SPRING//SUMMER 2018 57 56 SPRING//SUMMER 2018 relevant blogs, Facebook streams and Twitter feeds are powerful ways of communicating with Generation Y, and with products relying so heavily on emotional response as stationery, they help develop a community of fans and supporters and generate brand values in areas that are important to them, such as environmental awareness. New technology is also helping to make the bricks-and-mortar shop more of an event. The newest technology that aims to improve customer experience is the beacon, a Bluetooth transmitter that can be placed around the shop at strategic locations to communicate with customers’ smartphones. Beacons can alert customers to the shop’s app or website, enabling them to download the app or connect with the site as appropriate. Once the customer is connected, beacons can make it easy for customers to get product information and reviews, benefit from promotions and much more. For the retailer, beacons can also provide valuable information about traffic patterns and customer behaviour. RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) tags are finally emerging from decades as ‘tomorrow’s technology’ and are set to become commonplace even for low-value items. The cost has dropped to about 5p per tag, almost justifying its use for notebooks and pen packs. Once everything in the store is tagged, magical things happen. The accuracy of stocktaking is dramatically improved and the time taken to do it reduced to nearly nothing. Inventory information can be shared online, so customers know they can click and collect with confidence. In more advanced systems, customers could hold items up to screens to ask the chatbot for more information. Canny retailers will be adopting these existing and emerging technologies as a way of gaining a competitive edge. The retail landscape is evolving fast. Don’t get left behind. VISIT STAND M515 NEXT TO CREATIVE WORKSHOPS LONDON STATIONERY SHOW EAGLEMOSSDIARIES.CO.UK T 01270 270050 enquiries@eaglemoss.co.uk DELICIOUS WEEKLY RECIPES WEEK-TO-VIEW DIARY NOTES POCKET & STICKERS LIE-FLAT DESIGN DISCOVER A UNIQUE RANGE OF DIARIES EAGLEMOSS DIARIES Daily, delightful moments GENERATION Y HAS FALLEN IN LOVE WITH PAPER BUT ALSO WANTS TO SHOP ONLINE.