Phygital in Retail: Bringing the Online and Offline Together
The paradigm shift in technology and consumer behavior has revamped the shopping experience. This has led to the emergence of a new way of virtual shopping experience that brings together physical and digital experiences with phygital.
We all live in a digitally generated society, and buying items online is no longer considered strange. According to research, 64% of consumers prefer to shop online. Unsurprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic has urged industries to analyze what customer experience means to them. To adjust to the new normal, consuming habits and purchasing behavior have altered dramatically.
Promoting a favorable client experience is important in any sales channel, whether online or offline, but phygital retail can have a bigger impact. Customers want their needs to be met across all channels and in a consistent manner.
Phygital experience has moved almost all of our transactions online, which is a huge benefit for potential customers. They no longer have to strain to get out of their beds. A high penetration of the internet, mobile network connectivity, and smartphones/tablets have made it possible for buyers to view various things online and shop without leaving their houses.
Today, an increasing number of retailers are offering virtual and phygital shopping experiences to eliminate the gap between online and physical stores. Customers get to leverage the look and feel of physical shopping while seamlessly facilitating a virtual shopping experience at the click of a button.
What is Phygital?
Phygital is a combination of the online and offline worlds. It is a new way of experiencing shopping that is not bound by physical location or time. Phygital services bridge the gap between the physical and the digital experiences. The objective is to transfer the best aspects of the future of retail physical consumer experience into the digital realm and vice versa.
Phygital is more common than you think!
With today’s technology, it’s no longer acceptable for customers to be limited to using only one channel to complete a task. When you’re looking for a solution and are directed to an automated chat service, you become frustrated.
Phygital brings everything together to deliver customers a seamless experience.
Phygital brings the online and offline worlds together to create a far more comprehensive and gratifying customer experience. The digital world has gradually penetrated our physical lives for quite some time. Phygital makes a compelling case: while we are becoming more reliant on digital technologies, we also crave physical experiences.
Powering the New Shopping Behavior with Phygital
The phygital shopping experience has improved the convenience of purchasing for customers in a novel way. Customers can access a wide range of products immediately on their smartphones thanks to the ease of a virtual platform. They may go to any store and look at anything they choose without leaving their homes and at any time of day.
Modern shoppers expect digital technology in physical businesses and personalized interactions. Consider the following instances of tech-enabled features such as:
- Real-time appearance and feel of the product
- Live product demonstrations are available at any time and in any location
- Dedicated sales agent for online purchasing
- A wide range of high-quality equipment is available, as well as a variety of other services
With Phygital commerce, your customers can do all of this from the comfort of their own home.
Customers in today’s world demand a phygital consumer experience. Combining the advantages of a physical encounter with the convenience of internet shopping is critical. The potential for phygital commerce to provide a personalized and immersive experience is limitless. Try to map out the various customer touchpoints that can be phygitalized as a starting point, and then gradually integrate digital into the customer lifecycle journey.
Phygital’s numerous benefits to your brand will make your efforts worthwhile!
300M worth of sales revenue for a Fortune 50 company through virtual selling
 To Sum Up
Although digital technologies are rapidly providing dynamic and stimulating customer experiences, consumers are still keen on enjoying the benefits of the physical world. The phygital phenomena is the best way to address these conflicting needs of the public and to build an even more personalized, streamlined, and convenient user experience.
The future of retail will see a significant increase in internet sales. The finest suppliers will form direct-to-consumer partnerships, with merchants no longer serving as the customer’s gatekeepers.
Blending physical and digital elements that combine the best of both worlds for a truly phygital experience can help brands by giving them many options to enhance their business in the future. At Maxicus, we have designed the perfect platform to elevate the customer experience and take your brand into the future of shopping. Get in touch with us today to learn how your business can maximize its customer experience with phygital.