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Internet Week NY: Retailers Strive To Utilize Technology With A Human Touch

While it is easier than ever to connect with customers in a wired world, retailers are looking for ways to add technology and automation without losing the human factor.

That was the message retailers and designers who spoke at Internet Week New York, which took place May 20 to 23, 2013.  

Proenza Schouler, the high-end design house that operates retail stores and an online shop, uses Tumblr, gifs and Twitter, among other social media, to interact with its customers, according to Jack McCollough, Designer and Co-Founder of Proenza Schouler.

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Using animated gifs, short videos and other formats, Proenza Schouler team members can communicate ideas quickly. “What I love about Tumblr is that it is a great way to present a collection of random images,” he said, adding that using a variety of media outlets can keep retailers from getting stuck in a creative rut. Social media provides the ability for “quick hits” when Beyonce wears the designer’s lace-up boots, as she did in her Super Bowl performance, as well as longer content pieces explaining the intent of a new collection.

Retailers have to pick and choose their social media channels based on their brand image, intended audience and objectives, among other factors, said Scott Galloway, Professor of Marketing at New York University and Founder of L2, a digital innovation think tank. “Not all social media traffic is created equal,” he said, adding that while Instagram has lighter traffic than other social channels its users are more engaged. The social media platform also has to align with the retailer and it customers, he said, noting that furniture and home décor retailers are successful on Pinterst, which is more visual than other channels.

Tell A Story

A retailer’s online story must be compelling and extend the brand’s image, said Cannon Tekstar Hodge, Manager of Social Media for Bergdorf Goodman. “We want to tell the reader why we think this is special,” she said, adding that it is not always about a specific product but portraying a lifestyle that is true to the brand’s viewpoint.

Hodge said that customers are accessing information on multiple devices — smartphones and tablets in particular — which is influencing how they shop online and in the store. “Stores now have a more digital feel,” she said, adding that customers are becoming more accustom to having e-Commerce integrated with all aspects of their lives, including the ability to click on an image to order an item they see in an online publication.

Content marketing has become a larger part of the strategy for Estée Lauder, according to Marisa Thalberg, VP of Corporate Global Digital Marketing for Estée Lauder Companies. “It is a huge responsibility. You have to develop editorial calendars and convene editorial boards. It is no longer a matter of just advertising on someone else’s properties.”

The digital and physical worlds also are coming together for Warby Parker, which recently expanded from its e-Commerce roots and opened a store in New York City.

“We believe the future of retail is at the intersection of e-Commerce and bricks-and-mortar,” said Neil Blumenthal, Founder of Warby Parker. “People think it’s crazy that we went and signed a 10-year lease in SoHo, next to Ralph Lauren, across the street from the Apple Store.”

Blumenthal noted that the company previously experimented with pop-up stores and found them profitable. “Retail is still an experience,” he said. “It is a form of entertainment.”

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