Elly Yates-Roberts |
Global fashion brand Monki is trialling the Microsoft Azure-powered platform Store Lens in its mobile app to deliver new retail experiences to its customers, and seamlessly connect in-store and online shopping.
The retailer is currently working on features such as gamification, bundle deals and electronic check outs. For example, in Monki’s physical stores, augmented reality Monki creatures jump up in front of customers, which they can then scan for bundle deals.
“We wanted to use technology to create a more emotional bond with our customers,” said Fredrik Lundin, managing director at Store Lens. “Our idea was to have a platform that could help brands personalise the shopping experience for their customers.
“We want to bring the best of digital into the warm welcome of the physical retail space – and vice-versa. The Store Lens platform creates that possibility.”
Store Lens is built on a range of Microsoft technologies, including Azure, Cosmos DB, Azure Synapse Analytics, Azure Functions and Search, Azure Event Hubs and Key Vault.
“But the key to Store Lens is its ability to understand customer behaviour,” said Lundin. “By understanding that behaviour, we can create so many experiences for the customers and for the staff.”
Microsoft says that the app can harness this information to not only personalise the customer experience, but also manage stock levels in cost-efficient and sustainable ways.
“What's really great is that you can even target a specific store’s stock level,” said Ellen Beek, customer success manager at Store Lens. “We can zone in on a specific store in a country, where they are really not selling a certain pair of black trousers, for example, and we can offer a bundle deal for the black trousers only for that store. In that way, we can really go into small details when it comes to stock availability.”
Store Lens has big plans for the future, especially since it is currently in the process of becoming a Microsoft independent software vendor (ISV).
“Our idea with Store Lens is that we want to put brands, across industries, on the Store Lens platform and do this together with Microsoft,” said Lundin. “I think that is going to be a win-win for everyone; for Store Lens, Microsoft and the retail industry more broadly.”