Tag Archives: lifestyle

Feb 05 2024
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Fast Foward – AI Will Dominate in 2024

There is one main trend that has taken the world by storm in 2023 and it will only increase and improve its presence and capabilities into 2024. This is for some, the elephant in the room….AI. Contrary to popular belief, AI has actually been around for many years but not as prevalent as it is now, its resurgence has completely changed the game. From writing entire books and songs to being implemented into consumer electronics and domestic appliances to make the products more intelligent. If you take a look at some of the big players in the market you’ll notice more and more are adopting AI, whether this is for energy-efficient washing cycles or improving picture quality on TV, the use cases are becoming less niche and more general. 

2024 will see a huge shift in focus to implementing AI into many products, some that many may find surprising and will no doubt continue to enter every category. It will be used as a selling point, in the context of productivity. As evident with Microsoft who is actively using AI (Copilot) to carry out a plethora of tasks in a matter of minutes that would otherwise be considered either time-consuming or tedious processes. Alongside this, automation will see a rise in 2024, with AI becoming more intelligent and its capabilities increasing, allowing users to automate many more processes and streamline work, in turn making them more productive in a short period of time.

Integrate this capability with artificial intelligence, which helps track patterns in your laundry, cooking, and cleaning routines. This integration allows the AI to seamlessly update the software of your connected appliances, akin to updating apps on your phone or tablet. The AI features enhance efficiency, optimising processes like a more energy-efficient wash cycle that maintains excellent cleaning results through seamless connectivity.

2024 will also see the rise in sustainable technology which we saw becoming a focus in Q4 2023. The front runners of Google and Apple making their products either out of sustainable materials or providing continuous support to their products for years to come in an effort to reduce e-waste. Gone are the days when your phone would have a 3-year life cycle before needing to be replaced.

This scrutiny on sustainability extends to every device and appliance on our person and in your home and AMDEA, I think, explains it best:

“Over the last twenty years AMDEA members have focused on design and new technologies which have dramatically and continuously reduced energy and water consumption of appliances in our homes. With 170 million essential large appliances in the 28 million homes across the UK, the technology in each machine that contributes to mitigating climate change can collectively make a major contribution to carbon neutrality”

Visit https://www.amdea.org.uk/campaigns/sustainability/ for more information

Another trend that will be sought after by many businesses rather than consumers will be cyber security. With more and more companies falling victim to cyber security breaches with countless consumer data being leaked subsequently, 2024 will be the year companies double down and invest. Research has shown that one in two businesses fall victim to a successful cyberattack in the past three years with the cost of these attacks to the industry expected to grow to over $10 trillion by the end of 2024.

In the context of the independent retailer whilst you may think that these trends do not necessarily apply to your business immediately, don’t delay to understand their importance. Generationally the relevance of sustainability is huge as will the shift to AI in the context of improved functionality, ease and sustainability.

AI is our friend, not a foe. It not only helps us magically enhance the photos we take on our smartphones, it helps us save money on our wash cycle and improve our cooking skills and so much more. Get to grips with it and understand it as you won’t be able to avoid the conversation in the context of your range, sales process and customer experience. It’s going to dominate in 2024 and that was evident from IFA and will be again at CES this coming January.

To read the published article written by Dan Todaro, Managing Director please visit ERT Online

Photo by ThisIsEngineering

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Nov 07 2023
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IFA 2023 – A Core Ingredient in the Evolution of CE

Once again IFA 2023 was the place to be seen for all technology brands and not just those from the CE category. With the show sold out across 26 halls covering 130,000 sqm of exhibition space, filled by 2059 brands from 48 countries, there is no other show that competes. IFA 2023 affirmed its position as the de facto CE showcase, forecasted to host 180,000 visitors from 144 countries over 5 days.

The fact that we have witnessed all markets contract in every category, shrinking by an average of 7% and in particular CE which is down 12.4% globally. The EU market outlook is looking increasingly positive at a more palatable contraction of 4.5% year on year. No doubt this is making the rest of the world a bigger problem for those whose presence is not as prevalent in the EU market, compared to other brands. The economic reality is that the globe is in a  Polycrises, a simultaneous occurrence of several negative global events such as war, extreme weather events, food and energy Inflation which is compounded by increased Interest rates and social unease, unsurprisingly stops people from spending. Therefore the need for a brand to increase its voice rather than remain silent is critical and to do this with a new perspective. Doing so through a new lens that better understands the pain points consumers are experiencing and appeals to the user’s pleasure points. Perhaps achieved through ethical practices, practical time and cost-saving innovations that help ease the pain on a macro level, rather than add to the global situation. That’s why IFA as a cultural hub, is so much more than an exhibition, its place is essential to the industry as the centre stage for the globe’s CE brands not just to brag but to demonstrate how to solve the problems we share as we coexist on this planet. Making IFA a core ingredient in the evolution of the consumer electronics industry.

