The Modern Retailer by Rosie Kingston

The Modern Retailer

Fig56

The Modern Retailer The effect that changing consumer behaviour and mobile technology has had on retailers in the digital era.

ROSIE KINGSTON N0383127

YEAR 3

Negotiated Project Stage 1

FASH 3001

word count: 8798

Contents

6 9 10 12 14 16 22 31 32 34 36 40 46 52 54 62 68 70 71 74 76 78 80 86 90 92 95 97 101

Introduction Aims Methodology The digital Era Changing consumer behaviour The connected consumer The social consumer Networking for the social consumer The informed consumer Going mobile The rise of mobile commerce The mobile lifestyle The retail app Changing expectations from retail Experiential retail The digital high street Conclusion Implementation Introduction The brand The opportunity? The mobile strategy The app The new uo experience Conclusion List of references List of illustrations Bibliography Appendix

Fig.1

Introduction

“Each wave of change doesn’t eliminate what came before it but it reshapes the landscape and redefines consumer expectations.”(Kantar Retail, 2011, p26). Society has debated the idea that a rise in online commerce has resulted in the decline of the high-street, similarly to as they did fifty years ago when malls started to line the suburbs, challenging the city based department stores. However, the recent rise of mobile technology brings to fore the debate of how retailers can survive the technological revolution we are witnessing. Niemeier et al (2013, p vii) suggests that “Mobile internet access is growing at 20 percent annually.” This demonstrates that the power of technology is in the consumer’s hand anywhere, and at any time. The power balance between those who sell and those who buy is shifting individuals can now browse products, post reviews, place orders and gain possession, all without entering the store.

Fig.2

The digital age is upon us and this leaves brands struggling to decide what to prioritise; social commerce, digitally enabled stores or mobile strategies (Amaze, 2013). The question is whether brands can afford to prioritise one of these areas. In order to be successful in the current climate they need to link consumers, devices and data to create a simultaneous shopping experience. As a consumer, I have seen the shift from a world which revolves around a Nokia 3310, to the smartphone generation and what is notable about this change is the speed at which we have adopted this mobile lifestyle.

In this report I aim to discuss how brands can succeed in a new, consumer driven world, and what strategies they can adopt to achieve success during a time when the clothing retail industry is on the brink of a technological transformation. I will explore the effects that changing consumer behaviour has on the retail environment and consequently whether different consumer types have different expectations from retail brands.

Aims

Niemeier et al (2013) suggest that to make money in the new digital climate, retailers have to understand that the shopper is more powerful than ever before. Retailers that are successful will need to do more than one of these things well: reinvent convenience, redefine loyalty, re-imagine experience and reposition value. They will need to find innovative ways to address the new, digitally intelligent, shopper across multi-channel touch points. (Kantar Retail, 2011) Firstly, my aim is to find out how brands can find these pioneering ways within the new digital climate, using mobile strategies, experiential retail and the knowledge of consumer decision journeys to ultimately redefine the ways they interact with their customers and, more importantly, why it is imperative for them to do so. Secondly, I will also evaluate the new digital climate against, and consider to what degree it may or may not overwhelm the physical retail store.

Methodology

Research was fundamentally key in finding out how consumer behaviour has changed and what areas retail brands need to be focussing on in the new digital era. I started to think about what research needed to be down in order to find out relevant information.

Primary Research What

Why

When

Useful?

Changing Consumer Behaviour Survey

02/11/13

In order to find out the shops consumers like, whether they prefer online or instore shopping, and their online shopping habits. Starting to understand consumer behaviour around digital retail. It is a survey of 63 people with an age range from 18–60+.

Are you Mobile? Survey

03/12/13

This survey was to find out about peoples relationships with their phones, whether they own a smartphone and whether they use fashion apps. It is a survey of 33 people.

It was really interesting to find out that 87% said their phone was always with them and 96% saying they own a smartphone. Really supports the idea that mobile is becoming the most important channel for retailers to offer to consumers. However 63% of people said that they don’t have fashion app’s on their phone.

Store Visits 27/10/13 - &Other Stories, Topshop, Box Park.

Visits to these stores gave the first-hand experience of their brand and how they are using instore design, innovation and digital.

&Other stories was really impressive as an example of an innovative store design taking inspiration from social media sites and magazines. Has a curated feel and flexible fixtures. Topshop excelled at offering mobile communications to consumers with a ‘DearTopshop’ Pinterest campaign and highlighting most pinned items. Boxpark was inspirational at offering a day out experience to retail.

Consumer Smartphone Study

To gain an understanding of different types of consumers and their use of their smartphones. What their favourite apps are and why.

It was useful to look at the different types of consumer and see which apps each consumer group generally prefers and why. Found it useful that digital natives and dependents like to use apps that are social, inspirational and encourage sharing.

03/12/13 until 05/01/14

Retail Mobile App Analysis

20/12/13

To research into what retail apps are already out there and whether they are effective and offer good applications to consumers.

It was useful to see how many retail brands only have apps that can be used on IOS and not android. It was also very insightful at seeing what were the positives and negative points to different retailers’ apps and how easy to navigate they were.

Interview with Sedge Beswick from Asos via email

First emailed on 03/12/13 replied on 04/12/13

Sedge works in social media for Asos and therefore has expert knowledge as to how it is beneficial for retailers and how they can use digital strategies.

Was an insightful interview because she gave information on how brands need to use digital to simplify the shopping experience and be supportive of consumer’s busy lives.

Interview with Michelle Lee founder of Keungzai (Start-up fashion brand) via email

First emailed on 14/11/13 replied on 04/12/13

As the owner of a start-up fashion brand Michelle Lee can offer an expert opinion on the importance of digital strategies and how she goes about communicating with consumers.

It was useful to see how important she thought that mobile strategies were to her start-up businesses and the fact that she think consumers have an expectation to be able to access the brand whenever they want.

Interview with Tim Williams from Luma PR via email

First emailed on 11/12/13 replied on 17/12/13

Tim Williams from Luma has created multiple digital experience events for retail brands and therefore has firsthand experience and expertise in this area.

A really useful interview that helped with the understanding of how digital is key but it must be integrated into the consumer decision journey. Also gave insight into the importance of experiences instore and offering consumers the chance to ‘live the brand’.

Interview with Richard Danks from the Portas agency via email

First emailed on 17/12/13 replied on 17/12/13

Richard works at Portas PR agency specialising therefore has experience and expertise working with big brands and retailers.

A useful interview because he gave an argument against experience being key, discussing the importance of competing on price and value. He gave expert advice on how retailers shouldn’t see digital as a threat to the physical store.

Secondary Research Resources such as books, journals, reports, articles and documentaries were used in order to gain a thorough understanding of the subject matter surrounding the digital revolution and the effects it has had on consumers and retailers. The main books referred to were Reshaping Retail by Stefan Niemer et al, Content to commerce by Avi Savar and Consumer.ology by Philip Graves.

The Digital Era

Fig.3

Fifteen years ago, new technologies promised so much for retailers and e-commerce but unfortunately, they weren’t successful and it resulted in the burst of the dot.com bubble of the 1990’s (Niemeier et al, 2013). Today, we have a new range of mature technologies which are really changing the game for retailers and the way they communicate. “Things really are speeding up. The amount of stored information grows four times faster than the world economy, while processing power of computers grows nine times faster.” (Mayer-Schonberger et al, 2013, p9). The digital revolution refers to the change from analog to electronic that we see in all industries (Digital Experts Academy, 2013). As technology becomes more advanced and can store more and more information, retailers are forced to look at how the digital revolution will affect trade and how it could work to their advantage. Many believe that the digital revolution will be as transformative for retailing as the industrial revolution had previously been (Niemeier et al, p22). The conventional ways of retailing have been thrown over in favour of a new order of doing things, based on computing power, networking and data storage capacity. We have seen the domination of e-commerce, the self-service machine, social media and now mobile technology with “91% of smartphone users continuously keeping their mobile phone within arm’s reach.” (Morris, 2013) therefore, always staying connected. For retailers these changes will be instrumental to either their success or their failure, as they affect the ways consumers live their lives and subsequently how retailers can sell to them. What we can be sure of, is that the digital revolution is transforming the traditional role of retailing. This is the digital era of retail.

Changing Consumer Behaviour

Fig.4

Fig.5

The Connected Consumer

“The combination of digital technologies, consumer expectations and socio-economic change is transforming the way we shop” (Kantar Retail, 2011) Consumer behaviour already has been and will continue to be altered by the digital and mobile revolution. The basic needs of consumers haven’t changed, however the way they expect their needs to be fulfilled has changed dramatically. David Court et al (2009, p97-107) explains how ‘the consumer decision journey’ was the pattern that consumers used to follow when deciding what to buy and where from. We understood consumers acting in a linear way - awareness would lead to consideration which would lead to selection and purchase would hopefully lead to loyalty. This journey has changed. Consumers expect retail to be accessible via multiple channels where they can connect with a brand on several touch points simultaneously. When asked what their relationship with their smartphones was, 90% of consumers said it’s always with them, within arm’s reach. (See appendix B, own survey) This is the epitome of the connected consumer.

Kantar Retail (2011) explains how there are three different types of connected consumer:

THE DIGITAL DEPENDENT

They have been born since the evolution of the internet. They see technology as an integral part of all their social interactions. They grow up owning smartphones and tablets and are never without them; this is their way of constantly staying connected. Technology is used as part of all their shopping habits however it is often not something they consciously realise they are using, as the process of using it is completely integrated.

THE DIGITAL NATIVE

They grew up in a world which was comfortable with some technological interaction, for example the television and early stages of the computer and internet, however access to this technology was limited. As they have grown older, technology has grown with them and it is now seen as the norm. They have easily transitioned into the smartphone generation and use mobiles as part of their daily interactions. They have most likely integrated technology into their shopping habits.

THE DIGITAL IMMIGRANT

They tend to be older, having started work in a world in which the desktop computer was the most up to date and widespread piece of technology. They have had to re-learn how to operate in the digital world. They generally have not incorporated mobile technologies into their shopping habits.

Fig.6

49%

of consumers said that it is very important to be able to connect with other consumers on various channels, with 38% saying that this was quite important to them. (See appendix B, own survey) This shows that nearly all consumers like to be able to connect with a retail brand via multiple channels. Sally Denton (2013) found that more people have smartphones than debit cards and in having a smartphone, consumers can stay connected constantly - they have access to mobile commerce (m-commerce) whenever it is convenient to them.

Fig.7

This generation of digital dependants are used to immediate results and they thrive on instant gratification and frequent rewards. They can effortlessly multitask and function best when networked - they therefore expect brands to connect with them on various channels simultaneously. Not only do these channels need to exist, they need to be the best possible channel they can be in order for the consumers to connect at their convenience and without any complications. This therefore encourages them to purchase not only once, but to develop an affinity and loyalty to that brand. This links to David Court et al (2009) and the ‘consumer decision journey’. That process is still being carried out, however the features of the journey are experienced in different ways. Consideration, selection, purchase and review continue to occur, simply via a different medium, for example, a smartphone or tablet.

The loyalty that consumers feel towards a brand is now generated by how easy it is to connect with them. These developments and changes are widely beneficial for the consumer’s, however they come at a heavy cost for the retailer. (Niemeier et al, 2013,p95).“In the current climate clothing retailers can’t get away with being average, they need to excel in both merchandise and innovation.” (Mintel, 2013) This means developing innovative ways to connect with the consumer whether it is instore, online or via a mobile device. Retailers can use digital technology to enhance and extend the consumer shopping experience throughout various touch points.

