M.Fried The Blog

For Retailers, 2012 All About Customer Interaction and Experience

admin — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:37:10 +0000

According to a report by NRF/KPMG retailers are looking to build better relationships with their customers in 2012.

In an effort to build customer engagement, capture wallet share and accelerate sales growth, retailers in 2012 will focus on a number of customer-centric functions, including IT and ecommerce investments, enhancing customer service initiatives and, building on their mobile platforms. A new report from the NRF Foundation and KPMG LLP, Retail Horizons: Benchmarks for 2011, Forecasts for 2012, which surveyed 247 retail executives from various sectors, outlines retailers’ top strategic initiatives for 2012 including merchandising, ecommerce, store and field operations, supply chain and human capital, among others.
“Retailers are poised to enter 2012 with a renewed focus on building up and building out many of their most important operations, hoping to establish a new sense of brand loyalty with all of their customers,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “Though customers are always a company’s top priority, customer satisfaction will get a huge facelift this year. From increasing their brand visibility through cross-channel initiatives to providing unique, personalized shopping experiences through every channel, retailers have indicated 2012 is all about the customer.”
According to the survey, nearly 67 percent of companies rank customer satisfaction as the top strategic initiative for 2012 and, similarly, 82 percent say customer service strategies will be their top priority in the coming year, up from 75 percent last year.
For the first time in the survey’s ten-year history, retailers’ websites or online channels eclipsed physical stores as the top channel for marketers (81% for brick-and-mortar vs. 86% online). As such, retail executives say they will invest in programs that directly resonate with today’s shopper. According to the survey, 85 will emphasize increasing online sales, up from 83 percent in 2011, and 38 percent will have a greater focus on increasing mCommerce sales over the next year, up from 29 percent in 2011. Additionally, more than half (53%) of those surveyed say they will specifically focus on web personalization engines in the coming months, which includes such enhancements as location-based services and tracking methods unique to shopping habits.
To better serve mobile-savvy shoppers in their stores, retailers also stated enhancing handheld technologies, such as mobile point-of-sale, will be a core focus over the next 18 months. While 17 percent already use mobile POS technologies in their store, an additional 33 percent indicate they plan further POS investments during that timeframe.
“Compared to the past few years, retailers have turned their attention to growth acceleration, with an emphasis on improved customer engagement strategies and tactics,” said Mark Larson, KPMG’s global head of retail. “Harnessing the vast amounts of customer data they have at their disposal to create unique consumer interactions will be critical, especially as digital sales grow. Clearly the retailers who master the one-to-one customer approach, and who also leverage the full potential of e-and-mobile commerce platforms, will be in a much stronger position to gain wallet share.”
Aiming to grow that customer interaction, 45 percent of companies are actively developing widgets, gadgets or advanced links that can be incorporated with their social media pages, and another 41 percent are planning to develop these items over the next 18 months.
Other KPMG/NRF survey findings:
•    Thirty-three percent reported increases of greater than 5 percent in same store sales in 2011, up from 21 percent in 2010. Additionally, 63 percent reported gross margins greater than 40 percent in 2011, up from 40 percent in 2010

•    After years of practicing cost containment, this year more than half (52%) of respondents plan to increase their IT budgets

•    Nine in 10 (91%) respondents said they will focus on leadership assessment, development and succession, up from 83 percent in 2011. Additionally, 52 percent will increase associate training, up from 39 percent last year

•    As the number of multichannel shoppers continues to grow, so will retailers’ focus on price optimization – more than one-third (35%) of respondents will focus on solidifying their price optimization technologies over the next 18 months

•    Nearly six in 10 (59%) say new customer acquisition is their top strategic priority for 2012, up from 55 percent in 2011
For more information about the report and how to obtain a copy, please visit http://www.nrffoundation.com/retail-horizons.

source: http://www.nrf.com/modules.php?name=News&op=viewlive&sp_id=1312

Moving Marketing Messages In Store

admin — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 21:35:12 +0000

Marketing may seem like it all happens outside the store, in media or cyberspace -but great retailers make sure their exterior messages are unified with their in-store experience. It’s a disappointing slide for customers who have been promised “the widest selection” and then see a limited range of products or to quickly realize the “best prices of the season” are only on a couple of items. There are some critical ways to make sure your store’s external messages are harmonized with the in-store experience.

