In-store technologies: Separating the ‘cool’ from the ‘creepy'

Smart mirrors are a ‘cool’ in-store technology, but facial recognition software is another story entirely. Those are among the findings of a new survey by RichRelevance...the company surveyed more than 2,000 U.S. and U.K. consumers about how technology can impact their in-store shopping experience, highlighting the differences between what shoppers thought was ‘cool’ and ‘creepy’.

On the ‘cool' side of the equation, 47% of respondents thought fingerprint technology that would allow them to pay for goods and get automatic home delivery would be cool.  More than six in 10 want to be able to scan a product on their device to see reviews and recommendations for other items they may like. And 42% would like to see interactive changing room mirrors that model potential outfits on their image.

Not all in-store technologies possess the cool factor. Seventy-five percent of shoppers thought that facial recognition software that would allow them to be targeted in-store with relevant offers was “creepy." Also not cool: being greeted by name by a sales associate.  Seventy-five percent of respondents said it is ‘creepy' for a sales assistant to greet them by name in store, if their mobile phone or tablet device had signaled their presence.

This is an excerpt only from this full article posted on ChainStoreAge.com.