{"id":1920,"date":"2020-12-15T13:03:49","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T13:03:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.echolution.com\/?p=1920"},"modified":"2021-03-10T18:58:26","modified_gmt":"2021-03-10T18:58:26","slug":"inflight-retail-recast-for-omnichannel-era","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.echolution.com\/it\/news\/inflight-retail-recast-for-omnichannel-era\/","title":{"rendered":"Inflight retail recast for omnichannel era"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A handful of data-driven partnerships have highlighted renewed interest in travel retail\u2019s inflight channel, as industry stakeholders look to agile new digital retail solutions in a post-Covid economy.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When inflight entertainment services, F&B and duty-free retail combine there are multiple omnichannel opportunities. This is the premise for a new strategic partnership between Boeing Horizon-X invested company,  Immfly <\/strong>and Tourvest Retail Services<\/strong> that have combined the former\u2019s connected cabin digital services and entertainment platform with the latter\u2019s integrated retail technology to provide air and retail operators with new ancillary revenue opportunities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis collaboration demonstrates our platform\u2019s agility to interface with airlines\u2019 key strategic partners, to deliver industry-leading digital services,\u201d says Maria Cardenal, Immfly\u2019s vice-president, Product and Digital Services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tourvest Retail Services CEO Clive Jones said: \u201cBy combining our individual strengths through this strategic partnership, we are able to leverage the synergies created to benefit our customers. This collaboration allows us to integrate our retail value proposition into the on-board digital platforms, enhancing our omnichannel e-commerce journey, whilst maintaining a single, seamless and personalised customer experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tourvest Retail Services Head of Business Development, Strategy & Innovation Michelle Green added: \u201cWe have been developing our digital strategy both for customer facing solutions as well as back office functionality. Our API stack ensures a seamless end-to-end approach that drives customer satisfaction as well as, the integration into the back of house supply chain and waste management elements.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Inflight retail specialist Gategroup<\/strong> has launched Shopamore<\/strong>, an e-commerce operation local to Swedish residents that sells a range of fashion accessories and beauty products and targets customers that would usually be flying in and out of Scandinavia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The online store is an alternative domestic delivery offer for passengers who, pre-pandemic, were regular shoppers via Gategroup\u2019s Holiday Taxfree shopping platform. The company says the shopping platform was devised as a new and creative way to offload some of the duty-free merchandise the retailer is carrying. These products are now available on the Shopamore website, but with direct delivery to customers\u2019 homes and original tax prices further reduced, says the retailer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhile we are all waiting for the return of air travel, Shopamore is a way of keeping customers in touch with one of the fun aspects of travel while bagging a bargain at the same time\u201d, says Director Gateretail Digital and Marketing, Sweden \u00c5sa R\u00e5d Vaher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Singapore Airlines <\/strong>had already shifted its inflight sales to online with the launch of its KrisShop<\/strong> e-commerce partnership [with AOE] in 2019. In spring 2020, the airline suspended circulation of its physical inflight magazine in a bid to stop the spread of Covid infections onboard its flights and instead offered a pre-order to seat delivery service for KrisShop purchases. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPivoting to the \u2018right sales channel\u2019 means we have been able to make the most of the opportunities presented by an omnichannel platform. With everyone on lockdown [in Singapore] online seems to be the only channel that people are looking at. It\u2019s the defacto channel while physical stores are closed; it means the idea of pivoting to ecommerce is even more important for airlines,\u201d says KrisShop CEO Chris Pok, talking during an interview in May. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPivoting to the \u2018right sales channel\u2019 means we have been able to make the most of the opportunities presented by an omnichannel platform. With everyone on lockdown [in Singapore] online seems to be the only channel that people are looking at. It\u2019s the defacto channel while physical stores are closed; it means the idea of pivoting to ecommerce is even more important for airlines,\u201d says KrisShop CEO Chris Pok, talking during an interview in May. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For its latest December promotion, KrisShop has launched a Gift of Christmas campaign<\/a> that offers a digital advent calendar with daily deals and promo-codes available to unlock via mini games on the platform\u2019s social media channels. It also partnered with brands such as Banyan Tree, Lego, Sulwhasoo and technology names for surprise vouchers and miles redemption deals. KrisShop is offering home delivery for its Singapore-based customers.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n