More on the Future of Retail

End of year articles can be a bit lazy.

Fill in the blank, this is what happened last year and this is what might happen next year.

Still, it is a good time to assess the current state of things.

This USA Today article on tech in retail is another good one.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2018/12/27/amazon-shopping-experience-makes-retailers-up-their-tech-game/2350988002/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

BRotD - Entry - 0256 Future of Retail

... is digital.

Best Reading of the Day

This is a great little article over at Forbes.com.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2018/12/27/four-keys-to-the-future-of-retail-in-2019/#5c1ed11b4d54

Here is a snippet from the piece:

There have always been two retail seasons in my mind: the holiday season and everything else. In fact, nearly 20% of all retail sales happen during the holiday season. That condensed period of sales is unique and often sheds some light on much larger consumer trends.

Taking into consideration this year’s holiday shopping data collected by my company, Salesforce, here’s a look at some of the major trends we might see play out in 2019.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Nike is Digital First

Need a new athletic shoe? 

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Get connected.

They've become trailblazers really in their overall approach.  Digital first, mobile first, and leading brands toward the new engagement era.

For many customers the new funnel for the customer journey starts with the mobile app.  However, a potential sale can enter anywhere on the path and that is all enabled by a digital-first mindset.

Read more here:

https://www.retaildive.com/news/nike-execs-see-digital-as-the-majority-of-future-business/544975/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Not eCommerce but Experience Commerce

Every now and then someone coins a phrase that really captures something.

Bricks & Mobile really works well from my perspective.  A play on the traditional retail store enhanced with mobile.

Now its not eCommerce but Experience Commerce.

Experiences win customers and retain them.

I agree.

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Recently, I went on a health kick and stopped going to the [donut] shop entirely. When I finally returned, the woman who runs the shop said, “We thought you moved! It’s good to see you.” I made the decision right then to reinstate my once-a-week doughnut splurges. They were so happy to see me, they gave me my doughnut free, and I was utterly charmed by the interaction. It’s nice to feel seen, and if my business means that much to a sweet couple, then I want to make sure I spend my extra calories on them.

In the world of ecommerce, it can be a bit daunting to make sure customers feel as welcome as I do in that doughnut shop, but focusing on experiences, rather than sales, can mean more personal, and longer-lasting, relationships with customers.

Here is the full story:

https://www.clickz.com/experience-commerce-winning-customers/221080/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

eCommerce Native App or Hybrid Progressive?

I've had quite a few conversations this year around the question of when a company, retailer or manufacturer looking to go direct to consumers, should build a Native mobile app.

That isn't an easy question to answer.

The company culture comes in to play and the relationship the brand has with its customers.  If you just need a simple interface for online sales then why build a native app?  Mobile web is a great solution.

Then one app I've been using came to mind: Hamilton

Yes, the app for the Broadway musical.  For a while I was in that app every day as the lottery for shows in Boston was held every day.  I found myself doing lots of other things in the app and play around with it a bit even now that the show has moved on from Boston.  It occurred to me if they can get me in to their app every day then the opportunity exists for other brands to do the same.  If the relationship with their customers demands it.

Here is a little article on a different approach:

https://econsultancy.com/five-ecommerce-brands-success-progressive-web-apps/

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Essentially, PWAs [progressive web apps] are mobile apps that are delivered through the web. By using an app shell and pre-caching on a user’s phone, they can be added to the home screen and will load instantly.

Google states that 53% of users will abandon a site if it takes longer than three seconds to load. As a result, the functionality of a PWA can simplify the online shopping experience, and even improve conversions.

Recently, we’ve seen a number of ecommerce brands capitalise on the technology.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Online eCommerce Grocery Sales to Grow Fast

The toughest nuts to crack are often the best.

Not sure that is the case here but I'm still convinced we will see quite a shift in our Supermarket shopping habits as the Information Age continues to change our daily lives.

These folks continue to think grocery will move to online.

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Online sales of groceries continue to grow much faster than the overall market and that web growth is expected to continue, according to recently released datafrom the United Kingdom-based Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD).

Yes, it references the UK but the data is U.S. focused.

Here is the full article:

https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2018/12/17/all-signs-point-to-continued-growth-in-online-grocery-sales/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Is AR Poised to Break Out?

I love these predictive articles.

It is all complete nonsense, really, that someone will write one of these.  Usually they are forced to make a deadline and write about something.  This is like a stocking stuffer for writers.

But it's still fun to read these.

:-)

Will AR have a breakout year in 2019?  Sure.  Or no, no way.

Augmented Reality is one of the latest buzzes going around.  The iPhone X introduced it as a basic function by utilizing the face capture technology to create animated emojis in text messages.  Wow.  Cool.

No.  Not really.

So what's next?  Read on to find out:

https://www.zdnet.com/article/2019-the-year-ar-finally-goes-from-unsexy-to-cool/

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant