Internet of Things

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Retailer type (Apparel, Electronic Merchandise, Groceries, Toys): Generic for all (American Eagle, Michael Kors, Kohl’s, BestBuy, ToysRus)

User type (First time User, Frequent Customer, Loyalty Card Holder, Offline Only User): Mobile App Users, Loyalty Card Holders, Frequent users with unique customer ID

Use Case facilitator (Mobile App, In-Store Kiosk, Smart Carts): A smart mirror screen on the outside / Mobile App

Basic Course of Action:

1. The use case begins when a customer enters the vicinity of a retail store. The user might not be exactly in front of the store but in a specific distance range from the store.

2. The user receives promotional offers on their mobile app for their nearest store of the retailer wherein the deals can be cashed in. These deals have a limited time validity prompting user to visit the store within a specific time limit to avail the offer. Promotional rewards are in the form of coupons, discounts, or deals.

3. The user can choose to look for specific offers on different products without entering the store by scanning their loyalty card or customer id on the smart screen installed outside store. The screen also lets you customize your choices.

4. A second level improvisation of this use case involves analytics to track past user purchase records, their e-commerce website wish list with the retailer and display promotional offers based on user interest. Loyalty points based offers are also included for loyalty card holders.

5. The user avails the real time offer by accepting offer terms on mobile app. After the user completes its shopping journey, user is asked for feedback on offers received which is further used to improve their experience next time they visit the store.

6. The use case ends when the user enters the store and checks out the store for desired offer. A customer pull to the store has been established.

Alternate Course A: First time customers are asked to create a profile using in store kiosk or download the mobile app for receiving promotional offers on the go. If not, the users are displayed with standard offers on the outside screen.

Existing Implementations (if any): Dandy labs in London are using an IoT enabled reward app that displays real time promotions.

Business Benefits: Implementation of the above use case

- An opportunity to up sell leading to higher sales revenue as users prefer to buy more and high quality products when offered on discount

- A customer pull to the store is generated by luring customers to visit the store for offers. The user is further insisted to spend more time in the stores leading to a higher cart value

- With personalized offers on board, more users are set to enroll the loyalty program to avail in store discounts. More loyalty customers means frequent store visits leading to high sales

- Increased number of retailer app downloads enabling opportunities to tie up with leading brands for promotions leading to higher business value

- The data received from in store purchase patterns can be used to boost online sales by catering users with offers on products they generally like and frequently purchase

Use Case 3: In-Store Navigation

Use Case Name: In store mapping solutions, way finding

Identifier: UC 3

Description: Provide real time navigation capabilities to customers as they enter the store

Preconditions: The store has a well established IoT infrastructure (beacons, RFID) in place to track customer movement and display real time results on retailer mobile app / aisle specific kiosk / smart physical shopping carts used by customers.

Retailer type (Apparel, Electronic Merchandise, Groceries, Toys): Generic for all (American Eagle, Michael Kors, Kohl’s, BestBuy, ToysRus)

User type (First time User, Frequent Customer, Loyalty Card Holder, Offline Only User): Generic with modifications

Use Case facilitator (Mobile App, In-Store Kiosk, Smart Carts): Generic based on user preference

Basic Course of Action:

1. The use case begins when a customer enters a retail store. A loyalty card holder can punch in his card at the entrance to automatically load his profile. A retail mobile app user can subsequently punch in to the in store module of the app and the store is automatically notified of his entrance. A first time user can choose to enter his/her preferences at the entrance kiosk to receive automated navigational aid or do so afterwards (Alternate Course A).

2. The user can choose to continue with his mobile app or avail a smart cart to serve as a UI platform for receiving offer notifications. The smart cart loads into a personalized shopping vehicle as in user enter their customer ID or scan their loyalty card at the sensor placed on the cart. First time users can manually enter the product name and use the cart.

3. The user has the option to create a shopping list of items to be purchased from the store on the app or the cart display. Once the list is prepared, the cart will automatically guide user to the location of products inside store based on the shortest distance from the starting point. This can happen through text display or even speech enabled navigation.

4. A second level improvisation of this use case involves analytics to track past user purchase records, their e-commerce website wish list with the retailer and create an automated route as the users enter the store. This saves user from manually entering frequently purchased items every time.

The in store navigation can be coupled with gamification based rewards wherein visiting an aisle a specific number of times makes you eligible for a reward offer.

5. As the user completes its shopping journey via guided in store navigation, user is asked for feedback on the service received which is further used to improve their experience next time they visit the store.

6. The use case ends when the user makes the payment and checks out of the store.

Alternate Course A: First time customers are asked to create a profile using in store kiosk or download