El ‘Internet of Light’ helps build customer loyalty in the retail sector

Using the 'Internet of Light', E.Leclerc, with the help of ZGS, has designed a modern and interactive hypermarket in Langon. In this, a pilot project has been implemented that allows us to offer new shopping experiences and interact with customers..

Zumtobel Group Services (ZGS) has supported the retailer E.Leclerc to digitize its hypermarket located in the French city of Langon. And it has done so by launching a pilot project that uses lighting and the Internet of Things (Internet of Things – IoT) to create new shopping experiences and interact with customers.

This initiative has increased sales and provided new knowledge on the use of the “Internet of Light” (Internet of Light) and how it influences customer loyalty in the retail sector.

The objective was to create a higher level of interaction with customers and offer new shopping experiences based on the lighting infrastructure in the hypermarket., while boosting sales. “With ZGS experience and connected lighting, we were able to design a modern and interactive shopping center in Langon, a place where our customers can experience a completely new way of shopping”, explains Alain Lafforgue, CEO of E.Leclerc Langon.

In the first stage of the pilot project, ZGS installed Bluetooth beacons into existing Zumtobel Tecton Led luminaires to create digital, connected lighting throughout the store. The beacons, which do not take up additional space or require a separate power supply, establish a connection with customers and communicate with them while they shop, via a smartphone application.

This app allows customers to be informed of specific offers in real time when they move to a certain area of ​​the store. “This new type of marketing is tied to the shopper's location and forms the basis for completely new customer experiences.. The direct interaction, with a specific focus, increased sales figures, the number of visits in the store and the average basket size”, confirmed Tariq Hussain, Director of Strategic Alliances at Zumtobel Group.

After this first testing phase, E.Leclerc Langon and ZGS analyzed the purchasing behavior of users who used the app with those who did not use it. The information obtained from the former showed that push messages (proximity marketing) on selected products significantly increased sales.

“Lighting is the ideal infrastructure for IoT applications. In this pilot project, We install a lighting system with integrated beacons and a location platform, and we link it to the E.Leclerc customer loyalty program. This way, we were able to help increase customer awareness and better respond to their needs “, comments Stephane Vasse, director de IoT Business Development.

The Internet of Light has allowed E.Leclerc Langon to improve communication with its customers when it comes to searching for certain products. The store can use this interaction to request feedback on the performance of the store, like empty shelves. Customers can also provide additional feedback about their shopping experience through the app..

“Thanks to this virtual interaction, we are getting to know our customers and learning more about their needs. With this knowledge, we can increase satisfaction levels and generate greater customer loyalty “, Alain Lafforgue clarifies.