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WHAT’S IN STORE FOR RETAIL MARKETING?
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INTRODUCTION Marketing for Retail is tricky. You have to
books, fashion, furniture, decor, footwear, etc.
come up with fresh initiatives and novel ways
Plus, there are different types of outlets, like
every now and then. Your ultimate goal is to
Boutiques, Concept stores,Departmental
pull your prospects to the stores so that they
stores, Mom-and-Pop stores, Malls,
make purchases…….and do that again and
Supermarkets etc
again. There is no standard marketing formula for a retail company because the industry has a variety of segments like grocery, beauty,
What’s in store for Retail Marketing?
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PLAY SMART WITH ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES Deloitte highlighted the importance of technology in retail by mentioning that “Retail innovators know technology is no longer supplemental to the shopping experience, it is fundamental.” Recently, Carrefour launched a robot named “Pepper”. The robot can help the customers by providing them information about discounts, promotions etc. It can also entertain children through games, dances, selfies and short conversations.
Recently, there was a news that Walmart
lets the customers try on the jewellery
would be soon using drones to enhance the
virtually, click pictures and share them on
shopping experience for the shoppers. Intel
social media. If they decide to purchase a
had also shared a video of Chow Sang Sang (a
piece, the staff can quickly assist them by
major jewellery retailer from Hong Kong)
locating it. This campaign attracted a lot of
utilising Intel® RealSense™ technology
youngsters and there was a 100% increase in
through Mirum’s Magic Mirror 2.0. A
the sales!
wonderful mirror like interactive screen that
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BE DISRUPTIVE WITH AR & VR North-Star introduced this Virtual Reality (VR)
towards Virtual and Augmented Reality(AR).
experience for its customers. The transition from
These technologies can improve customer
virtual sledging to real sledging was mind-
experience by manifolds and can also
blowing and fun! You need to use technology in
differentiate your brand.
such creative ways to attract your customers and make their experience memorable. An article in HBR, suggests that retailers should take a lead
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIII Tesco created a virtual store and introduced its
runway show, after which they could shop.
customers to a new world of shopping. A
Similarly, Westfield considered the inclination
couple of years back, Tommy Hilfiger had
of its customers towards technology and
introduced a virtual reality shopping experience
treated them with an interactive virtual reality
to attract customers. The audience got a front
tour of the fashion world.
row view of the Fall 2015 ‘Hilfiger Collection’
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Have you heard about Holoroom? It lets the
they can actually feel being there, in that
customers customize a space and then takes
customized setting. Watch this video for more
them on a virtual tour of around the place! So,
details:
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIII Augmented reality can surely empower your
view an interactive, 3D model of the products.
customers. It can be used to overlay information
One can also change the colors or turn the
on products, supermarket aisles etc. This
product for a complete view.
technology can be used to scan a print ad and How about asking your customers to capture
IKEA lets its customers try out a variety of
their faces on a camera and trying out
pieces of furniture before deciding which one
different kinds of makeup in AR. Yes, without
should they buy. IKEA used this fun video to
even applying anything on the face! Isn’t it an
excite the customers about their AR app.
extremely hassle free experience for selecting shades of eye-shadow, lipstick, blush etc.?
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IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIII Your customers can scan a product at the
product! You may like to have a look at the AR
store and instantly view its specifications,
Retail Campaign from Lacoste and a
reviews, colors available on their mobile.
demonstration on AR in retail by MIT
Moreover, they can even watch a video of the
Technology Review.
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COMPELLING AS ALWAYS You just saw some cool applications of
your message to your audience. If you still
technology in retail. Did you notice that the
don’t believe us, see how a video can hook the
videos in this blog made it easier for you to
viewers and compel them to hang on until it
visualize and understand things? Well, videos
inspires them to eat healthy:
are immensely powerful in communicating
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIII CONTEXTUAL SOCIAL CAMPAIGNS Any kind of marketing effort, social media
can brainstorm some ideas to create
communication, campaigns, innovative uses of
campaigns and steer your customers in the
technologies are incomplete until a video
desired direction ( towards you, of course!).
drives down the point to the viewers. Let’s talk about campaigns now. Once you have a fixed goal in your mind, you and your team/agency
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Let’s discuss some more about eatables. How
Will you preach them? No way! How about
would you convince people to reduce fruits &
creating characters out of fruits and
vegetable wastage? Will you write a lonnnng
vegetables?
document talking about the damages caused?
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIII Isn’t it a great way to teach people to look
awareness about food wastage. Did you notice
beyond physical imperfections? This campaign
how the success of the campaign was measured
was brilliant and impactful. It increased the
in terms of conversation on social networks?
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BE EYE-GRABBING Social media has become the central
drugstore chains in the U.S, makes optimal
platform for communication with the
use of its social media channels. The company
prospects and defining your brand image.
knows that when an occasion like Christmas is
Youtube is the biggest platform for sharing
near, most of the people are confused about
and watching videos. You can upload
what gifts to buy and from where? So, they
explainer videos, trailers, testimonials, how to
shared this video to inform the audience that
videos, corporate videos etc. depending upon
there is a solution to their problem:
your needs. Walgreens, one of the largest
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIII Such videos can easily direct the customers to
this will build a relation where your customers
your store. Nobody knows your products as
will turn to you for advice. Such informational
good as you do. You can offer advice related
videos don’t have to be boring or pushy, they
to your field of expertise and indirectly
can be fun!
promote your products too! Most importantly,
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IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIII The above video has upbeat music, stop-
based on their needs, preferences and usage.
motion and it just took 15 sec.! Your aim
They know that when the customers get the
should be to generate a need and remove any
right product, they are happy and come back
hindrances in the path to purchase, like lack of
again. Another video, DIY Raised Garden Bed –
knowledge, information overload or confusion.
Small Garden Ideas is also quite good at
The Home Depot, the world’s largest home
generating need and also offers an easy
improvement speciality retailer, does this really
explanation. The description says, “Shop our
well. For instance, they posted a video titled,
assortment of raised garden bed kits to make
Types of Grills: Choosing What’s Best for You,
your own: http://thd.co/2kLCdU2”. A great call
which tells the viewers how to select a grill
to action indeed!
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