TECHNOLOGY
Merged Mojix and CXignited Hope to Digitize Stores
Bricks-and-mortar stores can gain the same technology advantages as e-commerce. They just have to use more RFID, or radio frequency identification technology, said Dan Doles, president and chief executive of Los Angeles–headquartered tech company Mojix.
With RFID and tools that build omni-channel shopping, stores will have more opportunities to become increasingly tech-enabled, giving them added opportunities to use the same tools that e-commerce stores employ to make that targeted sales pitch, Doles said.
Mojix makes RFID hardware such as RFID readers, antennae and a software platform to analyze RFID information.
Mojix made news recently when it announced a merger with CXignited, a Paris-headquartered company that makes the ShopCX Cloud platform. It also uses RFID, the Internet and location positioning systems to build omni-channel shopping platforms.
Solutions include a smart mirror for trying on clothes. The RFID-enabled mirror is able to glean information about shoppers and recommend other outfits to try on. It also can inform shoppers about deals and sales. With added information, stores can e-mail shoppers about sales and tailor promotions for them.
RFID can also be placed in fixtures like hangers as well as hangtags on clothes. For shoppers concerned about privacy, RFID chips are typically torn off and disposed of after the sale.
The merged companies will operate under the Mojix name and be led by Doles. CXignited Chief Executive Alain Fanet will become the chief strategy officer of the combined entity.
“Our unified strengths help retailers and brands transform the way they connect with their customers and a new generation of shoppers,” Doles said. “The joint solution allows us to digitize the entire supply chain from manufacturer to consumer.”
Bill McBeath, chief research officer at ChainLink Research, said RFID is becoming part of mainstream retailing for apparel and footwear. Now retailers are eying how to get to the next level, beyond simple inventory accuracy.
Leslie Hand of the market-research group IDC Retail Insights said that retailers are tailoring the possibilities of RFID to their needs. “[RFID’s] inventory visibility also reduces loss and improves processes of identifying and preventing loss threats. But other retailers are focused more on the immersive customer experience and the fitting-room experience or getting more information from the sales floor,” Hand said. “The switch that has gone off in retail minds is that they don’t have to implement everything all at once. They can identify the use case that is most valuable to them—implement just a piece—and still achieve ROI in a short period of time.”
