Digital Presence in the World of Sports Retail
Athletic clothing and sporting goods, which have traditionally been bought and used strictly for exercising and practicing different sports, have now become part of most people’s daily wardrobe.
This has changed the existing view of the products that are sold in sportswear stores. Their target audience is also different, and that is why the message sent by brands and retail establishments needs to change as well.
In this sense, the decor and furnishings in a sportswear store play an essential role, and at HMY we know that this can be taken advantage of if all of the possibilities are explored.
It is no longer just athletes – professional or amateur – who visit active wear stores, but the customer base is much broader, so it is necessary to play around with different tools to see which have the best impact.
Futbol Emotion: an Example of Technology in Retail
One of the best examples of the application of technology to the world of sports retail is what HMY was able to implement in Futbol Emotion’s new stores.
These stores, which are a benchmark in the world of sportswear, collaborated with us to update their retail spaces. They were looking for an innovative and groundbreaking concept that would put them ahead of the curve in the industry.
The combination of furniture and technology has not only helped Futbol Emotion stand out to customers as a modern and attractive company, but in other aspects, such as the flexibility that these elements allow when modifying or customizing retail spaces and, in turn, the connectivity for their users.
The concept that HMY developed for Futbol Emotion has been so successful and impactful that it was awarded the Gold Trophy at the 2017 Paris POPAI Awards, a contest that recognizes the best companies in the marketing and retail industries worldwide.
The panel of judges, made up of 80 professionals in the retail industry, chose Futbol Emotion as the Best Connected Shop, over other leading brands at the global level, such as Coca Cola, which came in second.
Futbol Emotion’s new stores allow their customers to interact more with the retail establishment with screens they can look to for more information on products and their characteristics. This makes their purchase decision easier in a comprehensive and fun way.
Connectivity Goes One Step Further
When we talk about the influence that new technologies have in the world of retail, we are not only focusing on interactive screens and videos, or the music and lighting in a store. The implementation and development of applications for smart phones and tablets also allow you to go one step further when it comes to the relationship between stores and their customers.
And not only that, but through these, customers can make purchases or find any information they want about the stores or their products, but it can go much further than that.
One example of this is what Nike has done with their new NBA apparel. We are not referring to the quality of their fabrics, which are always cutting edge with a focus on improving athletes’ comfort levels while practicing sports, but to their new connected jerseys.
This new clothing from Nike features NFC (Near Field Communication) tags, which allow their users to connect them with a mobile application and enjoy new benefits while wearing the clothes. This will be especially apparent when fans wear T-shirts or sweatshirts during a sporting event, as they will be able to use these to unlock prizes or bonus content, making their visual and textile experience much more full and entertaining.
This is just a small example of what NFC tags are going to be able to offer, not only to brands and stores, but also to users. The future will show us, sooner rather than later, that the possibilities are almost infinite when it comes to connectivity and its applications in the world of retail.