Argos and Google have recently formed a partnership to introduce a voice shop service for the UK-based retailer. This partnership makes Argos the first UK-based brand to offer this service and allows users to select from up to 20,000 products from the Argos catalog. The Argos voice shop will also help users identify the nearest store on both Google Home speakers or Google Assistant on smartphones.
Unlike other voice assisted retail offerings, Argos' voice shop doesn't deliver items to a user after they make an order. Instead, Argos' voice shop reserves the requested item at the nearest store and will give the user two days to collect and pay for their order. By requiring users to physically pick-up their items, Argos is ensuring the survival of its brick and mortar locations.
Voice Reservation Retail
Argos' Voice Shop Let's Users Reserve Items for Physical Pick Up
Trend Themes
1. Voice-assisted Retail - Other brands could introduce voice-assisted shopping services, expanding the trend.
2. In-store Pick-up - Retailers could offer reservations for in-store pick-up to incentivize customers to visit their brick-and-mortar locations.
3. Partnerships - Other retailers could form partnerships with technology companies to offer similar services and stay ahead of trends.
Industry Implications
1. Retail - Current and future retailers alike could adopt voice-assisted shopping services to innovate and improve the customer's experience.
2. Technology - Technology companies have an opportunity to partner with retailers to introduce and implement new voice-assisted shopping services.
3. Logistics - Logistics companies could provide solutions to manage in-store pick-up reservations and optimize the process for retailers and customers alike.