Google Cloud

Leveraging geospatial data to bring more local customers to stores

RetailTune helps brands connect with local customers by delivering highly personalized online and offline shopping experiences using geolocation technology on Google Maps Platform.

Can you remember the last time you bought something in a physical store? While it may not always be your first choice anymore, thanks to the convenience of being able to click, tap, or swipe your way to a quick and easy online purchase, physical stores still play an important role in the shopping experience. Heading down to your favorite store means you can see and touch items in real life, get in-person advice from sales people, and walk away with your purchase immediately, advantages that many shoppers appreciate. It’s clear that online and in-store shopping both have their benefits, and consumers want the ability to choose between the two.

Claudio Agazzi, Founder and Managing Director of Retail Tune, believes that the future of retail will comprise integrated shopping experiences that take place both online and offline. The Italian startup integrates with Google Maps Platform to help retail brands provide local shoppers with accurate and up-to-date store and product information, personalized suggestions, and directions to their nearest and most convenient store via Google Maps Platform. This enables RetailTune to help answer one of the biggest questions faced in today’s competitive marketplace: how can retailers and their products easily be found by shoppers?

Helping retail brands create meaningful experiences in-store and offline

When he founded RetailTune in 2017, Claudio found that many retailers were unaware of the possibilities of connecting with nearby shoppers through geolocation. “When we first started out, I was amazed at how little companies were focusing on ‘drive-to-store’, or customer visits to their physical locations,” Claudio says. “They were missing out on huge opportunities to make sales and connect with local customers, what we call ‘local digital marketing’. There’s a lot of talk about ecommerce in the retail industry today, but the truth is only 14% of purchases take place online.”

RetailTune created a set of tools that give retailers a 360° overview of their locations’ online presence and provide insights into local customer tastes and behavior. In Claudio’s opinion, customers still have a strong emotional connection to physical stores. “According to our data, around 40% of Italian customers will browse and pay for a purchase online, then go and pick it up from a store,” he says. “Say a customer is looking for a new handbag. They go to their favorite brand’s website, click on ‘bags’, and scroll through the ones they like. With RetailTune, companies can show shoppers nearby stores that have those exact bags in stock, tell them how to get there, and add a personalized offer to sweeten the deal.”

RetailTune integrates with Google Business Profile to enable retailers to quickly and easily update important information such as their opening hours. This was especially useful during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many stores had to change their opening information at a moment’s notice. It also helps businesses keep tabs on customer reviews.