One thing is for sure, the App Store-enabled fourth-generation Apple TV ecosystem will have a profound effect on the customer journey.

One thing is for sure, the new Apple TV ecosystem will have a profound effect on the customer journey.

This week Apple revealed the fourth generation of its set-top television box Apple TV will have an App Store, which will include shopping apps from Gilt and Zillow, plus fitness apps, games, content readers, and video viewers.

While it’s too early for us to define how users will behave, adding an additional screen with new and unique content will open many opportunities for retailers.

For the first time, iPhone users will be able to pick up where they left off on their commute home right on their living room big screen – in the evening, at home, during one of the prime shopping moments of the day.

The larger screen size will allow for more immersive experiences than have been delivered on the iPhone and iPad.

New opportunities

It will be key to think about what formats people will want, and what kind of content they want that screen to be filled with.

For example, would a woman shopping for black tie apparel prefer to watch a catwalk with models in the dresses? Or perhaps the ability to upload a photo of herself and ‘try on’ the dresses from the comfort of the sofa?

In terms of notifications, they do exist when the app is open, just as they do on the iPhone. Apple demonstrated this with the MLB app, when a notification popped up about a different game while a video was playing.

It will be important to keep in mind that the Apple TV, unlike the phone and tablet, is not a personal device. You may not, for example, want a notification letting you know that the next season of Real Housewives has been added to Netflix while you’re watching a more cultured show with a new beau.

Similar issues would apply in retail, as you may not want your watching companion to know about your recent shopping habits.

It is unlikely that Apple will introduce notifications outside of the app, as they would be disruptive and unwelcome if not done in the correct way.

You may allow your iPhone and iPad to buzz on the side table to let you know that your wishlist item is on sale, but imagine if it also popped up on the TV during a critical moment, like right in the middle of the Game of Thrones finale.

While the Apple TV opens a world of new opportunities for retailers, the most important thing to consider is the context.

  • Emma Crowe, chief of client strategy at Somo