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Cross-Channel Strategies
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Thursday, 12 August 2010 12:53 |
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By Nikki Baird, Managing Partner, RSR Research
Editor’s Note: The following article is an excerpt from one of RetailWire’s recent online discussions. Each business morning on RetailWire.com, retail industry execs get plugged in to the latest news and issues with key insights from a "BrainTrust" panel of retail industry experts. Through a special arrangement, presented on RetailWire for discussion is a summary of an article from Retail Paradox, Retail Systems Research's weekly analysis on emerging issues facing retailers.
Store operations have rarely taken the time to understand e-commerce — the technology or the channel — a group of six chief information officers (CIOs) from an array of retail verticals told me at a round table discussion at RIS News' Executive Summit event. And so mobile is yet another development in an area of poor understanding,
What's different about mobile vs. online retail is the visibility that stores have into the effect mobile has on shopping behavior. Online shopping was an at-home activity, so it had little direct effect on store operations. Mobile, on the other hand, is often an at-the-shelf activity, and front line employees find themselves dealing with a whole new set of questions from better informed customers.
Unfortunately for the CIOs at the table, the discussion with store operations has revolved around a fear reaction -- a "Can we wrap our stores in tin foil" kind of discussion. So, given that stores' response to mobile right now is to basically freak out over consumers using their phones to price compare at the shelf, what is the current thinking on the role of mobile in stores?
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Retail Store Ops
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Thursday, 12 August 2010 12:44 |
By Leslie Hand, Research Director, Global Retail Insights
 Retailers, including Dillard's, JCPenney, Bloomingdale's and American Apparel have publically talked about their RFID tagging efforts over the course of the last couple of years, with no particular public attention or concern. But when news was released that Walmart is RFID tagging garments, the media went nuts as claims ran the gamut from concerns about consumer privacy and surreptitious motives to RFID redo circa 2004.
The truth is, the retail giant has never stopped exploring the potential business value of RFID, and has experimented with various use cases, from the pallet and case efforts of a few years ago to DVD tagging to the now well-known apparel tagging efforts. These efforts are all aimed at improving the efficiency by which Walmart does business, thereby reducing the price of goods conveyed to consumers.
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Cross-Channel Strategies
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Written by Amanda Ferrante
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Thursday, 05 August 2010 12:23 |
 If the back to school season continues to be an early indicator of retailers’ promotion plans for the all important fourth quarter, expect mobile and social campaigns to be driving a lot more conversations. Looking to grab their share of the more than $21 billion spent on school-aged children during the back to school season, American Eagle, Kmart, JC Penney and others tapped into the growing dependency on social networks and mobile devices.
In addition to increased promotional activity from retailers, a new Deloitte survey found that 29% of consumers plan to use their mobile phones to help them make the right choice in school items, while 38% said they will use these methods to access price information. Consumers are using social networks for various reasons — 33% want to view a retailer’s advertisement and 30% to obtain discounts, coupons and sale information.
The survey found that consumers' recession-induced behaviors are beginning to wane as households seek to replenish certain items and worry less about the economy, Alison Paul, Vice Chairman and Deloitte's Retail Sector Leader said in a press release. "Retailers may be encouraged that fewer consumers are planning to pare back this year, although they may find that shoppers continue to be deliberate in their purchases,” she said. “Retailers should be laser-focused on giving shoppers a reason to put back-to-school dollars into their stores.”
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Cross-Channel Strategies
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Thursday, 05 August 2010 09:43 |
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 Segmentation and targeting are becoming more important to the overall web and cross-channel merchandising strategy of 98% of mid-sized retailers (98%), according to new research from ATG (Art Technology Group).
The company recently revealed the results of its research study titled “e-Commerce Technology Investment Priorities for the Mid-Market: The Merchant View,” which examined web growth priorities among mid-sized and fast-growing merchants in a variety of industries.
“For years we’ve encouraged retailers and other merchants to embrace segmentation and targeting, because these types of merchandising tactics enable them to create more personalized, compelling experiences for their customers,” said Bill Zujewski, VP Product Marketing, ATG. “Ultimately, this leads to more sales and higher loyalty, and it also makes those customers feel better about doing business with a company that seems to understand their needs and preferences.”
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