Consumers are changing, and with them their shopping behaviors. That’s why it’s important to know what trends and revolutions we are facing. That’s why it’s important to know what trends and revolutions we are facing. It’s time for physical stores to evolve and take a step further: the phygital era.
Phygital: what is it and how did it come about?
In recent months, the term phygital has been everywhere, and you may be tired of hearing it, but what exactly does it mean? Actually, it is nothing more than the union of the words physical and digital. This sums up the essence of the term very well: the integration of the digital world into the physical world.
It is a new example of how consumers’ relationships with their environment are changing, their interactions with retailers are no longer the same. At least 82% of smartphoneusers use their phones when they are shopping in physical stores, according to a Google study. In this way, the digital plan becomes part of the purchase decision and becomes a fundamental element of it.
New eras require new changes
One thing that is more than clear to us is that consumers interact with brands in all channels in which they are presented. In this sense, the options are multiple and if done well, it can be a resounding success.
It does not only have to be retail or e-commerce, we also find stops halfway, such as social networks or implementations of technological elements in physical stores. In this way, brands that we find in the supermarket can also be found in the digital plane, either by doing promotions and sweepstakes through networks, or by creating online campaigns.
In addition, there is also the possibility, as mentioned above, to integrate digital elements at the point of sale; as well as QR to create interaction with the consumer and access to numerous benefits, promotions or games or even the use of mobile devices such as tablets to create activities in the space itself.
It should be noted that it is increasingly common for consumers to search and research a product online and then go to the store to buy, and conversely, they also see the product and try it in person and then finalize the purchase online.
What is an undeniable reality is that our world is becoming increasingly digital and both consumers and brands need to be resilient in this regard.
Is the phygital world the end of retail?
The answer to this question is easy and concise: no. No matter how much our world and our marketing techniques evolve, physical retail will always exist. It is a fundamental part of society and offers some things that the digital plane has no way of materializing.
As human beings we crave interaction, and this has been more than demonstrated in recent times. The action of going shopping at the physical store, surrounding ourselves with people, interacting with them and finalizing the purchase gives us a satisfaction that digital does not.
In addition, we must take into account the most important factor: immediacy. While in the digital plane the purchases arrive at your doorstep; the physical purchase is direct. Problem-solution.
In this way, the phygital concept is ideal in a world that is immersing itself in digital but still clinging to the more human aspect. It’s time for your brand to have the best of both worlds.
