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Consumers today conduct a great deal of research about the products they are buying and brands are being asked to fulfill a multitude of informational needs. Argos, a UK-based consumer goods and ecommerce retailer, is exceptional in that they maintain an active presence operating across a large range of touchpoints, both digitally and via traditional media. This case study takes a close look at how Argos reaches, influences, and engages consumers as they go through their purchase journeys.... 
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Department stores and mega-malls were among the main places for Americans to meet, socialize and, of course, shop. That’s all changed. Department stores and other brick-and-mortar retailers registered another lackluster holiday shopping season, while online sales have remained upbeat since Cyber Monday. As more consumers spend a larger share of their dollars online, does this signal the days of shopping at department stores and shopping malls are numbered? Cyber Monday sales this year were up 8.7 percent compared with 2013, led by a sharp increase in mobile transactions according to IBM Digital Analytics Benchmark. Sales over mobile devices jumped 29 percent . That’s a sharp contrast with the mostly bad news for brick-and-mortar stores, which saw about 6 million fewer shoppers over the Thanksgiving weekend, with overall spending down about 11 percent , according to the National Retail Federation....
Jeff Domansky's insight:
What's a poor brick and mortar retailer to do? Social marketing has to be part of the solution.
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While recovering from the holiday rush, retailers can look back at this season’s trends to discover new ways to fuel customer engagement and drive loyalty in the next year. Using real-time analytics, SAP uncovered a wealth of insights about consumers’ attitudes and desires that retailers can use all year long. We have found that simply listening to what people are already saying provides powerful insights into their attitudes and behaviors. And consumers had plenty to say this holiday season: Shoppers shared their opinions and chronicled their actions with more than 28 million mentions online, an 8% increase over last year, according to SAP analytics. Holiday shoppers tweeted more than 28 million mentions about their gift purchases- up 8% YoY via @SAP_Retail Using social media analytics, we combed through the social chatter this holiday season to discover what consumers said – and what they actually did. We found some interesting trends, revealing consumers’ changing tactics and suggesting retailers must respond with different strategies of their own....
Jeff Domansky's insight:
SAP uncovered some fascinating insights into retail from this past Christmas season. Great lessons and strategies for retail and online marketers.
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When training groups of digital/SEO specialists in PR principles recently, I’ve been amazed by how little thought is often given to the customer journey. But then I sat back and thought about it. When we look at what is measurable, and what Google says about the customer journey, it’s unsurprising that many people focus on the search from the time the customer comes online. With the advent of location based services, and even more once wearables take hold, people’s offline behaviours are starting to feed into this information pool, but for the most part this is not a huge part of consideration, either because of the product or because of currently limited adoption of technologies. What I rarely see in group of SEO/digital experts is the more profound understanding of consumer/customer behaviour from the point of need....
Jeff Domansky's insight:
Too often the effort of understanding customer needs is being glossed over. Claire Thompson reminds us of the value of understanding the customer journey.
Leonard Waks's curator insight,
December 10, 2014 4:26 PM
The insight here is that the customer (client, user) experience does not start when they turn on their device, but much earlier. Gathering information about customer off-line thinking will help to tailor messages that link to deeper customer needs. Don't just do your Google analytics - get out of the door and talk to some customers. Even a few F2F interviews will suggest several useful lines of conversation. |
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Macy’s has announced they will shut down 14 stores as part of a restructuring effort, citing a shift in how consumers shop. The retail giant notes that this is part of a broader plan to meet consumers where they are: online. The closed stores will mean a reduction of 1,343 jobs and should be completed within the next few months. The news has the average layperson assuming the worst of the brand, but Macy’s is no JCPenney, no, this is a simple effort that is common for large brands. These closures represent only a fraction of the brand’s 790 stores across America....
Jeff Domansky's insight:
Macy's is restructuring by closing stores and cutting jobs. A new reality for retailers?
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When was the last time you paid the full retail price? According to a recent article in The Wall Street Journal (Attention, ‘Discount Junkies’) about 15% of shoppers generally pay full price for items and don’t bother searching for sales. At the other extreme, a fifth of online shoppers are considered true “discount junkies,” people who make purchases only when offered discounts. Discount shoppers are clearly reluctant to spend on premium brands if value is missing. In fact, in C. Britt Beemer and Robert L. Shook’s book “It Takes a Prophet to Make a Profit: 15 Trends that are Reshaping American Business” published back in January 2001, Trend 6 states:“Consumers Are Reluctant to Pay Full Retail Price” Their research showed that more than 85 percent of all consumers in America shop for merchandise on sale. For those who pay full retail, 44 percent said they did so because they didn’t have time to shop. In addition, they discovered....
Jeff Domansky's insight:
Consumers simply hate to pay full retail price. Here's valuable ammunition for retail marketing strategists.
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Most retailers are familiar with “shopping bulimics” – the consumers who make purchases and promptly return their merchandise. Retail consultant Kurt Salmon told the Wall Street Journal in an article last year that one third of all Internet transactions result in returns. While this might not be the best-case scenario for retailers, some of whom lose millions a year on returns, it’s important to note that consumer behavior often dictates best practices for retailers. Just as marketers will seek out many channels to connect with potential buyers, retailers are also embarking on omni-channel retailing to offer transaction options with the maximum number of consumers. Recent studies have shown that despite offering free shipping on returns, which has driven up online sales, retailers can leverage more pull with consumers who buy online and want to return their products in person to the physical store....
Jeff Domansky's insight:
Many challenges ahead for retailers who are encountering the fickle demands of consumers.
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Companies like Google, Amazon, eBay, and Uber are operating and expanding services that allow shoppers to order something online and have it that same day, without ever leaving home. If they manage it, despite the expense and complexities involved in delivering over the "last mile," these companies will grow e-commerce's customer base (as well as its share of retail dollars), and siphon off one of offline retail's last real competitive advantages....
Jeff Domansky's insight:
E-commerce will use same-day delivery to go after local dollars. Will consumers win if local retailers go under?
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In-depth case study looks at Argos consumers' online purchase journey.