Category: Retail

How Data Analytics can Grow Your Retail Business by 10X

The Importance of Retail Data Analytics

A correct set of retail data is sufficient to figure out if a customer is going to purchase from a store or will visit once again. Whenever folks go out shopping, they want to have an experience which is convenient, informative, and personalized. A retailer cannot provide a personalized experience if he does not have access to retail data analytics technology for obtaining information about particular shoppers and end users.

Data Analytics Solutions for Retail

 

As compared to traditional retailers, e-commerce retailers find it easier to track and obtain information related to individual shoppers. This is because web technology makes it very easy for these e-tailers to gather data regarding customer purchases.

Web technology is also able to track the device through which customers access the website. What a customer went searching for from the showcased items to the time he spent on the site, every minute detail can be tracked. All this helps to understand customer persona and preferences at a deeper level.

With all this data, e-commerce websites are then able to deliver targeted emails, advertisements and personalized deals for customers, thus luring the customer to check out and make a purchase.

Access to such retail analytics helps in two things-

1) increases customer stickiness on the website with a personalized shopping experience and

2) increased sales from related items based on previous customer purchasing data

Video streaming services like Netflix are great examples where algorithms related to recommended videos drive more user engagement. All these benefits of data analytics are complicated to be derived from a physical store.

In short, the absence of data analytics technology can impact the physical store retailers negatively as they may not be able to provide a great experience to customers.

 

The use of Beacon Technology in Retail Analytics 

Store beacons are a piece of retail analytics technology which is becoming more and more popular in retail stores all over, mainly because of the multiple uses these beacons provide to the retailers. For instance, the tags can figure out those parts of your store that are busiest with the maximum number of customers.

This is a small detail, but it can help the retailers to a great extent. Such information can help store owners adjust and modify their display with products which they want the customers to be aware of. Promotional goods, for example, can be placed in areas where the traffic of customers is high usually.

The data collected through these beacons can also be used to monitor the traffic at particular hours of the day. A retailer with such a piece of information can plan out the allocation of his workforce and also the best position inside the store to place his items. 

These beacons can also be well-integrated into the mobile phones of shoppers. Once connected, customers can be sent welcome messages. Not only that, even reminders to purchase some particular items or any promotional offers available can be sent to these customers through the in-store beacons.

We are still not done. The beacons also provide help to trace the physical path through which a customer roams in the store while making his purchases. This is again a useful function as it helps to obtain and analyze specific shopping behaviors of particular customers while visiting a retail store. Walmart and Amazon Go stores have already been utilizing this piece of technology to yield significant benefits.

Amazon Go, in particular, has tweaked the use of beacon technology. Because these stores operate in a cashless manner, every customer gets a barcode scanned while entering the store. This barcode is on the Amazon Go app in the visiting shopper’s mobile phone. The customers then shop for their items and leave the store. A countless number of cameras inside the store track customers and their behavior.

It analyses all information such as what items they picked up, what they finally bought, and the items which they left behind, all of this os crucial information which gets recorded with the help of these cameras. Sophisticated computer systems take the data from the weight sensors to evaluate which products have been removed from a rack.

The moment a particular customer leaves the store, they are automatically charged for all the products which they have purchased. This is the closest a retail store can come to an e-commerce website, all of which is possible with the right technology.

 

Omnichannel Experience with Retail Data Analytics

If new retail analytics and reporting technology are merged cohesively, a considerable amount of data can easily be collected. This data will be capable enough to monitor every little piece of detail related to the behavior and buying preferences of customers. All of this data can be obtained from just one visit from a consumer.

Thus, with retail data analytics, stores can create an omnichannel shopping experience for customers. With smart stores, customers can have easy and cashless checkouts. Amazon Go is a great example. It gives customers the same online experience with its high-tech offline store.

 

Challenges with the adoption of Retail  Data Analytics

A lot of innovative products are there to help retailers who wish to have a better understanding of the customers visiting their stores. The issue is that only huge companies have financial resources where they can test and put the new technology-driven solutions to use.

The progress of these latest tools for retail analytics and reporting technology is pretty slow. What cannot be denied though, is the fact that technology is essential for any retailer today. If a customer does not receive an experience which is according to his expectations, no retailer will find the customer coming back to his doorstep.

