Monday 21 November 2011

John Lewis has Christmas Wrapped Up....

So by now everyone has not only read about, but seen and formed an opinion on, the John Lewis 2011 Christmas Advert.



So I won't bore you with the details of it, suffice to say that unlike their last effort (that dodgy advert with the different music and technology through the ages- that was awful) 'Please Let me Get What I Want' has been almost universally applauded for the heart-string pulling ultimate message of Christmas at its core- that it is better to give than to receive. Only John Lewis would spend £6m on an Xmas ad campaign that doesn't actually appear to advertise anything- apart from the JLP lifestyle and ethos itself- bold move, but judging by the collosal amount of goodwill (and lets face it publicity) it has generated, it has paid off. In common with their phenomenally successful 'Always a Woman' campaign, the ad below, has brought a tear to the eye, and given us pause for thought...



I don't think there has been much competition for John Lewis this year, as the other 'big' Christmas campaigns seem mostly some rather more cynical and downright annoying this year..
a D minus and 'Must Try Harder' for Marks and Spencers for their lazy and uninspiring X Factor tie-in- as if those wannabees aren't all over our screens enough as it is, isn't this collaboration completely at odds with the target demographic they are meant to be trying harder to woo?

And as for Littlewoods? Bah Humbug!!! In a real low for the retailer, the premise is a nativity show is which the children sing about all the great presents Mum has bought for them and their relatives. Yes thats right- Mum. In an advert that is sufficiently irritating that it is bound to appeal to kids, Littlewoods has clearly decided to blow the whole 'Santa bringing the Christmas presents' idea, who needs magic in today's consumerist society eh?

I'm not even going to add links to these two adverts, I don't want to give them the satisfaction of the extra publicity. So instead, back to John Lewis for a moment, and a couple of the more amusing spoofs that have sprung up in homage to that impatient little boy.... ho ho ho...



Internet Retailing 2011

So a few weeks ago I had an interesting day attending the Internet Retailing conference 2011 (#IR11 for twitter fiends) with a fellow TCS colleague.



The day consisted of three separate 'tracks' or themes of discussions- rather vaguely entitled the Customer, the Team, and the Industry. But madly seat-hopping between the most interesting presentations in each track, it seemed clear to me that the real three themes that everyone is (and if they're not, should be) talking about are more specifically:
  • The Empowered Customer
  • Embracing True Multi-Channel, and
  • M-Commerce: You Can't Escape It
Some of the key take aways from the day:

Mark Hodgkinson (Marketing & E-Comm Director HMV Group) kicked things off by reminding us that consumers expect more from their shopping experience than ever before, and are now in the driving seat, empowered by technology. Tech is changing shopping habits as shopping becomes a more participatory experience, with consumers engaging with each other, and with brands, regarding their purchase decisions, an increasing amount.

Mark advised us that the way we shop now is becoming more 'channel agnostic' as we expect to be able to shop Whenever, Whereever and However is most convenient for us- which is increasingly using our Mobiles, with which research shows we are shopping for longer and spending more, than other means, in addition to the 10% of UK adults who use their mobile to compare prices and learn more about products. Mobiles are always with us becoming like our wallets as we become more confident in using them for financial transactions, offering a continuous opportunity to engage with and inspire our customers to buy, wherever they are.
Social Media is the other big change to the way shop now enabling engagement and commerce (with 1 in 4 inspired to buy after social media interaction), and is only set to increase in influence with a reach of 1bn users and counting.
Mark concluded by advising that in order to succeed today, retailers need to embrace: multiple channels, partnerships & collaboration (e.g. dumping the outlet stores and selling excess stock through EBay as some retailers have started doing), and technology as a core competency.

Interesting thoughts from Jo Causon of the Institute of Customer Service on that recurring theme- the evolving customer. She reminded us that customer service is seeing a renaissance, as businesses realise that in a climate where customers are more demanding- and crucially more likely to complain, more likely to talk about their negative experiences, especially with the growth of social media meaning feedback is more accessible and more immediate; building successful relationships has a direct positive impact on business performance and bottom line profit. There is even some demonstrable correlation between share price and customer service index.

But there is still plenty of work to be done, as Jo advised us that £15.3bn is lost to the UK economy annually due to poor customer service. Some of Jo's final thoughts included reminding retailers that customer service needs to be a strategic boardroom issue, that it can be a source of sustainable competitive advantage, that in an age where feedback is immediate and highly visible, customers have real power!!!

And from Aurora, innovators of the moment, Ish Patel (Group Strategic Development Director) and Hash Ladha (Group Multi-channel Director) and some timely words on Mobile Commerce and multi-channel, re-iterating the growth of smart phones, their place as the first personal mass media device and the 'glue' for true multi-channel retailing... And talking of multi-channel, both guys made the point that customers do not shop 'channels' so successful retailers needs to be brilliant at all channels... customers shop brands but the key things they are really looking for from their purchase are the right price, reputation, service, choice, and delivery options!

Ish and Hash reminded us that customers are less patient these days, they are doing more at once (tweeting, shopping etc) and our requirements for online shopping are evolving- we want convenience, speed in addition to a better selection, lower price, and the ability to compare myriad products.

Finally, Ish and Hash also advised us of Aurora's recent and imminent developments (which are many!), including the Shutl 90 mins delivery service (which will be rolled out nationwide  & to all stores next year), Facebook shops for their threee brands (go where your customers are!), Mobile Optimisation of Aurora websites, and In-Store Mobile, with Tablets in use for Stock Management, Q-Busting, and Handhelds for PoS, and Smartphones for self-held, selfcheckout; with Locality, and additional Payment options (contactless, e receipts etc) offering further potential in the future..

Richard Weaver, Majestic Wine's E-Comm Director used his business as a case study to talk about their success in offering local content in social media. Following internal demand from store staff, Majestic determined that local marketing online had real value as key point of difference between themselves and pure play competitors, providing real engagement and a memorable experience for their shoppers. Majestic have seen time on pages doubled, page views increase, and those stores that are most active seeing the biggest impact.
Store staff were involved in the initiative from the start, ensuring on-going buy-in, and of course Change Management was key to its success- with key strategies including: internal heroes and influences to inspire, best practise highlighted, involvement of the whole team, non-negotiables to ensure consistency, incentives tro encourage activity, and formal training to maximise effectiveness.

And finally, David Hogg of IBM reiterated the key concepts of the day, driving home the message that customers are: 
- Instrumented  with typically 2+ technologys in use when shopping these days
- Interconnected & Engaged with the huge number of mobile phone users and social network users (nevermind the amount of time we have our mobiles with us)
Intelligent,  Informed & Empowered with the increase in smartphone use, in user generated content, and the impact of user ratings on click thru and sales. David reminded us about the impact of social networking on buying decisions and the fact that customers trust friends, family and unknown fellow online users a lot more than retailers in informing their purchase decisions!
- Demanding ok not a shock here, David repeated the consensus that the majority of customers expect a seamless experience across all channels, and are increasingly channel agnostic
 
And how David and IBM think retailers capitalise on this insight?
  • A mature website, that is mobile optimised
  • Cross-channel integration, and marketing
  • Single view of stock
  • Tailored social media strategy
  • Mobile to assist shopping experience (not just order capture)
And there you have it, a not-very condensed synopsis of key messages from Internet Retailing 2011. Following on from this I'd like to develop my own summary for you of what the key focus points for retailers need to be as we gallop towards 2012, so look out for that soon.