Keep your employees in the know. Each week, every sales associate should know the current key marketing messages. It should be a topic of the weekly sales meeting (You do have one, right?) and a prominent message on the backroom message board. Help store employees by integrating the current marketing message with “say’s and do’s” each week. Sales and sponsorships should be a part of the front door greeting as well as the way the phone is answered. Create a message that associates can feel natural saying like “Welcome to our store – If you’re here for our February Clearance Sale, all of our sale products are in this aisle.” Stay away from things like “Welcome to our store where this week we are featuring a buy two get the third half off on every toner cartridge over $25.” The same is true for a phone message. Keep it short and helpful. But make it clear that marketing messages are a non-negotiable requirement for answering the phone.

Match the marketing message to the right message location. Think of marketing message as having one of three main goals:

1. Attracting people into the store – this will primarily occur outside the store: in windows, doors and the visible area within the storefront.
2. Making a sale in the store – these are the messages that should lead a customer from consideration to purchase. Keep messages focused and updated.
3. Building loyalty for a return visit – often forgotten, this is the opportunity to ratchet up your brand and make your store top of mind for future purchases.

Source: http://www.floradelaney.com/2012/01/marketing-messages-instore/

Did You Know That M. Fried Manufactures Showcases Here In The US?

admin — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:55:07 +0000

Strong January Retail Sales Jump Start The New Year

admin — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:37:45 +0000

Building on the momentum of a strong holiday shopping season and propelled by gift card redemptions and warm weather, retailers’ January sales saw solid growth across the board. According to the National Retail Federation , January retail industry sales (excluding automobiles, gas stations and restaurants) increased 0.9 percent seasonally adjusted from December and 4.0 percent unadjusted year-over-year.
“Thanks to a combination of unseasonably warm weather across much of the country and millions of shoppers with gift cards burning holes in their pockets, retailers are still riding the tailwinds of consumers’ spending power,” said National Retail Federation President and CEO Matthew Shay. “As a traditionally slower sales month for the industry, it’s encouraging to see such sustained growth in consumer spending and sentiment.”
January retail sales data, released today by the U.S. Department of Commerce, showed total retail sales (which include non-general merchandise categories such as autos, gasoline stations and restaurants) increased 5.6 percent unadjusted year-over-year and 0.4 percent seasonally adjusted month-to-month.
“A slightly improving labor market with gains in payrolls has lifted consumer confidence in January and corresponds with increasing retail sales,” said NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz. “However consumer spending alone will not be enough to sustain economic growth or provide a strong foundation for consistent retail sales and growth. We must see improvements in key economic indicators, such as housing and employment.”

Google Plans First Retail Store at European Base in Dublin

admin — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:31:22 +0000

Even software companies go retail.

Google Inc. plans its first stand- alone retail store at its European headquarters in Dublin after a trial at a computer shop in London, according to a filing by the world’s most popular search engine.

The Google Store would be open to the public and sell unspecified Google merchandise, the company’s Irish unit said in a local planning application. Located in the Montevetro office block on Dublin’s Barrow Street, the store would have about 123 square meters (1,323 square feet) of space including an added mezzanine floor designed to draw attention from passersby.

Retail may be a new front in Google’s competition with Apple Inc., whose 361 stores have fueled sales of iPods, iPhones and iPad tablet computers. Google, the world’s biggest maker of smartphone operating software, is in the process of buying handset maker Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. for $12.5 billion to help it compete with Apple’s phones and Microsoft Corp.’s mobile software.

Read the rest of the article over at bloomberg.

Worth Reading; In-store Trends

vori — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:28:10 +0000

Informative article, lots of good tips on retail store trends

Chain stores "Localize"

Walgreens’ new flagship store in Chicago includes everything from made-to-order smoothies to sushi and juice bars to a fully stocked humidor. The health & beauty retailer also makes it clear that it can relate with the local market. It uses its most visible wall space in the store (below the escalator) to feature a list of the “50 reasons to love the city of Chicago.”

Walgreens has chosen a localization strategy that requires little capital commitment, but it is also one that resonates deeply with Chicagoans. The wall is a simple reminder of the reasons why local shoppers should: (1) be proud of the city they live in, and (2) realize that they share something in common with the retailer.