All brands, big and small, were in attendance with 350 of those 3059 brands being CE startups from across the globe. These included all manner of concepts and categories and there were several robotic floor care startups displaying and showcasing, however, one that caught my imagination was Dreame’s Revolutionary Flagship Robotic Vacuum L20 Ultra with Industry First AI-Driven Mop Extend™. Which is definitely worth a look. However one of my most memorable chats was with the haircare brand SharkNinja and its ultra compact SpeedStyle hairdryer. The irony is, as a follically challenged man, I’ve not owned a hairdryer for 30 years yet I was enthralled by its functionality, design and huge potential consumer appeal, it’s going to be a Christmas wish list essential item.

The themes were consistent across every manufacturer and focussed on Sustainability – Renewables – Connected by AI and  Premium. Let’s start with the latter as while aspiring to be a premium brand is admirable there, in relative terms, there can only ever be a few brands who genuinely sit in the category otherwise it defeats the terminology of ‘premium’. It’s down to the consumer’s perception of what constitutes premium based on how much they are prepared to pay for your products and brand. What you and I may think of as being premium may well not be the view of others and is likely to vary greatly, depending on whether you’re Gen Z or Gen X.

These generations and to be fair, everyone now, wants quality as standard and brought to them at a reasonable price, as well as being produced ethically in all aspects including the manner in which those products are brought to market. Whilst GfK expects the global CE market to still be in the red by the end of this year, the trend is for consumers to replace appliances, as home tech becomes increasingly more innovative, making even those devices and appliances of five years ago look exceptionally dated in look and functionality. Today many want technology which most now consider commonplace in the home, not luxury or the unattainable.

Almost all appliance brands included smart connectivity in their product line-ups presented at IFA 2023, which enables you at a basic level of connectivity, to control your appliance from your phone, hub or television. Personalisation is the next step in the development of your smart home where you can not only change the panels and the lighting of your cooling appliances such as the LG MoodUP Instaview Freezer but also create your own wash program and save it as your personal wash cycle as LG have also done as part of their wider LG THINQ UP 2.0 concept. Taking cooking to new levels of perfection as Haier has done with the ID series featuring a unique style and the exclusive Bionicook technology. With the ID Series, you can not only view what’s cooking in your oven with its built-in camera but also see it on your phone or TV and the built-in screen on the oven’s facia. It’s opening up the options for personalisation in your home tech to meet the needs of the household to a unique level of personal satisfaction.

Combine this with AI, assisting in noting your trends on laundry, cooking and cleaning, which enables it to update the software on your connected appliances as you would update the apps on your phone or tablet. The AI functionality improves the efficiency of, for example, a more effective wash cycle so that it uses less energy while still giving you a great wash thanks to the connectivity and the hOn app which allows users to get the most out of their Candy Machine. Increasing innovation and enhancing sustainability credentials which for many brands also extends throughout the entire product, and not just its materials. With almost all brands now adopting a policy where a percentage of all products are made utilising recycled materials and not just its packaging. At the forefront of this message was both LG and Samsung who were championing this throughout their product categories. Taking the initiative a step further, linking these credentials into the aspirational brand qualities, which many consumers are now looking for in a true premium brand.

So what’s different this year is that people are asking more questions and drilling down on the specifics. While 74% said they will search online before buying, search data also shows sustained growth in terms containing questions — up 25% compared to the past three years during the same period — and searches for “which is best” and “where to buy” continue to garner momentum in the shopping category on Google Trends. Those searching online, we know like to shop in-store when it is a considered purchase. So make sure you feature on that where to buy ist.

Whilst the wealth of bands at IFA 2023 were vast, you could not miss one brand in particular whose branding adorned the neck of almost everyone with its very clever lanyard sponsorship. That brand was Hisense who was this year, IFA’s headline sponsor and gave the opening keynote delivered by its Global President,  Fisher Yu whom also announced the brand’s sponsorship of the Euro 2024 Football tournament due to be held in Germany. When you are a brand that not only makes TV but also appliances and applications, it’s easier to integrate your devices and with VIDAA at the heart of the ecosystem, Hisense products and its fellow brand stable mates can integrate via the VIDAA interface making the TV in your home, the hub of the household that connects your smart home ecosystem. Making the screen the focus of your living space where you control your appliances around the house via your Smart TV. With ViDAA now in 180 countries and connected to 22 million devices, the task for Hisense is perhaps slightly easier than it may be for other brands in the CE sector. Coupled with the shift from content to services the next step is how to monetize this conversion and its integration with responsive and predictive AI, to further enhance the user’s experience and lifestyle. Easier done when you own the platform and make the devices it connects to.

