The holiday shopping season is almost upon us once again. With millions of dollars up for grabs in the tech field alone, retailers should keep a close eye on developing trends and hot products for this peak shopping period.

The following five trends in the retail PC device and technologies industry will be key to the success of brick-and-mortar stores this holiday season.

1. Shop Online, Pick Up in Store

Optimizing sales strategies to encompass the new two-tiered approach used by many customers can pay off in increased sales and enhanced loyalty to your retail stores. Surveys have shown that more than 82 percent of customers prefer the brick-and-mortar shopping experience¹ over an online-only transaction.

Retail managers can enhance the process for these customers in a number of ways:

• Provide accurate information consistent with that available online
• Offer personal assistance via a well-trained and professional sales team
• Honor online pricing for in-store items
• Deliver value-added recommendations for cables, storage solutions, 3D printers, and other peripheral items

By optimizing the transition between Internet shopping and in-store specials, you can deliver a seamless experience that will increase sales throughout the holiday season.

2. Expanded Gift Card Options

As devices and technologies continue to diversify, finding the perfect gift for tech-savvy friends and family members can present new challenges. Gift card purchases provide greater flexibility for customers while ensuring added sales after the gift-giving season is over.

These options also allow greater control over spending for shoppers on a strict or limited budget. According to the June 2016 Epsilon* Holiday Shopper Survey, 72 percent of respondents indicated that they had already purchased or planned to purchase gift cards this year, making these convenience items a valuable addition to your store inventory.

3. Wearables on the Rise

Wearable technologies will continue to be a hot topic in the tech world this holiday season. Preparing your sales staff to provide accurate and detailed information about these rapidly changing devices can ensure that customers choose the right ones for their needs.

It's important that sales associates have adequate product and sales training in order to provide the most useful and relevant guidance for your customers. This establishes your retail location as an authoritative source for up-to-date information on the latest in wearable and portable personal devices and technologies.

4. Augmented and Virtual Reality

With the stunning success of games like Pokémon Go*, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) applications are expected to continue to dominate certain areas of the gaming world.

VR devices replace the real world with an artificial construct complete with visual cues and sounds. These devices typically include headsets and earphones that shut out most of the real world to allow a truly immersive experience for users.

AR is less immersive and simply adds items to the real world surroundings as experienced through smartphones and portable devices. Pokémon Go* is still the leading entry in this category; however, other games and applications are likely to follow in its footsteps to capture public attention.

Providing customers with the right portable devices to take advantage of these new apps can ensure that your retail store gets its fair share of this emerging market.

Check out this Pokémon Go* video to get a feel for augmented reality:

Managing inventory to ensure ample supplies of VR and AR-ready devices can help you boost sales of these items during the upcoming holiday season.

Intel recently unveiled Project Alloy, which blends AR and VR technologies to create Merged Reality (MR). Using Intel® RealSense™ technology, users will enjoy reality experiences like never before. Learn more about Project Alloy by clicking here.

5. Robots and Drones

Recent developments in drones and robotics have led to an increased interest in these types of devices. Intel offers a range of affordably priced components and processors designed specifically to suit the needs of beginning designers who want to make their own robot or drone.

These items are especially appropriate for students exploring the Internet of Things (IoT) and the ways in which devices can be controlled remotely. By steering customers toward these affordable processors and communication devices, you can develop a reputation as a leading source for robotics and drone components and devices in your area.

The right sales associate product training ensures the greatest profitability for your retail stores this holiday season. In fact, one study indicated 83% of respondents stated an exceptional salesperson gives retailers a big advantage².

The Intel® Retail Edge Program offers cutting-edge information and training for your sales associates. This can help you create a motivated and informed sales team that will impress your customers and achieve greater success during the highly-competitive time of holiday sales and promotions.

This is an edited verison of an article that first appeared on LinkedIn*. To view the original article, click here.

 

References:

*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

© 2016, Intel Corporation. All rights reserved. Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Core, and Thunderbolt are trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the U.S. and/or other countries.

¹2016 NRF Retail Holiday Planning Playbook, June2016

²LoyaltyOne 2015 Online Holiday Shopping 

Holiday in July 2016 Seasonal Whitepaper (http://bit.ly/2c8n26A)