The future of shopping

By Alejandra Leon

Retail therapy is a common getaway after a hectic day at work. And while many consumers love the experience of shopping, time is limited. There are only so many minutes to go to a store, find items you like and perhaps wait for a dressing room to then try endless clothing options on. After a while, it can cause more stress than relief.

Wouldn’t it be great to get the benefits of shopping without the hassle? Cisco Systems has been working on a solution for this problem through the new Cisco Integrated Services Router Generation 2 (ISR G2).

The technology delivers a new borderless workspace experience through service virtualization and video-ready capabilities. This means that consumers will now be able to interact with video and audio in real time and have digital payment options.

What does this mean for the shopping world? In the near future, consumers won’t have to spend time in the fitting rooms struggling with different sizes and colors. Even paying for items will take only a scan of a credit card and a digital signature.

What does this mean for marketing?

As shown in the video, a more custom made, targeted approach to reaching consumers is well underway. The implications and possibilities of this technology will help pave the way for customer centric marketing approaches that will help break through the advertising clutter by offering relevant, timely information for the consumer.

Already, smart phone applications such as MasterCard's “priceless picks” are interacting with customers by using their locations to provide customized information on relevant places such as restaurants and shops in the area that others have preferred.

These are only a few examples of how technology is impacting the interaction between businesses and consumers. With innovative technology, marketing implications become limitless.

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Alejandra Leon is a blogger at Vitamin IMC and a student in the Masters in Integrated Marketing Communications program at Northwestern University's Medill School. She is afraid Cisco's technology will turn her into a true shopoholic. She can be reached at alejandraleon2010@u.northwestern.edu