IoT Connected Experience In Stores

The in-store shopping experience is going to continue to be more interactive.  Digital relationships are a must for the store of the future, happening today.

I first really jumped at this with BLE, bluetooth, interactions with smart phones and then smart watches.  That is still ongoing but there is a real opportunity to do it a different way and it appears Kroger is teaming up with Microsoft to do just that.

Read the story here:

https://www.mobilepaymentstoday.com/news/microsoft-kroger-to-test-connected-experience-grocery-stores-in-pilot/

Here is the blurb that should catch your eye:

Store associates will also be able to use the technology to speed up curbside pickup and Kroger will use the Edge technology to sell digital advertising space to consumer packaged goods brands, according to the release.

Thank to a few of the folks previously from MCX who pointed this piece out on LinkedIn.  You know who you are.  :-)

What we absolutely know is the impact the great recession, combined with ever-improving store brand generics is having on traditional consumer packaged goods. During a recession shoppers cut back.  They try out the store brand version of whatever CPG widget or food stuff they think suits them.  The quality of these has increased dramatically over the decades and the average consumer likes it, then never goes back to the more expensive "name brand" version.  CPGs are desperate to get customers back and they have huge advertising dollars to work with.  Enter the Edge technology system.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Macy's Bluetooth In-Store Game

Now this is cool!

I once worked to put together a QR Code based scavenger hunt for a trade-show event, enabled through the event app in the mobile devices of the attendees.  This takes is to a much higher level.

Read on:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/macys-peps-up-black-friday-shopping-via-beacon-triggered-mobile-game

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Macy’s keen grasp of mobile’s significant role for Thanksgiving weekend shoppers is evident from a new in-store contest leveraging beacon technology, a focus on Pinterest for showcasing deals and a mobile-enabled shopping list.

The retailer, long a leader in mobile shopping, is offering in-store shoppers multiple chances to win prizes by playing the mobile enabled Macy’s Black Friday Walk In and Win game, which is triggered by beacons. Additionally, shoppers can get a sneak peak at Black Friday specials on the Macy’s Pinterest page and build a shopping list from their mobile phones on Macys.com that they can shop from directly on Thanksgiving Day.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Wendy's Tests Mobile Ordering

Quick service restaurants are in a mad rush to differentiate by speeding order and deliver and thereby adding convenience for customers.  Wendy's is reported to be testing a mobile ordering app with bluetooth.

Here is the quick story from the excellent blog MorningNewsBeat:

http://morningnewsbeat.com/News/Detail/47510/2015-07-30/

Here is his take on the story:

KC's View: This sounds suspiciously like the Starbucks mobile app, and I say that as a compliment. I've said here before that I think the Starbucks app, especially as it becomes more robust and allows for remote ordering, is a terrific piece of behavior-altering engineering ... and more companies should be thinking about how to offer something similar.
I wonder what else is cooking out there?

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Beacons Continue to Mature Now With Google

Beacons have had quite a year and now Google is attempting to leapfrog Apple in the arena with a new version of their offering.

http://adage.com/article/digital/google-rolls-version-beacon-technology/299496/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Google is stepping up efforts against Apple's location technology with new tools to link smartphones to nearby objects.

The search giant on Tuesday introduced a new format called Eddystone that lets electronic beacons provide more specific locations and other information within applications, the company said in a blog post. The tools, which compete with Apple's iBeacon technology, will enable smartphone users at a museum, for example, to get more information on a painting they're looking at or to gain easy access to electronic bus tickets when they're near a bus stop.

"We're beginning to roll out a new set of features to help developers build apps using this technology," Google said in the blog.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Beacons & Social Media with Facebook and Pinterest

Beacons, beacons, beacons, oh and news from Pinterest too.  Busy busy.

Two stories on beacons.  First up is continuing news from Facebook.  Now they are giving away BLE beacons for free to retailers.  Brilliant Trojan horse in my opinion though the service that will follow could become so valuable retailers won't be able to pass it up.  Time will tell.

http://recode.net/2015/06/08/facebook-is-handing-out-free-beacons-to-retailers/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Facebook is offering up free beacons to retailers and businesses using its service as part of an update to the company’s Place Tips feature originally rolled out in January.

Place Tips, which works by showing Facebook users posts and photos about a specific retailer or business when they open the app within the actual store, was originally tested with a small group of businesses in New York City. On Monday, Facebook announced it was expanding the feature to all businesses in the United States, and included an application for these businesses to request a free beacon for each of their physical stores. (Facebook also provided free beacons to its test partners.)

