restaurants. It has been created by Blippar technology and in partnership with Hearst Magazines, bringing an additional dimension via an app of gift recommendations from Esquire, Elle and Cosmopolitan.
As we evolve towards an experience economy, the power of AR – and its sister, virtual reality – should not be underestimated: such technological innovations are not just enhancing engagement and experience, but offer convenience too, with the ability to “try on” clothes and jewellery virtually, or see how furniture will look in a home prior to ordering. They have the potential to transform the way we shop. There is considerable investment in the sector, with AR and VR start-ups raising in excess of £500m in equity financing last year.
As for food and beverage, the implications are equally exciting. Just Eat recently showcased the HoloLens, enabling customers to see a restaurant menu as a buffet to pick and choose from, as well as integrating artificial intelligence to improve the ordering experience and increasing delivery capacity by way of self-driving delivery robots.
Elsewhere, New Scientist reports on eye-opening experiments with virtual food, using electronics to emulate tastes and textures, and introducing sensory input to VR technology to augment the physical dining experience. A “digital lollipop” capable of creating different taste sensations has been invented.
Covent Garden’s AR Christmas is ushering in an exciting new future and perhaps one that all restaurateurs, retailers and even landlords will ultimately need to engage with. Certainly, with tech-savvy, constantly connected millennials driving the growth of the eating out market, embracing technology is essential. Indeed, about half of the nation’s eating-out occasions can be attributed to those aged 18 to 34, according to research from CGA Peach.
And we are likely to see more landlord collaborations with technology specialists: this year Westfield’s digital innovation subsidiary Westfield Labs has gone one further, launching the Connected Commerce Accelerator to engage tech start-ups.
Digital innovation will no doubt be high on 2017’s agenda.
Kate Taylor is director, development leasing, at Davis Coffer Lyons
