Beacon technology is one of the recent tech trends disrupting the retail sector – adding value to the way consumers shop and retailers and brands collect and measure shopper and operational data.

Optimising the shopping experience

Beacons work using Bluetooth low-energy (BLE) wireless technology in order to locate the consumer and emit a signal that is picked up by the users’ app on their smartphones. Once the consumer is drawn into the store, beacons are able to pinpoint their exact location and based on the proximity of the shopper, brands and retailers can automatically push promotional messages or information about particular products, creating a more personalised experience for shoppers.

For consumers, beacon technology means a seamless, cross-channel shopping experience. For retailers and brand owners, it means reaching the right person at the right time with the right message, with new and improved metrics to measure success.

Beacon technology is a way for brick-and-mortar stores to draw customers to traditional retail formats by providing the convenience and personalisation that online shopping offers, allowing retailers to engage with shoppers unobtrusively. Beacons can also provide valuable data on shopper behavior such as the amount of time shoppers spend making purchasing decisions in different aisles and categories.

Optimising operations

Bluetooth beacons can also be used to collect real-time in-store proximity data through the placement of beacons in key locations, on fixed assets and/or point of sale material. Potential uses of beacon technology are:

• Staff tracking and management
• Location analysis, heat maps and store aisle segmentation
• Fixed asset tracking and point of sale material tracking
• IoT – Smart Beacons (real-time remote monitoring of fridge temperatures)

Looking to the future

Through beacon technology, the retail experience can deliver a more personalised and efficient shopper journey, drive sales uplift for brand owners and retailers, enable data collection that provides valuable insights into shopper behaviour and track key metrics for optimising store operations.

Beacon technology is a key means for retailers and brand owners to differentiate themselves from their competitors and deliver a retail experience that leverages the benefits of integrating online and in store.

Investing in beacon infrastructure is one way for retailers to stay ahead of the curve in a dynamic and highly competitive industry.

Is beacon technology in your company’s foreseeable future?