Next is the consolidations we are seeing in the BLE beacon market that shows growing maturation:

http://adage.com/article/datadriven-marketing/verve-mobile-buys-beacon-startup-fosbury/298966/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Verve Mobile, a firm focused on location-based advertising, acquired beacon-centric campaign management technology Fosbury for an undisclosed sum. It's a small deal, but Verve Mobile's move portends an inevitable consolidation within the sprawling beacon space.

Finally is news from Pinterest on their "Buy It" functionality:

http://www.cio.com/article/2933381/pinterest/why-pinterests-buy-it-button-is-big-for-online-retailers.html

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Later this month, Pinterest users will be able to purchase some of the products they "pin" without leaving Pinterest's app or website. The new "Buy It" button will show up next to the "Pin It" button that appears when you're about to pin an image of a pair of shoes you like or a coffee table you've had your eye on.

According to a recent survey of more than 2,000 Pinterest users, from Pinterest and Millward Brown Digital, 87 percent of them looked to the service when researching a buy, but 25 percent say they didn't make a purchase or visit a manufacturer's website after viewing an item. The "Buyable Pins" should be a boon for businesses, particularly retailers that see engagement from the site but few sales.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

**UPDATE** Expanding upon the Facebook entry is this piece that focuses more on the new national presence of 'Place Tips:
http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/facebook-expands-place-tips-adds-free-beacons

Beacons News from McDonald's and GameStop

Two retailers are in the news around beacons.

First up is McDonald's, looking to grasp at technology to solve all of their other problems:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/mcdonalds-beacon-strategy-pushes-in-store-conversion-rate-to-20pc-mobile-marketer

Here is a snippet from that piece:

McDonald’s recently leveraged a new proximity marketing strategy at 15 McD Cafés in Istanbul, Turkey, sending beacon-enabled promotions to customers within its venues via a mobile application, resulting in a conversion rate of 20 percent.

Next is GameStop:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/gamestop-exec-beacons-augment-in-store-experience-rewards-usage

Here is a snippet from that piece:

A GameStop executive at the Mcommerce Summit: State of Mobile Commerce 2015 revealed that in-store beacons, alongside augmented reality, are enhancing the in-store shopping process by offering a personalized experience and supporting the PowerUp Rewards loyalty program.

One of the key takeaways from the “GameStop’s PowerUp Rewards Loyalty Program: The Real Driver Behind a Mobile Channel Strategy” session is the heavy role that the brand’s mobile loyalty program plays in driving both in-store and online sales.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Facebook Beacons

It appears I never created a blog entry for this one though it is very important news from early February that I've referenced in my professional life frequently since.

Facebook is testing beacons in New York City.  The BLE beacons/ibeacons will interact with your Facebook mobile app around important landmarks and other spots.  Here is a story on this from February 2:

http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/news/software-technology/19676.html

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Facebook’s plan to begin testing a beacon-supported service to deliver information about shops and landmarks to nearby users in New York could change the way marketers connect digital and physical realms on the social networking site.

Facebook announced it would begin testing Place Tips in coming weeks after installing the low-cost, low-energy transmitters at eight Manhattan shops. Up to now, beacons have mainly been used to send promotions and ads to people in and near stores.

A bit more...

Facebook’s move could lead to a new form of interactive marketing. One scenario would be campaigns that connect and promote Facebook business pages as soon as a consumer enters a business's vicinity, interacts with a product or leaves instant reviews, feedback or redeemable offers.

“Adding hyperlocal data to the targeting mix for Facebook mobile ads, makes this the solution to beat in the publishing environment,” said Matt Ramerman, president and co-founder of Vehicle.

The privacy implications are quite interesting.  I can imagine walking around historic areas of New York City with an Apple Watch on and feeling a tap on the wrist with a little prompt on the screen asking me if I want more information.  I can also imagine businesses pounding me with unwanted offers and a host of other possibilities that aren't attractive to me.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

More Beacon News and Coupons

Beacons, beacons, beacons.

And iBeacons.

The drumbeat goes on and on.

