Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0012 Saks Embraces Omnichannel

Robots.

Mobility.

Email Marketing Campaigns.

Much more.

This article is loaded with interesting retail news.

http://risnews.edgl.com/retail-best-practices/Saks-Embraces-Omnichannel-but-Stores-Remain-the--Big-Kahuna-87299

Here is a bit from the article:

Saks Inc.'s $100 million CapEx investment, spread over four to five years, is part of an ambitious plan to transform the retailer's core IT platforms with the goal of creating an omnichannel retail enterprise, CIO/COO Mike Rodgers said at June'sOracle Retail CrossTalk conference in Chicago.

The impetus behind this strategic shift came from the top. The luxury retailer lost 30% of its business during the economic downturn, and according to Rodgers, CEO Stephen Sadove charged Saks leadership not to "let the recession go to waste."

A big part of the omnichannel shift that began in 2012 involved Saks reevaluating some of its long-held assumptions about its customers and their shopping habits. For example, the company assumed that its highest-value Diamond customers were primarily brick-and-mortar shoppers, but a look at the data revealed that those shoppers were engaged in all channels, from store to Web to mobile, Rodgers said.

That article also links to several more articles around the same topic.  Be sure to read them all if you have the time.  The new loyalty program.  The use of robotics.  The use of iPads for staff.  All extremely relevant.

Happy reading,

J.W. Gant