Customers open to retail innovations

Almost half of German consumers have a positive attitude toward the ongoing digitization of bricks-and-mortar retail, while around a third view it rather neutrally. More customers are also interested in new technologies than they have been able to try out so far.

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Handelskommunikation (IDH), for which a total of 6,781 people were surveyed. Nineteen percent would use a scanner offered in the store. Opposite seven percent would visit the not yet widespread cashierless supermarkets. A further 28 percent each would like to use scanners and/or enter cashierless stores.

A total of 21 percent of respondents have already scanned QR codes to obtain more detailed product information. 18 percent would like to do so. Advice and ordering via touchscreens in stores has been used by 13 percent so far, with a further 17 percent indicating interest. Customers have particularly little practical experience with digital mirrors (2.5 percent) and the use of VR glasses for room planning (three percent). However, 34 percent can imagine using digital mirrors. Twenty-seven percent would be on board with VR glasses-assisted shopping.

The term metaverse, on the other hand, was still so abstract for most of the respondents that the possibilities it creates first had to be explained. Consumers were quite taken with some of them. For example, 32 percent can imagine receiving product information and advice in the metaverse. 29 percent would use product presentations and 24 percent would like to try out products. Furniture is named by a third of respondents as particularly suitable for the Metaverse, while around 30 percent each prefer fashion, consumer electronics and household appliances. Only 14 percent of respondents consider food to be suitable, while eleven percent name beauty products.

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