The Social Consumer

The continued popularity of the smartphone has led to the rise of social media and social commerce and it is therefore of great importance for retailers and brands to focus their attention on (Business Insider, 2013). The convenient nature of social media sites accessible via smartphones and tablets, has made it easy for consumers to interact with brands regularly and this has now developed into an expectation. If a brand does not offer strong social media platforms, the consumer is likely to feel disappointment. Consumers use these platforms as well as social networks to discuss products, trends and gossip, sharing information and opinions.

Niemeier et al states that “The world’s top five social networks have a combined total of 2.5 billion members and millions are joining their ranks every day.”(Niemeier et al, 2013, p iiv) Primary research which I conducted in November 2013 found that 41% of consumers have interacted with a brand on a social media site (See appendix, own survey). This reflects the growth in the creation and dominance of social media itself, the subsequent involvement from users, and the influence that it can have on consumer behaviour. It is likely that consumers will feel let down if a brand or shop they like does not provide the ability to connect via social media, and this in turn encourages disloyalty – they are likely to try a different brand/shop which does provide this platform for communication (Hallam, 2013).

Fig.8

Where fashion week has previously been seen as an exclusive event, this year brands have been using social media to promote their shows, provide live streaming and encourage support for the events therefore making it feel more inclusive to people unable to physically attend. This is a prime example of the change that social media has had on the fashion industry. They want to make the industry more accessible, as digital age consumers expect for everything to be accessible to them via the internet or smartphone. The BBC reported â&#x20AC;&#x153;on how technology is taking fashionistas to the front row, even without a ticket.â&#x20AC;?(Tahmasebi, 2013) giving the access to areas of fashion that had previously been off limits to the general consumer.

Fig.9

Fig.10

Fig.11

The opening of &Other Stories - a shop which has an in-store environment inspired by social media sites such as Tumblr and Pinterest - introduced the idea of incorporating social media into the design and navigation of a retail store. The brand leads the way with a less corporate and more individual style of décor such as signs in a handwriting style font, and encouraging customers to tweet and comment on their favourite items and their in-store experiences (Wgsn, 2013). Topshop is another brand that offers a wide variety of social media platforms for their consumers to use. During Christmas 2013, they introduced a Pinterest led campaign called ‘DearTopshop’ asking customers to create a Pinterest board containing a wish list of Topshop items. (Topshop, 2013) This is a clear example of a brand encouraging consumers to connect with the brand, but also with their peers, to discuss what items they like and recommend. Brands have also started to show in-store which items are ‘most pinned’, showing consumers which items are most popular on Pinterest, which can influence their opinion of a product. This is reflected in the rise of the visual web, sites such as Tumblr, Pinterest and Instagram are becoming the places to go for consumers to visually discuss shopping ideas, fashion tips and wish lists. Essentially, this is the digital age version of word of mouth marketing – a digital way of telling your peers what you like and recommend. (Neumann, 2013)

We are all social beings and therefore we are influenced by our peers. Social media can work as a marketing tool to get a large group of people to talk about the products. This works to influence the consumer’s perception of the brand and products because ultimately “the quickest way to exert intentional influence over another person is to solicit the help of a group.” (Graves, P, 2013, p149).

Fig.12

THE THINGS THAT INFLUENCE SOCIAL CONSUMERS:

>Ratings and reviews >Blog posts >Organic search >Incentive towards products

THE WAY SOCIAL CONSUMERS INFLUENCE OTHERS:

>60% online discovery – of people who are online learned about a product via social media >70% social recommendations – of people trust consumer opinions online (Social Annex, 2012)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;In order for brands to succeed in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s socially connected world they must act like a media network.â&#x20AC;? (Savar,A , 2013, p ivv). Social media offers the capacity to create stronger relationships between the brand and the consumer. For the brand, it means individuals and sometimes whole areas of the company that used to work separately now must learn to work together in order to give one strong brand message through various channels (Savar, A, 2013).

Fig.13

Networking for the Social Consumer “A network is essentially a brands collection of owned media channels. Each channel needs to be programmed independently to drive the goals of the entire network forward.” (Savar,A , p7) Brands use these networks to connect with their consumers, however, each channel within the network should offer the consumer a different purpose. Brands need to make sure that each channel is doing something to improve their network, to increase consumer communication and reinforce the brand’s message.

Social networks are complex systems that allow us to communicate with peers, regardless of geographical location. In the digital climate of today we tend to network as part of our natural routine. However, the strength of a network is measured by the amount of people who connect to it. The value rises as new services are created and more data is shared and this is what is known as Metcalfe’s law (Mitchell, B, 2009). For us, the most powerful network is the internet. For retailers, the power of being accessible should not be underestimated, as it could prove invaluable as the usage of that network grows.

The Informed Consumer

The adoption of mobile devices while shopping has led to a more informed consumer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Devices are empowering customers by readily providing them with more information than consumers have had in the past.â&#x20AC;? (Niemeier et al, 2013, p61) Consumers now use technology to research an item before purchasing, reading reviews and recommendations, checking prices and finding store locations (Rics, software, 2012). Vanessa Nornberg discusses the idea that this has resulted in the more the consumer knows, the more they buy and that the year 2014 will be the year of the informed consumer. (Nornberg, V, 2013) Ultimately, the priority for brands is always going to be to sell, and this is something they need to focus on in order to connect with future shoppers.

85%

of shoppers globally say social media helps them shop better and faster through the help of recommendations from friends (Rics, software, 2012).

STORE FINDERS

PRICE COMPARISON

RECOMMENDATIONS

ONLINE REVIEWS RETAIL APPS SOCIAL MEDIA

THE CONSUMER

THE MORE THEY BUY Fig.14

However, giving consumers all the information isn’t necessarily the best idea - it can be a mistake to tell people everything and then ask them what they think they want. Henry Ford once said “If I had asked my customers what they had wanted they would have said a faster horse.”(Pearce, M, 2011). Despite the fact that consumers would have known all the information, they will still revert to a more efficient version of the one they know. This demonstrates that consumers don’t necessarily know how they will respond to something despite the amount of information they have.

Going Mobile

Fig.15

2 Fig.16

The Rise of Mobile Commerce

In recent years e-commerce has seen a transition from selling only niche products to having almost everything available to purchase online. And now we have a seen the rise of mobile commerce (m-commerce). Tim Williams of Luma PR said â&#x20AC;&#x153;mobile has come along and is now a credible platform to buy things - 5 years ago it was almost impossible to use a mobile browser to buy something and apps were in their infancy.â&#x20AC;? (Williams T, 2013). It now offers people the option to purchase what they want, whenever they want and wherever they are. Mobile commerce means that shopping is no longer limited to the store opening times or even access to a computer. It is also guiding new competition and empowering consumers.

M M O C M

The arrival of advanced mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets has empowered the lives of millions of consumers around the world (Niemeier et al, 2013, p58).

90%

of consumers now own a smartphone (See appendix B, own survey). There is not necessarily one type of mobile consumer as it is something that is being used by all different types of consumer. However, digital dependents and digital natives are most accustomed to shopping online and see their smartphone as their main computing device. (Business Insider, 2013) Therefore, for retailers, accessing them via their mobiles could be the most definite way to reach them.

E C R E M

The smartphone is a multifunctional tool for commerce that retailers need to incorporate into their strategies. Brands need to start thinking of mobile as a driver of sales as well as a sales channel. It’s the combination of functionalities in one handheld device which means that most consumers carry it around at all times. “Deloitte forecasts that the mobile influence factor will continue to rise in line with trends in the uptake of mobile technology and to reach 10-15% of store retail sales by 2017, representing between £27bn and £41bn in store sales.” (Deloitte, 2013, p2).

Fig.17

This shows that brands willing to develop strategies that encourage consumers to use their mobile devices in-store, to compare and consider options available, will be most successful in the new digital climate. It is important that retailers see that mobile is a tool that makes their brand accessible to the consumer wherever they are. “Past studies have also shown that customers have to see an advert 7 times before acting on it - which poses another point to why it’s so crucial to be accessible and in the minds of customers at all times.” (Lee, M, 2013).

Fig.18

Despite the fact that they need to harness this power, the challenge is in the fact that retailers do not control the pace of this change and the mobile revolution will come even if they are not ready. The consumers ultimately control the pace of the change as it depends on the speed at which they adopt the trend. According to Mooreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s law the phones in our pockets have the capacity to process software instructions exceeding that of the largest business computers of the 1970â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.(Mooreâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s law, 2010) Therefore, the fact that consumers have access to this processing power and it is so readily available to them shows that it is definitely something retailers need to develop. Not being ready for this change, and developing behind the rate at which consumers adopt the trends will be some retailers ultimate downfall.

The Mobile Lifestyle

Fig.19

“We are moving on from e-commerce to everywhere commerce. What we are going to find is that digital, mobile, social and local are going to impact almost everything that is sold. All companies need to become more fluent in the tools of the digital world.”(Kantar retail, 2013, p3) Consumers in the new digital climate know that they can always stay connected thanks to their smartphones or tablets. Even on the move or during dead time they can access the internet and be browsing the shops. Michelle Lee creator of start-up fashion brand ‘Keungzai’ said “There is an increasing number of potential customers shopping on their commute to work, at lunchtime or when dual-screening (watching TV / browsing mobile) and as the smartphone industry continues to soar - the number of mobile commerce transactions will keep increasing.” (Lee, M, 2013) This had led to consumers who expect constant access to Wi-Fi. In turn, retailers have had to respond with the creation of Wi-Fi enabled stores which allow consumers to always stay connected. Sedge Beswick from Asos said that “All campaigns and websites need to be truly optimised for mobile to fit in with people’s busy lives. It’s key to be able to shop on the go and retail is at the forefront of this.”(Beswick, S, 2013).

Christopher North, the managing director of Amazon UK, see’s the importance of mobile strategies to the retail environment, he said “I predict within just a few years more than a half of our transactions will be happening on mobile tablets or mobile phones, that is the revolution and we have to rethink so much of what we do.”(Robert Peston goes shopping, 2013). Amazon were the first retailer to take full advantage of e-commerce and now they see the importance of offering consumers m-commerce solutions to make shopping with their site convenient to consumer lifestyles. A few years ago the simple idea of email marketing would have been laughed at because marketers didn’t think that sending an email was enough to get consumers attention. However, with the popularity of smartphones meaning consumers always have access to their emails it had meant that email marketing has been revitalised. 64% of decision makers are reading their emails through their mobile device (Walk Digital, 2013) and this means that in their personal time it makes it easy to link straight to a social media site or website which could lead to purchase.