It’s fair to say that the outlook for retailers is exciting with increasingly more innovation in all categories and an enhanced social responsibility tone that now takes on many more subject matters. These include AI and sustainability which are now common parlance in the sales approach by brands to their target consumers, old and new. For those amongst us who ignore the trends that come out of IFA, do so at some risk, as these trends will inevitably become standard messaging across every category and brand within the year, not the distant future. It’s crucial for the success of all within the industry to embrace, understand and develop these trends to create meaningful consumer conversations.

To read the published article written by Dan Todaro, Managing Director please visit ERT

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Nov 02 2023
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Are pop-up shops marketing gold or is it time to fold?

Pop-up shops are literally popping up everywhere and they’ve been hugely popular with consumers, but can you have too much of a good thing?

And does it still work as a good use of marketing spend or is consumer fatigue setting in?

The Guardian today reported that pop-up shops have increased by 18% this year, no doubt fuelled by the plethora of empty shops around the UK and available at accessible rates.

But are they still working for brands? When there’s so many, do they drive intrigue, awareness or bring in incremental revenue, or have we reached a point of consumer fatigue?

Pop-ups require significant investment, so it’s crucial to think about the objectives you need it to deliver. If it’s purely an exercise in increasing sales, you may be sorely disappointed.

If your pop-up is in a high footfall area, it’s more likely to increase brand awareness and if your business doesn’t ordinarily have a high street presence, it can elicit valuable feedback on your product or brand.

And of course, pop-up shops are also a great way to create talkability and shareability on social media, offering consumers and influencers the ability to create eye-catching content that will see your brand splashed across their channels.

But to achieve this and avoid consumer fatigue, your pop-up needs to be more than just a shop. It needs to be creative and novel, relevant and aligned with popular culture, and add value to the everyday customer experience.

Inspired creativity

Think about how to pack a punch for your brand with collaborations that are creative, add that novelty factor and give customers an experience they can’t get elsewhere.

We saw this in the Summer with Anya Hindmarch’s The Ice Cream Project. Instead of hosting a pop-up shop to sell handbags, Anya Hindmarch came up with the idea of creating exclusive ice creams using her favourite cult food brands including Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Lea & Perrins and Coca-Cola.

Linking back to her village and café, it was clever, novel and had people queuing round the street. It had that all-important talkability and shareability, which raised awareness of the Anya Hindmarsh brand in general and the creativity at its heart.

Link to popular culture

In June we worked with sports lifestyle brand ’47 on a pop-up in Soho, just in time for two Major League Baseball (MLB) games coming to town.

With the increased awareness of the MLB, ’47 was perfectly primed to welcome fans of the US sport, giving them another way to soak up celebrations beyond the ballpark.

With no UK store, it was timely, relevant, and it fulfilled the unmet appetites of US fans living in the UK as well as Londoners intrigued by the spectacle coming to their city.

Plus, with the start of the NFL season in September the ‘47 pop-up is getting a fresh surge in custom.

Be timely

Ensuring that there is appetite for the type of pop-up shop you have in mind is essential. Do you have customers who will come out specifically for your pop-up?

Does the trend or pop-culture moment you are linking with have enough fans? If your audience will not be excited by your pop-up, it’s time to think again.

Recently, we saw SHEIN, the global fashion brand, opening a pop-up shop in Birmingham with queues weaving around the Bull Ring.

The brand has exploded in popularity, and it was the first time that consumers had been able to physically engage with the brand in the UK, offering them something new, and the added awareness and talkability created demand from new customers – the hype was immense.

It is particularly sad to see an empty pop-up shop – and if you don’t have the audience or creative for the experience to go viral, then you need to invest in creating the demand yourself with additional marketing.

This adds to the cost, so it is important to understand what you are trying to achieve and what success would look like in terms of ROI before you commit.

To read the published article written by Dan Todaro, Managing Director please visit MediaShotz

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Sep 05 2023
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Display Systems

Over the years, retail display systems have undergone significant transformations, driven by advancements in technology, evolving consumer preferences, and the need for retailers to create immersive shopping experiences. In the past, retail display systems primarily consisted of basic shelves and counters where products were neatly stacked or arranged, but lacked the ability to capture consumers’ attention. In today’s world, retail displays aren’t just about enticing shoppers to come in-store. Instead, they’re about drawing attention, displaying information, and setting products apart from the competition. With fewer people watching traditional TV, in-store displays also need to do the extra work of informing and selling to potential customers.

Retailers can integrate digital displays, interactive screens, and even augmented reality (AR) elements into their fixtures, which allow for dynamic content presentation, enabling retailers to communicate the unique features and benefits of a new product or brand in a more engaging manner. They can showcase product videos, customer reviews, and engaging content, fostering a deeper connection with consumers.

In the world of considered purchases, using tech well can add to the experiential and immersive experience that shoppers increasingly expect from their high street visits, helping to engage and excite consumers. Retailers such as John Lewis are striving to meet this need, with new concepts presented at their Horsham store earlier this year, including a “wonder trial” interactive treasure hunt and a Clarins express skin service, to provide a ‘multi-sensory one-stop destination for fashion, beauty, tech and home design’. Visually appealing and shareable displays are also highly effective for generating ‘hype’, allowing retailers to capitalise on social media and influencer marketing to amplify the excitement around a new product or brand. Shoppers are more likely to capture and share their experiences on social platforms, effectively spreading the word and generating organic buzz.

To read the full article by Rupert Cook, Business Development Director please visit A1 Retail

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Aug 21 2023
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Curating the Customer Journey Through Training

When independent stores raise the issue of needing more support from brands to compete against multiple and online retail to remain competitive, there’s no support more valuable than training. Without the sales skills to confidently identify the customer’s needs to sell the benefits of a product that is right for them, you can’t really blame the brand if you aren’t selling more products than forecasted.

Most brands will offer training to your staff and this is free, so if you aren’t taking advantage of it, why not and if you are, do so some more as it’s there to help you and the brand in equal measure.

Allowing your salespeople access to brand ambassadors or training representatives is a positive start to your team’s training journey. Put personalities aside, they aren’t there to be your friend, let them do their job and train your team to develop their core competencies to improve the process of selling consumer electronics. Too often I hear criticism of training teams even before they’ve been allowed to do what they are skilled at doing; training your sales team.

On the whole, every brand will have created modules to be delivered in person or online that are specifically designed to engage with your staff and help them better understand not only the differences in technology options across a range but also the approach, many of which will be incorporating soft skills, how to sell.

Those of you who appreciate the value of training and see the benefits it drives to the store’s bottom line should take what the brand has to offer, perhaps even developing this further by incorporating it into your own training program.

Think about what’s important to you and your customers, be it high-end, entry-level, ease of use or bells and whistles, curate journeys your staff can communicate effectively during the sales process, that embraces the free training your brands have on offer to you. Work with your supplier to develop training that meets the needs of your business, take it beyond generic and make it bespoke to you and your challenges based on your customer profile.  By working with the brand ambassador they will be happy to adapt to make it relevant to you and your needs, after all, they will be rewarded for helping you develop sales.

I am a true advocate of training as an essential part of great retail experiences because it’s what my organisation does and research like our Mind the Knowledge Gap Research helps us understand better. Did you know that:

  • 1 in 10 shoppers have cancelled a planned, considered purchase due to poor in-store advice, This equates to some £15bn in revenue overall over the past year.
    • Gen Z [those now in their 20’s] are most likely to seek out experts
    •  37% of shoppers in the consumer electronics category revealed they would be prepared to spend more if they received excellent and knowledgeable in-store advice
    • 1 in 4 DIY shoppers (25%) were so disappointed by the advice they were put off making an expensive purchase altogether, with 11% pulling the plug on the purchase and walking out of the store.

Unsurprisingly, staff training is not only good for your profits but also morale and the increased motivation of staff enables them to want to learn and do better in their roles especially if it’s linked to personal and career development. It is proven to improve Productivity, Efficiency and Accountability.

Now more than ever, enhancing the customer experience is critical to create theatre in order to take the consumer through the varied steps of the journey from demo to sale. To do this, retailers need to develop the staff’s skill set to be the very best they can be – and this all starts with training.

A key element of success in store, especially in the considered purchase sector,  is the engagement of shoppers with any retail sales advisor. Therefore for a retailer, the need to have proactive, helpful, skilful, knowledgeable staff, capable of providing a personalised experience is key in the battle to convert shoppers into customers in your store.

Curating the customer journey through training enables you to enhance the overall in-store experience, complementing your displays and in-store environment to bring it to life as an experience. Tailored alongside offers and promotions it can be the difference between a sale or not.

If there is one key driver that should be running through a retailer’s training approach, like a stick of rock, is that the experience you offer in-store with fully trained and engaged staff is something the online experience can’t ever replicate.

To read the full article by Dan Todaro, Managing Director please visit ERT Online

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Jun 06 2023
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An Experience Worth the Effort?

For consumers, a trip to your store has to be worth the effort, time and expenditure, offering an experience that surpasses the convenience of simply buying online from the comfort of home. As a retailer how far do you go and how much do you invest to meet these needs, especially considering the current economic conditions.

It’s worth noting that from a macro perspective, things are not all doom and gloom. People are shopping and spending. The latest ONS data showed positive results for retail with a surprisingly large rise in retail sales for the month of February, the result marking the second consecutive month of industry growth. Volume sales were up by 1.2% against forecasts of 0.2% and once again shows the resilience of the UK consumers against an unrelenting cost of living crisis.

Hopefully this positivity isn’t just a blip, but even so, it’s fortunate that in the ERT world of ‘considered purchases’ – purchases made with significant financial or emotional thought – there is simply no match for the timeless ability of an in-store experience to engage all the senses and stimulate sales. This is particularly the case for consumer electronics and home appliances – categories with products that often require a high spend and technical questions that need to be answered as well as having to fit in with our homes and lifestyles.

