The top 10 companies leading the digital transformation charge

1. Sephora uses digital projects to not only survive but also thrive in today’s retail economy, taking the no. 1 spot. Sephora sells beauty products. the world’s number one specialty beauty retailer. As I reported for ZDNet’s sister site TechRepublic, the company has utilized technology to provide customers with a number of exclusive offerings both in the store and on their mobile app.

While other cosmetics companies rely a lot on department store sales, Sephora gives customers a number of tech options that let them personalize their shopping experience. These options include using augmented reality (AR) to try on makeup, AI to match a foundation to their skin tone, and using a touchscreen and scented air to try out a fragrance.

2. Lowe’s Home Improvement Chain Lowe’s introduced its 3D virtual Holoroom in 2014, allowing customers to design a room on a computer and then tour it in VR. This marked the beginning of the chain’s use of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) testing in its stores. Later, the Lowe’s Vision app and the View in Your Space feature used augmented reality to help customers envision how the store’s products would look in their own homes. Customers can use the In-Store Navigation app to find the products they need in the store.

The common issue faced by customers is the focus of each of these apps: How will you determine whether something complements your space?

According to Chakravarty, “It makes a lot of sense for a company in the do-it-yourself space and other types of spaces as well.” For that, there are specific niche markets.”

3. Witcher praised Home Depot for “doing a fantastic job with their omnichannel capabilities,” noting that the retailer has successfully facilitated the expansion of its online sales through its physical locations.

Customers can buy products from Home Depot online and choose to have them delivered to their home or picked up at a nearby store. Customers can receive their products the following day within a two-hour delivery window with the buy online and deliver from the store option. They can also return products they buy online to the store.

4. Walmart Bossa Nova robots roam through some Walmart stores, scanning shelves and immediately notifying managers of inventory levels. According to ZDNet, the retailer can help build a predictive inventory model and maintain competitive prices by providing quick information about how products are performing across locations and within stores.
5. Chakravarty stated that despite the fact that Lolli and Pops is a small candy and gift retailer in comparison to the others on this list, it is currently working on a significant digital project. Mobica, an Intel-powered loyalty program for facial recognition, was recently launched by the company. When a customer signs up for the program, they can walk into a store, and a camera will see their face and send it to an app on the tablet of the sales associate. The associate can use AI-enhanced analytics to access the individual’s taste profile, allergies, and other information with that data to provide personalized product recommendations.
6. Chakravarty stated that Kroger, a grocery store chain, is utilizing in-store analytics to personalize customer shopping. A growing digital customer base has resulted from the company’s use of predictive behavior modeling to personalize promotions and pricing for Plus Card members. According to the company, growth in mobile visits outpaced growth in digital visits as of the first quarter of 2017. Customers can now place online orders for groceries and pick them up at the store with Kroger’s ClickList service, which was recently launched.
7. Witcher stated that Fabletics is utilizing a digital dressing room tool called Omnicart to assist in the identification of new customers and the creation of a more individualized experience for them. Scan products that a customer is trying on in an in-store fitting room into an iPad using the tool. The clothes will be automatically added to the customer’s online shopping cart if the retailer has the customer’s email address and the customer is a member of Fabletics.
8. Macy’s began implementing an RFID initiative in 2016 to track each item in its fleet of stores and fulfillment centers. Some estimates indicate that when the company first implemented RFID in its fashion departments, its sales volume increased by more than 200 percent. This was not surprising considering that inventory accuracy can increase item availability, which in turn increases sales.

Chakravarty stated, “It improves the ability for associates to track specific products and inventory, as well as reduces shrinkage and waste inside the store.” It’s a potent instrument.”

9. With partner 3C Interactive, Best Buy has been utilizing a developing communication protocol known as Rich Communication Services to enhance basic text messages with product images, maps for in-store pickup, and additional purchase information. The interaction between in-store and online communication becomes more seamless as a result of this.

10. In 2012, Neiman Marcus opened an innovation lab in Dallas, Texas, to test brand-new technologies. Since then, the store has introduced Memory Mirrors, enormous video screens and cameras that enable customers to compare clothing options side by side and view outfits in 360 degrees.

The Snap Find Shop visual search feature was also added to the app by the retailer. This feature lets customers take a picture of a shoe, handbag, or piece of clothing and use artificial intelligence to find a similar style in the store’s product line.