Competing Or Cooperating with Amazon

Posted on July 8, 2016 by bermanevansretail
Amazon is the current king of online retailing — and it has now opened some retail bookstores. There are many reasons why it is so successful: innovation, technology, customer service, product assortment, Amazon Prime, and a lot more. Although numerous retailers have been adversely affected by Amazon, there are ways to compete or partner with Amazon.
As Helen Schmid, who leads E-Commerce and Digital Marketing at Journelle.com (a startup luxury lingerie retailer) reports for the Harvard Business Review:
“As an online marketing executive, my job has never been more challenging. The shift from brand loyalty to platform loyalty has forced specialized online retail companies like my own to ask, How can I keep my customers loyal? Do I sell my products on my own Web site, or do I sell them through Amazon or another third party platform? If I try to do both, how do I pull that off?”
“Selling through Amazon is extremely tempting for a simple, logical reason: you don’t have to pay for digital marketing to drive traffic to Amazon. The volume is bigger than any marketer can dream.  Amazon Marketplace vendors simply need to offer the most competitive price on a product to win the coveted Amazon ‘Buy Box.’ Buy Box winners take all of the sales volume without any marketing spend required, making up for margin loss and commission to Amazon.”
“There are downsides to relying too much on Amazon. First, there’s the risk of having too much of your revenue coming from a platform you don’t control. There’s also the risk that if you offer all your products on Amazon, you’ll cannibalize your own direct sales (and lose those higher margins). Finally, for high-end brands, Amazon’s site does not offer luxury customers a distinctive experience.
For a discussion by Schmid on a number of options to weigh in deciding how to market an online business, click the Journelle.com image.


 

Posted in Online Retailing, Part 1: Overview/Planning, Part 2: Ownership, Strategy Mix, Online, Nontraditional, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 5: Managing a Retail Business, Part 6: Merchandise Management and Pricing, Social Media and Retailing | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Are We Ready for Humanoid Robots in Retailing?

Posted on July 7, 2016 by bermanevansretail
As we have noted numerous times over the past few years, retail technology has been changing the face of retailing — for both small and large firms. So, are we ready for personalized robots taking our orders and payment at restaurants?
According to Maria LaMagna, reporting for MarketWatch:
“Soon, when restaurant-goers hear ‘May I take your order?’, those words may be coming from a robot. Some restaurants have started experimenting with human-like robots instead of human cashiers, allowing consumers to pay for their meals without interacting with another person. Although many restaurants have allowed digital ordering, either online, by kiosk, or on tablets at the table, the practice of using humanoid, or human-like robots, is still in its earliest stages, and it’s primarily happening in Asia so far. Experts say the robots could benefit restaurants and lead to wider adoption — if diners aren’t too freaked out by them.”
“Pizza Hut is the latest company to try a robot cashier, in a partnership with robotics company SoftBank Robotics and MasterCard, which has created the payment app. The application works only with MasterCard’s MasterPass, a digital wallet that allows payment by MasterCard cards, as well as credit, debit, or prepaid cards.”
“SoftBank’s robot is named Pepper. It has a face and can even respond to human customers with some emotional intelligence. For example, if a customer seems more tentative to interact with a robot, Pepper will be more reserved, whereas if a customer is more energetic, Pepper will be, too. It looks like an alien, with eyes and a touchscreen on its chest, and it’s the size of a small child.”

 

Here is a photo of Pepper from MasterCard. Below the photo, there is a YouTube video.

 

 
 

 

Posted in Part 1: Overview/Planning, Part 2: Ownership, Strategy Mix, Online, Nontraditional, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 5: Managing a Retail Business, Part 7: Communicating with the Customer, Technology in Retailing, Video Clips (non-career) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

7 KFC Video Ads From Around the World

Posted on July 6, 2016 by bermanevansretail
KFC has really stepped up its advertising strategy — and not just in the United States. Here are a selection of ads from around the world. We feature YouTube ads from SEVEN countries here.
From the USA YouTube Channel: There is now an “extra crispy” Colonel Sanders played by actor George Hamilton, known for his perpetual tan.
From the India YouTube Channel: The new limited edition KFC Watt A Box will not only fill you up but also your smartphone.
From the UK and Ireland YouTube Channel: KFC Rollerskater — Bring home the weekend with KFC.
From the South Africa YouTube Channel: Through #‎TasteGuarantee, KFC is making sure that customers are happy and satisfied with every meal, and continue to get the great tasting food you know and love!
From the Hong Kong YouTube Channel: “Finger Lickin’ Good Edible Nail Polish.” [This ad is in Chinese.]
From the Philippines YouTube Channel: For those preferring hot tasting chicken, KFC Hot Shots is getting customers all fired up! 
From the Thailand YouTube Channel: The legend is back by popular demand — KFC crispy chicken Chilliwack, cheese, onions, peppers, dark burn. [This ad is in Thai.]

 

Posted in Global Retailing, Online Retailing, Part 1: Overview/Planning, Part 2: Ownership, Strategy Mix, Online, Nontraditional, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 7: Communicating with the Customer, Social Media and Retailing, Video Clips (non-career) | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment