The on-line and off-line are merged in the on-life experience (a contraction of “on-line” and “off-line”, coined by philosopher Luciano Floridi in The Onlife Manifesto: Being Human in a Hyperconnected Era)

The first months of this (very) strange 2020 - with its confinement and subsequent feeling of being suspended - have seen a sharp increase in on-line shopping. According to data from Netcomm, there are now 1.3 million new digital consumers, a figure that confirms a decisive - and fitting - acceleration of a process in existence for some time already. This real evolutionary leap is not only a sign of momentous change but also highlights the position of e-commerce as a business development strategy, as well as a cue for reflection on the role of the store and the customer experience.

“Only in-store does the customer use their senses, something the digital relationship cannot give you”, attests Francesca Zorzetto, journalist, blogger, coordinator of the Visual Merchandising Specialisation Course at the IED in Venice, and Training & Knowledge Senior Consultant at the Retail Institute, Italy, an association that has been promoting sales point culture with events, training and networking for 25 years.

“The digital world is one in which brands and retailers communicate, build relationships with the consumers and intercept new desires and targets. It is not just used for selling, but also for telling a unique story in a different way, as well as to maintain relations with the customers.” A concept dear to the professional who, in collaboration with Casastile, guides the HOMI workshops on the subject of retail, the latest of which took place in January with the title In the mind of the customer. For a new marketing of emotions: tools that create sales experiences.

The problem for many independent stores, often managed by generations of one single family, has to do with an underestimation of marketing initiatives. The solution, according to Francesca Zorzetto, can be found in cooperative action between retailers. This does not mean collaborating with your competitors but sharing experiences and know-how, particularly now that we are rediscovering the importance of the local store. The advantages for these small businesses include lesser logistics and warehousing requirements and the ability, if well exploited, to maintain relations with customers with targeted social actions and partnerships with other already existing businesses in the area. “We have rediscovered the neighbourhood store and many opportunities are opening up. People have rediscovered the home world: the sector continues to hang in there! The home is experienced as an asset and we once again want to socialise with friends and relatives within the four walls of the home. We need to take advantage of this moment but we cannot do that if the store remains as it was before!” But, Zorzetto warns “the institutions and relevant bodies also have a commitment to encourage cooperation between brands”. 

Interaction between the soft and hard, the real and virtual can lead to demand on the part of the consumers who navigate between the practicality of the digital and the sensory experience of the physical store.