Bringing E-Commerce Features to the Storefront

One of the most interesting observations about the retail sector over the recent past is the adaptation of online features at brick-and-mortar stores. Only two years ago, it seems, retailers were anxious about holiday receipts due to the practice of showrooming, and the social capabilities of online shopping seemed to threaten brick and mortar sales. But then, it seemed to click (excuse the pun): What is more social than going out and physically being seen? Price matching is as old as retailing itself. And nothing beats experiencing a product before buying it. Put the best feature of e-commerce — its ability to be everywhere at once — to work in a brick and mortar, and you’ve created an enormous competitive advantage.

A great example of that trend is the newest UGG footwear store that opened this month outside of Washington, D.C. Deckers Brands, which owns the brand, has opened one other, similar “UGG Innovation Lab” in Santa Barbara, CA. Like that location, the Tysons Corner, Va., store uses technology to create a customized, customer-centric atmosphere.

“Omni-Channel isn’t just a catchphrase for Deckers; it’s an integral part of our culture of innovation and our retail strategy – one that we’ve made investments in for more than five years now – to engage with our consumers with respect to their preferred shopping channel” said Dave Powers, president of omni-channel for Deckers Brands, in a release. “That strategy is on full display at the UGG store, where we are merging the best of digital and physical shopping experiences, and setting the foundation for future Omni capabilities across our brands.”

 

By integrating online features into the in-store experience, shoppers can make selections from almost
 230,000 SKUs. But if a customer just can’t find that perfect pair, UGGs offers customization. The “UGG By You” program gives buyers control of the design process to make their mark on five classic UGG styles. And for those fancying a bolder approach, the “Bling it on Program” lets customers use Swarovski crystals to personalize their looks. In addition, the store has installed technology that reports on products that are tried on, and offers feedback to the consumer on suggested additional products. That’s very similar to an e-commerce site’s “Recommended for You” or “Shoppers Who Have Bought This Item Also Like…”

To enable that, Deckers is implementing radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology that lets shoppers who are trying on merchandise to view digitally triggered content on four 65-inch HD touchscreens throughout the store. That content comprises product information and options, style tips, videos, related marketing campaigns, and suggested complementary products. Shoppers can send themselves SMS texts with a product link directly from the HD screens.

 

Of course, customer associates are out from behind the cash wrap, using handheld devices to search inventory, answer customer questions and finalize sales as well. But these days, that’s old hat at many specialty retailers, which took the cue from the Apple Store.

Whether you are a retailer specializing in products from footware or home goods, keeping tabs on inventory is mission critical. Technology can provide retailers with data that initially only was captured by e-commerce stores. Now brick and mortars can know who’s trying on what, how long they engage with the product before purchasing (or not) and can make suggestions for add-on sales before the shopper even reaches an associate.

Retail Pro offers retailers a highly competitive solution that helps track inventory. In addition, our software can be used to monitor fast-selling products, keep tabs on slow sellers and otherwise help their purchasing decisions — something that’s vital in today’s borderless e-conomy.

To View Original Article: http://www.retailpro.com/News/blog/index.php/2014/11/19/bringing-e-commerce-features-to-the-storefront/

A Very Retail Halloween 2015

                                Halloween is upon us!
As all you ghastly ghouls and ghosts prepare for these festive nights it is quite clear that the pumpkin spirit is already heavily in the  autumn air. We know that spending all day indoors in order to pay those bills that just never seem to end, can sometimes be a drag on your holiday spirit, but here at One Step we encourage the Halloween spirit and festivities in our office!  We found some ways for you to celebrate a retail-tastic Halloween with some spooky retail displays, a classy pumpkin or two, and some of our favorite, yet appropriate costumes for work.

Photo from horchow.com

Stained floors, ruined clothes, flies as pumpkins begin to rot are all pretty good reasons to keep your home and retail store pumpkin free, yet no October display is complete without one. By painting and simply decorating your pumpkin you branch into the inspiring world of crafting and refrain from pumpkin disembowelment. With a little white paint, some black rhinestones, and your handy glue gun you can transform your lumpy orange pumpkin into a beautiful, sophisticated, and overall tasteful centerpiece to your retail store.

Photo from bhg.com

If the white and black rhinestone beauty just doesn't fit into your style, try this one on for size. By pulling any loose strands of fabric you may have laying around and your ever so useful glue gun in hand you can create a unique pumpkin of your very own. One that is silly, crafty, and expels an air of individuality that simply must find its way into every retail store. Dress not only your mannequins up, but get some of your favorite fabric on this iconic autumn centerpiece as well.

