Christmas is coming and the ecommerce stores are hoping their tills will be getting virtually fat. But this year will be a Christmas like no other, with the ghost of Covid-19 hanging over heads and ready to ruin shop opening times and service. We are already in the digital age when it comes to shopping, but how will retailers face a Christmas 2020 without footfall in their stores?
John Lewis, famed for their heart -warming adverts at this time of year, have decided that one solution may be for a virtual shopping experience. Using their flagship Oxford Street store as the setting, users can whizz through the store as if they were on Google Maps and can stop off at various features and products, with the option to click on objects and add them to the online checkout.
Whilst the concept will help many get the John Lewis experience they crave but can not have this year, there is one step more that John Lewis could take, that is live video shopping.
Think of what John Lewis is most famous for, outside of its well know slogan – customer service. Their expert teams are trained to manage specific product categories and are there to help customers with their questions and issue, especially around big ticket items such as electronics and home furnishings. John Lewis do this because they understand the concept of lifetime value and brand loyalty. Offer great service and help guide the customer to their purchase, and you’ll have a customer for life.
Live video shopping would offer a fantastic customer led proposition for John Lewis this Christmas. John Lewis could offer their customers the one to one live video experience. This could be someone who wants to talk through the iphone options for their children or buying a new mattress for seasonal visitors. Live video allows the values of customer care to be alive when online shopping, beyond simply words on a page or part of a virtual tour. It is great to see retailers being innovative in these challenging times and we look forward to John Lewis and other retailers taking a further leap and embracing video commerce.
