User experience 'key to retail'

Technology and outsourcing consultancy Capgemini has asserted that the online user experience will become increasingly important to the success of the nation's retail sector.

Speaking at the Technology for Marketing & Advertising Manchester event, Windahl Finnigan, head of user experience at the firm, claimed that in the past, driving visibility through content has been given precedence in all sectors.

However, she underlined the fact that this may not necessarily be well suited to retail, as it might not translate into a well-integrated experience for individuals.

She explained that ease of making a purchase should be given priority over all other considerations.

Indeed, anything that makes a positive contribution to retail growth will be welcome, as the latest High Street Sales Tracker from BDO indicates sales across all medium-sized chains fell by 0.8 per cent in April.

"I think we're going to start to see more user experience people at the VP (vice-president) level, even within retail companies that [will be] championing the customer experience across all the channels," Ms Finnigan remarked.