Friday 28 October 2011

State of the (Retail) Nation...

So, recently my colleagues and I at Tata Consultancy Services (let me reiterate at this point that all views expressed in this blog are my own etc etc) were lucky enough to sit down with Tim Danaher, editor of the Bible aka Retail Week, to discuss the key trends/issues impacting the retail landscape in 2011.

A synopsis follows, no major surprises (which is reassuring otherwise I'm missing a trick both as a consultant and a blogger!) but it was very valuable getting insight from someone like Tim who spends all day talking to a breadth of retailers, with a much farther reach than us mere mortals could hope for, gaining a unique understanding of the challenges they are facing, and how they can best respond to these..

1. The Economic Climate is Still Challenging

Us consumers are still having a hard time of it financially, against a backdrop of continued uncertainty (such as the current Euro crisis, the state of the job market and stagnation of the housing market) and a real squeeze on our disposable income with high inflation and much lower growth in salaries. Tim quoted the depressing statistic that there was a 7.9% year on year fall in the disposable income of the average family in August- the largest annual fall on record. In short, we're still struggling, and therefore Tim reported that not many retailers are feeling optimistic about trading in the current climate.

2. And Customers are Changing too..

A theme close to my heart that we've discussed before- the way consumers are shopping is changing, in two fundamental ways.

The first is that as a result of the above, we are increasingly disciplining ourselves, making do, and focussing on the things we need rather than the ones we want. Interesting examples of this include the upsurge in interes tin crafting, making or mending rather than buying; and the news that Tesco will be making a number of redundancies in it's F&F fashion team in response to a downturn in its non-food sales, perhaps as we are watching what we put in our shopping basket much more closely these days, and simply can't afford an impulse clothing purchase at the supermarket, as our shopping becomes more 'considered'...

Leading me neatly onto the second change- the 'customer in command' as I've called it in previous posts. Customers are increasingly using every means available to them to research their buying decisions, and becoming more discerning, before parting with cash, with a cross channel approach- using the internet and social media to check products, prices, ratings and reviews, before checking out the item or shortlist (and perhaps purchasing) in a store. We are also becoming increasingly expectant in terms of the way in which we shop, and the service we will receive- and if you haven't got a consistent shopping experience and offering across multiple channels (store, e-comm, m-comm, even f-comm) you'll be left behind. So the really smart retailers are those such as the Aurora fashion group who are innovating to delight the customer- with the launch of their Shutl 90 min delivery service, and transactional Facebook sites coming soon.

3.  Managing Costs Hasn't Been Easy Either..

So what other challenges retailers are facing? Well aside from customers who are less willing/able to part with their cash, and are a lto more savvy and demanding then they ever have been, retailers are also taking a hit in terms of their own costs, as commodity prices (particularly cotton) have caused a major headache for some time, in addition to the expense of maintaining a store estate with inflexible property costs, and more specifically inflexible landlords. Its true that we may be over the worst in terms of commodity costs and  some landlords are starting to see the light in terms of providing the flexibility that is required in the current climate, but nonetheless these conditions are "accelerating a strutural change in the retail market"- as retailers focus on fewer, more important store spaces- as Aurora and Wickes have recently announced they will be doing, (especially as customers are making fewer shopping trips to the bigger destinations) with an increasing proportion of sales come through other channels (e-comm, mobiles, social media, etc) in the future.



4. But How to Respond to these Challenges?

Tim was quite clear on this one- the big winners will be those businesses with a strong,  consistent, scaleable (including international) multi-channel offering and experience. This just keeps coming up, yet its surprising how many retailers are still behind the curve on this one. Retailers need to continue investing in this area despite other cost pressures, so I expect to see more evidence of this as they realise that multi-channel is becoming the minimum expectation for the new generation of 'channel agnostic' customers.

It goes without saying (but we'll say it anyway) that without a compelling proposition in terms of Quality, Experience and Value your shoppers will simply go elsewhere these days, as businesses have found to their cost. Expanding into different product offerings or services (such as Tescos opening of beauty salons within three stores, offering no-appointment beauty treatments.. spray tan whilst you get tonight's dinner?) is a good way of ensuring your offer to your customers remains enticing.

A rationalised store base with the right types of stores, including different/innovative formats, in the right places, will be another strategic (and cost-saving) activity we'll see more retailers taking on soon.

Interesting to see how all this will impact on our local high streets that Mary Portas is so valiantly trying to save. I suspect (especially following the riots this year) there will be little incentive for many businesses to keep a number of secondary & tertiary sites on their books when they need to rationalise and focus on the high profile destinations we are increasingly flocking to, to cut costs and to address the changing mix in sales channel we are using to shop through. Will some of those spaces be taken up by pure play e-tailers moving into bricks and mortar, perhaps following the lead of NBrown who've made the move with a Simply Be store in Liverpool? If they are to meet customers' multi-channel expectations, e-tailers may need to start considering this.

5. And finally...

Things will continue to look grim and uncertain economically speaking, for the foreseeable future, and customers will continue to be squeezed by high inflation. Christmas will of course come but will be less of a boon to retailers as customers remain cautious, and wait for the discounts they know will be offered if they hold out long enough..

But, as Tim reminded us, its not all bad news, as its clear internet sales continue to soar, with an increasing amount of activity coming through mobiles and tablets. Those retailers who are innovating and staying ahead of the game are doing well despite difficult conditions (showing customers will buck their cautious spending patterns in the right environment and for the right offer) and a number of UK retailers are doing well with their overseas ventures.

And on the long-term horizon- at least interest rates are set to stay low, and of course there is the small matter of the Olympics in London this year too....



Many Thanks to Tim for giving up his time to discuss these matters with us, let me know your thoughts too!

Thursday 29 September 2011

Keep an Eye on Aurora...

A quick couple of interesting recent observations from the Aurora Fashion group (Oasis, Coast, Warehouse) on their vision for the future of multi-channel and the 'order anywhere, fulfil anywhere' business model that is becoming increasingly important in a world where shopping is changing and customers are expecting ever more from their shopping experience.



Rationalising the Store Portfolio

 Mike Shearwood the CEO of the group has told Retail Week that retailers need far fewer stores for credible national coverage in the brave new world, alongside a well implemented multi-channel offering.

“10 years ago, to have UK coverage you needed about 150 stores,” said Shearwood. “To have good UK coverage now, 50 to 60 stores are all that’s required.” He said Aurora was “We’re currently looking at our portfolio very carefully to ensure we have the right coverage to sit alongside multi­channel” and added that he could see scope for fewer, bigger 'more experimental' stores in the future.