EMAIL SENT

OPENED ON SMARTPHONE

LINK STRAIGHT TO MOBILE OPTIMISED WEBSITE

LINK STRAIGHT TO MOBILE APP

LEAD TO PURCHASE Fig.20

THE CONSUMER SMARTPHONE STUDY THE DIGITAL DEPENDENTS

Fig.21

Fig.22

Fig.23

Favourite app: Snapchat Why?: It’s fun and sociable

Favourite app: Snapchat Why?: It’s funny

Favourite app: Daily mail app Why?: Keep updated on gossip

THE DIGITAL IMMIGRANTS

Fig.24

Favourite app: Facebook Why?: Can see if i have any messages on the go

Fig.25

Favourite app: Facebook Why?: It’s sociable and easy to use

Fig.26

Favourite app: Whatsapp Why?: It’s easy to use

THE DIGITAL NATIVES

Fig.27

Fig.28

Favourite app: Spotify app Why?: Can listen to music on the go

Favourite app: Whatsapp Why?: Can chat to my friends on the go

Fig.29

Fig.30

Favourite app: Asos app Why?: Easy to shop while im on the train

Favourite app: Instagram Why?: Get inspiration from others images

The Retail App

80%

Fig.31

of time spent on smartphones is using apps.”(Digital buzz, 2013) which shows the role that apps can play in consumers everyday lives. We have our smartphones will us all the time, even when we are in bed and this gives us a lot of time to spend browsing apps. Smart retailers see the need for a mobile app or at least a mobile optimized website. Consumers have a growing expectation to be able to easily navigate through the website or app on their mobile device. Sedge Beswick said that mobile apps are “not as important as optimising their website for mobile but it is pivotal to the success of any retail outlet – consumers expect these apps, and they simplify the shopping experience.” (Beswick, S, 2013) And Tim Williams from Luma PR said “It’s really really important as this is what consumers expect. Consumers want to buy in store, on line or on mobile wherever they are in the world at any time.”(Williams, T, 2013) For example, Zara have successfully created an app that shows the consumer what stock is in a specific store making purchasing more convenient for consumers. The app offers retailers a great way to make shopping more convenient for their consumers.

The advancement of technology has really allowed apps to make everyday activities a lot easier and quicker. Apps can now use your location and a shopping list and find the stores offering the best combination of price and convenience. Apps can render images of a person’s house fitted with new furniture or take pictures of new clothes and overlay them onto a personal photograph. They offer convenience to the consumer as well as a personalisation from the brand. The augmented reality app by Ikea is an excellent example of how they have taken technology that has been around for a long time and given it commercial direction. (Fitzpatrick, M, 2013)

The Tapestry App was created to allow us to collect and curate items in store, on our mobiles. The creators of the app saw the “dynamics between online and offline fashion, and the need for an end-to-end ecosystem that works across retailers and brands. Tapestry lets you review, share or buy these items direct from your mobile, anytime,anywhere.”(Tapestry, 2013) The app allows consumers to find out more information about a specific item in stock so that they can make a more informed decision. “They can see information about each piece such as size, colour and price, as well as the digital content that surrounds it – expert reviews from bloggers for instance,alongside videos, runway shows and more.”(Fashion and Mash, 2013) Previous research reflected that the more consumers know the more they buy (Nornberg, V, 2013) and therefore this app makes the consumers feel like they have access to all the information they want. This technology links all physical items in -store with e-commerce and mobile sites, it reshapes the retail experience for both in-store and online shoppers.

THE FASHION APP REVIEW

I have tried out and reviewed some of the biggest fashion retail apps out there to see what’s good and what needs improving.

H&M

Is available for IOS and android however is mainly focused on an editorial approach and not transactional. If users want further information on items and want to buy then they are directed to the desktop version of the website. However there is a good gift card balance checker that is useful and wasn’t seen on other apps.

The IOS app is very focused on transactional with good navigation however the android version just leads you back to the desktop website. There is a quick shop which isn’t very usable.

ZARA

The IOS app uses very clear images and looks very impressive however individual items are not labelled well. It features a very good stock checker making shopping convenient for users. However the android version just leads back to the desktop site and it is not optimised for mobile use.

TOPSHOP

The app is strong giving you options to bookmark items, create wish lists and has a big focus on transaction and also inspiration. The brand message is carried throughout this channel like it is on the ecommerce site. However it is only good for IOS and not android.

NET-A-PORTER

Very strong app, offering news, wish list curations, a live feed, fashion fixes as well as a fully transactional shop. A great app for both IOS and android.

RIVER ISLAND

A very visually strong app focusing on an editorial look, featuring previews of future collections and products. However not fully transactional, making it difficult to locate item information.

We have seen other industries feel the pressure to provide mobile applications for their consumers. Recently, some UK cinemas have introduced the ‘cinime’ app. (Cinime, 2013) The aim of the app is to get consumers to engage with the screen before the film starts. It offers an interactive quiz, encouraging consumers to use their phones whilst in the cinema. This is a notable change, as previously, cinemas have asked viewers to turn off their mobile phones and keep them in bags or pockets as they don’t want them to spoil the cinema experience for surrounding audience members. ‘Cinime’ encourages this previously ‘taboo’ activity and pushes consumers to use their mobiles to interact and ultimately further their cinema experience. This demonstrates how mobile use is infiltrating previously forbidden areas of use.

Fig.32

Another example of an industry feeling the pressure to offer mobile solutions to consumers is National Rail with the introduction of their National Rail app. However, this application is aimed at making the journeys of consumers more timely and convenient - offering them as much information on their journey as possible. Ultimately, mobile commerce will evolve to eventually support the entire consumer experience whether it be online or instore. Consumers are looking to mobile devices to offer them more convenience, information and support whether it be from retailers or other services that they use in their daily lives (Niemeier et al, 2013).

Changing Expectations from Retail Experiences

Fig.33

3 Fig.34

Experiential Retail

Even with all the advancements in technology which undeniably effect the retail environment and the way consumers interact with brands, the experience of shopping in-store is something that can never be recreated digitally online. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still important for customers to experience a brand; experience the texture, fit of a product and environment of a retail experience.â&#x20AC;?(Michelle Lee) The experience of being in-store satisfies peoples natural inclination to touch and feel the products before purchasing, and also offers consumers the chance for shopping to be a way of social interaction and entertainment (Niemeier et al, 2013, p156).

Fig.35

The founder and CEO of Boxpark in Shoreditch London, Roger Wade, said that “fundamentally people like shopping and I think you’ve got to realise as retailer your giving somebody an experience and people want to be entertained in your store.”(Robert Peston goes shopping, 2013). Boxpark was the world’s first pop up mall and gave consumers a mix of local and global brands side-by-side, creating a unique shopping and dining destination. It is a great example of how creating a destination for consumers to enjoy visiting is always going to remain important in the consumer driven retail market. Similarly, in New York, the SuperPier development, which sets to sit over the Hudson river adjacent to 15th street, is set to fuse together the ‘world’s most sought after retailer, restaurant, and lifestyle brands and the most promising emerging talents in food, fashion, film, art and other creative fields’(SuperPier, 2013).

Fig.36

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Fig.38

Fig.39

Trend predictors at WGSN have predicted trends that we will start to see more and more of in physical retail stores. (WGSN, 2013) Flexible store design is the first of many. The evolving shopping habits of consumers mean that retail store design teams need to react more quickly and frequently in order to stay up to date and keep customers interested and satisfied. &OtherStories has featured this adapted in-store design as it looks more like a popup shop or design studio. All fixtures are movable. Given how fast technology and the consumers are moving, as a retailer today it is less about making stepped changes and more about continually evolving. It allows for, and requires retailers to create multi-functional spaces. Another trend predicted by WGSN was that a less corporate and has a more individual style of handwriting on signs and labels in-store helps focus consumers into interacting with products. The main example of this is also &Other Stories, as its in-store design is influenced by the internet and social media. Items are advertised as though on a magazine page or Pinterest board. Another example of this is a new Tesco store in Watford - they have introduced new, smaller, more credible British businesses within the space of the shop, making it more of experiential place to visit rather than just being another supermarket.

The next trend discussed by WGSN was to open fewer but better stores. Reduced consumer spending in physical retail stores and higher property prices have slowed the pace of store openings, and therefore retailers should instead invest in their key locations and a good website which has mobile optimisation. The store should reflect the whole brand message. They should invest in a customer experience, continually develop the thought process, and focus on maintaining a great relationship with the customer. Some research has shown that “experiences also connect the company and the brand to the customer’s lifestyle and place individual customer actions and the purchase occasion in a broader social context. Experiences provide sensory, emotional, cognitive, behavioural and relational values that replace functional values.” (Schmitt, 1999) This presents the idea that the experience of shopping in-store is more valuable than anything that can be created digitally. However, if mobile strategies were to inform shopping instore and allow consumers to experience the brand but purchase at later date which may be more convenient to them, this demonstrates that the digital can work with the physical. Richard Danks from Portas Agency explains that “Good retail brands understand what is important for their customers and then deliver that. For most categories, e-commerce and m-commerce are not a ‘threat’ to physical retail stores – it’s just another string to the retailer’s bow.” (Danks, R, 2013).

Fig.40

The Digital High-Street

The ability for the physical and digital to work together in retail is becoming essential. The revolution of a more connected, social and informed consumer means the expectations from retail brands are much higher. They still want to access a physical store in order to have that shopping experience, they want to be able to access the brand digitally once they have left the store and they also expect for technology to be present in-store when shopping to help with navigation and convenience. According to an article written by Carin van Vuuren for â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;thenextweb.comâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Vuuren, C, 2013) there are three things retailers should be focusing on digitally in-store:

1 2 3

The first thing is to focus on the experience instead of the device, encouraging the use of mobile in-store to add to the consumer experience.

The second is to be explicitly multichannel; consumers are tired of not having multiple options in-store when they have so many options online. The third is the use of mobile to empower the sales associate; retailers need to provide staff with the same tools as customers. They should also be used to improve staff knowledge of the competition and stock in-store. I think these principles show the need to focus on mobile at every stage of the customer experience giving the consumer an opportunity to engage with the brand whenever is desired.

Fig.41

The answer of what is next for the retail store lies with identifying the reasons consumers liked visiting physical stores and which ones will hold up against the digital competition. (Niemeier et al, 2013, p116) The main positives of visiting a physical retail store are the experience you get and the fact you can feel, touch and check the quality of the products. However the transaction and luggage aspects are often inconvenient as we may end up queuing to pay and having to carry heavy bags. This has led to the idea that physical retail stores will eventually become showrooms where consumers can see the items and still have the experience instore but will purchase digitally once they have left the store or whilst in the store on a mobile device. Michelle Lee states “I do believe that there are a higher number of a ‘window shoppers’ that use the high street as ‘showrooms’ and are happy to fulfil orders from the comfort of their homes online.“ (Lee, M, 2013)

The WGSN trend report identified that the digital experience in-store will be less about transaction and more about information and inspiration. It continued to discuss how navigation is a key focus, making the in-store journey easier. However, it is important that the customer doesn’t feel disengaged through the use of too much of the digital aspect as this may prevent them from truly experiencing the store and possibly purchasing, either online or in person. It is also key to be able to give personalised information on fashion trends for consumer groups or body types. (WGSN, 2013) A great example of a company working to create a more personalized retail experience is the marketing agency Luma. They ‘develop interactive experiences that wrap the real world with the digital’ (Luma, 2013), creating digitally enabled in-store events, focusing on personalization of products. They created ‘YrStore’ events working with various brands getting consumers in-store to digitally personalize products. This ensures that they involve members of their audience via their use of collaborative technologies which is an indispensable feature for brands and companies to harness. Tim Williams from Luma said “opening more experience stores that are destinations in their own right where people will want to travel to come and ‘live the brand’. People want curated collections.”(Williams, T, 2013).

Fig.42

Fig.43

As previously discussed, retailers feel a pressure to introduce digital touch points and interactions into their instore environment however it is vital that they “must make sure that each customer interaction and touch point is connected seamlessly, providing that consistent quality shopping experience.” (Oracle, 2011, p8) Too much of a digital focus in-store or using digital in a way which doesn’t work with the core value of the retail brand can disengage consumers. Retailers must make sure they develop digital in-store so that it becomes part of the consumer’s natural shopping behaviour and isn’t being consciously forced upon them.

