Saturn debuts interactive video consulting in its online shop
- Live sales advice on TVs, projectors and large home appliances
- Partnership with HP in the field of computers, laptops and printers
- Saturn launches immersive video advice to expand its service and omnichannel offering for its customers
Ingolstadt, 25.04.2019: Customers visiting Saturn’s online shop can now also seek advice from Saturn’s in-store sales assistants. This is made possible by Saturn’s new interactive video-based advisory service. For this pilot project, online customers can ask experts in a number of Saturn stores specific questions about TVs, projectors and large home appliances. The first partner Saturn is collaborating with in this immersive service is HP, the well-known manufacturer of computers, laptops and printers. In-store employees equipped with a mobile camera escort online customers to products. The shop assistants discuss items’ specifications and can even demonstrate them online. And if a customer wants to buy a product, the assistant can also take their order straightaway. This is Saturn’s latest move to network its online offering even more closely with its bricks-and-mortar stores as part of its omnichannel strategy.
Online shopping has plenty of advantages. It’s fast, can be done at any time and in any place, and the selection of products is huge. However, one thing it lacks is that personal touch with expert advice from trained shop assistants. But now, Saturn has become the first consumer electronics retailer in Germany to close this gap. For in addition to seeking advice online using the chat function (a service which has long been available), customers at saturn.de can now also have products of their choice shown and explained to them live in-store via a mobile camera. Experienced shop assistants in selected Saturn stores and also experts from HP assist customers by taking them on an interactive tour and helping them to make informed purchasing decisions. The technical platform for this system of video consulting has been developed by UK company Go Instore.
“Together with our new live video advisors from our stores, we’re expanding yet again our omnichannel and service strategy and opening up new opportunities for online commerce. As offline and online continue to merge, our customers benefit from an expanded and even more qualified range of advisory services in the online shop,” explains Markus Heuser, managing director of Saturn Online GmbH.
“The idea of video consulting is innovative and focuses on the customer. It’s a perfect match for HP,” says Petra Walser, HP Consumer Channel Director Germany & Austria. “We develop our products tailored to the needs of the customer. It’s therefore important to implement new advisory requirements in a project like this. We’re really looking forward to what our customers have to say about it!”
How video consulting works
All customers need for video-based consulting is a PC, a laptop, tablet or smartphone. When they visit one of the following departments in the Saturn online shop – TVs, projectors, home appliances, smart home, or computers, laptops and printers – and a member of staff is currently available for this live service, they automatically receive an invitation to a video sales talk. The customer clicks to confirm and then simply has to switch on their microphone in order to start. If the customer decides to go ahead and buy the product once the consultation is over, the member of staff can place an order for them in the online shop. Payment takes place by invoice, prepayment or Saturn gift card – or alternatively, the customer can collect the item from any branch of Saturn and pay for it at the same time.
Video shop assistants providing this innovative service are available at Saturn stores during regular opening hours from 10am to 8pm, Monday to Saturday.
Further information on video consulting is available here.
