App uses Azure cloud and geolocation services to help customers find their perfect product
Elly Yates-Roberts |
Retailer Harvey Norman is piloting Microsoft Synchronized Shopping, a new Microsoft Azure-based solution from PopcornApps and Microsoft which aims to help customers find their perfect product.
According to PopcornApps, 80% of customers start their journey online and then head to a store to complete the purchase. But with different products on display and a huge range of products, they become overwhelmed by the choice, creating a state of ‘choice paralysis’ where they often back out of the purchase altogether. The new solution aims to end this, by uniting the online and in-store shopping experiences.
“[Microsoft Synchronized Shopping is a] phygital customer experience that bridges the gap between digital and physical retailing,” said Girish Avantsa, founder and chief operating officer at PopcornApps. “It is an immersive experience of browsing, comparing, and selecting a device that makes an overwhelming task seem simple.”
Customers can answer a short artificial intelligence-based quiz on the app to identify their specific requirements, such as battery life and storage capacity.
The service then recommends products which are available on the retailer’s shelves so that they can try them out in-store. Using geo-location capabilities, a device-based ‘shopper pass’ sends the user a notification when they are near a store that offers the product. It then guides the shopper to the location of the product on display.