The way that high street retailers adapt their strategies will be a vital part of whether they are able to succeed in this digital revolution. The issue for retailers is that not one way of using digital will work for every brand, each brand must work out what is right for their consumers and their brand values. Sedge Beswick from ASOS said that “more and more people shop online or compare online, the high street will be around for a long while but its importance is definitely dropping off as people’s lives adapt to the digi space.” (Beswick, S, 2013) Consumers are adapting to the new digital way we live and therefore each brand must develop their own strategy to stay relevant to their consumers, offering them a reason to visit their physical store.

Fig.44

Conclusion

In summary of this research, I can report that I have looked at the ways in which the digital era has changed behaviors, making consumers more connected, social and informed. This ultimately makes them more powerful which means the relationship between customer and seller has completely changed. I have considered the digital revolution and what comes next - the rise of mobile commerce has shown to be an undeniable change in retailing which smart retailers will have adopted into their communication strategies. I have researched into successful applications and what consumers want from an app, also looking into other industries which have felt the pressure to offer mobile options to their consumers. This showed the importance that mobile has in the retailing world as ‘90% of consumers own a smartphone’ (See appendix, own survey) giving them the option to purchase on the go whenever is convenient to them. Mobile devices offer brands the chance to recreate convenience for their consumers. I have researched the effects that the digital has had for physical retail stores and found that experience is key in order to offer consumers a reason to visit them in-store rather than online or via mobile devices. Price will likely always be the main reason for consumers to buy a product of a different brand, however online and mobile channels are offering them the chance to research where they can get the best price. Therefore physical retail stores need to offer consumers something different, a chance to enjoy themselves and “live the brand” (Williams, T, 2013).

Implementation

4 Fig.45

Introduction

The research section of the report focused on changing consumer behaviour, the use of mobile and the experience of a brand instore. It looked specifically at how digital needs to be integrated into the consumer decision journey while still focusing on representing the brand image across all channels. As each brand has their own message, different target consumers and communicate with them in entirely different ways.

The implementation section of this report will offer more specific ideas as to how one brand can use mobile strategies to redefine communication with their consumers. It will also discuss how they can respond to the digital revolution by integrating digital into their consumer decision journey and how they can cleverly integrate it into their in-store environment. After all this is the first time in retailing that “consumers are ahead of retailers” and “retailers are playing catch-up.” (Fashion Retail ecommerce, 2013)

Fig.46

Most consumers have assimilated digital, and more specifically, mobile, into their shopping habits but retailers are yet to entirely integrate digital and mobile into their communication strategies. There has been a rush to offer consumers digital touch points as an expectation for them seemed to come out of nowhere and it became “common for retailers to throw a few new season collection images, coupled with a store locator into an app and claim they ‘have a mobile strategy’” (Roxanne, 2013). However, consumers want more, they expect an app or digital channel to be an extension of the brand. After all, the consumer doesn’t see the brand as different channels, each touch point just builds upon their opinion of the brand. From primary research carried out on consumers favourite apps, I found out that the consumer now wants for digital touch points to offer convenience, navigation, feedback, value, curation and socialability. (see page 44-45)

The Brand

N A B UR

Fig.47

S R E T T I F T U O The brand chosen is Urban Outfitters. It’s an American brand that originated in Philadelphia under the name ‘Free People’ and since then has developed into a unique brand offering ‘funky’ clothing and home ware items. The items sold are described as vintage, bohemian, retro, hipster, humorous and kitschy. The brand has a strong personality, focusing on creating relaxed instore environments and a ‘community’ which their customers are part of. They call this collection of people the ‘UO community’ which focuses on being sociable with customers and has a chatty informal tone in-store. The brand already has a strong presence on digital platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Flickr, Youtube and Spotify. They have kept their brand message alive across all these platforms (Urban Outfitters, 2013).

The brand has a large interest in promoting music as part of their brand voice. They have a UO radio station and often host music events. They have a blog, create instore magazines and have ‘style files’ on their website - these touch points all offer inspiration to the consumers. Urban Outfitters is a brand aimed at the digital dependent and digital native consumer – they have a young brand aesthetic aimed at young trendy consumers looking for unique products slightly different to every other high street brand (Urban Outfitters, 2013).

THE OPPORTUNITY? The internet doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t lend itself to a particular brand or person, it is influenced and changed by brands to give it specific characteristics and values which can be identified with that specific brand. (Fashion Retail ecommerce, 2013). Urban Outfitters have a strong brand personality that they have successfully communicated across their in-store and online channels. However there is an opportunity for them to develop their mobile presence. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Consumers want to buy in store, on line or on mobile wherever they are in the world at any time.â&#x20AC;? (William, T, 2013) A mobile presence makes the brand accessible to consumers on the go and at their convenience. The research done on consumers favourite apps and why they like it showed that digital dependents and digital natives want mobile apps to offer them a chance to be inspired, curate, improve convenience, offer navigation tools, have feedback options and social elements.

Fig.48

“For those that do go out and shop in a physical store, they’re now able to run price comparisons via their mobile whilst in the store enabling them to shop around for the very best deal. It’s forced brands to be truly transparent and supportive of their busier lives.” (Beswick, S, 2013) This is an element that Urban Outfitters need to integrate into their consumer’s decision journey, creating a mobile experience app and also developing their instore experience to be truly innovative – setting them ahead of their competition and giving consumers a really good reason to visit the store. “Urban Outfitters has been experimenting with technology in its stores for years, using its retail stores for additional fulfillment.” (Emarketer, 2013) But how can they develop this even further in the new digital era where “the power balance between those who sell and those who buy is shifting” (Niemeier et al, 2013, pvii) and consumers have the option to live the brand though digital devices and never need to enter the store to purchase? Urban Outfitters have a fun, unique approach to retail and it is very evident when you visit one of their stores or even visit their website. It offers more of an all-around inimitable experience than some other high street brands like New Look, Topshop and H&M where each store generally has the same feel. Urban Outfitters gives each of their stores a unique layout, unique artwork and fun interactive elements. They manage to keep all the stores portraying the same brand message while still giving each individual store an identity. For example, the Nottingham store has an interactive PlayStation section where customers can relax and they have a DJ playing in-store. This presents a big opportunity for the brand to develop their mobile communication strategy and use of digital instore to offer their digital dependent and native consumers more convenience, inspiration, navigation, social interactions and reviews.

THE MOBILE STRATEGY

Fig.49

In an article about the trend of m-commerce the author discussed the fact that the mobile web has become a great enabler to the fashion consumer and that the industry needs to use it as an enabler for them also (Roxanne, 2013). For urban outfitters developing a mobile strategy needs to focus on what their consumer wants and how to communicate specifically to them. It needs to have something a little bit more than any other channel, making them feel a bit special and rewarded for having gone to the effort of downloading an app. In doing this it will enable the brand to develop their UO community so that consumers have access to brand wherever they are.

THE APP

Fig.50

In order for Urban Outfitters to create a worthwhile app that will add value to their brand they need to understand how their specific consumers would interact with an app and what they would like to use via an app. Richard Danks from Portas agency said “it’s very important for brands to properly understand their customers’ purchase journey and to respond with a mobile offering that is relevant.” (Danks, R, 2013). Urban Outfitters must make sure that the offering in the mobile app created are relevant for their consumer decision journey. From research into the brand and their consumer and also research conducted on what digital natives and dependents like about apps, it has shown that six things are of high importance that Urban Outfitters need to offer. These are inspiration, curation, social interaction, music, navigation and convenience. The next sections will explain in more detail how the brand can incorporate these elements into a mobile app.

INSPIRATION The app needs to offer elements of inspiration for the consumer. As social media sites such as Pinterest and Tumblr are growing increasingly popular, it shows consumers want to browse through inspirational images. The research conducted on consumerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favourite appâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s showed that digital natives and dependents like to be inspired and like tutorials to show them how to achieve a look.

The research section of the report also looked in &Other stories as they have used social media sites and magazine layouts to inspire there store layout. Similarly Urban Outfitters could use a magazine inspired layout for the app so that users feel as though they can casually browse and be entertained. As Urban Outfitters already has a blog and Youtube channel, the app could show content from these channels used as inspiration for users. Research (Hann et al, 2013) showed that consumers of fashion like the images they browse to be of a high resolution and to have plenty of images available. As the brand already has other channels, they can use the mobile app to bring all these inspirational images and videos together in one place where the consumer can also purchase items directly from their mobile.

Fig.51

CURATION Giving users a place on the app where they can curate outfits and looks gives them the chance to be creative and express their personal style using the Urban Outfitters products. It would be useful for the app to have a section where the users can create their own outfits and build upon these creations each time they revisit the app. It would also be beneficial for the app to offer users a section where they can create a wishlist of items they want to buy. Another idea which could work for Urban Outfitters would be for users to have their own account on the app where they have an account profile and can edit and change the background colour/ prints/fonts/pictures etc. This gives users the chance to be creative and lets them know that Urban Outfitters respects that they are all unique and have different preferences. It would also be good for them to offer users discounts and offers for updating and using their accounts on the mobile app, this makes the consumer feel as though they are getting rewarded for being a member of the UO community via downloading the app.

SOCIAL INTERACTION â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shopping will always remain, a very social and pleasurable leisure activityâ&#x20AC;? (Roxanne, 2013) and this can be developed from a physical activity to a digital one. Taking social elements and adding them to the app means that the social activity of shopping and the fun elements that come along with it can also be had on the mobile app. We are social beings and therefore like to share things with our friends whether it be online or in person - Urban Outfitters could offer a social section to the app where users can have their own profile, where they can link with friends and post what they have bought or what they want to buy. This allows social interaction between users but also means that they can be inspired by what they friends are buying or images they find stimulating. The app could also have a live feed section where it could post images and comments that consumers have left, and allow them to keep up to date with whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening with the brand. The social sharing idea also means that users can leave reviews and feedback on items and the brand which is something digital natives and dependents like about apps (Pollak, 2013). It also is beneficial for the brand as they can see this feedback and can use it to make positive developments.

MUSIC Urban Outfitters is already devoted to music as part of its brand identity. They host music events, find unsigned music talent and have a UO radio station. Therefore, it makes sense for the brand to use music to feature as part of the mobile app. Primary research into consumerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favourite mobile applications found that consumers liked the Spotify app as it meant they could listen to music they havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t needed to purchase, on the go. The Urban Outfitters app could offer a direct link to the UO radio station which lets users listen to it on the go via their mobile devices.

Fig.52

NAVIGATION

Research has shown that 31% of shoppers want to hear about how to navigate around a store (Symphony, 2013). Urban Outfitters could be the first brand to offer store maps and layout images on their mobile app, which could help consumers find particular items. Users would be able to select which store they want and then it would help them navigate to where the items are that they are looking for. Another element of navigation that needs to be considered is the navigation of the mobile app itself. Sedge Beswick of ASOS (Beswick, S, 2013) explains that simplicity is key for a mobile app and I think that the app would need to be simple enough for users to be able to easily navigate from section to section.