Mobile marketing automation company Swrve announced beacons:

http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/2105815

Now Epicurious app users will be interacting with beacons as well:

http://appadvice.com/appnn/2014/08/epicurious-users-will-now-experience-apple-ibeacon-technology-in-stores

So how is big data helping?

http://smartblogs.com/food-and-beverage/2014/08/06/why-big-data-is-a-big-deal-for-supermarkets/?utm_source=brief

Tying it all together is the ability to provide personalized offers, coupons, in the new mobile world.  Just in time couponing is a marketers dream right?

http://www.clickz.com/clickz/news/2358929/mobile-coupons-to-reach-more-than-1-billion-consumers-study

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

More Beacon News - Lord & Taylor and Mobiquity Technologies

A couple more stories came out about iBeacons/Beacons as the year of the beacon continues.

I should just change the 'BLE' tag in this blog to 'Year of the Beacon'.

First up is Lord & Taylor taking their limited program national to all stores in the chain:

http://risnews.edgl.com/retail-news/Lord---Taylor-Personalizes-In-Store-Experience

Here is a snippet from that piece:

To deliver digital experience to consumers' smartphones while they shop in department stores, Hudson's Bay and Lord & Taylor will deploy Swirl's in-store beacon marketing platform in Canada and the U.S. Using beacons installed in merchandising areas through the stores, the retailers will automatically deliver branded content and personalized offers to in-store shoppers through an array of company-owned and third party mobile apps.

Next is Mobiquity and the retail real estate company Simon:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/simon-and-mobiquity-technologies

Here is a snippet from that piece:

INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 4, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Simon, a global leader in retail real estate, has announced the expansion of its agreement with Mobiquity Technologies, Inc., a leading technology company focusing on location-based mobile solutions, to create "smart malls" in 200+ Simon retail destinations in the U.S. using Bluetooth-enabled iBeacon technology.

Simon's deployment of Mobiquity's Mobi-Beacon network, already in place in 75 of its premier shopping destinations, provides a unique, opt-in opportunity for customers to engage with retailers, brands and mall apps for timely and contextually-relevant personalized offers, information and real-time experiences.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0144 Apps, Dunkin' Brands, Mobile and iBeacons

Several stories caught my eye though one is really the best read of the day.

Read this story by TechnoCrunch on the proliferation of spin-off apps by the major names such as Facebook:

http://techcrunch.com/2014/08/04/why-standalone-apps-are-supposed-to-fail/

Here is a snippet from that piece:

It’s scary to move a billion people’s furniture. That’s why Product Manager Michael Reckhow tells me Facebook built Paper. This fear has spawned the standalone app boom of 2014. Tech giants are experimenting with new user experiences outside the hallowed halls of their main apps that are too important to meddle with.

But while the press and public scrutinize the success of these different apps like FacebookSlingshot, Instagram Bolt, and Dropbox Carousel, they may be missing the point. Standalone apps are supposed to fail, at least most of the time.

Here is one on iBeacons in Missouri:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/08/prweb12060085.htm

Here is another about a study on mobile influencing shopping:

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/231298/mobile-influence-is-category-dependent.html?edition=75018

Finally, a story about the success Dunkin' Donuts is having with mobile:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/dunkin-donuts-winning-mobile-triple-play-geofencing-behavioral-targeting-and-coupons

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0142 Beacons Everywhere

The year of the beacon continues.

iPhone controlled room keys have been coming out in small hotel chains.  This story talks a bit about that:

http://9to5mac.com/2014/01/27/iphone-controlled-hotel-door-locks-will-allow-guests-to-bypass-check-in/

Hilton Hotels is now planning to join the masses moving towards mobile for everything and beacons for personalization.  I hadn't even started to think about using a beacon as my room key (technically the phone is the key and the beacon is the 'key hole' I guess).

http://9to5mac.com/2014/07/28/hilton-hotels-to-let-you-use-your-iphone-as-your-hotel-key-from-next-year/

Lord & Taylor is jumping in as well:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/lord-taylor-unites-beacons-popular-apps-and-brands-for-in-store-appeal

Yet is all of this really going the direction it should?  This article questions that:

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/230847/beacon-fatiguealready.html?edition=74820

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Much like mobile alerts and SMS before it, the rise of Beacon technology will initiate another round of internal discussion among marketers about how much is too much. The push components possible in proximity marketing and sensor-based broadcasting are promising precisely for the same reasons they risk being annoying: their disruptive potential. We all know that getting shoppers to use specific shopping or retail apps in-store is itself a heavy lift. They are there to shop, after all. And as much as we would like to believe we can channel people’s mobile behaviors into channels that benefit your brand, the fact is that people use their devices in personal and idiosyncratic ways they prefer to control.

