Retail Label Segmentation for Showrooming Prevention
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The current labelling methods in retail environments allow customers to identify specific attributes of articles, enabling them to potentially purchase items elsewhere at a lower cost, known as showrooming, which negatively impacts conventional retailers by reducing sales and threatening their business model and employment.
Innovation Solution
A label design with a visible region for general information and a concealed region for specific attributes, using a re-attachable adhesive, allowing the retailer to access and conceal information about the article's colour, shade, and design, while maintaining a single label for logistical purposes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If all product information is displayed on the label, then customers can easily identify article attributes, but customers can access specific product information during browsing and engage in showrooming
Solution Approach 1:
The label is divided into a first region for general information and a second region for specific attributes. The second region is concealed when the label is affixed to the article, preventing customers from accessing specific product information during browsing while still allowing retailers to identify articles accurately.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the label have different visibility properties. The first region displays information visible to customers, while the second region contains specific attributes that are concealed from customers but accessible to retailers, creating localized information quality differences.
2Device complexity
If a single label is used for all information, then logistical processes are simplified, but customers can access specific product information and compare prices online
Solution Approach 1:
The single label is segmented into functional regions with different visibility characteristics, allowing it to serve dual purposes: simplifying logistics while preventing customer access to specific product information that could lead to showrooming.
Solution Approach 2:
The concealed second region acts as an intermediary that allows retailers to access specific product information through controlled means (detaching the label) while preventing direct customer access, thus mediating between logistical simplicity and sales protection.
3Loss of information
If the label is permanently affixed to the article, then information security is improved, but retailers cannot access specific attributes for ordering purposes
Solution Approach 1:
The label's attachment state is made dynamic rather than fixed. The label can be affixed to conceal specific attributes from customers, yet detached when retailers need to access this information for ordering, providing flexible information control based on user role.
Solution Approach 2:
The label serves as an intermediary that can switch between concealed and accessible states. When affixed, it secures information from customer view; when detached, it provides retailers with access to specific attributes needed for accurate ordering.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution prevents customers from accessing specific product information during browsing, reducing showrooming risks and ensuring retailers can accurately order and deliver the chosen items while maintaining all necessary information on a single label.
Implementation Method 1
the attachment means is an adhesive
Implementation Method 2
the adhesive is pressure activated
Implementation Method 3
the adhesive is heat activated
Data Source
AI summary
A label for an article, the label comprising a first region suitable to display information and a second region comprising attachment means, and an area devoid of attachment means. The label is characterised in that the first 5 region is visible when the label is affixed to the article, and the second region is concealed when the label is affixed to the article.