Photo from blog.mannequinmadness.com

 

 

 

Spooktacular
Retail Displays 

What we believe here at One Step is that fun never has to be hard. With a simple trip to your neighborhood market, you can leave with some masks, candies,  holiday bags, cobwebs, and toys and you got yourself the makings of a great retail display for the holiday season. The best displays are not those where cobwebs and red food coloring are just thrown into the mix, but rather it is when you learn to create a unique definition of Halloween that applies solely to your store and what you are selling. Engulf a mannequin in candies and you will have drooling and excited children bringing their parents in to your store. If energized 8 year olds are just not your target market, take it from Bergdorf Goodman's crystalized spider web below and attract only those with an eye for high fashion and a Halloween spirit.

 

Photo from blog.mannequinmadness.com

              Need some costume inspiration? Look no further!

Photo from costume-works.com

While at work it goes without saying that professionalism in your attire is just a must, but what about on the one day of the year where the work space and your creativity should be intertwined? Dressing up can be work appropriate too if you plan just right. For instance these couples dressed as America's favorite and most iconic dolls while not infringing on any of their abilities to get their work done.

Photo from popsugar.com

Have you been called super because your sales are just off the roof? Or is it because you're customer reviews have just been nothing short of excellence? How about you give them two reasons to call you super on Halloween with this simple look underneath your attire. Keeping it work appropriate with a little holiday spirit just a button away.





Better yet, let's make this Halloween a group effort just like these folks. With some easy correspondence you can have your entire team of workers dressed in one appropriate theme and let the creativity flow. Nothing exemplifies a retail company with a family vibe like dressing up together. 


Photo from popsugar.com

So there you have it folks, from dressing up your store to dressing yourself, One Step wants you to make the most of this Halloween season. Most importantly, remember that you can make work fun for you and your company, a happy atmosphere brings in a happy customer.

                       Don't forget to make this Halloween a fright you won't forget!

How big data can help retailers capitalise on e-commerce growth

By Mike Iaccarino

Earnings from the second quarter of 2015 indicated that e-commerce retailers are doing better than ever before. In fact, online sales are growing faster than store sales by 5 fold plus.

To capitalise on this growth, retailers are making major investments in e-commerce to make shopping online as convenient and efficient as possible. E-commerce may be at an all-time high, but if retailers do not meet consumer demand for personalisation and intuitiveness, they’ll risk significant financial loss.

The most innovative retailers are partnering with data providers with expansive business and consumer databases to meet customer experience expectations. Given the increasing number of consumers shopping online across thousands of sites, it’s important for brands to stand out amongst the noise. Quality data can give marketers unique insights about key audiences so they can target with highly personalised digital marketing efforts and ultimately provide a more convenient shopping experience.

Consumers are so numb to branded marketing content that without a data-driven strategy that reaches the right audience at the right time, brands and retailers will risk losing out on revenue to competitors with more personalised and convenient paths to purchase. But with the right data strategy, brands can compete with major players within any given industry. Here are three ways big data can help brands continue to see success in a growing e-commerce space.

Personalise

With quality data, retailers can break through the constant stream of online marketing messaging by understanding consumers’ unique wants and needs. This strengthens the relationship between the retailer and consumer and maximises the opportunity for sales.

Email marketing content should be tailored according to the customer’s recent purchases, or demographics. And the same goes for other digital advertising and even e-commerce sites themselves. Marketing content should always be unique to each customer’s history and likely interests, and the right data can make this happen.

As e-commerce becomes a part of everyday life for consumers, brands need to focus their efforts on partnerships with marketing tech providers that can turn data into actionable insights and allow for a deeper understanding of consumers and the tools to effectively engage them. Without these tools and insights it’s difficult for retailers to continue to gain steam among the large crowd of e-commerce players.

Go mobile

Quality data can also help brands improve mobile efforts. The value of mobile for marketing lies with its immediacy. Marketers can push highly personalised marketing content to consumers based on their current location. Time sensitive, location-based deals can encourage consumers to make purchases on the spot – a feat that tends to be difficult with generic marketing strategies.
However, consumers are hesitant to willingly provide personal information through mobile apps. A recent Forrester study found that only about a third of survey respondents are willing to share location and enable push notifications in retail apps, and many consumers aren’t sold on that technology’s value. Retailers need to partner with data providers that expand mobile reach and offer valuable data on where their customers are going on the Web, their purchasing behaviours and location-based information.

Additionally, retailers should know where are your audiences are spending most of their time on social media; is it Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, SnapChat or Pinterest? Ensure your social brand is engaging with your customers and prospects wherever they are.

Analyse

Retailers can also use data to analyse which markets will be most successful for them to invest their time and resources. A retailer should use demographic and purchase history data about its key audiences to determine where to use advertising spend and promote deals most strategically. For example, marketing on Facebook might not be effective for younger shoppers today given the decreasing use of the site among younger age groups in recent years.

The best data will give brands the power to not only predict behaviours and act accordingly but also measure outcomes. Use A/B testing to determine the effectiveness of different email subject lines, sites for advertising or even the content included within marketing tactics. Make note of significant differences and alter strategies moving forward. Without the right data, it’s easy to waste money on advertising that is not reaching the right audience or lacks content that motivates shoppers to click through to an e-commerce site. And given the growth of e-commerce in recent months, it’s crucial that digital marketing efforts are as efficient as possible.

    

E-commerce earnings are increasing exponentially, but this doesn’t mean that retailers can coast. To be most successful in a market saturated with both brands and retailers, the best e-commerce sellers will invest in quality data to stand out among the competition.

Data can help brands reach customers with personalised messaging, improve mobile strategies and analyse the outcomes of different channels and strategies to allocate resources effectively.


To view original article: http://www.itproportal.com/2015/10/22/how-big-data-help-retailers-capitalise-e-commerce-growth/

Art Hearts Fashion Week: The Men of Spring/Summer 2016

We are in the midst of Fashion Week here in Los Angeles, where the city of culture and business is thrown into a frenzy of fabric and camera flashes. Fashion enthusiasts from all around are introduced to the Spring/Summer line for the upcoming year during the early weeks of October in Downtown Los Angeles.

Art Hearts Fashion Week,  produced by ParkerWhitaker Foundation works to benefit AIDS Healthcare Foundation, is one of the many shows that design students and retail professionals look forward to alike. While the events during Fashion Week are many in number and spread out over 14 days, we pinpoint just a few designers at the forefront of fashion for men in the not too distant 2016.

In the halls of the Tagylan Cultural Complex,  we are introduced to our first designer who worked on pieces for men, a simple look utilizing unconventional fabric, House of Li Jon creates black and grey attire that outlines the simplistic masculinity in her models.

Photos From fashionxchangemag.com

Photo from fashionxchangemag.com

 Just Bones Boardwear offers designs that even those that do not often find themselves at the frontier of fashion movements can get behind. A line created with the intention of only dressing young men, has evolved to create a line that caters to not only boys, but women, men, and toddlers alike. A summer day spent on the beach is just a part of life here in southern California, and with these bright and patterned board shorts men can hit the waves and still look good.

Photo from lafashionjudge.com

  

Photo from lafashionjudge.com

Our next designer steps ahead of the two aforementioned looks, as KOKO BLAQ continues to work with patterns and black and white color palettes, he establishes a much appreciated balance in our wardrobe. Too much of the same pattern on one outfit? No such thing!

Photos shot by Inae Bloom

Photos Shot by Inae Bloom

 Last, but definitely not least, is designer Consort 62. They approach spring and summer in a refreshing way. With a hint of autumn in their attire, we see muted tones in the spring look, creating a laid back and "chill" ensemble.

Photos from fashionxchangemag.com

 This model wears dark blues that contrast with the light gray over his shoulders. A contrast that does not take a trained eye to appreciate, but yet is reminiscent of  that of a lazy, but still fashionable, Sunday morning.

Photos from fashionxhangemag.com

It just isn't summer without your sandals and your favorite pair of shorts. Here we see a model with a  simple look, staying true to those softer colors, a dark grey sweater paired with a lighter shade of shorts truly brings together a Consort 62 look.












It seems that our designers have laid out 2016 to have an unforgettable and revolutionary look. Catering to the look of those men that want to set themselves apart form the flock, those who embrace the patterns, the unique fabrics, and those who are redefining what summer and spring look like.

There are many designers who we cannot highlight, regrettably a post can only handle so much greatness, so don't forget gentlemen, to stay updated on Los Angeles Fashion Week as it draws to a close this weekend.