I'd say this supports the theory that in order to keep people visiting bricks and mortar stores in a world where online ordering is becoming more convenient (eg more flexible delivery options, think Amazon lockers and the below...) and more embedded into our 'normal' shopping habits, retailers will need to maintain a real focus on the customer experience they are offering- sites, layouts, staff, experiences, that are exceptional and ensure the branch remains a 'destination spot'.....

Delivery Faster Than a Speeding Bullet (almost)

And finally from Drapers the news that Aurora demonstrates the sort of innovation and forward thinking that is necessary for retailers to flourish in the continued tough economic climate, by introducing further flexibility into its order fulfilment model with a new 90 minute delivery option, where, for a premium price (and in 10 key areas in the UK) your item will be despatched by courier to arrive with you within an hour and a half to solve your last-minute wardrobe/gift crisis..... Impressive....

Aurora group multichannel director Hash Ladha told delegates at the Drapers Fashion Summit that 'Offering the convenience of multiple ways to order and receive product was the future of fashion retailing.... “If we have got it anywhere, we have got it everywhere ......Retailers should open up their inventory...

And in further support of the 'customer in command' theme that I've recently touched upon, he added “there is only one brand now, and that is the consumer”.


It will be interesting to observe how many retailers will be able to compete with this sort of flexibilty of multi-channel/supply chain to keep up with the clearly defined vision of the likes of Aurora. E-Comm and M-Comm are key investment areas for retailers this year, but what impact will the economic climate have on their spending capability and keeping up with the ever evolving capabilities in this area???

Wednesday 7 September 2011

The Importance of... Facebook.. and Phones...

In case you still needed convincing, a new study into consumer shopping behaviour across retail channels (including mobile phones) has revealed that social media is having increasing influence on consumer purchasing decisions.

The study commissioned by IBM found that consumers are using social networks in a sophisticated way, researching products, prices, promotions and other consumers’ views, to validate their decision making. IBM said this is then influencing sales across all procurement channels, not just online.



50% of respondents aged 16 – 64 with access to the Internet, used social networks to assist with shopping decisions and of those that said they would be likely to follow a retailer on a social network, 35% stated they use social media platforms to read reviews or rank products and services. Of this same group, 57% said that the most likely reason to ´follow´ a retailer on a social network was to receive free trials of products or discount coupons. When going on to make the purchase, around 4 in 10 of these online adults said they would still purchase the final product from within the store.

This is key because it unequivocally demonstrates to retailers (many of who are still failing to grasp the importance of social media to their business as we've discussed in previous posts) that consumers are making more considered purchases, and increasingly relying on social networks to help them research products before buying- they are looking at prices, searching out discounts, looking for reviews and rankings, yet interestingly nearly half of correspondents saying they would still buy in-store- demonstrating the cross-channel effect a successful social media strategy can have on sales.
As David Hogg, commerce solutions regional leader at IBM, adds: “Social media provides a new window through which retailers can deliver a more personal brand experience across all buying channels. By harnessing real-time customer analytics from social media, retailers can act upon what is being said, delivering a personalised marketing offer based on the customers’ shopping profile, preferences and decisions, helping retailers to maximise revenues.”

Can't escape M-Commerce either... Other findings of the survey highlighted consumers’ increasing desire to shop through the mobile phone. 51% of online adults said that they have shopped through the mobile phone, with 67% of these consumers stating that it was important that they could not only capture, but also place an order. The survey also found that mobile phones are incremental in providing additional revenue opportunities through promotions and last minute purchases with 68% agreeing that price comparison on the mobile was important or very important.

“It is clear to see that the mobile phone is no longer just a viewing screen or digital catalogue - there is a growing acceptance of shopping through the mobile. As well as connecting to these customers through their preferred channel, retailers also need to make sure they have the means of effectively managing their supplier and trading partner network to ensure they have the products at the right time and place to meet changing consumer demands.” concluded Hogg.
In a nutshell, again as I've discussed in the past, a consistent and well executed multi-channel strategy is becoming a must- customers are now expecting to be able to buy goods and have ordered fulfilled, using their phones, they want the same service they'd get from the traditional e-commerce site or of course in store. The lines are becoming well and truly blurred between using a sophisticated smart-phone, a tablet, a laptop etc to browse the web, so there should certainly no longer be a difference in the consumer experience.

Customer In Command...

Retail is changing. The original retail business models and supply chains have arguably been product-focussed, based on achieving a level of stock turn from a fixed space at a planned margin. Yet it is clear that consumers in the 21st century are forcing an evolution of the traditional paradigm, into one which is substantially more customer-centric, as we become increasingly ‘savvy shoppers’ placing higher expectations on our shopping experience than ever before.


A number of changes in consumer habits have forced this shift in focus away from product to customer experience and the ‘customer in command’ model, including these key trends:



• Considered Purchases

Purchase decisions are increasingly well-researched and thought through. As a result of factors such as the impact of prolonged economic difficulties leading to more cautious spending for consumers and relentless competition between retailers, and the increasingly tech/internet savvy nature of the average shopper; customers are typically spending more time researching their purchases (particularly larger ticket electronic items) before buying- comparing prices, specifications, deals, using sites such as Kelkoo to ensure they get the best value for money possible. In an example of ‘collaborative consumption’, the reading and writing of product reviews and sharing of information is becoming an increasingly important part of the purchase lifecycle. John Lewis have demonstrated their understanding of this concept with their recent launch of a ‘product review service’ on their website allowing customers with JL accounts to write comments and rate products. Retailers must ensure a good representation online to ensure they don’t miss out, with enriched product data, including reviews, to give the consumer as much information as possible, and of course strategic pricing and constant competitor monitoring is necessary to drive sales.

• Multi-Channel

The concept of multichannel has changed the retail fulfilment model beyond recognition. An increasing number of retailers (although not all) have transactional e-commerce (web) and m-commerce (phone) platforms in additional to traditional bricks and mortar stores. Retailers are now expected to provide a consistent customer experience regardless of which of these channels the customer has touched upon; which includes a digital customer experience that replicates the more customer-focussed store experience; and as such retailers such as Littlewoods, Asos (neither of which have branches) provide video footage of clothing in action to allow the customer a better look at items they are unable to try on; whilst other retailers provide the ability to ‘chat’ with advisors online or in the example of Dixons and Currys- provide personalised product recommendations, as an in-store advisor might.

But those with arguably the most successful multi-channel strategy are those able to provide an ‘order anywhere, fulfil anywhere’ model that provides the customer full flexibility for the most convenient purchase/fulfilment model for them, although this presents significant supply chain challenges. John Lewis popular and user-friendly ‘Click and Collect’ model is often cited as a popular example of this; as is Argos.

It is no coincidence that a recent study indicated that for the first time in nine years it is not Stores but Multi-Channel which is the investment priority for retailers in the coming year.


• The Rise Of Social Media

The swiftest impact to the retail industry in recent years has arguably come from the world of social media. It is testament to the significant of Facebook to businesses that retailers are starting to launch ‘f-commerce’ sites i.e. transactional pages on Facebook, seeing it as a viable additional sales channel. But perhaps the largest impact has come via the change in the customer relationship that social media enables. Customers increasingly use sites such as Twitter and Facebook to express their feelings about brands, purchases, shopping experiences in a very public way, and expect better engagement, a more connected relationship, and demonstrable listening and learning from retailers. Using these channels to engage directly with customers provides a valuable opportunity to enhance customer service, proactively dealing with issues, providing feedback, building loyalty and trust.

