Retail Technology Glossary

Welcome to the Stylitics Retail Tech Glossary – a comprehensive guide to the language of retail innovation.

In the ever-changing world of retail, keeping up with the latest terminology is essential to staying ahead. That’s why we’ve created this comprehensive retail technology guide, covering all the trending retail terms you need to know.

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There are currently 4 terms in this directory beginning with the letter S.

Searchandising


Searchandising is a term that combines the words "search"""" and """"merchandising"""" and refers to the practice of optimizing the search functionality and results within an e-commerce platform to enhance the overall shopping experience and drive sales. It involves strategically curating and organizing search results to ensure that relevant and desirable products are prominently displayed when customers conduct searches on the website or app. Searchandising encompasses techniques such as autocomplete suggestions"

Shopper’s Journey


The shopper's journey refers to the process or path that a consumer goes through when making a purchase decision. It encompasses the series of steps, experiences, and touchpoints a shopper encounters from the initial awareness of a product or brand to the final purchase and post-purchase evaluation. The shopper's journey typically consists of several stages, including awareness, consideration, evaluation, purchase, and post-purchase. During the awareness stage, shoppers become aware of a need or desire for a particular product or solution. In the consideration stage, they research and explore various options, comparing features, prices, and reviews. The evaluation stage involves making a decision and selecting a specific product or brand. The purchase stage involves the actual transaction and acquisition of the chosen product. Finally, the post-purchase stage involves the customer's evaluation of their purchase experience, usage of the product, and potential feedback or recommendations. The shopper's journey is influenced by various factors such as personal preferences, marketing messages, word-of-mouth, online reviews, and overall customer experience. 

Understanding and optimizing the shopper's journey is crucial for businesses as it helps them tailor their marketing efforts, improve customer engagement, and provide a seamless and satisfying shopping experience at each stage of the journey.

Showrooming


Showrooming refers to the consumer behavior of visiting a physical retail store to examine or try out products in person but then making the actual purchase online, often at a lower price. It involves customers using the brick-and-mortar store as a showroom to evaluate the product's features, quality, or fit, and then using their mobile devices or other online platforms to search for better deals, read reviews, or make the final purchase online. Showrooming has become more prevalent with the rise of e-commerce and mobile technology, as it allows shoppers to compare prices and access a wider range of options without the immediate pressure of making a purchase in-store. While showrooming can be advantageous for consumers seeking competitive prices and convenience, it presents challenges for physical retailers who may experience reduced in-store sales and must adapt their strategies to compete with online retailers. 

Retailers may employ strategies like price matching, offering exclusive in-store promotions, providing exceptional customer service, or integrating online and offline channels to combat showrooming and encourage in-store purchases.

Social Commerce


Social commerce refers to the merging of social media and e-commerce, where social media platforms are utilized as channels for conducting online commercial activities. It involves leveraging social media networks to facilitate product discovery, promotion, and purchasing directly within the social media environment. Social commerce enables businesses to engage with customers, build brand awareness, and drive sales through interactive and personalized experiences. It may include features such as shoppable posts, live shopping events, user-generated content, social recommendations, and social sharing of products. Social commerce harnesses the power of social networks and the influence of social connections to facilitate product recommendations, customer reviews, and seamless transactions. By integrating social elements into the shopping experience, businesses can tap into the social nature of online interactions, create a sense of community, and leverage the trust and influence of social connections to drive customer engagement and conversions. 

Social commerce represents a growing trend in the retail industry as social media platforms continue to evolve into influential marketplaces, blurring the lines between social networking and online shopping.

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