Exness SAMANTHA HOOI CHOY YIN Global Event Manager
The post-pandemic presence of brands: the perspective of Exness, a global leader The rise of the internet and ecommerce has seen the deterioration of stores and the need for a physical presence. Across the globe, consumers increasingly replace their visits to physical stores with regular browsing of goods online. And while global powerhouses such as Amazon and Alibaba lead the online shopping scene, store chains and shopping malls see their influence decreasing one “add to cart” at a time. Yet, the need for a physical brand presence is stronger than ever, especially after the social isolation of the pandemic. Apple, for years now, has been investing heavily in the creation of state-of-the-art stores that not only invite customers in but also create an in-store experience like no other. As Angela Ahrendts, former Apple CRO, stated, the weight from 80% on shopping and 20% on experience is reversing. And retailers everywhere are playing catch-up in reinventing their business models to compete with the cheaper and more convenient alternative that online shopping offers.
GAME CHANGERS Issue #38
Establishing connection beyond the internet The physical presence paradigm, of course, goes well beyond the ecommerce industry. The pandemic has left billions of people around the globe isolated and doing virtually everything online, giving cue to a new era in consumer behaviour and brand relations. Consumers increasingly rely on online services for all of their needs but they still seek experiences and human connection. Hence, brand and marketing managers everywhere seek out every opportunity to establish that connection outside of the dimensions of a screen, be it a phone, a tablet, a laptop or a TV. They try to either be where their customers are or invite them over to treat them with a one-of-a-kind experience. Apple, again, is a great example of this. They invest billions of dollars in creating spaces that go beyond selling products and services to give their customers more ways to connect with both the brand and its products even though the biggest percentage of their sales comes from online purchases.
