Destination shopping is about connecting social media, having interactive displays and the highest levels of customer service.
All of this relies on super-fast internet connections and a stable network.
But that’s where Draytek can help.
Draytek’s range of routers, access points and other equipment helps make your store a place to be, while also keeping your network secure.
Why Is High-Tech Shopping Important?
The call for high-tech shopping didn’t come from nowhere.
Internet has usurped the traditional shopping experience. Online shopping is quick, convenient, and often cheaper.
But online shopping isn’t personal. You can have every trick that the marketing world has to offer, but nothing drives up sales like a talented sales assistant on a shop floor.
It’s why places like Harrods and Selfridges continue to survive.
If you’ve ever taken your children to Hamley’s flagship shop or any Disney Store you can see the magic in their eyes as they step through the door. Browsing online doesn’t have the same feeling.
And it probably never will.
Winning footfall into a store usually leads to an impulse buy. Giving your customers that magical feeling is always going to win.
But, there is another layer to this.
Women are responsible for 85 per cent of purchasing decisions in the UK. Going after what makes them tick is important. Women are more likely to be active on social media, and more likely to share their experiences online. Building WiFi into their store experience will help your customers make the most of their day.
And, with the growing number of Digital Natives beginning to make their mark on the world, blending offline and online experiences is going to be vital to any company’s survival.
High-Tech Shopping Helps Employees Too
Adding high-tech shopping into stores can make it far easier for staff too.
Staff can check stock levels in real-time, and receive alerts when areas are running low on stock. Staff can also quickly respond to customer queries without needed to find the product in the store, or can explain complex features with a quick search of the shop CMS.
Most of this can be done from a phone or tablet connecting to the network.
So, What Does A High-Street Store Need?
Fast internet and WiFi connections are going to be vital. Ensuring that routers, access points and connections can cope with the amount of information is going to be the forefront of your network design.
You’re probably going to have the following connected to your network:
- Payment terminals
- Staff computers
- Guest networks
- IP cameras
- Telephones and headsets
- NAS drives
- Screens and Displays
- Music Systems
On top of that, networks may need to handle guest network connections, with all the added stuff that Marketing want to add for store customers.
And that is a lot for most store networks.
Many networks are set up when the store first opened, which could be decades ago. Outdated networks lead to security flaws, lag and downtime.
Building Your Store Network
Every store space is going to be different. Every shopping centre or unit comes with its own set of rules, regulations and building materials. Which means a single brand may have a slightly different setup in every store.
But there are a few similarities with every store.
- A secure router
- Fast access points
- Powerful PoE switches
- Quality VoIP technology
Store employees spend their time dashing around and rarely stay in one location, meaning that having a seamless WiFi experience is going to be necessary.
But with all this technology, having a security system is going to be vital. Security needs to be built into every aspect.
Enter Draytek
Draytek’s range of network equipment is perfect for retailers looking for a robust “Do Everything” network.
Although best known for dominating the router industry, Draytek have also thrown their expertise into access points, switches, phones and more.
Every product is packed with an abundance of features aimed to help you get the best out of your network.
Routers
The Draytek Vigor 2960 router is perfect for most small-to-medium stores. It comes with a whole host of network features, such as Quality of Service (QoS), VLAN web content filtering and VPN.
- High-Performance Router/Firewall
- Load Balancing & WAN Failover
- Native IPv4 & IPv6 dual-stack
- Two Gigabit WAN ports
- Four Gigabit LAN Ports
- Twin Independent USB Ports
- IPSec VPN – LAN-to-LAN or Teleworker (200 tunnels)
- SSL VPN Tunnel or Web-Proxy (50 tunnels)
- 1q Tagged and port-based VLANs
- QoS Assurance on different traffic types
- VPN Trunking (Backup/aggregation)
- Mobile One-Time Passwords for Teleworker VPNs
- Multiple LAN-side private IP subnets
- Internet Content Filtering
- Central Management of up to 30 DrayTek VigorAPs
- Central Switch Management
- Optional VigorCare Available
Access Points
Draytek Vigor AP 910C helps give seamless coverage for your staff, while also providing an excellent guest network for shoppers.
The Access Point can be wall or ceiling mounted, which gives excellent flexibility.
- Business-class 802.11ac WLAN access point
- Ceiling mounted with concealed cable entry
- 4GHz & 5GHz Wireless – Simultaneous Dual-Band
- Up to 300Mbps 2.4GHz Wireless LAN
- Up to 866Mbps 5GHz Wireless LAN
- 11ac 866mbps Wireless (5Ghz)
- Supports 5Ghz extended channels (36-64 & 100-140)
- Centrally managed or standalone operation
- Can be powered by supplied PSU or standard 802.3af PoE (Power-over-Ethernet)
- Up to four distinct SSIDs per radio (for VLANs)
- 1q VLAN Tagging for each SSID & Management
Switches
Draytek have a powerful range of switches which are perfect for retail. These range from their powerful 10gb PoE switch, through to a tiny 8-port.
The Draytek switches can be controlled and managed through the Draytek central management software.
If you are looking for a Draytek solution for your retail store, call us today on 01245 459 493 to speak to our Draytek specialist.