In other words, beacons are going to be no easier to sell to mobile users than anything else has been -- in fact, they may be tougher.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Apple Passbook Usage, Beacons, and Mobile Intersection with Retail Stores

Three quick hits that are worth capturing for your reading.

First is a story on the opportunities mobile presents for traditional retail, the brick & mortar experience:

http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/three-ways-expanding-capabilities-mobile-devices-will-impact-retail

Here is a snippet from that piece:

...mobile devices are continuing to evolve. Increasingly, mobile devices are offering features that make it easier for retailers to position advanced computational and analytical power at the point of customer contact. Here are three ways upcoming changes in the capabilities of mobile devices will affect retail.

Next is usage data on mobile wallets that shows Apple's Passbook is the most used wallet out there, though no payments have been enabled within it yet:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/apple-passbook-used-more-frequently-than-other-digital-wallets-report

Finally is a story on one usage of BLE Beacons/iBeacons and the success they are having:

http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/hillshire-brands-sees-20-jump-purchase-intent-beacons-159042

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Hillshire Brands and IPG Mediabrands-owned agency BPN are announcing an interesting case study today about how beacons (the devices set up in brick-and-mortar stores to trigger location-based offers) increased purchase intent and sales for American Craft link sausages. While marketers have hyped beacons for a while now, Hillshire’s campaign is one of the first proof points that back up the use of the in-store technology.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0139 Geomarketing

I'll post two articles today under the "Best Reading of the Day" moniker as I was travelling this week and have some catching up to do.

This story on what is happening to marketing with location-based technologies beginning to take off is well worth the reading investment:

http://www.cmo.com/articles/2014/7/18/location_based_marke.html

Here is a snippet from the piece:

Digital marketing has made clear that getting the right message to the right person at the right time is paramount. Yet somewhere at the intersection of technology and opportunity lies the very real world of putting an effective plan into place. At the center of this concept: geomarketing.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

More Beacon News and Mobile Usage Data

A bit of news around iBeacons/Beacons or Bluetooth Low Energy.

For mobile payments:

http://www.digitaltransactions.net/news/story/How-Bluetooth-Beacons-Are-Central-to-GoPago-And-Slyde-Mobile-Payment-And-Offers-App

For Marriott:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/marriott-expands-mobile-platform-to-integrate-with-ibeacons

Next up is some mobile usage data that won't surprise anyone.  People are increasingly reliant on their smart phones for their in-store experience:

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/229888/mobile-apps-used-in-store-to-confirm-or-find-alter.html?edition=74407

Here is a snippet from that piece:

According to the CFI Group’s Retail Satisfaction Barometer, the use of mobile applications for shopping purposes doubled in the past year, with 41% of consumers actively using mobile apps to hunt for information while shopping. Mobile provides an additional channel for shoppers looking for the most convenient avenue to purchase relative to their lifestyle. Furthermore, the study found that checkout is the most impactful driver of the customer experience.

The information in that study on the impact of mobile may be the most interesting.  We are seeing a huge impact across the board, from channel to channel, by mobile usage.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Misc. Apps, News, Stories, iBeacons, etc.

I found a number of good stories today including some news and some great reads.  I'll clump it all together in this post and you can choose which stories interest you the most.  The tags for this post should cover all of the stories to make this post searchable.

First up is ASO or App Store Optimization.

http://www.yodelmobile.com/yodelblog/index.php/2014/07/us-and-uk-approach-to-app-store-optimisation-differs-but-theres-room-for-improvement-across-the-board/

They found pretty poor ASO at too many of the leading retailers.  For example one retailer only used 3 of the 20 available key words and one of those words was 'in'.  Ridiculous.

Next is Digital Trends' listing of the best apps.  They list by category so it is a great entry to bookmark:

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-iphone-apps/#!bcZh0h

Next is a story about a web-only retailer that has opened its first brick and mortar store, in New York City.  Wow.  The blurring of the online and 'real' worlds continues.

http://www.internetretailer.com/2014/07/11/web-retailer-birchbox-opens-its-first-bricks-and-mortar-store

One more on omnichannel focuses on the efforts by Sears / Kmart:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/sears-kmart-expands-store-pick-up-to-either-locations

Finally is another story this year on the use of iBeacons.  The year of the beacon continues....

http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/easyjet-pilots-ibeacon-scheme

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Shameless PayPal Plug

Have been having discussions about the capabilities of BLE and Beacon/iBeacon technology and thought it was a good time to capture a couple very illuminating spots created by PayPal.