They can also serve as an important marketing tool, as Debenhams has recently demonstrated with its ‘brand advocacy’ programme, incentivising customers to use social media to relay their positive shopping experiences; but also as a rich source of customer data and insight; through analytics and listening tools (such as that provided by TCS). Tesco’ fashion brand Florence + Fred recently demonstrated the power of a well executed social media strategy (including proactively reaching out to online influencers such as bloggers) having achieved a number of objectives such as: repositioning the brand, reaching a new audience, pushing their core message of affordable fashion, creating interest and advocacy in the brand, gaining valuable customer insight, and driving over a £1m in additional sales through social media originated activity.

•  Example: Marks and Spencers
UK-based variety chain Marks & Spencer recently named TCS and SapientNitro as the new multi-channel partners it will work with to replace Amazon. The move comes as Marks & Spencer looks to increase multi-channel sales to between GBP800 million and GBP1 billion by 2014 facilitated through the building of key capabilities such as e-commerce, content management, search and analytics, as part of this development project. M&S aim to be an early adopter of the latest multi-channel technology, in recognition of how important they see this space to future growth and success for the business.

Wednesday 17 August 2011

Retail on the Move: M Commerce

If you thought you were spending too much time surfing the net on your phone (and more specifically browsing and buying products) you'd be right- as a new survey (commissioned by Velti) has revealed that we are spending up to two weeks a year browsing retail sites on our mobiles!!!

The research, which was commissioned in order to examine and better understand how consumers are using their mobiles with regards to retail, has also uncovered some other significant details for retailers trying to make in-roads into M Commerce:


High Street Lagging Behind
A significant proportion of consumers surveyed (47% of all consumers and 66% of those demanding IPhone users) said that high street retailers aren't doing a good enough job with their mobile sites, and I'm sure most of us have anecdotal evidence to personally support that- the many retail m-commerce sites that fail spectacularly in terms of usability and are just a nightmare to navigate through on the phone.
Additionally, when asked what sites they had bought from over the phone in the last 12 months, Amazon and EBay dominated with 50% between them, whilst established high street retailers such as Tesco, Argos, Next, barely got a look in (7%, 4%, 1% respectively)

How to Win Us Back
But, it turns out us mobile shoppers are a pretty cheap date, as we can be easily bought back with a targeted SMS from a retailer/brand, 50% of respondants saying this has enticed thme to make a further purchase from that retailer.
And interestingly, 82% of those surveyed who use their phones whilst watching TV said that they research further details around a product or service on their mobile devices after watching an ad- demonstrating the potential synergy between media channels and the value of TV advertising in a digital age. .


PAYG vs Contract
  Finally, it's the PAYG customers who are spending a fortnight a year on mobile retail sites- the contract/IPhone users are on for a measly eight days a year in comparison. This presents a strong opportunity for retailers to better target these consumers, who Vodaphone say are typically younger consumers (those not old enough or ready for a contract) who are very technology and social media savvy, with their m-commerce offerings.
 

Some food for thought there for clicks and mortar retailers working on their m-commerce offering, who get a Bminus for effort. Look to pure play e-comm retailers for inspiration, sweet-talk us round with some targeted SMS deals, a harmonious multi-media marketing campaign, and embrace the very present younger m-commerce consumer.

Thursday 11 August 2011

Panic on The Streets Of London

As a retail blog it would be remiss of me not to mention at least briefly, the recent riots in London (and to a lesser degree elsewhere) it has predominantly been about London's High Streets- damaging and looting our local shops.





This has all been terribly depressing. Incalculable damage has been caused to local communities and local high streets.

It's the physical destruction of property- the shops and other buildings that have been vandalised, burnt out, that will be expensive and time-consuming to repair or rebuild (the sad tale of House of Reeves furniture store razed to the ground in Croydon, having previously been successfully run by five generations of Reeves, pictured above) and perhaps impossible for the unfortunate owners without appropriate insurance cover.

It's also the shameless theft of goods- in all honesty these riots seemed to quickly become about simple opportunistic looting in many towns across London. Shocking images of surprisingly young people grabbing trainers, large flat-screen TVs, and other consumer goods from the big chains ('getting their taxes back')- but also stealing from local shops, again who will struggle to afford to replace goods where insurance doesn't cover them against 'acts of terrorism' as this sort of thing is apparently defined- such as the Boots optician franchisee who isn't covered for the theft of £15k worth of frames from his store.

It's also the painful loss or limitation of livelihood for the many shopkeepers and shopworkers involved- both in terms of money having to be spent on rebuilding their business' properties and stocks (literally in some cases)  and the loss of income whilst this process is on-going. There is a large group of people who have seen their disposable cash go up in smoke over the past week, money that now can't be spent on goods and service locally, proving another blow to their local areas (and nationally) in terms of economic recovery.

But finally- it's the intangible damage that is arguably as bad as these things, at least in terms of longevity of effects. I've made the point before about the important role a thriving High Street has to play in its local community, and indeed the pysche of local residents. Conversely a High Street in which shops have been damaged, vandalised, looted from, and even burnt to the ground- this has a detrimental effect both on the local community and on its residents. It's symbolic on both sides- of anger and mistrust, failure and frustration, of hopelessness and despondency- and people get a daily depressing reminder every time they walk through the streets of their town. And fundamentally it makes these areas places we don't want to spend time in, and certainly don't want to shop in. It also makes these areas places that our retailers won't be interested in doing business in, thus the vicious cycle continues. Our local communities and town centres have been struggling enough in recent times- this entirely counter-productive destruction of them by local rioters makes it infinitely more dififcult for those places affected to get back on their feet and try to recover after the prolonged period of economic difficulty this country has been through.

I have no intention of making any political pronouncements on why this  might have happened, whether this could have been preventable, or what should happen now (although must say the efforts of @Riotcleanup on Twitter are admirable)- plenty of other people to make those cases.
All I know is- we should all feel a sense of responsibility for making the places where we live the best they can be, that's the only way we can conscienably make a difference.
Clearly not a view shared by those involved in the riots this week; more's the pity- for them and those around them.

Monday 25 July 2011

Essential Maternity Working Wardrobe..

OK, at the risk of alienating some of my loyal readership, I am going to dip my toe into the niche waters of the maternity clothing market, of which I have recently become rather more interested (I think you'll only need one guess) and highlight a few observations I've gathered.
It's unchartered territory for me, and having been spoilt by the plethora of magazines and websites advising on every aspect of fashion for the non-preggos amongst us, I have recently found myself in something of a fashion wilderness, struggling to figure out the basics such as where (and when!) to get maternity jeans that look like actual normal jeans, how does one dress for a formal work environment when all the maternity tops seems to be billowing crinkle smock creations, what about a swimsuit that won't make me look (as much of a) beached whale...?