True experiential retail as a strategy goes further than this though and could be defined as an approach where physical retail spaces offer additional experiences beyond browsing or buying products. It directly engages customers, inviting them to experience your brand live and in-person. Pop-up events, masterclasses, brand takeovers and hosting community events are all examples of experiential retail that may or may not work for you.

What is undeniable though is that customers now expect more. Research in the US  found that 91% of consumers would be more inclined to purchase a brand’s product or service after participating in a brand activation or experience, and 40% felt they become more loyal to the brand.

Retailers and brands have gone to great lengths to meet these expectations. Blowing the budget earlier in the year was luxury brand Louis Vuitton who transformed stores across the world for the launch of its collection with artist Yayoi Kusama. Stores such as Harrods were redecorated with Kusama’s signature polka-dots and life-like animatronics of Kusama painting in the windows of the stores!

On a slightly less grand scale, ERT has reported several times on how John Lewis has refurbished several stores to create “inspiring spaces to showcase products, experiences and services”. And this year they plan to trial a multi-sensory experience at its Horsham store. This is all great and hopefully it helps strengthen their position on the high street. However, what, in my opinion, can potentially detract from the desired effect is that it is often difficult finding a member of staff to talk to, something made all the more challenging with the no uniform policy.

People really do count when it comes to the overall retail experience. After all, this is a trump card that physical retail has over online channels. Indeed, Gekko’s latest research shows that 42% want to be able to engage with knowledgeable shop staff. It’s therefore surprising to see great looking and no doubt expensive Meta Quest virtual reality demo gaming areas in stores that are cordoned off from shoppers because there is no staff presence. If ever there was a category that needs to be experienced by shoppers before they buy into it, it’s VR.

So how can all this be applied to independent retailers selling consumer electronics and domestic appliances? Unforgettable, mind-blowing experiences that go viral on TikTok are generally going to be the preserve of big city flagship stores like Harrods. What is a realistic expectation is to play to your strengths both as an individual business and a physical retailer. As highlighted above, your staff are vital. Good old fashioned customer service is still fundamental to the retail experience. The research also showed that for 60% of shoppers cite a pleasant retail environment is an important factor to a great retail experience.  For 47% of those surveyed, the top reason for in person shopping versus online is the ability to try before you buy.

Most of you will already be offering this kind of experience for your customers but take the time to regularly reassess how you’re meeting these shopper desires. Moving with the times is essential though. What has worked in the past with your older customers won’t necessarily appeal to younger generations who have different expectations. But whoever the customer, the experience they receive in your store must be worth their while.

To read the full article by Rupert Cook, Marketing Director please visit ERT Online

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May 24 2023
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How Luxury Retailers Can Boost In-Store Sales This Spring

Despite ongoing inflation, the retail sector in the UK is showing improvement, with like-for-like sales rising 4.9% in March, according to BRC/KPMG. With this extended bank holiday season upon us, there is more of a spring in the step for retailers. A recent survey we commissioned of 2,000 consumers found that 13%, equating to 9 million adults, are definitely planning to hit the physical shops, presenting luxury retailers with a meaningful opportunity for sales uplift

To take advantage of this opportunity, retailers need to create a shopping experience that is truly focused on the customer. 60% of respondents in the survey cited a pleasant environment as an important factor in a great retail experience. Luxury retailers should, therefore, ensure that they offer a pleasant in-store experience, starting from the moment the shopper walks in. 

This can be done by creating an immersive journey towards the checkout with creative displays and merchandising. All of this should be backed by product availability, highlighted promotions, and all-around first-class customer service. Staff should be readily available on the shop floor, and queues at the till should be kept to a minimum.

To combat inflation, promotions are vital, with 59% of respondents in the survey agreeing. Luxury retailers should ensure that they are competitive with online channels and have promotions visible and clearly marked up to entice hard-pressed consumers to open their purses and wallets.

In our survey, 42% of respondents cited engaging with knowledgeable shop staff as a key reason for their visit. Luxury retailers should, therefore, ensure that staff is well-trained and ready to answer questions. A well-trained expert can be worth their weight in gold, particularly with considered purchases. This will leave a positive imprint encoded on the memory of customers.

One of the top reasons given for in-person shopping versus online is to try before you buy (47%). Luxury retailers can play to their strengths here by effectively merchandising their products and encouraging customers to engage in a tactile journey of discovery. It is crucial to have the right expert on hand to assist the process, with all the senses of the shopper engaged in a truly immersive physical experience that will lead them towards the checkout.

The modern retail experience is underpinned by sociability, combining a trip with meeting friends and dining. Retailers and brands need to complement this by providing an environment that is sociable and luxurious, offering dining experiences, and other events that are relevant to their luxury brand. 