Retailers should consider technology as an investment through which they can offer customized options according to customers’ preferences. Brick and mortar stores need to have the best retail technology possible without which retailers will not be able to provide the desired customer experience. 

If you are looking for data analytics solutions for your business, then GoodWorkLabs can help! Send us a short message with your requirements and our data analytics team can help you with a free consultation on the best data analytics solution for your business.

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How Apps Benefit the Retail Sector

Retail apps

Retail apps

In the modern day and age, many sections of the industry have been remarkably transformed, thanks to the advent of smartphones. The world of retail has seen similar change over the last few years, owing to the power smartphones have provided modern day shoppers with. With price-comparing apps gradually paralyzing brick-and-mortar establishments, many companies in the retail sector are feeling the need to venture in the world of mobility.

The companies that have completed the transformation successfully currently find themselves in a strong, viable position in the market. This is down to the fact that there are numerous possibilities and benefits that mobile apps can bring to the retail sector. Currently, many companies are using the mobile platform to sell their products and services, communicate with customers, provide personalized services and manage relationships. The mobile platform is being leveraged to address a number of problems of the retail industry, and the benefits it brings to the table can no longer be ignored.

Here are some of the most convincing ways that retail companies are using custom developed mobile apps to succeed in the competitive market –

  • Immersive Shopping Experience – Every purchaser wants comprehensive information about the products they are about to purchase. As a retail company owner, you can ensure the delivery of that information with your own retail mobile app. You can list your products with a full set of features and specifications, include pictures and videos, and also integrate user reviews which give purchasers a fair and unbiased idea about the product they are about to purchase. Such wealth of information is what often tips the balance and closes the deal.
  • Personalized Services – Keeping customers interested and loyal has been one of the main problems of the retail industry, and the mobile platform provides a great solution- providing personalized services in the form of deals, discounts, reward points and loyalty programs. Providing incentives to customers who stay loyal is a great way to sustain their interest and build a fruitful relationship. Having your own mobile app makes it easy for you to plan and deploy loyalty programs, showcase new products and run product promotions, making things lucrative for your customers.
  • Marketing – The mobile platform has now been widely recognized as one of the most efficient marketing tools currently available. You can now showcase your entire range of products and services, and allow users to bookmark products they like, and share their preferences on social platforms. With the integration of social media, you can spread information about your brand and products to large masses with half the hassle and cost that is usually involved in marketing efforts through other channels.
  • CRM – Mobile apps can help you smoothly manage customer relationships. You can use your app to get feedback, address complaints and answer queries. Apps can be configured to send push notifications on the launch of new, important products. For regular shoppers, there can also be speedy channels of purchase integrated into your app. All this facilitates the building and nurturing of fruitful customer relationships.

See any other ways in which mobile apps have influenced the retail sector? Do write in to us and let us know.

Factors that Help Gamify Your Retail Loyalty Program

Gamify retail loyalty program

In today’s highly competitive world, the marketing team of any retail company has to put a lot of effort to woo its targeted customers and retain its existing ones. Customers continue being more curious and less patient these days. This means that a slight window of doubt about your product can move them away from your business.

A result-oriented strategy to keep customers glued to your products/services or maintain their loyalty is to employ gamification into your marketing mix. Didn’t ring a bell? Well, gamification denotes engaging your new and existing customers by incorporating the raw concept of games in your marketing strategy. Here, the games should be more in line of rewards and incentives. These incentives would act as a motivating factor for the customers to continue staying engaged with your business. Let’s check out some vital factors that can drive the gamification endeavors of your company’s retail loyalty program.

Social Factor

Most of the viral games are kind of social in nature. It means that people of almost all ages and from all sorts of backgrounds can play those games. So, your aim should be to integrate your business incentive with such social online games.

A classic example is Samsung that blends social and user interaction by rewarding users for participating in Q&A session, watching videos, reviewing products and other such activities.

Time Factor

I believe that the concept of “limited-time offer” delivers results most of the times. It definitely plays with the mind of the customers, and pushes them to go for the bait. So, when you design a gamification program for your customers, then make sure the first incentive or reward come to them really easily. It should be close enough instead of making it very tough, so that the customers find hard to say no to it.