Tips on all these and more coming up... And anyone with any knowledge of these, or any related matters, please leave a comment and I'll add your feedback to this or a subsequent post. But first topic I'll tackle will be:

Formal Workwear



Also known as, what a nightmare. The first question is, what should I buy? Yes I'm going to be pregnant for months, but then I won't be, and I'm not particularly inclined to spend a fortune on workwear that will subsequently sit in a drawer for years (plenty of other things I can blow a fortune on now, after all).

The answer is, with the following well-priced staples that will work well together, you can build a decent capsule working wardrobe around the existing stuff that you still fit into- one that won't blow the budget but will still leave you looking sharp (as is possible with a large bump protruding from around the area where you used to have a waist). They are all fairly sober colours which are typically more flattering, versatile and smart, qualities that won't go amiss in the coming months.

1. Black Trousers. No need to explain this choice, but I will recommend these Classic Trousers from Mamas and Papas which come in short, regular and long, and look smart, but importantly are comfortable too. These ones are 'under bump' which is fairly self-explantory, but I think for trousers this looks smarter.

2. Black Skirt. Another wardrobe staple. You'll probably find that you ave a numbe rof tops (particularly knitwear) that still fit so with smart maternity bottoms you can give these a new lease of life. It has to be a pencil skirt to give you a smart streamlined sillhouette, and in this instance I think 'over the bump' looks better, with the illusion of a 50s style high waiste. Check this one out from TopShop- it's jersey so still comfortable, and double layered so no flashing your undies in the sun.

3. Plain Dress. Dresses will become like your best friend who you don't phone enough- forgiving, flattering, and always available when others just don't fit the bill. You may be lucky enough to have smart jersey dresses (especially wrap styles) in your wardrobe already, in which case these should come in handy for at least a while yet. Maternity dresses sometimes don't tend to be smart enough for a really formal business environment, but I think this Summer Shift Dress from Seraphine is perfect, also this Pencil Shift Dress from TopShop is lovely but selling out fast. Unless you've really kept up with the pregnancy Pilates, I'd recommend dresses with a sleeve or at least covering the top of the arms, this looks smarter and more refined. And keep it plain, that way you cna get away with wearing it more often..!

4. Top. OK, like I said, plenty of tops out there but very few I've found that are smart or formal enough- and so few decent shirts??!! This Grey Pinstripe Shirt is sharp, and comes in White as well. The other thing you could really do with are a selection of Maternity Vests (I prefer these to 'bump covers' as I think they're more versatile) so that you can remain your demure self with nothing on show, despite an ever expanding bust and bump. These Long Vest Tops are 3 for 2 from Mamas and Papas, and I'd recommend you get the White, Black and Grey for work. (Long enough to cover the zip that won't quite do up if you haven't gravitated towards the Maternity Trousers yet- added bonus). Yummy Mummy has a nice line in maternity wear also, this Silk Top looks good with black separates.
5. Trench Coat. Although the weather is fairly questionable at the moment it's still a little early for Coats so not a great deal to recommend yet, especially as this also depends on your dates and when you'll need one for. I'd play safe with a black or beige trench coat for now, such as This One from Seraphine again (who incidentally have a lovely range). In terms of Jackets/Blazers, if you're lucky you'll be able to keep wearing (albeit open) the ones you have for quite a while- if you can get away without buying one then great.

Of course a suit with a well-fitting jacket would come in handy- but in all honestly I haven't found one I like enough yet. Which isn't to say it's not out there somewhere, but give that maternity suits are not cheap, and that you're able to build a smart stylish wardrobe with pieces such as the above, I'm not sure one is strictly necessary. But of course if I find one I'll keep you informed.

And finally, shoes with a small heel or wedge, such as these Carvela Wedges, will ensure you can continue to observe at the twin alters of Comfort and Style- and the accessories? Well I'll leave that bit at least, down to your imagination... Although I will tell you that I don't think a cocktail ring ever looks out of place.

Hope that has been helpful, more to follow at some point!





Multi-channel: Top of the Pops





The worlds of multi-channel and social media are becomingly increasingly intertwined, as smart retailers embed their social media strategies within the heart of their business. None the less, following on from today's post focussing on the social media end of that relationship, some more news, this time with more of an e-comm/multi-channel focus.





Show Me the Money!

The latest annual IT in Retail report which researched the UK's leading 100 retailers has revealed that for the first time ever, top retailers' priority for IT investment is e-commerce and mobile commerce.
The research by Martec International found that e-commerce and m-commerce as an investment priority has grown from 17% last year to 23% this year; overtaking investment in store systems- the focus for the previous nine years.
The research also found that 16% of the retailers now use m-commerce (big increase on last year's 5%0, with a further 12% planning to take it up.

Whilst some retailers said the investment was being used to set up a transactional web site for the first time (24% of the top 100 do not have one, although 5% are planning to set one up) for others, e-commerce was an investment priority to :



  1. improve the customer experience


  2. add more products, ranges or brands


  3. internationalise their web site


  4. improve multichannel integration.

Also relevant: investment in new or replacement head office systems was also up, with 25% of retailers planning to replace merchandise management systems, (up 8% over last year), and 15% said they intended to replace their planning systems (whilst 6% were implementing one for the first time)
As Brian Hume, managing director, Martec International, points out : “Many retailers are struggling to keep pace with the rapidly changing requirements of multichannel operations with legacy systems slowing them down. Replacing these systems is vital for gaining competitive advantage. Consumers expect a seamless experience across all channels and retailers need to offer a single stock pool that can be accessed from all customer touch points, such as smartphones to check stock availability, pricing and product information.”


Richard Lowe, CEO, BT Expedite, concluded “Retailers are generally holding IT spending constant again in 2011, but there’s a positive indication of an increase of retailers planning to upgrade key business systems to keep pace with the continuing shift to multichannel retailing, as well as the growth of mobile internet access and m-commerce. .”

We Know What you Like

And in a recent example of investment in .e-commerce..
As was reported at the SMI 2011 conference, consumers are becoming increasingly demanding- in these straitened times, it simply takes more to convince us to part with our hard earned cash. One of the ways retailers can do that is to personalise their offering to us, making it more relevant and therefore more likely to appeal. With this in mind, Planet Retail reports that Dixons has launched personalised product recommendations across its e-commerce websites.The personalisation and analytics technology was implemented at http://www.dixons.co.uk/, http://www.currys.co.uk/ and http://www.pcworld.co.uk/ sites. The technology will provide customers with individualised recommendations based on the preferences and personal attributes each shopper has shared, the data the retailer holds on relationships between products or product categories and the behavioural patterns of similar shoppers. All recommendations include an explicit message about why a product is being suggested.

N.B. The company plans to offer shoppers the personalisation seamlessly across multiple channels, re-inforcing the continually made point about consistency of message and offering across the multiple platforms upon which a retailer may operate.

Social Media Retail Round-Up






The rise and relevance of social media within retail continues un-abated, with news and developments on a near daily basis at the moment.

Here's a summary of the most interesting recent social media news...

The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything..

