A blog series on Shopper Marketing.
By Cyndi Pyburn
At the close of 2014, many retail predictions became a reality. These ‘truths’ foreshadow things to come in 2015 in the world of Shopper Marketing. Twelve truths:
- Omni-channel retailing IS the norm.
- Content is king …. marketing MUST educate and engage customers.
- Successful retailers gave shoppers more personalized in-store experiences.
- Retail sales associates shift from information provider to engagement facilitator.
- Loyalty cards made way for customized rewards. Customization IS the norm.
- Technology is integrated with bricks & mortar – think tablets, digital display, mobile POS.
- Blue-tooth low energy technology allows beacons to communicate with smartphones.
- The growth of mobile businesses (pop-up stores) beyond food trucks … fashion, flowers, hair.
- The mobile wallet has grown – mobile got a chunk of the payments pie… Paypal, Google Wallet, Dwolla.
- The need for speed continues … the ‘always connected’ consumer will apply this to fulfilment demands.
- Big data …. truly leveraged (not just talked about) – this measurability has brought new efficiencies and opportunities for retailers and marketers.
- Social media marketing in the store impacted product decisions with Pinterest, Instagram and other reviews …. Nordstom using Pinterest to highlight products in their store with a red ‘P’ tag.
If a retailer or marketer is just ‘talking’ about these twelve, I predict 2015 will be a ‘grim’ year.