E-Business Application: Retail Innovations to Enhance Shopping

This essay examines the challenges faced by retail shops due to the rise of online shopping and proposes innovative solutions to enhance the customer experience. The report highlights the importance of adapting to changing consumer behaviors and preferences. The essay focuses on specific innovations, including frictionless checkout systems, the concept of products coming to buyers, and the implementation of connected stores. It also discusses the introduction of an 'I want these' section to improve customer service. The research is based on Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd and its strategies to remain competitive. The essay emphasizes that enhancing the overall shopping experience is crucial for the survival of retail outlets in the current market.

0Running head: E-BUSINESS APPLICATIONS
E-BUSINESS APPLICATION
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1Running head: E-BUSINESS APPLICATIONS
Executive Summary
This report deals with the various problems that retail shops are facing because of online
shopping. Experts say unless these shops come up with innovative ideas, it will be a problem for
them to sustain themselves. The essay therefore looks into a few innovations which can be
brought in to enrich the shopping experience for customers.

2Running head: E-BUSINESS APPLICATIONS
Table of Contents
Introduction..........................................................................................................................3
Frictionless Checkout......................................................................................................3
Products coming to buyers...............................................................................................4
A Connected Store...........................................................................................................4
‘ I want these’ section......................................................................................................4
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................5
References............................................................................................................................5

3Running head: E-BUSINESS APPLICATIONS
Introduction
Many believe the future of retail is online and that retail in the form of brick and mortar
shops is dead. Online shopping has boomed without limitations in the last few years and how.
Nowadays more shoppers are taking to online shopping and refusing to go and buy stuff from
retail stores. Perhaps the comfort of sitting at home and getting things delivered is a kind of
luxury in itself. However, there are also experts who believe that retail will survive if they cater
to the needs and demands of customer taste through innovations (Pantano and Pietro 2012). This
essay deals with a few such innovations which can help a retail store survive this online shopping
storm. Our research is based on Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd which is owned by the
Wesfarmers.
Frictionless Checkout
One of the biggest problems in a retail store is that customers have to wait in long queues
after purchases for bills especially in a supermarket like Coles where there are a lot of items to
buy. However, this can be made easy with frictionless Checkout. Here the customer can actually
pay for the things they have brought online through their phones (Pantano and Pietro 2012).
Actually there needs to be an application which shows the products at the store online. This way
there can be hassle free purchases (Miller 2013).
Products coming to buyers
Then the next idea can be of products that come to customers. This is an innovation
which is sure to grow in days to come. Here the store has a website and customers book the
product through it. Now, Coles have already got a website all they now need to do is get the

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bookings online so that customers can drive down to the store and grab hold of the products from
there. In a way it is faster than an online buy as it takes lesser time (Luo, Ba and Zhang 2012).
A Connected Store
Another innovation can be a connected store. This type of a store combines a lot of
technologies. The consumer is supposed to have an application which recognizes him or her as
soon as they walk in through the door via means of a blue tooth. Once activated, the app
recognizes past purchases made by the customer and the things they prefer. Once the customer
starts moving around the store he is notified through messages like how he can buy a certain
mayo sauce which tastes good with the sausages he has brought. Next there can be a smart mirror
placed which shows items from the customers cart and whether they need anything more to go
with those. Suppose a customer has brought a toothbrush and forgot to get a paste the mirror
shows that it too needs to be on the cart. It is up to him or her to select or deselect the item. With
all the right products in the cart the customer can now use her fingerprint for payment via the app
of the store or an e-wallet and leaves the store (Vivek, Beatty and Morgan 2012).
‘ I want these’ section
Next, the store can also have an ‘I want these section’ where customers with the help of a
digital pen can write down the name of the products he could not find but want them in his
shopping bag. A service man can get them if they are available and help him fill the cart.
Conclusion
In this day and age of shopping where online portals have almost thrown retails shops out
of business unless innovative plans like these are made survival for these outlets is difficult. As
many experts are saying it is not about the shopping it is more about the experience of it.

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References
Luo, J., Ba, S. and Zhang, H., 2012. The effectiveness of online shopping characteristics and
well-designed websites on satisfaction.
Miller, D., 2013. A theory of shopping. John Wiley & Sons.
Pantano, E. and Di Pietro, L., 2012. Understanding consumer’s acceptance of technology-based
innovations in retailing. Journal of technology management & innovation, 7(4), pp.1-19.
Vivek, S.D., Beatty, S.E. and Morgan, R.M., 2012. Customer engagement: Exploring customer
relationships beyond purchase. Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, 20(2), pp.122-146.