Modern Tools in Fashion Retailing and Consumer Perspective
摘要
Modern technology driven by the advancements of data science technologies reshaped the fashion retail business through the integration of the modern tools at the customer touchpoint in smart stores. This chapter examines modern tools and technology in smart fashion stores from retailers and consumers perspectives. In the first section, data science-based modern technology (artificial intelligence, computer vision, big data analytics, the internet of things, and robotics) is introduced with its potential use in smart retailing. The modern tools (such as personal recommendation systems, chatbots, smart mirrors, virtual try-ons, and novel payment methods) and technology are then detailed with specific examples and cases from the fashion industry, concentrating on the benefits of modern tools in the improvement of retail operations, service quality, mass customization, and consumer experience. A special emphasis is given to virtual reality and augmented reality applications because of their broader applications and specific use for fashion marketing and selling. In the third section, the consumer’s approach to these tools in both smart and fashion retailing is presented with the details about the motivations, expectations, and consumer characteristics and the summary of some practical implications for practitioners. In the last section of the chapter, the findings of an empirical study whose aim is to analyze the service quality perception of both modern tools (including smart assistants and virtual try-ons) and traditional tools (servicescape in mobile shopping) in the enhancement of store atmospherics and experience in mobile fashion shopping applications are given. Using a combined model of the SOR algorithm and the UTAUT model, the results of the study are evaluated according to different sociodemographic characteristics such as gender, age, nationality, and the experience level of the consumers and used to give some practical advice for the practitioners.