‍Introduction: speakers' presentations

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Espace Maison, the 100% Mauritian brand, now comprises 6 stores and an online boutique that delivers throughout the island. With more than 350 suppliers, the brand manages all inbound logistics in its warehouses and sourcing worldwide, with more than 35,000 items in stock. Espace Maison's 300-strong workforce caters for both decor-conscious private customers and the construction industry, offering on-site delivery. 

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Visiativ helps SMEs accelerate their innovation, improve their competitive edge, and meet their commitments to sustainable development. Visiativ is a trusted consultant, with a real ability to deploy solutions, in a collaborative economy of shared experience.

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Espace Maison's challenge: digitalize merchandising strategy

Espace Maison was faced with a still highly manual merchandising management system that had become cumbersome and inefficient. The retailer wanted to standardize its tools and practices across its various stores to offer greater consistency, optimize shelf management and improve the customer experience.

The launch of a new large-scale point of sale was the trigger for this transformation. After exploring several options, Espace Maison chose Retail VR for its 3D modeling capabilities, supported by Visiativ to structure and digitize all processes.

Implementation: between opportunities and challenges

The collaboration between Espace Maison, Retail VR and Visiativ proved particularly effective. Remote working, though complex, was facilitated by a rigorous organization including weekly meetings to monitor progress. Visiativ played a key role in structuring a robust database of over 19,000 product references from 200 suppliers. Espace Maison teams benefited from ongoing training to get to grips with the Retail VR tool and become autonomous in its use.

However, the tight deadlines associated with the imminent opening of the new store added considerable pressure on all parties. In addition, the digitization of processes coincided with a major transition in product ranges, making the task even more complex. In six months, however, the team managed to produce 180 merchandising panels from an initially manual base.

Structured support from Visiativ

Visiativ structured the implementation around two main axes. The first was to build a solid, centralized merchandising database. This involved collecting and consolidating all necessary product information, such as visuals, logistical dimensions and supplier data, to meet Espace Maison's needs.

The second focus was the design and optimization of merchandising strategies. Drawing on available data and the specific needs of each product category, Visiativ helped to draw up suitable planograms. These were then integrated into the Retail VR platform to provide a coherent and detailed vision of store layout.

Results and benefits after several months of use

After several months of use, Espace Maison has seen significant improvements. The gradual adoption of the Retail VR tool by the teams has simplified and accelerated processes. Today, planograms are regularly updated, and the consistency of the shelves contributes to a better in-store customer experience.

The adoption of this solution has also reduced the workload for field teams, making merchandising operations more efficient. The shopping experience for customers has improved significantly, with more logical shelves and more attractive product presentation.

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Next: An ambitious project for the future

Espace Maison aims to take its digital transformation even further. Next steps include the creation of virtual stores to enrich the online customer experience. The integration of analytical data into Retail VR is also planned, to optimize planograms based on sales and product performance.

The final objective is to model all points of sale, offering a complete and accurate view of each store. This strategic vision is part of a continuous innovation process designed to reinforce the brand's competitiveness and offer an ever more engaging shopping experience.

Conclusion

The partnership between Espace Maison, Retail VR and Visiativ illustrates the impact of a well-structured collaboration in an ambitious digital transformation. By overcoming technical and organizational challenges, Espace Maison was able to modernize its practices and lay the foundations for an innovative merchandising strategy.

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