By creating a luxury experience that extends beyond the purchase, retailers can build customer loyalty and enhance the overall shopping experience for the customer.

To read the full article by Dan Todaro, Managing Director please visit Luxury Advisor

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May 09 2023
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The Power of Online

Creating an effective online presence is hard and maintaining it is harder still, so why do it? Well, it’s the virtual window to your store and even if it’s a non-transactional site, it’s as important as your store experience.

So when considering your website, always ask what do you want the site to achieve. If you want to drive sales, the site needs to be set up to have your consumers coming to it. You could make the best site in the world but if you don’t attract the right people to it, no one will know it exists, nor will you sell anything. 

If you have the luxury of a big budget to launch a major ATL campaign to drive awareness of the site, then great but if this isn’t an option, then you’ll need to get inventive and use your resources wisely. Therefore it is best that you spend as much time on planning the site as defining your consumer base, driving the customers with each click-through to your site. And don’t forget to make it mobile compatible as according to Statista, 59% of all worldwide website traffic is now on mobile devices. According to Hubspot, the industry benchmark for average dwell time is considered somewhere between 2-4 minutes. It usually takes around this time to explore a website and get a feel for the design and your offering.

You will soon know if you have the right audience coming to the site as they will purchase if it’s an e-commerce site or engage if not, the objective is to not let them drop off, never to be seen again. Play to the key strengths of online, with 85% of consumers researching online before a purchase in store, make sure you use the space at your disposal to portray all key bits of information surrounding the products. 

Consumers will often be coming to your site for information on pricing product details and reviews, so ensuring all this information is readily available and accurate is key and furthermore, this helps with SEO, helping to push your site up the search rankings.

Everything from pricing, through to more detailed specifications should be easily found and digestible and failing to do so will lead to customer drop-off. People will more often than not be looking for this info with a view to also then go and touch, feel, demo a product with a view to purchase in-store.

If you already have a physical store, make sure the site is aligned with your in-store messaging and values. Too often retailers aren’t aware of how messaging, promotions, experience and brand compliance should transcend from store to site and vice versa. Recent Gekko research found that 69% of people surveyed said that a well-synced online and offline experience would help drive a considered purchase.

The customer journey more often than not starts with a visit to your website. Gekko’s research has shown that 85% of shoppers looking to make a significant purchase will do their research online before actually buying. This shopper journey should be developed, keeping the consumer’s attention, rather than leaving them unmotivated to click beyond the landing page or walk through your physical door. Therefore with dwell times on a landing page recorded as up to 4 minutes, the importance of the look, feel and ease to digest information and navigate their way through your site is therefore the key to a successful site. It’s understood that 88% of online shoppers are more likely to continue shopping on a retailer website that offers a personalised experience, increasing to 96% of Gen Z and 97% of Millennials based on research conducted by Elastic.

It may seem an obvious thing to point out for those of you with a physical retail presence but be conscious of using changing seasons, events and promotions as a worthwhile excuse to update your site. Keeping your site fresh and relevant will make sure you are attracting traffic to the site and driving potential customers to shop with you for special seasonal deals. Ensure that any promotion or event you are running in-store is reflected on your site and perhaps create a call to action. By doing this you can get to understand your customer better so that you can proactively market out to them at a later date. Utilise site analytics to assist you in understanding who your consumers are and how they are using your website. Insights on where users are coming from, which pages shoppers look at the most, plus the effectiveness of any marketing campaigns you have running will all help understand key impacts and help in your long-term strategies for the brand and products.

If you create a site that has independent reviews and rating, which is considered standard, then be prepared not only for the positive feedback but also the less than glowing reviews. The reality is that all retailers will get these from time to time. It’s how you deal with this feedback that matters. According to Review Trackers, 94% of online customers have avoided a business due to a negative review. Therefore for over 9 out of 10 customers, online reviews have become essential to their decision-making online. Whilst 94% may avoid you, it’s claimed by Podium that 93% of customers say they’ve made purchasing decisions based on an online review. What’s more, most customers say they won’t engage with a product or business if they see too many negative reviews or a star rating of less than 3.3. Be mindful of how you position your feedback and its features in Google searches of your site.

It is estimated that  21% of UK retail purchases are expected to take place online in 2023. It’s therefore no surprise that your e-commerce strategy is important. With more customers shopping online, your business can sell more and earn more as a result if you’re running an effective e-commerce site. However, whether your goal via your website is to boost direct sales or only engagement, it’s important to create a strategy that encourages consumers to your site and increases dwell time that elevates the customer experience and begins their journey.

Keeping the site uncluttered is critical as is the need to have relevant imagery that truly represents your business, royalty-free stock photography can work but it needs to be true to your brand. Involving your staff can make it personal too. It makes you real and relevant to the consumer with the added bonus that they recognise a few faces when they drop into your store, increasing your credentials as a retailer that values a personal approach to the customer journey. 

