FCB India and Networkbay to provide contactless retail experience to brands

The collaboration aims to enhance the new retail virtual experiences by leveraging digital tools and technology

Updated: April 22, 2020 16:26 IST

Even though retail stores may be open, customers who shop there will not engage with the stores as they used to

In order to redefine retail experiences post the covid-19 era, FCB India along with Networkbay, a retail services platform announced the launch of ‘Retail: Day 1,’ an initiative undertaken to help brands and retailers transform their strategies to suit the evolving requirements of the new-age consumer. The collaboration is aimed at enhancing the new retail virtual experiences by leveraging digital tools and design innovation to fulfill the business requirements of conversion and sales for brands.

With social distancing becoming the new norm, creating experiences online is the need of the hour for brands. According to Rohit Ohri, group chairman and CEO, FCB India, this lockdown period will change our world forever and when we emerge on the other side of this crisis, retail experiences will be redefined. “Our research shows that shopper behaviour will dramatically change. Even though retail stores may be open, customers who shop there will not engage with the stores as they used to. Retail needs to urgently reinvent itself for the post-COVID world. We’re hoping that with our Retail Day 1 initiative, we are able to help our clients rapidly build back their business,” he explained.

Moreover, as consumers turn to online retail with increasing concerns around health, safety and hygiene, the Retail Day 1 initiative will enable brands in creating engagement driven by ‘experiential’ rather than ‘material.’ For instance, in the cosmetics industry virtual make-up journey both within the store as well as on web based applications using AR technology will help brands deliver a virtual experience. Similarly for the grocery sector, consumers can browse through the products to check availability within the store as well as opt for contactless checkout through scan.

The platform combines the strengths of some of the leading retail design, technology and service brands to develop every retailer’s Store of the Future, Hozefa Attari, co-founder, Networkbay said. “Project ‘Retail: Day 1’ will allow us to work closely with FCB, taking advantage of their deep expertise in brand and customer behaviour, to develop radical customer journeys, be it contactless automotive dealerships, virtual stores or even connected packaging and Augmented Reality,” he added.

Read Also: Former PayPal CMO Stephen Taylor joins HMD Global

Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook

This article was first uploaded on April twenty-two, twenty twenty, at eight minutes past four in the afternoon.