CONVENIENCE

The main reason that mobile access has become so intrinsically key to success is due to the fact that consumers have their mobile devices with them at all times and are therefore able to shop on the go. If Urban Outfitters were to have a mobile app, it would make the procedure of shopping with them lot more convenient wherever they are and whenever they like. A report focusing on mobile commerce in retail showed that 74% of consumers abandon the original aim within seconds of being on a app. (Hann et al, 2013). This shows us that the app created by Urban Outfitters would need to be easy to use, straightforward and clear in order for shopping via the app to be convenient for consumers. It is important not to confuse users by making the app too technical.

THE NEW UO EXPERIENCE

Fig.53

Urban Outfitters already focus on creating a unique, relaxed experience in their stores which is noticeable compared to other high street retailers. However, as competing retailers up their game Urban Outfitters need to stay ahead through the experience they create for their consumers. Bernard M Schmitt discusses the importance of the experience instore triggering stimulations for consumers and connects the brand to the consumer in an emotional way. (Schmitt, 1999) With the rise of mobile technology empowering the consumer, it is important that mobile is assimilated into the in-store journey by retailers. So that the consumer interacts digitally with the brand while in store and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t use their mobile to look up cheaper options online. Consumers also are then able to use their mobile device to make shopping in store easier and more enjoyable as well as functionally and emotionally better (Dawn, 2013). In an article written by Graham Charlton for Econsultancy online, a discussion is had around the idea that retailers need to recreate some of the online/ mobile experience in-store. It goes on to explain that one of the main reasons consumers use their mobiles is to find reviews of products they have already seen in-store. (Charlton, 2011) Urban Outfitters could make this benefit available to customerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in-store; they could have reviews written by staff and customers on items and have them as an attached label to the item of clothing. This means customers would have the benefit of reading the reviews they have access to online, whilst being in the Urban Outfitters store. Another way that they could make reviews accessible in-store to customers would be to have them on the mobile app which could be used while the customer is in store.

In a report concerning wi-fi for instore mobile access, they discuss how it important it is for retailers to make sure that their stores have available wi-fi connections for customers and staff (Aruba Networks, 2012). This is something Urban Outfitters should consider as in the current digital era, consumers can get extremely frustrated when they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get an internet connection. Making sure wi-fi is available in-store means that customers can access the UO app on their mobile devices while shopping and that they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to leave the store in order to communicate with their friends.

As customers now have a significant amount of power in their hands via their mobiles, it is important that retailers arm their employees with the same mobile devices. Urban Outfitters need to make sure their staff are armed with efficient and up to date mobile devices so that they can keep stock, reviews and information as quickly as the consumer could on their mobile device. Staff could also be armed with mobile point-of-sale devices which allow staff to check out customers anywhere in the store and improves customer services by reducing waiting time and queuing (Aruba Networks, 2012).

Fig.54

Much of the Urban Outfitters ethos is relaxed, quirky and cool and this needs to be emulated in-store. (Urban Outfitters, 2013) They need to use mobile technology to develop, but stay committed to creating the ‘cool hang-out’ experience in-store. In order to do this, I believe they should extend one step ahead of their competitors and create a club/bar which is a UO place, but not made to be a transactional shop. It will simply be a place where customers can relax and enjoy the brand experience. They could hold live gigs in this space and host launch events of new video games and clothing lines. If Urban Outfitters can create that emotional connection between their customers and the brand then loyalty should follow. The issue with this idea is that it would differcult to make it accessible to all customers worldwide. However they could use the mobile app to live stream the gigs and events so that customers feel included. And in smaller towns and cities, Urban Outfitters could open the stores to hold gig nights and ‘hang out’ events where DJ’s can play. Urban Outfitters could be the first high street retailer to make their customers truly feel like their friends by developing their mobile access and in-store facilities.

Conclusion

John Milliken of the Guardian explains how mobile technology has the potential to revolutionize the entire retail experience (Milliken, 2012). Further to this, this report has discussed how the advancement of mobile technology is changing the entire landscape of retail through a considerable shift in consumer behavior which comes as a result of the digital era. Mobile technology has arguably transformed the game for the modern retailer as they are trying to connect with smart shoppers via mobile technology whilst still retaining a focus on their actual stores and combining the convenience of mobile shopping with the factors involved in experiential retail. I have demonstrated specifically how one brand could develop their mobile strategy and experiential retail plans to overcome the threats that the digital environment has created for retailers. What is worth noting is that each brand needs a personalized strategy which works with their core brand values, as a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;one size fits allâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; approach would be impractical and potentially disastrous for some companies. For each brand this is something that will be challenging but potentially key to their success if correctly applied. Essentially, it will be what enables them to survive as a modern retailer.

Fig.55

LIST OF REFERENCES Amaze, 2013. Connected retail â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The future of the high street [online]. Available via: http://www.amaze.com/Images/Connect%20Retail_WhitePaper_Amaze2013_tcm22-4603.pdf [Accessed 17 November 2013] Aruba Networks, 2012. Wi-Fi for In-Store Mobility: Engage Customers and Protect the Store [online]. Available via: http:// www.arubanetworks.com/pdf/technology/whitepapers/WP_In-Store-Mobility.pdf [Accessed 17 December 2013] Beswick, S. (sedgeb@asos.com), 2013. Dissertation Survey. 4 December. Email to: Rosie Kingston (rosie_kingston26@ hotmail.com). Business Insider, 2013. The Rise of Social Commerce: How Tweets, Pins And Likes Can Turn Into Sales [online]. Available via: http://www.businessinsider.com/social-commerce-drives-retail-2013-8 [Accessed 27 November 2013] Charlton, G, 2011. How retailers can appeal to mobile users in store? [online]. Available via: http://econsultancy.com/ blog/7707-how-can-retailers-appeal-to-mobile-users-in-store [Accessed 20 December 2013] Cinime, 2013. Cinime App Website [online]. Available via: http://www.cini.me/ [Accessed 10 December 2013] Court, D., Elzinga, D., Mulder, S., and Veltvik, O, 2009. The consumer decision journey [online]. Available via http://www. mckinsey.com/insights/marketing_sales/the_consumer_decision_journey [Accessed on 6 December 2013] Danks, R. (richarddanks@portasagency.com), 2013. Dissertation Survey. 17 December. Email to: Rosie Kingston (rosie_kingston26@hotmail.com) Dawn Foods Limited, 2013. Mobile Plays a key role in the shopping experience [online]. Available via: http://dawnfoodsinsights.com/site/sites/default/files/pdf/coverage/Dawn_WebArticles_Mobile.pdf [Accessed 6 December 2013] Deloitte, 2013. Mobile influence 2013 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the growing influence of mobile instore [online]. Available via http://www2. deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ie/Documents/ConsumerBusiness/2013_mobile_influence_deloitte_ireland.pdf {Accessed 17 November 2013]

Denton, S., 2013. Online vs Offline. [Lecture as part of Trend Boutique briefing]. 28 November. Digital Experts Acadamy, 2013. The digital revolution [online]. Available via: http://digitalexpertsacademy.com/about/ the-digital-revolution/ [Accessed 5 November 2013] Digital Buzz, 2013. 2013 Mobile Growth Statistics [online]. Available via: http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/infographic-2013-mobile-growth-statistics/ [Accessed 20 December 2013] Emarketer, 2013. Urban Outfitters roles out innovative digital tactics [online]. Available via: http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Urban-Outfitters-Rolls-Innovative-Digital-Tactics/1010230#w8mQuuvDXCKwQXb7.99 [Accessed 15 December 2013] Fashion Retail Ecommerce, 2013. The Fashion retail revolution [online] Available via: http://www.ksleconsulting.com/selling-fashion-online/mobile-commerce/ [Accessed 5 December 2013] Fashion and Mash, 2013. New start-up Tapestry gives shop floor a visual identity, signs diesel as pilot partner [online]. Available via: http://fashionandmash.com/2012/11/28/new-start-up-tapestry-gives-shop-floor-a-digital-identity-signs-diesel-aspilot-partner/ [Accessed 2 December 2013] Fitzpatrick, M, 2013. Ikea’s 3d furniture app [online]. Available via: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/interiorsandshopping/10247596/Ikeas-3D-furniture-app-first-look.html [Accessed 26 November 2013] Graves, P, 2013. Consumer.ology – the truth about consumers and the psychology of shopping. London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing. Hallam, J., 2013. The social media manifesto. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Hann, M., Lee, M., and Poq Studio., 2013. Mobile Commerce – A worthy venture for your retail business [online]. Available via: http://www.slideshare.net/poqstudio/pure-presentation-for-website [Accessed 20 December 2013] Kantar Retail, 2011. The future shopper - How changing attitudes and technology are reshaping retail [online]. Available via: http://www.arubanetworks.com/pdf/technology/whitepapers/WP_In-Store-Mobility.pdf [Accessed 28 November 2013] Lee, M. (michelle@keungzai.com), 2013. Nottingham Trent Student. 4 December. Email to: Rosie Kingston (rosie_kingston26@hotmail.com). Luma, 2013. Luma – Digital Marketing Agency Website [online]. Available via: http://thisisluma.com/ [Accessed 7 December 2013] Mayer-Schonberger, and Cukier, K., 2013. Big Data – A revolution that will transform how we live, work and think. Great Britain: John Murray. Milliken, J, 2012. Mobile phones are changing the world of retail – at a remarkable speed [online]. Available via: http://www. theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2012/jun/26/mobile-retail-technology-consumer [Accessed 2 January 2014]. Mintel, 2013. Clothing retailing – UK 2013 [online]. Available via: Mintel [Accessed 25 November 2013]. Mitchell, B, 2009. Metcalfe’s law for computer networks [online]. Available at http://compnetworking.about. com/b/2009/08/24/metcalfes-law-for-computer-networks.htm [Accessed on 18 December 2013] Moore’s Law, 2010. Moore’s law or how overall processing power for computers will double every two years [online]. Available at http://www.mooreslaw.org/ [Accessed 5 December 2013] Morris, T, 2013. Connecting with mobile customers [online]. Available via http://www.business2community.com/infographics/connecting-with-mobile-customers-infographic-0471129#x0mRvKI1y8ypRYDQ.32 [Accessed 2 December 2013]