To read the full article by Dan Todaro, Managing Director please visit ERT Online

Photo by Negative Space

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Apr 03 2023
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Narrating the Customer Journey to your Door

One positive outcome that happened in our communities post-pandemic is that local communities have rallied around their small independent businesses, in particular retailers. Whilst multiples close unprofitable locations on the high street decreasing their retail doors, independents are swooping in to do what the big names have failed so spectacularly to do, namely talk to their immediate audience.

The vast majority of multiple retailers, including retail banking, are clueless to what the local community and their consumer actually needs and wants. They continue to cite financial woes as a reason to close more doors, abandoning towns and in the process, they fail to realise that being part of the community can actually create growth for them and increase brand advocacy.

Retail used to be amongst the most innovative of industries, where a progressive approach to understanding the consumer and creating experiences that made your store a destination. But this seems to have dissipated and all that’s left is a lot of whining retailers wondering why people no longer want to shop with them.

Offer boring and consumers will literally walk on by. A recent study by Shopify found that 35% of consumers prefer experiential shopping. Seasonality can create these experiences, boost marketing and sales efforts but most retailers fail to even engage at the most basic of levels.

At the other end of the spectrum is the pathetic attempts by local authorities to support their communities, understandably failed by this government which has overseen local authority budgets being squeezed almost to bankruptcy. The government offers idiotic solutions to regenerate local communities and fail to even protect local jobs let alone increase the local economy and create thriving, energetic towns.

It’s about time retailers, local authorities and the government sorted their acts out and focussed on delivering for people and not merely themselves. The result will be that all will suffer.

But what can a local independent retailer do with their local marketing to succeed where the behemoths have failed and do it better and uniquely in your own style to speak in a voice and tone that your local community understand and find appealing?

Footfall across UK retail destinations increased in January, despite the impact of the many rail and other strikes. The annual increase in footfall was largely unaffected, with the gap from the 2019 level even narrowing slightly. Retail footfall remains 14.2% below the 2019 level but showed progress from the 20.8% recorded in January 2022.

It’s said that 96% of small businesses say they use social media in their marketing strategy of which 41% depend on it solely to drive revenue. In reverse, 74% of consumers state that they rely on social media to guide purchasing decisions and 81% of shoppers research online before purchasing.

With so many researching before they shop, bearing this in mind, what’s more important to your business? It would seem that a recommendation in the form of reviews is essential as it’s claimed by Forbes that 90% or purchasing decisions are based on these positive reviews. Therefore those comments and likes really do matter when people search for products that potentially lead them to your landing page and  e-commerce site.

This is particularly important for any business and their marketing mix as more than 50% of consumers won’t use a business if it has less than a four-star rating and 88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as they trust personal recommendations (Birkett, 2020).

Interesting to know that over 50% of all “near me” searches will result in an offline store visit and 62% of consumers will disregard a business if they can’t find them online. More significantly 88% of potential customers look for online reviews before choosing local services and 24.4% of all clicks go to the first result of local business searches. So having a top Google search result is proven to have an average click-through rate of 31.7%. (Backlinko) and increases the need for your reviews to be exemplary if you’re to get those 81% that research online, through your doors.

That professional approach you take in-store to deliver a positive customer experience and so encourage purchasing, needs to translate equally through reviews and online presence. This should be evident to the consumer through your marketing either on socials or search, to ensure a seamless and frictionless customer journey. A journey that is likely to start online from search to your marketing, either on third party platforms or your own, that enhances your proposition to convert that search into a customer you engage with in person.

Use local marketing to talk about what makes you different, your approach, offers and more. Make sure your staff know what you are marketing to ensure a joined up approach, from what the customer sees and reads and how that translates into the experience they receive on your shop floor. Train your staff to mirror your local marketing in their approach with customers and set targets with staff to identify those who were attracted into the store through your advertising. Use this intelligence to understand what is and isn’t working effectively to fine-tune and ensure your tone resonates with your customers.

So when considering your local marketing approach it’s imperative that you understand the importance of SEO for local businesses and how utilising it effectively and professionally, can result in new customers through the door.  Once there, the seamless journey kicks-in where you’ve curated the narrative and the shopper will receive the service reviewed or promised and hopefully become repeat customers and spread the word online and in person on your behalf.

To read the full article by Dan Todaro, Managing Director please visit ERT

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Feb 13 2023
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Five factors driving purchase behaviour in the current climate

The last few years have seen a series of unprecedented events that have created a new paradigm where consumer expectations and needs have been radically redefined. In this new world, retailers need to respond with a new approach in tune with our changed times. 

So how did we get here? Firstly, the pandemic’s cultural legacy has been a shift to a life where many of us continue to work from home, meaning retail businesses need to cater to a new stay-at-home existence. Meanwhile post-pandemic we have seen political instability and huge inflationary pressures impacting many. The climate crisis is also becoming more apparent on the back of record global temperatures and a series of catastrophic natural disasters. This is also feeding into permanently changed behaviour from millions, particularly younger consumers.

