In retail, we like to throw terms around like they’re magical words. “Personalization” was the term of the moment during the Shop.org Digital Summit (#ShopOrg16) in Dallas last week. But just saying it doesn’t make it relevant and strategic. That was the conversation I had with several executives during the event: How to turn the word “personalization” into a real, working strategy.
Similar to the discussion we’ve had during the past several years about “Omnichannel,” now that we know we need personalization, we need to figure out how to execute on the imperative. As with most of today’s business goals, accessing, analyzing and using the right data is going to be the key to executing on the strategy.
Events like Shop.org, IRCE, eTail and others are helpful for retailers trying to find the right partners to help them reach their business goals. There’s nothing like a one-on-one discussion to find out if a solution provider understands your business, has the experience to execute on your vision, and has the tools to drive a successful implementation.
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Some solution providers and retailers I spoke with at Shop.org are taking personalization to the next strategic level:
- Lululemon (with help from AgilOne) is working to better understand guest data in order to deliver personalized offers that are authentic and appropriate.
- Ulta Beauty is using data to understand the customer journey and deliver more relevant experiences, services and messaging.
- Office Depot UK is implementing dynamic testing from Monetate to hone in on the most effective site content for its diverse shopper base.
A selection of the educational sessions focused on some specific personalization topics, including:
- Personalized Product Discovery: A New Era In Online Merchandising (Meyar Sheik, CEO, Certona);
- The Power Of Visual eCommerce: Personalize Discovery To Drive Sales And Loyalty (Chris Nicklo, CMO, Z Gallerie)
- Engaging Customers Through Real-Time Personalization (Laura McCammon Carrier, VP, MediaMath)
There was even a session that combined both of my favorite buzzwords in retail today: Omnichannel and Personalization:
- Retail Innovation: Omnichannel And The Future Of Personalization (Jason Allen, VP, Multichannel, GameStop and Sonny Caberwal, Founder and CEO, Bond)
The event also offered “Persona Meet-Up” discussions, where you could interact with personalization brought to life in the form of the #MarketingMaverick, #CaptainEcommerce, #OmnichannelChampion or #ExperienceNinja.
Finally, here’s some other Retail TouchPoints coverage of news out of Shop.org:
- Salesforce Unveils Commerce Cloud As Part Of Demandware Acquisition
- Stores Localize Online Offerings Via Social Commerce Tool
- Epson, Left On Yellow Announce Strategic Partnership
- Reflektion Adds Email Marketing To Portfolio Of Solutions
- Monetate Launches Dynamic Testing Platform For Marketers
- 87% Of Shoppers More Likely To Buy On Associate Recommendation
- Lowe’s Mexico To Enhance CX With Price Optimization Solutions
