Best of Beacons this Week: Rite Aid installs beacons

We are back with another power-packed issue of ‘Best of Beacons this Week’ as we celebrate the beginning of 2016. This week we’ve got a great lineup of beacon articles in store, right from news of the large-scale beacon deployment by Rite Aid, to information about a new technology called Li-Fi, and a vital report that suggests the affinity of consumers to shop at retail stores offering in-store mobile technology. So roll up your sleeves, sit back, and check out the stories we have lined up for you this week.

1) Rite Aid deploys proximity beacons in more than 4,500 US stores

Over 4,500 Rite Aid US stores now have proximity beacons in place for retargeting and personalization of user experience. This large scale deployment, undertaken by the Pharmacy chain, is the largest beacon installation program in a retail setting till date, so much so that it has even surpassed that by the famous Macy’s. Rite Aid plans to employ these beacons to focus on three main aspects: creation of a digital infrastructure base that will enable the drug-store chain to link its stores to the Internet of Things (IoT), collection of beacon-level proximity data to strategize their retargeting plan, and achieve personalization capabilities similar to those that have been used in e-commerce. Check out this article on how Rite aid is deploying beacons to learn more.

2) Li-Fi vs iBeacon (BLE) Technology

Of late, Li-Fi has generated a lot of buzz. Particularly, since the time it made its way to live trials based on solutions from the Estonian startup, Velmenni. The company has leveraged this relatively new technology to design a smart lighting solution for commercial and industrial environments. Consequently, experts and businesses are trying to understand how Li-Fi, which is based on VLC (Visible Light Communication) technology, works differently from the other available location-based solutions in the present times. Since most of the information on Li-Fi and the technology involved is scattered all over the internet, there is much ambiguity surrounding its working, usage, and much more. So, we bring you this post on Li-Fi that aims at answering frequently asked questions about this relatively new technology and where it stands against beacons.

3) DKNY serves inclusive experiences on location-based discount app

Retailers DKNY, Lesportsac, and J. Lindberg recently announced their partnership with a new application called Notify Nearby to offer tailored and contextual content such as deals, exclusive products, and behind the scenes access. The app will ping users who happen to be in the vicinity of a retail partner to notify them of current sales and promotions while also sharing app-only offers and early access. Anytime a beacon is detected, the retailer’s pre-configured message is sent to a user in the form of a push notification. A user does not have to open the app to receive notifications. It does not even require the phone to be unlocked to receive the beacon content. To know more, read this article on how retailers used Notify Nearby to their benefit.

4) Will 2016 be the year for local search to become profitable?

With tech giants like Google, Facebook, Apple and Pinterest already busy ramping up the local business directory and online mapping space, year 2016 is poised to see local search take on a greater role in the consumer online journey, according to Mike Fantis, Managing Partner at Make It Rain. He is of the opinion that mobile local search is expected to lead the way with Google turning local search into a new revenue source. He also believes that beacons will finally hit the mainstream this year, as retailers would explore if beacons could become the driving factor behind data-driven marketing. Check out this article to delve into the details of how local search will become profitable in 2016.

5) 66% consumers likely to shop at stores with in-store mobile technology

According to the Retail Mobility Survey Report released by SOTI at National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Annual 2016 Convention & Expo held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, 66% of consumers are more likely to shop at retailers offering in-store mobile technology shopping experiences. This implies that in-store mobile devices are proving to positively impact customer loyalty and satisfaction. A whopping 73% of consumers stated that the availability of in-store mobile technology signaled better customer service and loyalty. Given the inclination of consumers today, there is a visible proliferation in the investment made towards in-store mobile technology in retail. This is clearly evident by the fact that the study reported an 83% increase in consumers who mentioned about in-store mobility technology experiences. Read this article to know more about the information stated in the SOTI report.

Image source: zdnet