Retail Customer Experience reports that somebody (well http://www.hitwise.com/ digital marketing intelligence provider) has finally managed to calculate the value of of a Facebook Fan to a retailer.
It's 20. ( not 42 surprisingly).
That’s the number of additional visits Hitwise analyst Robin Goad said a retailer receives for every Facebook fan it acquires. Goad explained “We took the top 100 retailers ranked in the Hitwise Shopping and Classifieds category and benchmarked visits to those websites against the number of fans those brands had on their Facebook page”. He said Hitwise then used its Search Sequence tool to see the propensity of consumers to search for retail brands after visiting Facebook.
Very interesting statistic for those still doubting the value of a social media strategy in driving real sales.

Collaborative Consumption

As I've reported in the past, as we become ever more demanding, our purchase decisions are becoming increasingly collaborative as we rely on reviews, recommendations, group buying, and similar to help us make the right choice.
John Lewis is rarely one to miss a trick, and The Retail Bulletin reports that JLP has launched a product review service on its website. The system enabling customers with a JL account to write comments on products and to rate them one to five.
In an additional smart move John Lewis said that nearly 100 partners (staff) have also been writing reviews, using their product knowledge and expertise to help customers choose the best products for their needs, Andrea McDonnell, commercial director at John Lewis wisely oberving that “As a multichannel retailer it is a challenge to recreate the instore experience online. We have already introduced made-to-measure services, 'how to' videos and buying guides, and the launch of product reviews is a really exciting next stage."
The retailer is hoping to have 130,000 reviews by the end of the year with new comments coming from both customers and Partners.

On a similar note, Debenhams report that they have acquired 12,000 of those all important 'brand advocates' following its introduction of a new social media advocacy programme which encourages customers to become advocates of the Debenhams brand by promoting positive retail experiences via social media channels using an automated referral process. These 12,000 have in turn made recommendations to over 1.5 million friends and followers, a massive win.

And Finally... Still Plenty To Do..

Whilst all that might sound like UK retailers are embracing the potential of social media to help grow sales and loyalty, research says different.
A new study which looked at the online sales channels of the UK’s top 100 retailers, has revealed that many top retailers still have inadequate social commerce solutions.
According to the research, carried out by,One iota, only one e-retailer – ASOS – offers a fully transactional Facebook shopping experience to its customers. This is despite 75% of the top 100 retailers having Facebook pages... (which conversely means 25% of our top retails don't even have a FB page...!)

Speaking of the findings, Damian Hanson, co-founder and CEO of One iota, commented: “Our research shows that many retailers still aren’t up to scratch in terms of their e-commerce strategy. Each Facebook fan translates into 20 extra visits to a brand’s website in one year – retailers need to wake up to the opportunity that social commerce is offering them.By engaging with customers in an environment where they spend a growing proportion of their time – on Facebook or on their mobile phones – retailers can maximise the opportunity to sell and open up new revenue streams.”
Hanson added: “It’s clear that retailers need to innovate in order to compete within the marketplace, but progress appears to be slow. E-commerce, and in particular social and mobile commerce, is a necessity for brands and retailers, particularly in the current economic climate.”

And on the bombshell.. (a ha)... Let me know your thoughts- who do you think is doing social media, or indeed not so well, what more do you think retailers could be doing in this space? (E.g. GAP's recently reported innovative tie in of print media to social media in the September issue of Glamour magazine- with a Facebook icon embedded in its ad in the mag that will allow readers to use a Glamour digital app to scan it, launching Gap's mobile FB page?)

Friday 1 July 2011

Getting my social media on!

Inspired by my recent day spent at the Social Media Influence conference 2011, a reminder that you can follow me on Twitter as @seeallherfaces1, and become a fan of the page See All Her Faces: Retail Blog. Both are updated regularly with latest retail news and views, please join me and let me know your thoughts!

BTW hello to those reading overseas, stats suggest that this week as many page views in the US as the UK, plus also readers in Germany, Poland, Russia, Netherlands, Canada? Welcome!

Blood on the High Street...


It's been nothing short of a blood bath on the High Street over the past week or two, with a number of well-known retailers closing a number of stores and/or plunging into administration, the headliners being:

Jane Norman,
TJ Hughes,
Thorntons,
and Habitat...


None of the names will probably come as a huge surprise to you, in fact you mgiht be struggling to remember the last time you bought anything from any of these- which is the crux of the matter. Quarter-end may have pushed these retailers over a cliff or at least into taking drastic action, but they've all struggled to convince us to buy in sufficient quantities from them in recent years, because they haven't managed to put together a sufficently enticing, unque proposition for us...

Jane Norman: the market for low-mid tier priced clothing for 16-25 yr olds is absoutely saturated these days, and with some very competitive players such as Primark, Asos, New Look, leaving Jane Norman, despite a strong presence on high streets, with little room to manoeuvre..

TJ Hughes: the disocunt department store retailer who again, has struggled against a backdrop of increased competition and reduced consumer spending, to remain a 'go-to' destination

Thorntons: Well many actually think the decision to starting supplying supermarkets was always going to be the death knell for many of their stores- by making themselves so widely and easily available as part of the weekly shop, they not only brought the brand down-market but rendered many of the stores unncessary... Watch this space..

Finally Habitat, who've had continued difficulty in justifying their relatively high-end price points for the minimalist style favoured by founder Sir Terence Conran, having inspired a number of cheaper imitators such as Dwell, Ikea etc...

There are further potential bad news stories on the horizon, but I don't want to end on a depressing note when the sun is shining and the tennis is on...
At the end of the day, the retailers who are going under are the ones you would have predicted- those who simply can't sell enough stock these days. Retailers who continue to exploit their USP, whilst innovating, finding new ways to offer more to customers will always be ok in the end....

Social Media Influence 2011


A full house at the SMI conference this year, with some interesting themes emerging, the most important being the most obvious- that the aforementioned ‘influence’ of social media continues to steadily grow...
This year the conversation had moved on- the question was more of a ‘what are we trying to do?’ as it became clear that, although a majority of businesses now have a social media manager and strategy, it is still unclear for many what they should be trying to achieve- what the key deliverables should be for their business; that will add value, whether directly to the bottom line, or indirectly through building brand loyalty, repositioning the brand, finding a new audience and so on.
The key words that were repeated throughout the day were: engaging, listening, sharing, evolving, authentic stories- these are referenced in the take-away points below..

Building a successful social business strategy
The most successful social media strategies are those which are able to engage people; adding value and thus spreading through a variety of media for example:
Creating memorable moments (the recent Old Spice and VW Darth Vader offered up as examples)
Engaging with the local community in a positive way (such as the recent Dulux campaign)
Strong content- an authentic story that captures interest (such as Palladium’s documentary on the art scene in struggling Detroit)
Being useful- Adding value to customers (such as exclusive deals, sale previews)

We like sharing
The way we use the internet, the way we shop, is changing. Recommendations are becoming increasing significant- if we read an article, find a website, or a pair of shoes we like the look of, increasingly we will tweet about it, ‘like’ it on FB, or if Google have their way, we’ll use their new “+1” functionality to recommend it (the growth of ‘collective buying’ websites such as Groupon or LivingSocial demonstrate this well). In essence we are turning implicit knowledge into explicit knowledge in this way.