Challenge Factor

Customers get skeptical when something is easily achievable or accessible. For this reason, it is important to include a little bit of a challenge in the gamification of your loyalty program. Keep a big reward at the end, and the reward should be valuable enough, not just in terms of money. At the same time, remind the customer from time to time about how close he or she is to earning an incentive.

Game / Fun Element Factor

Obviously, fun is the biggest reason why people play incentive based games. It is the fun factor that makes an incentive based game popular and successful. For this reason, from time to time, try to come up with surprises for your customers in the form of freebies or limited offers. This will definitely keep them glued to your loyalty program.

Recognition Factor

The incentive you offer should always be in the mind of the users. If they are not able to recognize what they are running after, then sooner or later they will lose interest in your gamification program. So, always remind them about the forthcoming incentive or reward waiting for them to earn, even if it is a small one.

Do write in to us and let us know how you plan to utilize the immense potential of gamification to enhance your business visibility online.

5 Business Processing Apps to Empower your Retail Business

Retail Business Processing Apps

According to the latest statistics by Business Insider, 58% of the mobile retail revenue has been driving the top 500 brands in 2014. In-app purchases account for the rest of the business. Another study by Google indicates that 82% of smart phone users choose to browse retail websites on their phones rather than on their computers. Today, there is a mobile app for simply everything. For businesses, this has implications far deeper than gaining leads and enhancing revenue streams. Here’s a list of top 5 retail apps that every modern business should utilize to their benefit –

Vend POS

Vend POS has been integrated with the iPad and enable businesses to connect with clients and global customers at any given time. Used by businesses all over the globe, Vend POS can be integrated with receipt printers, barcode scanners and cash drawers. Making financial transactions, reporting, and building analytics for your business is made simple on this app. Even without an active internet connection, Vend POS allows a seamless business process. The software has been further integrated with programs like Shopify, Timely, Xero, and Stitchlabs.

PayPal Here

Another innovative app for iPad users, PayPal Here lets you to accept payments and do transactions just by connecting to mobile device and dedicated PayPal dongles. It is a highly trusted transaction platform for many businesses across the globe and further allows the business to send e-receipts over email and text messages. Since it requires customers to check in with their mobile devices, PayPal Here is also a beneficial tool to personalize interactions and guarantees a repeat purchase.

Collect

Collect has been developed to engage businesses in making repeated business out of first time sales. Used by many businesses globally, Collect integrates customer loyalty and reward programs to attract customers to do repeated purchases. Personalized marketing exchanges also enable the businesses to increase foot traffic sales and establish push notifications. Companies can use it as a tool to track every customer’s shopping history and send customized notifications.

RetailNext

RetailNext has long been used as an in-store solution, helping collect massive amount of customer data and actionable insights to engage and convert. The application taps into several data sources including Wi-Fi, POS Systems, and promotional calendars, staffing systems, weather and much more. The app also organizes and converts all such data into reports and graphs that are easy to understand.

Xero

Xero enables your business to stay updated on your financial front even when you are not connected to the internet. The app allows you to approve, create and generate invoices using your mobile device. The application will help you upload receipts and track expenses. The automation features integrated with this app lets you import and categorize transactions on the go, allowing the business to focus on the core business activities rather than spending time on daily balance sheets.

Modern day retailing is all about simplifying the way we buy and sell. Do write in to us and let us know which apps from the above list are a part of your digital marketing strategies.

5 Cool Mobile Loyalty Apps That Every Modern Business Must Have

Mobile Loyalty Apps RetailCustomer loyalty is a key to the success of every business. Several big brands consider loyalty as a critical part of their online engagement strategies and employ various tools, from social check-ins to digital payment systems, to gain better involvement from customers. Retention and customer loyalty programs are becoming important revenue drivers in these highly crowded marketplaces.

Brands who are take the lead to prioritize their customers are proving to be early winners. About 43% of mobile app users are more likely to make a purchase when loyalty deals are a part of the app marketing campaign. That’s the level of influence mobile apps have on the lives of people and that’s the channel a business must target. Today we look some apps that (both from retailers themselves or through generic loyalty scheme service provider) that show how business can engage better with customers for a win-win deal –

Shopkick

A location based app, Shopkick offers exciting offers and discounts to customers who simply choose to walk into stores guided by the app. Some of the most prominent clients of Shopkick include Macy’s, Best Buy and Target. Currently Shopkick has been adding independent small retailers in select markets like Detroit, Chicago, San Francisco, New York, New Orleans, Washington DC, Dallas Seattle and Austin. Customers using Shopkick also get discounts by scanning products through the app. Shopkick is powered by shopBeacon, which helps users flag businesses of their choice around them.

