Wearable technology
Taking center stage at CES and feeding directly into the Internet of Things is the emergence of wearable technology. From smart watches to activity tracking fitness bands, wearable technology is beginning to make the leap from geeky gadget to consumer must-have.
Innovations in the field of smart glasses, such as Google Glass and Innovega’s smart contact lenses, which were unveiled at CES, offer interesting new ways for retailers to provide relevant information to consumers.
Imagine, for example, entering a furniture store and being able to use smart glasses to see a prospective sofa in your virtual sitting room, or looking at an item of clothing and being served other items in store that could complete the outfit.
Wearable technology is also a virtual goldmine for on location marketing, providing retailers with the opportunity to market to shoppers in real time, from offering a free coffee to passing shoppers that drop in store to 10% off their second in store purchase.
Bernard Luthi is CMO and COO at Rakuten.com Shopping.