Neumann, E., 2013. Social media – A megaphone for word of mouth [online]. Available via: http://info.brandprotect.com/ Blog/bid/81689/Social-Media-A-Megaphone-for-Word-of-Mouth [Accessed 6 December 2013] Niemeier, S., Zocchi, A., and Catena, M., 2013. Reshaping Retail – Why technology is transforming the industry and how to win in the new consumer driven world. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons Ltd. Nornberg, V, 2013. Why 2014 Will Be the Year of the Informed Consumer [online]. Available via: http://www.inc.com/vanessa-merit-nornberg/why-2014-is-the-year-of-the-informed-consumer.html?utm_source=dlvr.it [Accessed 20 December 2013] Oracle, 2011. The future of shopping through the eyes of digital natives [online]. Available via: http://www.ngretailsummit.com/media/whitepapers/2012/Oracle_FutureofRetail.pdf [Accessed 29 October 2013] Pearce, M, 2011. You Don’t Really Want A Faster Horse [online]. Available via http://technorati.com/business/article/youdont-really-want-a-faster/ [Accessed 20 December 2013] Pollak, L, 2013. Millennials at Work: Gen Ys as Digital Natives [online]. Available via: http://www.lindseypollak.com/millennials-at-work-gen-ys-as-digital-natives/ [Accessed 5 December 2013] Urban Outfitters, 2013. Urban Outfitters Website [online]. Available via: http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/ [Accessed 15 December 2013] Savar, A, 2013. Content to Commerce – engaging consumers across paid, owned and earned channels. New Jersey: John Wiley and Sons Ltd. Schmitt, B, 1999. Experiential Marketing – how to get customers to sense, feel, think, act, relate to your company and brands. New York: The Free Press. Social Annex, 2012. The social consumer [online]. Available via: Pinterest [Accessed 23 November 2013], illus. Superpier, 2013. Superpier Website [online]. Available via: http://superpier.com/ [Accessed 24 November 2013] Symphony, 2013. The rise of mobile shopping [online]. Available via: Pinterest [Accessed 15 November 2013], illus. Rics Software, 2012. The state of mobile retailing [online]. Available via: Pinterest [Accessed 15 November 2013], illus. Robert Peston Goes Shopping, 2013. [TV] BBC Two, 17 October 2013. Roxanne, 2013. Trend Setters – Fashion M-retail: App, Mobile Site or Both? [online]. Available via: http://www.simpleusability.com/beinspired/2013/01/trend-setters-fashion-m-retail-app-mobile-site-or-both/ [Accessed 20 December 2013] Tahmasebi, D, 2013. London Fashion Week: Front row seat thanks to social media [online]. Available via: http://www.bbc. co.uk/news/technology-24105397 [Accessed 27 November 2013] Tapestry, 2013. Tapestry Website [online]. Available via: http://www.tapestry.mobi/ [Accessed 26 November 2013] Topshop, 2013. DearTopshop wishlist [online]. Available via: http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/TopCategoriesDisplay?storeId=12556&catalogId=33057 [Accessed 28 November 2013] Walk Digital, 2013. Mobile Statistics that will blow your mind [online]. Available via: http://www.walkdigital.com/category/our-blog/ [Accessed 20 December 2013] William, T. (tim@thisisluma.com), 2013. Dissertation Help. 11 December. Email to Rosie Kingston (rosie_kingston26@ hotmail.com). WGSN, 2013. Retail Forum 2013 [online]. Available via: WGSN [Accessed 25 November 2013] Vuuren, C, 2013. Strategies for getting mobile-savvy shoppers back in retail stores [online]. Available via: http://thenextweb.com/entrepreneur/2013/11/08/getting-mobile-shoppers-back-retail-stores/#!rel0I [Accessed 29 November 2013]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure 1: Harris, 1905. Davis, James Store, 12th Street, Washington DC [image online]. Available via: http://www.old-picture.com/american-legacy/001/Store-Hat.htm [Accessed 2 January 2014] Figure 2: Anon. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Shopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sign [image online]. Available via: http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/ca/83/ce/ ca83cea31f54859551ca6936b141e4ec.jpg [Accessed 6 January 2014] Figure 3: Montone, C, 1960. Shopping Center Storefronts Vintage Postcard [image online]. Available via: http://www.flickr. com/photos/christianmontone/5270568164/ [Accessed 6 January 2014] Figure 4: Anon, 2013. Death by elocution [online image]. Available via: http://death-by-elocution.tumblr.com/ post/63617135775 [Accessed 8 December 2013] Figure 5: Brosa, D, 2014. Fashion gone rouge [image online]. Available via: http://fashiion-gone-rouge.tumblr.com/ post/72538194712 [Accessed 9 January 2014] Figure 6: Wightman, J, 2012. That smartphone is giving you back pain [image online]. Available via: http://www.prdaily. com/Main/Articles/11958.aspx# [Accessed 16 December 2013] Figure 7: Koopmans, R, 2010. Baby fashionista [image online]. Available via: http://youandeyeblog.blogspot.co.uk/ search?updated-max=2010-09-27T16:03:00-07:00&max-results=30 [Accessed 5 December 2013] Figure 8: Ahmad, I, 2012. How brands succeed on Instagram [image online]. Available via: http://www.pinterest.com/ pin/311874342917365418/ [Accessed 5 December 2013] Figure 9: Topshop, 2013. London fashion week live streaming website screenshot [online image]. Available via: http://poqstudio.com/2012/09/london-fashion-week-tech/ [Accessed 10 December 2013] Figure 10: Guardian, 2013. London fashion week: watch the spring/summer 2014 shows live [image online]. Available via: http://www.theguardian.com/fashion/fashion-blog/2013/sep/13/london-fashion-week-watch-spring-summer-2014-showslive-stream [Accessed 5 January 2014] Figure 11: Topshop, 2013. DearTopshop [image online]. Available via: http://www.fanfairblog.com/2013/11/topshop-x-pinterest.html [Accessed 5 January 2014] Figure 12: Anon, 2013. Nicole Richie Taking a Selfie [image online]. Available via: http://ruuunaways.tumblr.com/ post/52332977203 [Accessed 20 November 2013] Figure 13: Kingston, R, 2014. Networking Diagram [Own image]. Figure 14: Kingston, R, 2014. The informed consumer diagram [Own image]. Figure 15: Topshop, 2013. Instagram Screenshot [Own image]. Figure 16: Topshop, 2013. Instagram Screenshot [Own image]. Figure 17: R, Kingston, 2013. &Other Stories Instore Image [Own Photograph]. Figure 18: R, Kingston, 2013. &Other Stories Instore Image [Own Photograph]. Figure 19: Saedi, K, 2012. Kids that get safety get smartphones [image online]. Available via: https://blog.lookout.com/ blog/2012/08/27/facebook-survey-family-smartphone-results/ [Accessed 5 January 2014] Figure 20: Kingston, R, 2014. Email Marketing Diagram [Own image]. Figure 21 to 30: Kingston, R, 2013. Smartphone Favourite app Survey Image [Own image]. Figure 31: Ikea, 2013. Augmented reality app [image online]. Available via: http://www.gettingmoreawesome. com/2013/08/21/ikea-uses-augmented-reality-see-how-furniture-looks-in-your-home-instantly/ [Accessed 6 January 2014] Figure 32: Cinime, 2013. Cinime app [online image]. Available via: http://www.fastcocreate.com/3016946/the-silver-screengets-a-second-screen-with-this-new-app [Accessed 20 December 2013]

Figure 33: R, Kingston, 2013. &Other Stories Instore Image [Own Photograph]. Figure 34: R, Kingston, 2013. &Other Stories Instore Image [Own Photograph]. Figure 35: Boxpark, 2013. Boxpark the first popup mall [image online]. Available via: http://www.designbuzz.com/worldspop-shopping-mall-shipping-containers/ [Accessed 3 January 2014] Figure 36: Superpier, 2013. Superpier New York Development [image online]. Available via: http://jetsettimes. com/2013/09/05/superpier-nyc/ [Accessed 4 January 2014] Figure 37: Superpier, 2013. Superpier supercharged plans for entertainment retail hub [online image]. Available via: http:// www.businessoffashion.com/2013/10/superpiers-supercharged-plans-to-create-a-retail-entertainment-hub.html [Accessed 4 January 2014] Figure 38: Superpier, 2013. Superpier New York Development [image online]. Available via: http://jetsettimes. com/2013/09/05/superpier-nyc/ [Accessed 4 January 2014] Figure 39: R, Kingston, 2013. &Other Stories Instore Image [Own Photograph]. Figure 40: R, Kingston, 2013. &Other Stories Instore Image [Own Photograph]. Figure 41: Telegraph, 2012. High Street [image online]. Available via: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/ retailandconsumer/9157237/More-High-Street-shops-to-close-as-shoppers-move-online.html [Accessed 3 January 2014] Figure 42: Butler, F, 2013. Yrstore takeover [online image]. Available via: http://fredbutlerstyle.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/friday-30th-august-blog-takeover-ciara.html [Accessed 3 January 2014] Figure 43: Burberry, 2012. Burberry new flagship store [online image]. Available via: http://www.creativereview.co.uk/crblog/2012/september/burberry-mixes-heritage-with-digital-high-tech-in-new-london-store [Accessed 3 January 2014] Figure 44: Sitzman, J, 2013. Shop front [image online]. Available via: http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/a1/02/ e6/a102e68651e9893470234d0c79c15f33.jpg [Accessed 7 January 2014] Figure 45: Anon, 2012. Ladies Walking [image online]. Available via: http://sayeeun.tumblr.com/page/145 [Accessed 5 January 2014] Figure 46: Despoke, 2013. Dover street market new york [image online]. Available via: http://www.despoke. com/2013/12/30/retail-dover-street-market-new-york/ [Accessed 10 January 2014] Figure 47: Urban Outfitters, 2014. Email screenshot [Own image]. Figure 48: Urban Outfitters, 2013. Swimwear Campaign [image online]. Available via: http://trendland.com/urban-outfitters-swim-2013/ [Accessed 10 January 2014] Figure 49: Urban Outfitters, 2013. Swimwear Campaign [image online]. Available via: http://trendland.com/urban-outfitters-swim-2013/ [Accessed 10 January 2014 Figure 50: Urban Outfitters, 2013. Instore Image from Blog [image online]. Available via: http://blog.urbanoutfitters.com/ [Accessed 10 January 2014] Figure 51: Urban Outfitters 2013. New Clothing Campaign [image online]. Available via: http://www.pinterest.com/urbanoutfitters/ [Accessed 10 January 2014] Figure 52: Urban Outfitters 2013. New Clothing Campaign [image online]. Available via: http://www.pinterest.com/urbanoutfitters/ [Accessed 10 January 2014] Figure 53: Urban Outfitters, 2013. Colgne Launch Night image [image online]. Available via: http://blog.urbanoutfitters. com/ [Accessed 10 January 2014] Figure 54: Urban Outfitters, 2013. London Urban on tour [image online]. Available via: http://blog.urbanoutfitters. co.uk/?p=3378 [Accessed 12 January 2014] Figure 55: Urban Outfitters, 2013. New Campaign Image [image online]. Available via: http://blog.urbanoutfitters.com/ [Accessed 10 January 2014] Figure 56: Anon, 2012. Pictures taken with mobile phones [image online]. Available via: http://theultralinx.com/2012/05/ pictures-taken-with-mobile-phone.html [Accessed 10 January 2014]