Make sure you’re connected
Corporate social strategies need to get a far more ‘connected’ relationship with customers; with influencers, and within their own organisation- they need to listen, and acknowledge before they engage, and join up the internal and external conversations they are having to drive positive change and evolution of the brand/product offering. Demonstrating that you are listening and learning builds loyalty, trust and thus Brand Advocates- a social media strategy built upon a succession of ‘campaigns’ on FB simply isn’t good enough.

The platform is less important
More emphasis is now being placed on how Social Media can be brought in Commerce, and embedded into the business’s behaviour, rather than simply bringing Commerce into Social media without perhaps a well thought out strategy. There was an acknowledgement that Apps have their limitations; and that businesses should actually be focussing on displaying content that is optimised for whatever medium it is being viewed on- to maintain consistency across channels, and better embed the brand and site in the customer’s day to day dealings.

Leveraging Social Media
The difficult bit after implementing a social business strategy is leveraging it for gain where possible- for example as the ‘collective buying’ websites have been able to, or using social CRM data to derive recommendations and actionable insights; with a drive towards more real-time data, again embedded in the business culture to drive behaviour change and improve engagement- but with a note of caution- that businesses need to ask themselves what customers are ‘getting out of it’ to ensure they are adding value whilst asking customers to share data or a message.

And to finish off with- a very interesting case study from Tesco fashion that I think sums up what retailers can get out of a well-executed social media strategy.
Tesco were trying to raise awareness of their F&F brand of clothing amongst the fashion and money-savvy audience with their social business strategy- and through judicious (but not entirely smooth) use of Twitter and FB to interact and build a relationship with customers and influencers (such as fashion bloggers) gain insight, deal with queries, they achieved some big wins such as:
Repositioning the brand
Reaching a new audience
Pushing the core message of affordable fashion
Creating interest and advocacy in the brand
Gaining valuable customer insight
Driving over a £1m in additional sales through social media originated activity

Thursday 16 June 2011

We're getting addicted to Tablets!

So I said I'd post with my findings from Social Media Influence 2011 (twitter hashtag is #SMI11) which I will do shortly, but first this... Some interesting stats from EBay on the sale of tablet computers on their site.

EBay have reported that the sale of tablet computers and accessories on their UK site have increased ten-fold over the past year, overtaking traditional desk-top PCs as consumers seek out portable alternatives (we simply haven't the time to sit still! in one place! at a desk! whilst we browse the t'interweb!)
But that's actually not the interesting bit. Yes, the fact that tablets made up 15% of computers sold on Ebay.co.uk is a significant move on in this market- but the real story is what impact that might have on retail in general.




Check out what Angus McCarey, retail director for Ebay UK said on the topic: “People shop differently on mobile and tablets versus traditional PCs: they spend more money, do more browsing and purchase across a wider variety of products. iPad shoppers on eBay spend approximately 40% more than an average iPhone user, and we expect to see similar trends with other tablet users.”
With “Competition and innovation in the tablet computer market ... more and more consumers become part of the mobile shopping trend. So far this year, Ebay has attracted 300,000 new customers globally making their first purchase via one of the mobile apps.”
That is big news for retailers and the economy at large- as supported by the findings of a recent Ebay study carried out by Verdict; which found that mobile shopping could deliver a £4.5bn boost to Britain’s economy by 2016 and a further £13bn by 2021.
Incidentally the research also revealed that m-commerce is on the verge of a potential four-fold increase over the next five years as consumers become more comfortable with shopping via smartphones and tablet computers

So instead of glaring jealously (or is that just me?) at those people on the train showing off their second generation IPads and white IPhone 4s; whilst thanking them for boosting the economy by spending more of what hard-earnt dough they've got left; we should also note (grudgingly) that they're ahead of the curve, yet again...

They'll love that ;)

Tuesday 3 May 2011

Supermarket Sweep

I find the latest figures from Kantar Worldpanel that report the UK's top clothing retailers as the following, somewhat depressing:

1. Marks and Spencer
2. Primark
3. Asda
4. Tesco
5. Next
6. Matalan
7. Sainsburys.

I'm disappointed that only M&S is keeping Primark off the coveted spot of UK's top clothing retailer, and no less than horrified that the supermarkets' successful encroachment on yet another non-food sector means they now make up nearly half of this list.

It's not snobbery- I think the concept of 'fashion democracy' in which no-one is excluded from making the fashion choices and statements they want on the grounds of price, is important, and a great step forwards that has come about primarily because of the rise of value retailers. They are great at providing both extremely keenly priced goods, which of course is more important when the income is ever squeezed further, and also, fast turn-around of items 'inspired' by catwalks and celebrities. As such, value retailers have a crucial spot on the retail landscape.



But in the quality vs price trade-off, I feel that these retailers put the emphasize very, very firmly on the later. Cheap prices typtically (but of course not always) go hand-in-hand with relatively poor quality, lack of customer service, questionable supply chain values, bad store layout, limited design input in some cases, the list goes on.

And with the supermarkets in particular, this is yet another category they are muscling in on, and arguably now starting to dominant, which will inevitably be at the expense of smaller and or dedicated category retailers, as we have seen in other sectors already.
And any lessening of competion weakens the market for you and I, as there is less incentive to improve quality, design, supply chain values, shopping experience and so on, if the retailers who still prioritise these values, fall by the wayside.... 

And then we'll miss them when they're gone.

Tuesday 12 April 2011

We're all doomed!

That's right- It's all over the papers this morning- retail sales positively collapsed last month, with the largest year on year slide since 1995, according to the BRC-KPMG Sales Monitor.
Total sales were down 1.9% on the year, but the bad news doesn't stop, with like-for-like sales down a whopping 3.5%, and internet sales growing at their slowest rate since records began (which admittedly sounds a little more dramatic than it actually is, given that 'records' only began in 2008...!)

Big falls on areas as diverse as clothing, homeware, electrical, food and drink, books... with the only growth category being... somewhat mysteriously, footwear (although it should be noted that those were frequently discount driven purchases).

But why so glum, shoppers? Well, whilst the late timing of Easter is a factor, this is only a small part of the story, as high inflation, low wage growth, increasing fuel and utility costs, higher VAT, falling house prices, and uncertainty about future job cuts and tax rises all contribute towards a reduction in not just consumer's disposable income, but their confidence and willingness to spend money also..

That's all far too depressing for a Tuesday morning, so where is the sunshine amongst all this rain?
Well- with the feel-good factor running high in the coming weeks with the royal wedding, and more bank holidays then you can shake a stick at, retailers can hope for some much needed good news as optimistic customers prise open their dusty wallets, probably for bbq gear, burgers and booze, summer clothing, memorabilia and so on..



Also... Research group Springboard report that footfall in town centres and High Streets across the UK rose by 7.8% in March compared with the previous month, leading their Chief Exec Steve Booth, Springboard's to observe that "Whilst it is early days, this starts to tell a positive story about how consumers are returning to their local High Streets".

Thus, there is hope yet, although it is now clear that it is no less than our duty to enjoy each and every one of  those imminent bank holidays- so party like it's not 2011, your retailers need you!

