Dufry Store Assistant

Dufry Enhances Duty-Free Shopping with Endless Aisles

Background

Dufry, a global leader in travel retail, operates duty-free stores across international airports, offering travelers a wide range of luxury goods and essentials. Despite the vast selection of products, Dufry faced the challenge of engaging passengers who, after passing through security, often hurried directly to their departure gates, bypassing retail opportunities.

Challenge

The primary challenge for Dufry was to capture the attention of travelers and encourage them to spend time exploring the store offerings instead of immediately proceeding to their gates. The goal was to transform the post-security flow of passengers into an opportunity for increased retail engagement and sales.

Solution

Dufry collaborated with technology providers to deploy an innovative Endless Aisle solution across its duty-free stores worldwide. The system featured interactive screens equipped with cameras capable of detecting the presence of a face, initiating a conversation with customers. This digital engagement tool was strategically placed just beyond security checkpoints to maximize visibility and interaction.

Key Components of the Solution:

• Interactive Engagement: Upon detecting a customer, the screen would greet them and offer to scan their boarding pass. This served as the primary call to action, leveraging the immediate need of travelers to locate their gates.
• Personalized Information: After scanning the boarding pass, the system provided personalized information, including the gate number, walking time to the gate, and crucially, "how much time they have left to shop" before needing to head to the departure gate. This clever rephrasing encouraged travelers to consider spending part of this time exploring the store.
• Guided Selling Assistant: The endless aisle system included an interactive assistant that helped customers find products such as whisky, perfume, and gifts, further engaging them and facilitating product discovery.

Outcome

The deployment of the Endless Aisle solution led to a significant increase in dwell time within Dufry's duty-free stores. Key outcomes included:

• Increased Customer Engagement: The interactive screens successfully captured the attention of travelers, enticing them to engage with the system and, by extension, the store.
• Enhanced Shopping Experience: By providing personalized flight and gate information, the system reduced travel anxiety, giving customers the confidence to explore the store without fear of missing their flight.
• Boosted Sales: The increased dwell time resulted in higher sales, as travelers discovered and purchased products they might have otherwise bypassed.
• Positive Customer Feedback: Travelers appreciated the innovative blend of service and retail, highlighting the convenience and added value of the personalized shopping assistant and flight information.

Conclusion

Dufry's strategic implementation of Endless Aisles in its duty-free stores exemplifies how digital innovation can transform the retail experience in travel environments. By engaging travelers with personalized, interactive content at a critical juncture in their journey, Dufry not only enhanced the shopping experience but also achieved tangible increases in store engagement and sales. This case study demonstrates the potential of digital solutions to redefine retail strategies and customer interactions in the fast-paced world of airport travel.