Reality is different, so far, from what is being shown here but it sure gets the wires clicking.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8h_i8qv1FY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBLdOIRSvQU

Enjoy!

J.W. Gant

iBeacons and Walgreens

News of the day.  Another retailer has embraced iBeacon technology, through bluetooth low energy (BLE) and their app.  These iBeacons enable personalized interaction with customers in the store.

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/walgreens-tests-ibeacon

Here is a snippet from that piece:

A Walgreens executive at the Mcommerce Summit: State of Mobile Commerce 2014 revealed that the company launched an iBeacon pilot program in several Duane Reade stores in New York earlier this week.

One of the main takeaways ... is the growing role that in-store experiences are playing in helping Walgreens build out a mobile strategy. The decision to launch the iBeacon pilot is based on findings from Walgreens that the average in-store, online and mobile shopper spends six times more than the average store-only shopper.

This is not surprising but is a very good reveal by the folks at Mobile Commerce Daily.

On April 23rd we saw news about the Walgreens app focusing on the in-store experience.  Read about that here.

There will be more retailers putting out iBeacon and Beacon pilots this year.

Have a great weekend,

J.W. Gant

BLE Beacons and Coupons

A couple of news items worth sharing.

First up is the success story of one retailer and their use of Bluetooth Low Energy beacons.

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/lux-beauty-boutique-enlists-mobile-to-streamline-high-turnover-sales

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Canadian retailer Lux Beauty Boutique upped in-store sales 20-25 percent this year for an anniversary sale thanks to the addition of a self-checkout mobile application.

...

The SelfPay mobile app uses geolocation and beacon technology to detect when a shopper is inside a store. SelfPay is a self-checkout app that lets shoppers scan in-store products from several retailers that they can then buy right on the spot.

Next is a story on Coupon.com and their latest digital efforts:

http://www.retailcustomerexperience.com/article/231529/Coupons-com-launches-new-retail-marketing-platform

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Coupons.com Inc. has unveiled Retailer iQ, a targeting and analytics platform for grocery, drug and mass merchandisers that the company says fundamentally changes the promotions and checkout experience for shoppers and retailers by making them digital, mobile and personalized.

According to the company, Retailer iQ combines several innovative components into one cohesive, omnichannel platform that is designed to drive consumer engagement, activation and shopping behavior for retailers and consumer packaged goods companies.

Apparently Walgreens' has implemented this technology with great success.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Apple iPhone Predictions

Rumors are swirling and supposed photos from the Apple supply chain are just beginning to come in to view.  The iPhone 6 is beginning to come in to focus, but it is only the beginning.

I'm not one to speculate on the nuances of every Apple release but one piece of prognostication has spurred my desire to post here.  An analyst is saying Apple will include Near Field Communication (NFC) hardware in the iPhone 6.

I think this is complete hogwash.

Here is the story in question, merely citing a well known analyst of Apple products so don't hold that against the website:

http://techcrunch.com/2014/04/11/apple-could-finally-adopt-nfc-on-iphone

You get the main point of the story just from the URL.  That analyst is well known because he "has a solid track record of actually getting things right."

Here is another story that speaks to Google's moves on payments and how it has withdrawn from NFC:

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/google-mobile-payments

Here is a pretty good story that tries to predict what Apple is up to in payments:

http://www.mobilepaymentstoday.com/article/230545/What-is-Apple-up-to-in-payments

With BLE having been such a strong play by Apple, and what I've seen companies do with those 'beacons' to make them emulate near field communications, I predict Apple has already made its play in this space and it is BLE.

NFC is dead.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant

Best Reading of the Day - Entry 0102 Tesco and iBeacons

The folks over on Mobile Commerce Daily have another excellent read.

Tesco has introduced a new approach to the use of iBeacon technology in stores.

http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/tesco-pivots-focus-of-ibeacon-towards-customer-service-will-others-follow

Here is a snippet from the article:

While much of the buzz about beacons has been around pushing offers to shoppers, a new pilot program at Tesco gives marketers a better understanding of the full scope of the location-based technology’s capabilities.

The British retailer is piloting iBeacon in its Chelmsford location with a stand-alone iPhone application specific to the store’s location. Tesco’s pilot indicates that retailers solely focusing on beacon-triggered sales are missing out on a bigger opportunity with in-store customer service.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant