Spotted in Sportsgirl

Check out great integration of QR codes instore at Sportsgirl ...

More evidence of digital layering into physical spaces to create a richer shopping experience and link offline/ online. This was a key theme on my recent world retail study tour looking at best practice in retailing.





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Happy Pills in Barcelona

As part of the Westfield World Retail Study Tour, we went to Barcelona for the final leg of our journey last week. Heard from many fantastic retailers including Zara and Tous to Desigual.

Along the way we spotted this store concept - 'Happy Pills'. It's fun, simple and creative. In effect a "pick n' mix" lolly store, they've wrapped it up in a pseduo-medico theme (all in bright pink and white) with the underlying premise of "happiness." As you can see from the pic above, the stores are squeezed into tiny little spaces - even wedged between buildings. Environments are very clean and bright - with cheeky packaging to match.

A fun concept - one to watch.

QR code

Seeing QR (Quick Response) codes crop up everywhere. Today found this one - advertising a store in SOHO that's currently for rent. Wanted to share as I thought it took advantage of a simple, clever use. Imagine wider application of this into realestate signs.....let me know if you spot them further in this context?

VIP Plectrums by Ben Sherman

From Ben Sherman comes VIP Plectrums...

Spotted this in Carnaby street a couple days ago and loved it. Fantastic instore execution driven by a great integrated idea. Brings financial support and cause focus for their charity partners - Lifebeat and Trekstock, whilst creating a platform from which to launch their Autumn 2011 collection.

A whole variety of artists have come on board to donate their plectrums - which you can then bid on via online auction, starting May 29. Think: Keith Richard, Duran Duran, Coldplay....list goes on. They're featuring framed plectrums in their store windows which look fantastic. I also love their application of digital touchpoints in-store - their use of QR codes is simple genius.

Hope they do really well with this one. Brilliant concept. Beautifully designed and executed.

Popped Up in London

Spotted: Tommy Hilfiger pop-up today in Covent Garden here in London...got there just before it had opened. Look at the detail...right down to the letterbox...

5 Swedish Fashion Labels to Watch

1. Odd Molly

2. J. Lindeberg

3. Why Red

4. Tiger

5. H&M

London: Selfridges 'Project Ocean'

Selfridges have just launched their latest campaign "Project Ocean" last Wednesday. Went into their store to absorb it today and there's only one word to describe it: impressive. It's running from May 11 to June 12 here in London.

Every store window is themed in this campaign. Outside the store is a dedicated interactive digital touch screen where people can touch and text to donate. Upon doing so they are allocated a fish which they can watch swim across the screen. Along with merchandise, the text donations have raised (in 5 days) more than 40,000 GBP.

Doors, escalators, floors, ceilings, walls are all used as touchpoints within the store to convey the message about sustainable seafood. It's focus is on education - helping shoppers select seafood that is sustainably farmed to reduce the stress on at-risk breeds of fish and aquamarine environments. Selfridges is partnering with more than 20 environmental and conservation groups to 'celebrate the beauty of the ocean, highlight the issue of over-fishing, help us all understand the threats to the ocean and make positive choices about the right fish to buy and eat'. They are providing shoppers with Fish Guide to help them understand which breeds are best - as well as an App that does the same ('Selfridges Fish Guide app')

It's an incredible case study which also has ties to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's project "Hugh's Fish Fight" - a documentary that famously brought this issue to public attention here in Britain about 2 years ago.

I have been absolutely blown away by the level of detail throughout the store - and the level of space dedicated to it as well. This is not "lip service"....Selfridges have wrapped an entire education campaign around "Project Ocean" and have taken it right through to their food hall where their fishmonger and sushi eatery only sell sustainably farmed fish. You can also watch the documentary instore in a dedicated "ultra lounge" screening or, if that doesn't take your fancy, you can check out the concept store with it's project-related fashion displays.

I spoke to several different members of the staff who each had an indepth knowledge and understanding of the issue and could convey to me the reasons behind the campaign. What's more impressive, was their genuine passion - again, not just something they were being told to "sell" but an idea they absolutely believed in.

Have taken loads of pics - will definitely be sharing this one when I get back as it's part of a much larger theme that I've been noticing whilst on the study tour

Check out the site: selfridges.com/projectocean

Digital layering

We've now been through Stockholm, Chicago and San Francisco. I'm currently in London and have spent the last two days in seminars and visits to retailers - from markets, to shopping centres (Westfield London) and high street.

Digital is a key theme that's repeating itself across all these places.

To be precise, I'm noticing that brands are leveraging social media media tags (think Twitter, Facebook, You Tube) increasingly on print touchpoints. Lots of QR codes also popping up everywhere (pictures above taken at Chicago airport) from instore and out. A good degree of digital signage - but I think the shift here will definitely become further towards interaction (think tablets and digital surfaces). I'm terming this "digital layering" - pulling shoppers through to content via digital touchpoints that help them navigate & experience virtual and physical brand spaces.

Evolution Bureau in SanFrancisco ran a fantastic campaign for Juicy Fruit ("Sweeten the Day") which used snaptags inside packaging to take fans through to digital content. Daniel Stein their CEO spoke about "tying fans to retail locations" via digital - loved this thought. Definitely one to keep in mind as we move forward.

Will update more soon...

Emerging retail themes

Hi from Chicago...

Amazing two days...full on but so inspiring. In the past 48 hours we've visited about 20 stores and had several seminars.

Highlights for me have included Wholefoods, American Girl, Bass Outdoors and Fox and Obel - to name a few. Today we heard from companies including Lettuce Entertain You, Groupon, Arc Worldwide and Crate & Barrel.

I'm going to be uploading pictures when I have some more time - needless to say, I've taken hundreds!

Some key themes are really emerging for me include seeing evidence of social & sharing economy (Groupon, Levi's); the rise of mass to mass niche (Wholefoods, Fox & Obel); Fusion concepting (Lettuce Entertain You) as well as omni-channel retailing (Cisco, Crate & Barrel, CB2). Countless examples of what I'm terming 'mobile manifestations' - QR codes are on everything (and I mean, everything!). And they're not the domain of the big brands - the weirdest place I've seen QR codes is on "bathroom media" advertising local businesses in San Francisco. Also noticed them being used on community messages in Wholefoods.

Mobile is definitely a key driver - with accessibility growing and the prediction that 50% of US consumers will have a smartphone by January 2012. On that note, some nice insights from Arc today on the mobile shopper:

Low involvement categories should focus on delivering exponetial value whilst in high involvement categories there is a push toward mobile being used to add value by enhancing the instore experience.

We're leaving tomorrow on our way to Sweden. Will aim to write more when I'm at the airport...

Spotted in San Francisco

Square credit card reader by Apple. Saw this (and bought it) yesterday in US ...a whole $9.95rrp.

Not sure if they're yet in Australia but what I do know is that it's again going to change what's possible with credit transactions.

Opening up new mobile commerce possibilities - designed by same company that created Twitter (square in San Francisco)



- Posted from my iPhone

San Francisco's World Class Customer Service

Arrived yesterday morning in San Francisco and spent the afternoon looking inside retail concepts in and around Union Square. A number of themes have started to unfold but the 'stand out' one today was the delivery of world class customer service.

From the friendliness of a greeting to the questions asked, I was taken back by how consistently great, "great" service could be.

The Jo Malone concession store inside Neiman-Marcus was a stand-out as was Levi's HQ in Union Square. It was more than just good delivery of "product information". In these stores the sales staff were true brand ambassadors. They engage and create emotional contracts with shoppers.

Left is a pic of one of my colleagues who was browsing for jeans in Levi's HQ. Rather than being left to her own devices to figure out which pair would be right, one of the staff spotted us looking and came over to offer a specialised Levi's 'measure and fit.' Do they do this in Australia? I haven't seen it but assuming they offer it. The result? Service that helped diagnose which product options were best - narrowing down the choices and resulting in a very happy customer who walked in to 'have a look' and ended up purchasing.

Great service is about taking care of the customers needs and taking the time to find out who they are and what they want. It's about knowing your shopper.

The lesson? Focus on service first and the 'sale' follows.

A great start, stay tuned for more...

USA here we come

Hi Everyone

We are about to board for our flight to the US. Once we land we'll be hitting the ground running. I will be blogging as often as possible whilst on this retail study tour so stay tuned for updates and highlights!

A huge thanks again to M&C Saatchi for the opportunity.

Speak to you soon!


- Posted from my iPhone

Brilliant!

Discovered "Quarter Twenty One" today in Sydney. Absolutely brilliant retail concept. Just launched and created by Justin North of 'Becasse' fame.











The concept is a multi-layered food and eating experience combining restaurant, cooking school, wine store and market providore. You can shop, eat and cook all in the one spot.





First thing that drew me in was their name and the promise beneath it to "feed the soul." This is really "lived" thru the store - right down to the labels.






Admittedly "soul" isn't a word you typically expect to see in relation to retailing food. That's why it works. For me the word captures an emotional, nurturing truth about cooking and eating. A recognition that whilst you start with the "raw ingredients" its what they enable you to create, share and experience that ultimately matters most.






Their displays are colourful and sensory. As we stepped inside we were greeted by staff who offered samples of their cheeses (which were superb!).





This was backed up with a great cheese range - not to mention an incredible array of sommelier selected wines. Oh, and did I mention they also have an on-site butcher too?

The whole store exuded a sensory "slow food" philosophy with fresh produce sourced from Australian producers. You feel a permission to linger and explore, which is made easier by the extremely friendly and knowledgeable staff.

I loved their use of theatre in areas like the meat displays below ...






Everything in the store has a story - from their name (21 grams is hypothesised to be the "weight" of our souls) to the produce - be it provenance, seasonality etc I bought a marmalade from the southern highlands which I can't wait to try.






Definitely worth a visit.


- Posted from my iPhone

Customer service = competitive edge

Have been out and about across various retailers in Sydney this long weekend. And the one thing that stood out was the lack of great customer service.

I was in one of Sydney's biggest retailers and the absence of staff on the floor was mind boggling. My favourite sign? "Queue here for service"

Talk about a contradiction.

Note to the retailers: your shoppers notice. And they don't like it.

On three separate occasions in two different stores I overheard comments about the lack of available help and service.

Several ideas came to mind.

First, using customer service as competitive differentiation.

I couldn't help but reflect on the 2011 IBM smarter shoppers study. I attended the Sydney presentation where they shared their brilliant piece of (global) research. Their report showed that shoppers (of all ages) are becoming more "instrumented" (using technology to shop). Furthermore, the retailers who'll win the most hearts and minds will be the ones willing and able to serve, listen and empower their shoppers. They weren't talking about battling it out on "lowest price" - they were talking about future competition being shaped and shared by "best experience" (see my previous posts here on Value)

Second, it got me thinking about the application of technology at-retail. Think: AR, tablets, interactive smart surfaces, mobile etc. Technology opens up multiple possibilities - not least of which would be providing & supporting sales staff with the tools to deliver world class service experiences.

Thanks to M&C Saatchi, I'm heading off next week on the global retail study tour. I can't wait!

I'm keen to see how global retailers are delivering world class customer service (read: 'brand') experiences and integrating innovative uses of digital within their retailing environments to build competitive advantage.

Watch this space!

Easter Windows in Sydney

Spotted these today at Guylian store in Sydney - fantastic!






- Posted from my iPhone

Now and next in retail launched

I've just updated my blog name to better reflect what I write about, namely trends, developments and observations from the world of retail. Stay tuned!............

Grabbed my attention

Out and about the other weekend for a totally different purchase and spotted these from the corner of my eye as i passed by the store.




Thought it was an interesting way to position the product around a shopper need - really dialed up the benefit most people look for in sheets.

Would you have stopped or bought a set?


- Posted from my iPhone (please excuse any typos!)

Before and After

Doing the groceries the other week and these guys jumped off the shelf - a mini "before and after".....

What do you think of the redesign?


- Posted from my iPhone

Made me look

Saw this a few weeks back at the local liquor store - definitely made me stop and check in.

Whilst it didnt have a promo that was relevant to me it got me looking and participating.

Have you seen four square pop up near you?

Watch this space as Facebook gets in on the act shortly..

- Posted from my iPhone

Surprised and delighted

Shopping for a new camera tonight and came across some unexpected surprise and delight in the corner of a big box retailer. The product? Dr Dre's range of noise canceling headphones.




I must point out that they were stocked right next to competing products but stood out because of the promotional stand and packaging which drew me in.

The merchandising and packaging was fantastic - each product in the range told a story that connected it back to music and the passion and inspiration of the musicians involved in promoting the products. Loved too the connection to product (red) which the brand was supporting via a limited edition SKU.







I was surprised by how involved I got - I stood there for about 10mins listening to the music and trying out the whole product range.


Did I go into the store expecting to fall in love with a $799 pair of headphones? No. Are they now on my radar? Yes. Would I love a pair? You bet.

The lesson?
Feeling beats fact. Tell a story. Evoke emotion. Invite shoppers into the brand experience.


- Posted from my iPhone (excuse typos!)

Location:Late night shopping

Retailers need to get savvy with tablets, kiosks and geolocation in 2011

Forrester Research have just launched a report - "Five Retail eCommerce Trends to Watch in 2011" with the key take-out that 2011 will be "marked by an even more disciplined approach toward multichannel retailing, investments in mobile and tablet presences..."

Some topline points:

• Retailers hoping to boost their e-commerce sales this year should focus more on such areas as in-store pickup for online purchases and making shopping appealing for consumers with tablet computers.
• Retailers must boost their multichannel offerings (as evidenced by growth in 2010 of e-commerce spending, including during Christmas)
• Offline (the store) has to integrate online - kiosks as a touchpoint flagged here along with geolocation apps such as Shopkick
• Ads / offers need to be based on shoppers' browsing behaviours

Creating Shopper Value

Enter 2011 and everywhere I go as a shopper, ‘value’ continues to be a promise I’m surrounded with.

And with this overriding observation comes the cold, hard reality that there’s often a gaping difference between what I’m promised and what I get.

Put plainly, it sucks.

Why? Because I end up feeling devalued, duped and disappointed.

In an era defined by choice, channel, connectedness and community it’s a 101 imperative that brand experiences live up to expectation (and then exceed them).

Last year I suggested a redefinition of value from lowest price to best experience.

I’d like to add an additional thought.

And that is, we need to ensure we’re helping shoppers feel genuinely valued.

I don’t want to get into a long spiel about “loyalty” but suffice to say that valuing shoppers needs to become a far more personal affair. As we move from mass market to mass niche it’s the brands that engage us as friends & allies that will win the day.

Take Moose Jaw for example.

Based in the US, Moose Jaw is everything that their competitors aren't. Which is, I hear you say, arguably why they’re so successful. Take their opening description:

At Moosejaw we want to make shopping as much fun as backpacking the Chilkoot trail, climbing in Yosemite, mountaineering in the Himalayas or playing red rover with the neighbors who you don’t like that much but they’re always ready to play any game in the cul-de-sac so you make do.

Hardly a brand you could say no to, right?

This is a brand that lives and breathes the language & lifestyle of their shoppers, interacting with them across multiple touchpoints. Further to this, they live their values and make the shopping experience personal, fun & rewarding in unexpected ways. Take their ‘guarantee’ for example (or should I say “Living Will” ) as another quirky example.

Five thoughts toward creating new shopper value in 2011:

1. Reward shoppers for interacting with your retail brand- not just buying from it.
2. Offer an exchange of value at every touch point through seamless online/ offline integration
3. Stand for something great - create value by having values that are seen, heard and felt
4. Surprise and delight in personal, unexpected ways to strengthen differentiation, relevance and loyalty.
5. Get 'brand mobile' to enable your shoppers to engage and buy from you wherever, whenever.

Key tips for mobile commerce-enabled sites

If we needed more proof that retail is now anywhere a transaction happens here it is.

Mobile Commerce Daily looked at which brands and retailers launched unique mobile commerce-enabled sites in 2010 and listed their top 15.

Note that these are a mix of retailers - from fashion to hardware.

What they've got in common:

• Capitalising on growing smart phone penetration by optimising across key handsets (iphone/ Android/ Blackberry)
• Personalised suggestions and rewards for shoppers when they're in buying mode
  
• Facilitation of pre-shop research and discovery
• Browse-to-buy (online or instore pick-up)...closing the loop
  
• Flexible, customer centric, convenient - on 'your' terms
  
• Real time promos & special offers
  
• Integration of mobile coupons
• Practical assistance (ie: nearest store locations)

Key moments for social commerce in 2010

Defining moments for social commerce in 2010 (via digital buzz blog)