Compared to a multi-national, broadline retailer that needs to go through extensive market research to determine what assortment is a best fit for the local culture, Walgreens is able to offer a relatively consistent range of health & beauty items in its stores across the US. Walgreens has too many stores across the country to localize its assortment to each location. Instead, it breaks the stores into clusters by demographic to create a more efficient supply chain, and simply tells its shoppers that it is committed to meeting local demand.

Posted via instoretrends.com

Space Saving Corner Case

vori — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 10:29:53 +0000

Ever wonder what to do in a corner? When two wall systems meet in a corner there is always an empty space, determined by the depth of hanging or shelving. I’ve seen many solutions to this quandary, fake trees, folding screens, etageres all can solve the problem, but this can really but that space to use. M. Fried has the answer.

Great Solution for wasted Space

M Fried manufactures a display case specifically designed for corner use. This quality case features full length lockable door, adjustable tempered glass shelving and illuminated canopy. Utilize your wasted space and attention to your products with this useful store fixture. Made in the U.S.A. to our exacting specifications.

The Candy Man Can with Gondola Shelving

vori — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:06:36 +0000

I remember a time when the mention of gondola shelving sent specialty retailers running to find another store planner. Back in the 80′s gondola shelving meant drugstore or Kmart and were never used by more upscale retailers. Things have certainly changed.

We recently out-fitted this candy store with a gondola shelving by Madix. Gone are the days of dreary pegboard and beige metal shevling. This system provides every imaginable display method.

Planning provided, glass shelving for perimeter gift display, slat panels for peg goods, dynamic curved shelving for bulk display, meeting all the requirements of the products displayed.

Glass shelving for Gift display

Slat-wall panels for Peg display

Curved shelving

This is one beautiful fixture install in every detail. No pegboard here, equipped with base unit storage, the black hardware set against the maple laminate is modern and warm and inviting at the same time.

This attractive and practical counter makes for easy point of purchase (P.O.P.) with an abundance of display space, which prevents counter top confusion. The possibilities are endless and the merchandising is easy, freestanding perimeter system makes for simple install. This is not your fathers store fixture.

Revzilla Motor Sports

vori — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 19:22:51 +0000

I’ve designed a good many retail shops during my career, lots of clothing, women’s, men’s, children’s even dog apparel but Revzilla holds a unique place in my repertoire. Rev is a retailer of motorcycle attire and accessories. Back in 2004 two young men came to me with a request to build them a showroom for their primarily online business. They had no grand illusions of the sales that a brick and mortar showroom would generate, in fact it was more from the necessity to lend legitimacy [and photos] to their online site.

: Low keyed interior

I was more excited about the store than they were, I really liked the product and it was a category I had never dealt with. Needless to say the budget was small and the space was large [what else is new?]. Almost 4 thousand sq. ft. I had decided from the start that I would not take the “expected” route to concieve a decor and fixture theme. No barbed wire or any of the stereotyped “Cycle gang” visuals. Due to the more European nature of their products I opted for a minimal ‘no-nonsense” look. The display “Wow” would be large branding photos and the use of real motorcycles. The perimeter system consists of rectangular brushed chrome hardware coupled with recess standards mounted within comp. board panels. The panels form rectangular hanging ‘departments” along the interior walls.

: Brush rectangular hardware with recess standards

The restraint employed in the inception of the showroom has proven to be invaluble . The showroom traffic has increased steadily over the past four years. The increased sales have resulted in funds diverted to an upgrading in the showroom fixtures, “Less leads to More” double cash wraps and a new helmet display wall are now in the planning stage.

Follow the link for more photos. https://picasaweb.google.com/110585336863782076355/Revzilla#

Take a look at Revzilla …. http://www.revzilla.com/

Biltmore Winery

vori — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:09:55 +0000

Antler village at the Biltmore Estate

Last night I spent the evening at the Biltmore estate in Asheville N. Carolina, a house tour,an exhibet of stunning Tiffany lamps and a visit to thier “Antler Village” a relatively new addition to the estates commercial operations. Every time I visit I am impressed with the quality of execution and the high level merchandising skill. While I was waiting for our last guest to arrive for our dinner resevations I had a bit of time to browse the winery store. Spacious well lit and inviting at every turn. The fixures were all custom and fit beautifully into the Arts and Crafts theme that prevails throughout the village.

Entrance Display in the Winery

Flawless executionSpacious, well lit and inviting