It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Well, almost…
Tomorrow marks the start of #HolidayCCS, our webinar series focused on holiday trends and best practices.
Two of our speakers, Larry Freed, President/CEO of ForeSee, and Marshall Kay, Principal at RFID Sherpas, shared their holiday wishes for retailers!
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Where will you be doing most of your holiday shopping this year? In stores or online? Why?
Larry: I will do about half of my holiday shopping online this year and half in stores. When I approach my holiday shopping, it is often at the last minute and I try to accomplish most of it in as few shopping “sessions” as possible. Browsing for gifts can be a good experience online and a good experience in the store. Often my shopping excursions are a combination, a “omnichannel” experience.
Marshall: I will do a fair bit of research online, but likely end up making many of my purchases in the mall, especially when it comes to clothing. I generally avoid the mall on December weekends, but weeknights are a different story.
What brand or retailer never disappoints you when it comes to the holiday season?
Larry: It is hard to argue with Amazon, especially when you know what kind of product you are looking for. Their selection is great, their purchase process is easy and their customer service is reliable. There are other retailers that also fit into my “go to” category during the holiday season. Build-a-bear and Toys’R’Us for the nieces and nephews, FTD, 1-800-Flowers, Harry and David for those flowers and gift baskets. Dick’s Sporting Goods, Adidas, Fathead and Cabela’s for the sports minded. And of course, Nordstrom for my wife. These retailers have delivered a great customer experience, and they have done it consistently.
Marshall: Johnston & Murphy
If you had one holiday wish that you could grant for retailers this year, what would it be and why?
Larry: I am going to cheat and give you two wishes. The first wish is for a financially successful holiday season for retailers this year, one that is driven by an improving consumer economy. That should make everyone happy! The second wish I would grant for retailers is to understand how important the customer experience is to consumers and to truly embrace the importance of the omni-channel experience. Consumers see a brand, not a channel. And they expect a consistent experience for that brand, across the channels.
Marshall: If I am searching for an item online, tell me which of your stores within a 25 mile radius of my location currently have that item in stock.
Want to see what other insights our experts have to share? Register for #HolidayCCS and follow them on Twitter!
