SavanteCommerceCongress:VirtualWonderlandPanel

Is there a virtual wonderland and how does it shape future consumer experiences in retail and e-commerce? At the Savant eCommerce Congress in Berlin, we discussed these topics with around 150 management and technology experts from international brands and retailers. Moderated by Tobias Soffner, Executive Producer at Demodern, the panel was introduced by Philipp Haas, the former COO of MediaSaturn. The experts were Lars Wagner, CMO and board member at Playmobil, and Christopher Riedel, Deputy Web & Digital Manager at IKEA Germany.

Demodern consistently emphasizes the joy of using design and creative technologies as a guiding principle - Tobi, Lars, and Chris highlight that beautiful and positive experiences with a sense of playfulness help reach consumers. Especially in an attention-driven economy, where customers are bombarded from all directions and retailers increasingly differentiate themselves from marketplaces and other competitors, the focus on innovation and engagement was clearly emphasized in the panel: building and maintaining customer loyalty and strengthening brand awareness with creative experiences that reach people's hearts and minds. Chris and Lars presented use cases and projects where Virtual and Augmented Reality are being tested in the sales funnel. The panel unanimously agreed that the old, linear sales model is being reshaped by technologies that penetrate the customer experience and KPIs that measure immersive applications and combine brand and customer experience - with the brand taking center stage.

Finally, all three agreed that there is no rabbit hole in the virtual wonderland - but rather ever-emerging processes of change and opportunities to test, learn, and advance retail experiences - a joyful and privileged working life.

Demodern was happy to moderate the panel. Our thanks go to Philipp, Lars, Chris, and the Savant team! See you in the ever-changing wonderland.