BIBLIOGRAPHY Amaze, 2013. Connected retail – The future of the high street [online]. Available via: http://www.amaze.com/Images/ Connect%20Retail_WhitePaper_Amaze2013_tcm22-4603.pdf [Accessed 17 November 2013] Aruba Networks, 2012. Wi-Fi for In-Store Mobility: Engage Customers and Protect the Store [online]. Available via: http://www.arubanetworks.com/pdf/technology/whitepapers/WP_In-Store-Mobility.pdf [Accessed 17 December 2013] Barnes, E, 2013. 50 must have fashion apps to download now [online]. Available via: http://stylecaster.com/50-fashionapps-download-for-iphone/ [Accessed 5 December 2013] Beswick, S. (sedgeb@asos.com), 2013. Dissertation Survey. 4 December. Email to: Rosie Kingston (rosie_kingston26@ hotmail.com). Business Insider, 2013. The Rise of Social Commerce: How Tweets, Pins And Likes Can Turn Into Sales [online]. Available via: http://www.businessinsider.com/social-commerce-drives-retail-2013-8 [Accessed 27 November 2013] Box Park, 2013. Box park website [online]. Available via: http://www.boxpark.co.uk/ [Accessed 2 November 2013] Charlton, G, 2011. How retailers can appeal to mobile users in store? [online]. Available via: http://econsultancy.com/ blog/7707-how-can-retailers-appeal-to-mobile-users-in-store [Accessed 20 December 2013] Cinime, 2013. Cinime App Website [online]. Available via: http://www.cini.me/ [Accessed 10 December 2013] Court, D., Elzinga, D., Mulder, S., and Veltvik, O, 2009. The consumer decision journey [online]. Available via http:// www.mckinsey.com/insights/marketing_sales/the_consumer_decision_journey [Accessed on 6 December 2013] Danks, R. (richarddanks@portasagency.com), 2013. Dissertation Survey. 17 December. Email to: Rosie Kingston (rosie_kingston26@hotmail.com) Dawn Foods Limited, 2013. Mobile Plays a key role in the shopping experience [online]. Available via: http://dawnfoodsinsights.com/site/sites/default/files/pdf/coverage/Dawn_WebArticles_Mobile.pdf [Accessed 6 December 2013] Deloitte, 2013. Mobile influence 2013 – the growing influence of mobile instore [online]. Available via http://www2. deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ie/Documents/ConsumerBusiness/2013_mobile_influence_deloitte_ireland.pdf {Accessed 17 November 2013] Denton, S., 2013. Online vs Offline. [Lecture as part of Trend Boutique briefing]. 28 November. Dicky, T, 2013. Email offers have become flyers [online]. Available via: http://retailtechnologytrends.com/ [Accessed 8 December 2013] Digital Experts Acadamy, 2013. The digital revolution [online]. Available via: http://digitalexpertsacademy.com/about/ the-digital-revolution/ [Accessed 5 November 2013] Digital Buzz, 2013. 2013 Mobile Growth Statistics [online]. Available via: http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/ infographic-2013-mobile-growth-statistics/ [Accessed 20 December 2013] Dusto, A, 2013. A merry mobile shopping season lies ahead [online]. Available via: http://www.internetretailer. com/2013/11/20/merry-mobile-shopping-season-lies-ahead [Accessed 5 December 2013] Earls, M, 2009. Herd – How to change mass behavior by harnessing our true nature. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons Ltd.

Elvin, J, 2013. The 10 best fashion apps [online]. Available via: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/ sep/15/10-best-fashion-apps [Accessed 5 December 2013] Emarketer, 2013. Urban Outfitters roles out innovative digital tactics [online]. Available via: http://www.emarketer. com/Article/Urban-Outfitters-Rolls-Innovative-Digital-Tactics/1010230#w8mQuuvDXCKwQXb7.99 [Accessed 15 December 2013] Evans, K, 2013. Mobile devices can help drive store sales [online]. Available via: http://www.internetretailer. com/2013/11/14/mobile-devices-can-help-drive-store-sales [Accessed 27 December 2013] Evans, M, 2011. Empathizing with the future: creating next-next generation products and services [online]. Available via: http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/berg/dsgj/2011/00000014/00000002/art00006 [Accessed 30 October 2013] Fashion Retail Ecommerce, 2013. The Fashion retail revolution [online] Available via: http://www.kslecon sulting.com/selling-fashion-online/mobile-commerce/ [Accessed 5 December 2013] Fashion and Mash, 2013. New start-up Tapestry gives shop floor a visual identity, signs diesel as pilot partner [online]. Available via: http://fashionandmash.com/2012/11/28/new-start-up-tapestry-gives-shop-floor-a-digital-identity-signsdiesel-as-pilot-partner/ [Accessed 2 December 2013] Fitzpatrick, M, 2013. Ikea’s 3d furniture app [online]. Available via: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/interiorsandshopping/10247596/Ikeas-3D-furniture-app-first-look.html [Accessed 26 November 2013] Gordon, A, 2009. Future Savvy – Identifying trends to make better decisions, manage uncertainty, and profit from change. New York: American Management Association. Graves, P, 2013. Consumer.ology – the truth about consumers and the psychology of shopping. London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing. Grimsey, M, 2012. The Grimsey Review – An alternative future for the high street [online]. Available via: http://www. vanishinghighstreet.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/GrimseyReview04.092.pdf [Accessed 30 October 2013] Gsmt, 2013. Mobile Commerce in Retail - A look at the opportunities provided by mobile commerce in the retail industry [online]. Available via: https://www.atcm.org/programmes/digital_high_street/gsma_white_paper [Accessed 30 December 2013] Hallam, J., 2013. The social media manifesto. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Hammersley, B, 2012. 64 things you need to know now for then. Great Britian: Hodder and Stoughton. Hann, M., Lee, M., and Poq Studio., 2013. Mobile Commerce – A worthy venture for your retail business [online]. Available via: http://www.slideshare.net/poqstudio/pure-presentation-for-website [Accessed 20 December 2013] Holland, P, 2013. The rise of the mobile-born [online]. Available via: http://techcrunch.com/2013/11/08/the-rise-ofthe-mobile-born/ [Accessed 5 December 2013] Kantar Retail, 2011. The future shopper - How changing attitudes and technology are reshaping retail [online]. Available via: http://www.arubanetworks.com/pdf/technology/whitepapers/WP_In-Store-Mobility.pdf [Accessed 28 November 2013] Kik, 2013. Kik personal messaging app website [online]. Available via: http://kik.com/ [Accessed 5 December 2013] King, J, 2013. Jimmy Choo merges website renovation with pinterest trend [online]. Available via: http://www.mobilecommercedaily.com/jimmy-choo-merges-web-site-renovation-with-pinterest-trend [Accessed 5 December 2013] Kohl, R, 2013. The future of shopping: Omnichannel commerce[online]. Available via: http://www.the-future-of-commerce.com/2013/07/03/ecommerce-future-trends/ [Accessed 25 October 2013] Krum, C, 2010. Mobile Marketing: Finding Your Customers No Matter Where They are. United Kingdom: QUE Publishing.

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Lam, A, 2013. From Pop-Up Shopping Pods to Augmented Reality Dressing Rooms [online]. Available via: http://www. trendhunter.com/slideshow/experiential-retail [Accessed 15 November 2013] Lee, M. (michelle@keungzai.com), 2013. Nottingham Trent Student. 4 December. Email to: Rosie Kingston (rosie_ kingston26@hotmail.com). Luma, 2013. Luma – Digital Marketing Agency Website [online]. Available via: http://thisisluma.com/ [Accessed 7 December 2013] Marsden, P, 2012. Ebays London pop-up shop – A vision of social commerce tomorrow [online]. Available via: http:// digitalintelligencetoday.com/ebays-london-pop-up-shop-a-vision-of-social-commerce-tomorrow/ [Accessed 5 December 2013] Mayer-Schonberger, and Cukier, K., 2013. Big Data – A revolution that will transform how we live, work and think. Great Britain: John Murray. Milliken, J, 2012. Mobile phones are changing the world of retail – at a remarkable speed [online]. Available via: http:// www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2012/jun/26/mobile-retail-technology-consumer [Accessed 2 January 2014]. Mintel, 2013. Clothing retailing – UK 2013 [online]. Available via: Mintel [Accessed 25 November 2013]. Mitchell, B, 2009. Metcalfe’s law for computer networks [online]. Available at http://compnetworking.about. com/b/2009/08/24/metcalfes-law-for-computer-networks.htm [Accessed on 18 December 2013] Mobile commerce, 2013. Mobile Commerce – mobile applications [online]. Available at http://www.mobilecommerce. co.uk/mobile-apps/ [Accessed 5 December 2013] Moore’s Law, 2010. Moore’s law or how overall processing power for computers will double every two years [online]. Available at http://www.mooreslaw.org/ [Accessed 5 December 2013] Morris, T, 2013. Connecting with mobile customers [online]. Available via http://www.business2community.com/infographics/connecting-with-mobile-customers-infographic-0471129#x0mRvKI1y8ypRYDQ.32 [Accessed 2 December 2013] Neumann, E., 2013. Social media – A megaphone for word of mouth [online]. Available via: http://info.brandprotect. com/Blog/bid/81689/Social-Media-A-Megaphone-for-Word-of-Mouth [Accessed 6 December 2013] Niemeier, S., Zocchi, A., and Catena, M., 2013. Reshaping Retail – Why technology is transforming the industry and how to win in the new consumer driven world. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons Ltd. Nornberg, V, 2013. Why 2014 Will Be the Year of the Informed Consumer [online]. Available via: http://www.inc.com/ vanessa-merit-nornberg/why-2014-is-the-year-of-the-informed-consumer.html?utm_source=dlvr.it [Accessed 20 December 2013] Oracle, 2011. The future of shopping through the eyes of digital natives [online]. Available via: http://www.ngretailsummit.com/media/whitepapers/2012/Oracle_FutureofRetail.pdf [Accessed 29 October 2013] Omni-channel, 2013. What is omni-channel? [online]. Available via: http://omnichannel.me/what-is-omnichannel/ [Accessed 4 December 2013] Pariser, E, 2011. The filter bubble – what the internet is hiding from you. London: The Penguin Group. Pearce, M, 2011. You Don’t Really Want A Faster Horse [online]. Available via http://technorati.com/business/article/ you-dont-really-want-a-faster/ [Accessed 20 December 2013] Pollak, L, 2013. Millennials at Work: Gen Ys as Digital Natives [online]. Available via: http://www.lindseypollak.com/ millennials-at-work-gen-ys-as-digital-natives/ [Accessed 5 December 2013] Urban Outfitters, 2013. Urban Outfitters Website [online]. Available via: http://www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk/ [Accessed 15 December 2013]

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APPENDIX Appendix A

Email Interviews with Experts Sedge Beswick from ASOS

Sedge Beswicks Reply What do you think about the importance of mobile commerce for retail brands? This is now key, mobile usage is rising globally and among all age groups. All campaigns and websites need to be truly optimised for mobile to fit in with people’s busy lives. It’s key to be able to shop on the go and retail is at the forefront of this. For those that do go out and shop in a physical store, they’re now able to run price comparisons via their mobile whilst in the store enabling them to shop around for the very best deal. It’s forced brands to be truly transparent and supportive of their busier lives. How important is it for a retail brand to offer a mobile shopping app as well as an online store? It’s not as important as optimising their website for mobile but it is pivotal to the success of any retail outlet – consumers expect these apps, and they simplify the shopping experience. What do you think are the three most important things for brands to offer on a mobile app? Simplicity, deals and sharability. What do you think will be the future for the physical retail store? More and more people shop online or compare online, the high street will be around for a long while but it’s importance is definitely dropping off as people’s lives adapt to the digi space.

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Michelle Lee Startup Fashion Label Owner

Michelle Lee Reply How do you feel consumer behaviour towards shopping in high street brands has changed over the last 5 years? It’s still important for customers to experience a brand; experience the texture, fit of a product and environment of a retail experience. Consumers expect all high street brands to be available online and not just online but consumers expect accessibilty on mobile. I do believe that there are a higher number of a ‘window shoppers’ that use the high street as ‘showrooms’ and are happy to fulfill orders from the comfort of their homes online. In today’s digital age do you think it is important for high street retail brands to have strong mobile strategies and why? Yes, mobile users are growing at a phenomenal rate. I work with other e-commerce stores around their SEO/e-commerce strategies so I see the various statistics other than my own website stats. Mobile users range 30-50% of all users so it’s clear that having a strategy behind mobile is absolutely essential as more and more users turn to mobile for shopping. There is an increasing number of potential customers shopping on their commute to work, at lunchtime or when dual-screening (watching TV / browsing mobile ) and as the smartphone industry continues to soar the number of mobile commerce transactions will keep increasing. As a startup brand in the current retail landscape do you think it is important to have a multi-channel strategy and why? It’s important for any brand to have a multi-channel strategy wherever possible. Consumers expect to have access to a brand at all available touch points which means: physical retail store, online, on their tablet and mobile. Consumers get easily frustrated if they can’t reach out to a brand at each level. Past studies have also shown that customers have to see an advert 7 times before acting on it - which poses another point to why it’s so crucial to be accessible and in the minds of customers at all times. Do you think today consumer is alot more informed about products because of social media? Yes.

