Last week, online retail giant, Amazon, wowed the internet community when they released this preview of their new shopping innovation, Amazon Go.
The concept is a “Just Walk Out” shopping model that allows customers to buy what they need without having to stand in a checkout line.
The news filtered through most major news outlets, all with the collective opinion that Amazon was changing retail stores as we know them today. While the technology can be complicated, most critics agree that customer demand for this type of shopping experience will rise.
But why does this shake-up in the retail space also important for hotels?
As with most of the previous mega-trends we’ve already experienced (mobile apps, free wifi, one-click booking) the concepts usually start in the retail space and expand into hospitality and other industries. While the transition of these technologies from retail to the hotel industry may still be a few years off, there are still some key values hotels can take away in order to better understand the evolving needs of hotel guests.
Amazon originally changed the retail shopping game when it introduced new, more convenient ways to shop. Fast shipping, one-click purchasing, and membership accounts skyrocketed their business over the last several years.
Over the years, they learned that customer convenience is the ultimate way to influence purchase behavior and increase revenues. Now, with Amazon Go, the ease of online shopping is paired with the in-store grocery shopping experience, providing an unprecedented level of convenience for their target consumers.
Implementing a strategy with convenience at the helm similarly benefits hotels looking to increase ancillary revenues. Begin by identifying and removing obstacles during each stage of a the buying cycle.
In the discovery phase, ensure guests know about the services available by using effective forms of marketing.
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