Wednesday 9 March 2011

Familiarity breeds.. content....

Some interesting research from ForeSee Results.

They found that social media interactions are a primary influence for only 3% of visitors to e-retail sites!!!! 

Their results indicated that the more traditional techniques are much better drivers to retailer's websites- with search engines influencing 13% of visitors, and promotional emails 10%....
But the key finding was that familiarity with the site, company or brand is still by far the most common influencer of a website visit (46% of site visitors)




I.e. if the customer doesn't already know about you, your rush to colonise Facebook and Twitter isn't going to make any difference.. And if they do know you? Well that highly influencial group of visitors are also the most satisfied (75 on a 100 point scale) and the most likely to recommend (76)
And guess which are the least satisfied customers (64)? that's right- the ones who visited your site after receiving a message directly from the company on a social network!!!

So the moral of the story. For you the retailer, social media is a useful in your toolkit in order to build loyalty- but within your existing customer base- it will bring few newcomers to your brand, and those it does, are likely not to be impressed. So make sure people know about you, before you 'poke' them. As it were...

Tuesday 1 March 2011

Are you a FLORA?

The Sunday Times recently christened FLORA: Fashion Loving, On the run, and very Retail Aware.

These days it all about versatile quality outfits- no more superfast trends, cheap clothes, high turnover items, we're talking quality clothes that will last and won't date- the elusive 'key pieces' that make the outfit, make the wardrobe. Wearable clothes with a fashion twist.



For the ultimate trouser, boot, coat, dress, shirt- inspired by the timeless minimalism of Celine, look to the likes of Whistles, Zara, Cos, Next to deliver "fashionability thats about.. sensibility"... And not a pair of  £2 Primark jeggings in sight. Just call me Flora..

More than just meatballs....

West End retailers are reporting a big surge in sales of products from Scandinavia, with  a 400% YOY increase and 20% sq footage increase, boosting sales. Homeware, food and clothing from the region are now worth an estimated £300m a year.
Trend experts attribute the surge in popularity to our increased demand for functional, stylish, and sustainable products in these straitened times! Reliable Scandinavian favourites such as H&M and Ikea have paved the ground work for the love affair by introducing us to Scandinavian products, but some of the new names performing well in central London include Cos Skandium, BoConcept, Day Birger, and have the potential to be just as big.



And you thought it was just Meatballs and Loganberry jam!

Shopping as a Team Sport

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you'll have noticed that my new big thing is a nifty website called Groupon. In a nutshell, Groupon negotiates huge discounts (and I do mean huge) with popular businesses who are keen to find new customers, with an unmissable 'deal of the day' for each major city. In fact they are so choosy about making sure their offerings are exceptional, that Wall Street Journal reported that said that Groupon reject seven out of eight deals they are offered...

The details of deals  are sent to the 2.5m fans via their free daily email, who then have a limited period (hours to days) to sign up or miss out. And if your Groupon deal recomendation leads others to sign up, you'll get your account credited, thereby encouraging you to buy, and recommend even more... Yes it's quite addictive...
But the important bit is that it's also part of a growing consumer trend being called 'Collaberative Consumption' that you may notice is starting to change the way you buy.

 
But what is collaberative consumption I hear you cry...? Well the collaborative consumption online hub describes it as "the rapid explosion in swapping, sharing, bartering, trading and renting being reinvented through the latest technologies and peer-to-peer marketplaces in ways and on a scale never possible before", as in Groupon's case- where they invite local businesses to offer you discounts, and you bring together a community to take advatange of them and get further money off too. And there are plenty of  other examples of how trading online is bringing people together and saving us money (EBay, the online marketplace that puts perfect strangers in touch with each other to do a deal together, was a very early example... Holiday house-swaps, Zipcar car sharing scheme etc)
 
And why are we bothering? Well, whilst in these austere times we are finding more and more creative ways of saving ourselves and each other a few bob, we're also all trying to chip in together and consume less because we know we can't just keep buying more and more stuff, especially stuff we're not even using much... The average power drill is used for just 12 minutes over it's entire lifetime!
 
Much better to hire a DVD from Lovefilm's recommended movies (basedon ratings from your fellow 'Lovefilm' community) than buy one in Tesco, and so on. So embrace the new phenomenon, connect with your consumer community to borrow something, do a deal, swap stuff..... Pitch in, and save a few quid too- what's not to love?

Saturday 12 February 2011

A Customer Service Revolution?

Mary Portas' current show Secret Shopper, whilst meeting with some critiscism as to the approach (such as from Furniture Village chief Peter Harrison who said in Retail Week that it was "morally indefensible" and a "biased, ill-informed perversion of the truth"- come on say what you really mean Peter), has a noble aim.

To highlight the poor standards of customer service in British retail, and start a revolution to bring about change- one retailer at a time!



She's right on this of course, but surely this issue isn't as black and white as it seems.

Yes when we're spending a lot, or more than we could be elsewhere, then we expect to be accorded a certain level of service and respect. But if we're not prepared to spend more than £2 on a t-shirt from Primark, do we have a right to expect the same attentiveness?
Or should we instead be considering how they afford to keep those t-shirts so cheap (I'm not even going to go into the production end but it starts there!), and whether part of that cost saving is by  under-staffing stores and paying shop workers lower than average salaries- shop workers who we then apparently expect to lavish us, and their store, with care and attention? Motivated staff require investment, and yes perhaps you can argue these retailers should prioritise price and service equally... But which retailers excel at both? I think there is always a trade off at some level..

I was going to do a bottom five retailers for customer service, but upon reflection, I reckon if you're only willing to pay Primark and H&M prices for your clothes, then I don't think you should expect John Lewis service. And if you do want John Lewis levels of service, then you know what you can do?

Vote with your feet and spend your pound with a retailer who 'cares'..

Take Precautions!

A very belated happy new year from See All Her Faces, who didn't make any New Year resolutions, but clearly should've done- to get back on her blog!

Anyway, an interesting of news I've mentioned on Twitter (@seeallherfaces1) and Facebook (see the badge to the right of this post)

Analysis of records on the CIFAS Staff Fraud Database for 2010 have revealed there has been no change in the overall number of cases of proven insider fraud year on year.... But...


Interestingly, the balance of types of fraud has shifted- with a huge 62.5% increase in cases of "unlawfully obtaining or disclosing personal data", which is a very worrying devleopment- we're talking alot more serious than hands in the till, we're talking theft of your personal information for use in identity theft and identiy fraud by potentially serious criminals.

So of course you should continue to always be vigiliant when using cards in store- make sure they never go out of your site, make sure the store copy of your card receipt goes back in the till, and store or shred your own copy etc.... But also- consider what other personal information you may be giving out a lot more casually in store, on seemingly innocuous forms- mailing lists, competition entries, store card applications... With your name, address, other unique identifiers such as date of birth etc may be all that are required.

Of course the duty of responsibility falls on retailers to for example be PCI (payment card industry) compliant, and make sure your personal information is safe and secure, but these new figures demonstrate that we can't rely on them alone- take steps!