Not Every Innovation is Right for You

Have you heard of Amazon’s “Just Walk Out” technology? Customers simply “login” (via phone scan in this case) when they enter the store, then grab what they want and digitally “checkout” by simply leaving the store. 

It’s been the utopian dream of big box retail since the early aughts: No more cash registers. No more angry customers standing in line. The true definition of frictionless retail. Plus think of all the data!

Forbes went so far as to declare Just Walk Out (JWO) the Greatest Retail Innovation of the Next 30 Years. That might be true. But that doesn’t automatically mean it’s right for your brand.

Innovation is important, but chasing the latest technology isn’t guaranteed to bring you success. So where should your next big idea some from instead?

Begin by evaluating what your customers want from you. Not what consumers in general want from shopping in general, but what the real people who shop in your physical stores want from your brand, specifically. 

Understanding what your customers value about your brand allows you to generate new ideas differently. Rather than starting from the premise that you need to find ways to use new technology, you can start from the unique benefit you deliver and generate ideas that help you do more of that. 

By asking the right questions, you are more than likely to find out that something more than convenience compels people to walk through your doors. It could be the outstanding service your staff provides. It could be the way consumers feel when they visit your store. Whatever it is, it’s your unique advantage and it can provide a framework for strategic innovation.