Belly

Belly has proved to be a profitable choice for several businesses. The app allows businesses to track customer footfall wherein the plastic loyalty cards can be scanned on mobile devices and the data can be stored on the cloud. Belly also helps integrate this data over social media platforms and emails, helping spread the word among potential customers. Belly also enables businesses to customize their loyalty programs according to customer behavior and target the same through email messages. When customers scan their loyalty cards/QR codes on their devices, the data gets updated to the merchant database and increases potential leads.

Pirq

Pirq was extensively used in regular business deals after being launched nationwide in the US in 2014. Unlike Belly, Pirq does not require using an in-store tablet. One of the most interesting features of Pirq is Facebook integration across different demographics and several varieties of deals. Pirq has been providing customers with some amazingly unique offers helping businesses do more with their customer loyalty programs.

Foursquare

Foursquare has been an extremely popular customer loyalty service for a decade now. Focusing mainly on social media, Foursquare adds your business listing to enable free analytics and tools. Businesses use these analytics to target demographics more specifically and work towards their business goals. Customers on the other hand use Foursquare for business searches and associated deals and offers. You can also set up special deals for highest purchases and frequent customers.

LoyalBlocks

LoyalBlocks is another exciting app that automatically offers rewards to customers who simply choose to walk into store guided by the app. Business can register online and use an Android powered device as their base server to analyze and customize the rewards for their customers. Once the app has been installed, the interface automatically recognizes the customers and sends tailored rewards every time they walk into the store (powered by a location based tracking).

Mobile loyalty programs are a great benefit to startups and stores that are losing their customers to online retailers. Having such programs is easy and guarantees elaborate returns in the form of leads and profits.

The Evolution of Retailer Mobile Apps in the 2014 Holiday Season

Retail holiday shopping appThe adoption of mobile devices is the single most rapidly growing and evolving adoption of any technology in the world currently. With huge number of people jumping on the smartphone technology bandwagon, marketers can find it a massive struggle to keep up. The huge potential is ideal to tap into, and businesses are flourishing after adopting the mobile platform. The mobile app industry was in its infancy as recently as five years ago. However, currently it comprises one of the largest markets in the world of technology, with billions of people spending almost 86% of their time using mobile devices on mobile app use.

The holiday season of 2014 can be viewed as a new landmark for retail companies, as they have really upped the ante when it comes to using the mobile app platform for their business. The highly competitive nature of the holiday shopping season saw plenty of effort on the part of retail companies to leverage the mobile platform and use it to their advantage. This has resulted in a massive evolution in the retailer mobile app segment.

Studying the Numbers

An independent study, collecting data from 150 retail mobile apps during the pre-holiday season in 2014, picked up some really interesting data. These trends and strategies have helped change the domain of retailer mobile apps and can be expected to be repeated over and over throughout 2015. Retailers increased their use of mobile communication during this period of time, and customers generally responded with extremely encouraging responses.

Here are some of the more compelling statistics –

  • Compared to the previous year, 34% more push messages and notifications were sent by retailers through their mobile apps in 2014.
  • Engagement rate for users increased to twice the amount for the previous year as a result of these push notifications.
  • Among the total instances of app opens, almost a third was a direct result of the push notifications.

The Importance of Push Messages

Push notifications proved to be the difference-maker in the holiday season of 2014. Consumers appeared to be more engaged as a direct result, and retention rates were found to be considerably higher. Compared to email marketing, push notification scored heavily on all aspects, being seen to increase open rates by 50%, increasing CTR (Click Through Rate) by ten times and even resulting in a whopping 1200% greater conversion.

Retail companies targeted heavy shopping days like Thanksgiving and Black Friday to step up their game with push notifications, and were suitably rewarded. The study also showed that there are defined parameters that can be adhered to for making push notifications a success. The day of choice and the time of day are important factors in this regard.

These are indeed great signs for the future of mobile engagement for the retail industry. Companies who respect the unique nature of the mobile platform and its eccentricities can keep leveraging its huge potential in the holiday season by targeted mobile marketing campaigns.

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