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Tim Williams From Luma Marketing Agency

Tim Williams Reply How do you feel consumer behaviour towards shopping on the high street has changed over the last 5 years? On line shopping has matured and is obviously growing still, mobile has come along and is now a credible platform to buy things - 5 years ago it was almost impossible to use a mobile browser to buy something and apps were in their infancy. Consumers seem to enjoy shopping on line or by mobile probably due to greater convenience and choice. Consumers seem to want more from the high street and less for commodity items - people ‘go shopping’ for fun and something to do, so expect an experience when they shop on the high street. What do you think about the importance of mobile commerce for retail brands? Retailers have to have a mobile focused commerce site and/or an app. Its really really important as this is what consumers expect. Consumers want to buy in store, on line or on mobile wherever they are in the world at any time. So its very important. What do you think are the three most important things for brands to offer on a mobile app? Clarity, simplicity and a richer experience than using a mobile website. Do you agree that recreating ‘shopping as an experience’ is becoming increasingly important as ecommerce is more and more of a threat to physical retail stores? I think the high street is ripe for being more exciting. I really don’t think the high street will die out but it has to change to meet demand but also exceed customers expectations. Imagine when self service supermarkets were first launched they must have been a massively exciting revelation for shoppers. Innovation is key to any business and retail is no exception - but traditionally the shopping experience has been pretty un-innovative for many years. What do you think will be the future for the physical retail store? There are many things that will change and long term who knows, that’s what makes the future so exciting... but for sure we will see more brands (such as Nike, Adidas, Google etc) opening more experience stores that are destinations in their own right where people will want to travel to come and ‘live the brand’. I think we will see less and less big box category stores like JD Sports and Marks and Spencer - people want curated collections - so businesses like Size footwear, John Lewis etc will continue to thrive and grow. Digital will be key to stores of the future but it will be cleverly integrated into consumer journeys. We are going to see more and more pioneers and big changes ahead. Its a great time for retail!

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Richard Danks Frrom Portas Pr Agency

Richard Danks Reply Do you think that consumers are more informed because of the use of digital devices and access to the internet? Yes. What do you think about the importance of mobile commerce for retail brands? I think it’s very important for brands to properly understand their customers’ purchase journey and to respond with a mobile offering that is relevant. That might be m-commerce, but it may be providing information, inspiration, or a utility. Do you agree that recreating ‘shopping as an experience’ is becoming increasingly important as ecommerce is more and more of a threat to physical retail stores? If ‘shopping as an experience’ is so important then why is Tesco so worried about Aldi and Lidl eroding its market share? Retailers need to provide value to their customers. In certain categories, such as leading-edge fashion, that value can be delivered through exciting store experiences. But there are many other things that customers may value more highly – price, convenience, provenance, brand etc. Good retail brands understand what is important for their customers and then deliver that. For most categories, ecommerce or m-commerce are not a ‘threats’ to physical retail stores – it’s just another string to the retailer’s bow. What do you think will be the future for the physical retail store? as its past. A place to buy goods from.

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It will be much the same

Appendix B Survey Results First Survey - Changing Consumser Behaviour (63 respendents) 1. Which category below incudes your age? 17 or younger : 0 18-20: 14 21-29: 30 30-39: 7 40-49: 3 50-59: 6 60 or above: 3 2. Which out of the followin British Highstreet shops do you regularly shop at? Zara: 20 H&M: 42 Topshop: 27 New Look: 25 Next: 21 River Island: 13 Reiss: 1 Whistles: 3 Primark: 30 &Other Stories: 6 John Lewis: 8 Debenhams: 15 Jack Wills: 2 All Saints : 1 3.What do you use online shopping websites for? Buying Clothes: 49 Checking if an items in stock: 13 Looking up the latest stock: 25 4. Do you prefer shopping online or instore? Online: 15 Instore: 48 5. What do you like about shopping instore? you can see the quality of a product and try for size You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to deal with a busy shop and free returns Try more things on at once and not having to do returns Being able to try the clothes on Seeing the styles and fabric Trying on the clothes, to see if they fit, and to check the quality Can try on clothes before you buy Being able to see the products and try them on if necessary. 6. Which store have you recently been into that you feel had a really good instore environment? Topshop John Lewis Zara Next H&M Urban Outfitters Whistkes Reiss 7. Do you follow any highstreet brands on social media sites? (such as instagram, twitter etc) Yes: 26 No: 37 8. Do you feel it is important for high street brands to offer different channels (such as social media/online websites) for consumers to engage with the brand? Very Important: 31 Quite Important: 24 Not Important: 8

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Second Survey - Are you mobile? (33 respendents) 1. How would you describe your relationship with your phone? It’s with me all the time: 29 I use it only when i need to: 2 I hardly ever find myself using it: 2 2. Do you own a smartphone? Yes: 31 No: 2 3. Do you have any fashion brands app’s on your smartphone? Yes: 12 No: 21

Appendix C Case Studies & Other Stories

The giant retailer H&M has launched a standalone line named &Other Stories. It is inspired by Scandinavian cool with a minimalistic approach to design. Samuel Fernström the head of &Other Stories describes the brand for women who love fashion and want to develop a total look and their own personal style. They can develop their own story. It is higher priced than fast-fashion mainline H&M in order to perfect the scandi cool aesthetic. It is made to be the cooler younger sister of successful brand Cos. They have looked to street style blogs, pinterest and tumblr to inspire the idea of personal styling within the brand. They want the brand to be about how the customer puts things together in their own personal way. They want to change high street shopping from a fast fashion fix to a personalised shopping experience. The brand has led the way with a less corporate and more individual handwriting. Items are merchandised in store as though they are on a page of a magazine. Has a flexible store design – consumers evolving shopping habits mean that retail store design needs to react more quickly and stay up to date. Can react a lot quicker as all fixtures are movable and therefore doesn’t cost a lot to do a store refit. The store looks more like a popup shop or design studio. Encourages people to try the products – touch and feel is the one thing you can’t get online.

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Topshop ‘DearTopshop’ Campaign

Topshop have created a unique way of doing a Christmas gift guide this holiday season which incorporates digital in store. They have collaborated with Pinterest to create a campaign called ‘DearTopshop’. They have created search categories such as ‘all that glitters’ to help customers find there perfect gift. Items can be pinned, shared, shopped and celebrated through all of Topshop’s digital channels. The campaign is centred around customers creating and submitting Christmas boards on Pinterest. They will have giant touch screens in Oxford Street and New York stores where customers can create and pin digitally in store. In other smaller stores they will have ‘DearTopshop’ points featuring smaller ipads where customers can pin. Customers will also have the chance to enter a competition to win one of 14 prizes such as tickets to their AW14 Topshop Unique fashion show. The campaign encourages customers to follow Topshop on Pinterest. It also encourages consumers to create a wish list for Christmas of all Topshop products. Topshop have also been using other social media sites such as instagram, twitter and facebook to promote the campaign, engaging with all customers on all digital channels.

Box Park London

Box park in Shoreditch London is the world’s first pop-up mall. Opened in 2011 by founder and CEO Roger Wade, Boxpark’s planned to be open for four years. Box Park is constructed of stripped, and refitted shipping containers, creating unique, low cost, low risk pop-up stores. It is filled with a mix of fashion and lifestyle brands, galleries, cafés and restaurants –it places local and global brands side-by-side, creating a unique shopping and dining destination. The idea of the mall is to have different retailers come into the spaces and creating an experience for customers to come and be part of. The mall has managed to bring a community element to the Shoreditch area, bringing people in London and visiting London to the area to shop and see the world’s first popup mall.

Superpier New York

The Superpier development is planned to be finished in 2015 and will be the most innovative culture, entertainment, dining and retail experience New York City has seen since the opening of Rockefeller Center in 1939. When it is open it will hold the world’s most sought after retailer, restaurant, and lifestyle brands, and fuse them with the most promising emerging talents in food, fashion, film, art and other creative fields. SuperPier extends on-over-& under the Hudson River at 15th Street adjacent to The Meatpacking District, West Chelsea, The High Line, the Whitney, Chelsea Market, and sits at one of the most trafficked areas of the city. SuperPier’s construction was inspired by the successful use of floating concrete breakwaters for the invasion of Normandy during World War II. A major and enduring achievement in engineering, Pier 57 was built to be an indestructible pier—a pier built on three giant buoyant and hollow concrete boxes, or concrete caissons. Pier 57 was a gift to New York City’s illustrious architectural make up and is set to be transformed into a new out-of-the-box cultural hub and creative marketplace renamed SuperPier. It plans to be a modern unique retail space in New York where people can come together and enjoy entertainment, shopping, dining and arts. It is taking into consideration the modern world and incorporating digital into the environment created.

Yrstore –Luma

The purpose of YrStore is to demonstrate the capabilities that our innovative technology can extend to, and it will run from 7th June for 4 weeks. During this time it will play host to a series of exciting live events including live art sessions from many of the UK’s most renowned artists, brand takeovers, as well as several other evening events which will incorporate the interactive and engaging environment of the YrStore. Interactive technology is now an essential tool within an industry which is constantly innovating and adapting in order to engage with audiences.

National Rail App

National rail has created its first app for iphone and android. The app allows customers to get up to date information on the move which is perfect from train travellers. The app also means customers can book trains and find any information on prices or travel times. It allows customers to save their favourite journeys, to “Pin” a train to follow it after it’s departed the station. Find out about service disruptions before they are affected, subscribe to free in app alerts for delays or cancellations, search by the nearest station, never miss a stop again with the “Wake me up” alarm. The app makes travelling convenient for national rail customers.

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Appendix D Design Inspiration

The design inspiration for this report came from my research done into &Other Stories and how they have a minilist style that is inspired by magazine layouts and streetstyle blogs. I took inspiration from both of these as well and decided to create a report in a magazine style with the look of streetstyle blogs. I took a minilist approach using the negative space on the page to draw attention to the images and text. The idea was to keep it looking cool and laidback which would be appealing to modern retail shoppers. These images are where i took my layout design inspiration from when putting all the images together. I really wanted it to have a scandivian cool look to the whole report. The magazine style approach works well with the topic as many retailers are now using this approach to visual merchandising instore and creating lookbooks or websites. The font inspiration was taken from â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Mr Porter.comâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as i really liked the effortless script style to their visual on the website and mobile app. When it came to creating infographics and diagrams i didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want them to look too colourful and bright as i needed them to fit with the minimalistic magazine style of the report. If i had created massive pages of infographics and colourful models i dont think it would have worked together with the muted tones and negative space. Overall i wanted the report to work as a whole but be appealing visually to modern retail shopper who is always on social media and blogs.

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Declaration Form

Critical Path 14/10/13 11/11/13

11/11/13 6/12/13

7/12/13 5/1/14

6/1/14 19/1/14

20/1/14

Complete all secondary research

Compete all secondary research

Complete all writing of the report

Finish the layout of the report

Give into printers

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Tutorial Record Sheets

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Consent Form

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