For every retail marketer, an evolving playbook is needed for this new age to respond to this evolution of behaviour. Both cultural, economic and environmental. Based on some recently commissioned research with YouGov, we identified five key factors driving behaviour at this time.

1) Affordability

This means something different to everyone, but in a recession or a flatlining economy, customers spend differently. So what does affordability mean for your consumer and how do brands accentuate this factor? I recently spoke alongside AMDEA who are the body that represents the white goods industry in the UK, who did some research in relation to the Eco buttons on washing machines and dishwashers.

They revealed it was saving consumers on average £90 a year. They now really highlight this fact to drive consumers to brands promoting this feature either in store or online. Knowing that affordability is a critical criteria for consumers, brands can smartly promote the long term savings they can offer. Perhaps paying back the cost of the appliance within five years. When you multiply this reduction in energy costs across several appliances in the home, you can see how the savings increase.

Furthermore the energy saving ‘eco’ modes can provide a win/ win of appealing to sustainability minded consumers.

2) Essential trumps desirable

We are seeing far more caution in the market for spending on big ticket items in particular.   Therefore positioning your products as ‘essential’ items in the psyche of your target audience is important as part of the marketing mix.

Perhaps the days of assuming there is an implied need for your brand are no longer present. Disposable income in all households, even middle earners, is becoming more scarce. They may want your product. That desire may be there. They may covet it. They may feel that they need it, but unless it’s absolutely essential and integral to their life, they are not going to buy it. 

Therefore highlighting why your products are ‘essential’ to their needs. It is not so much that it is on offer but more, how does it add genuine value to their lives? Why is this going to be a product they can’t live without? Tapping into the primal needs of the customer in more challenging times is a way retailers can craft their story and resonate honestly with their target audience.

3) Durability

As an extension to being essential, people will need to feel that the item that they are buying is built to last for more than the lifespan of your average reality star.  Low down on the list of drivers influencing behaviour in today’s climate are more ephemeral qualities like perceived ‘brand value’.

Rather than offering a lifestyle associated with a brand or product, retailers could focus on the quality of their products. This should be the starting place for a conversation about a brand and how it will last for someone whose budget is going to be squeezed for some time. The hardiness of your products, particularly for those more expensive items in your range, is crucial. No one likes being ripped off but people are far less willing to tolerate buyer’s remorse in a recession.

Indeed we are now in a new reality where brands have to accept quality and durability is delivered at a more affordable price point. Certainly if they want to maintain market share. Losing market share in a downturn can be very difficult to recover from, when times return to being good. Long term thinking needs to trump short-termism.

4) Sustainability

The longer something lasts, of course the more sustainable it is. Sustainability is a huge driver for younger generations. Far from moving away from this priority at a cash strapped time, consumers are in fact doubling down. Indeed research from SAP revealed that despite the cost of living, over half (52%) of UK consumers aged 18-34 were actively looking to shop more from retailers with strong sustainability credentials last Christmas. 

This is not greenwashing but also understanding this generation will do their research about the full life cycle of a product. The good news is the extent to which this isn’t something that needs to sit in isolation to your other brand positioning. If something can save money through assisting less energy use or being more durable it is therefore more sustainable and solves for a number of current consumer concerns.

Think through the life cycle of your products and make sure they stands up and are robust. It is not just a page on your website espousing your values, but should run though your whole business model like a stick of rock (made with ethically sourced sugar).

5) Innovation

Finally innovation remains of critical importance. To grow you have to be of relevance tomorrow as well as today. Particularly when there is a real need to stand out from competitors with people less willing to make multiple purchases. 

Indeed innovation plus value has also been a winning facet of the trend for air fryers. Indeed according to research by price comparison website PriceRunner, demand has soared by 3,000 per cent since 2021.

However critically the air fryer answers several other current consumer needs states. We, post-covid are eating at home more and it is a way of getting your family and your friends and getting your kids involved. It is also healthier. This addresses the growing trend for healthier versions of popular meals.

Most crucial to the surging trend though is the value proposition. The money that can be saved through cooking at a time of rising energy costs is significant and of course energy efficient.

In summary, retailers do need to recognise changed behaviour and a new paradigm on the back of a series of interconnected trends and crises. These centre on changed lifestyles that are more based in the home, a growing movement for sustainability and most crucially the need to save money.

Consumers quite simply won’t invest in the way they did before meaning retailers need a laser like focus on their new needs states. The values they need to highlight are: value for money, being essential, durability, sustainability and innovation. The more they can be all of the above, the more customers will respond.

To remain relevant as we face an economically challenging climate is tough.  For some, this will require a radical step change.

To read the full article by Daniel Todaro, Managing Director please visit Retail Sector

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