The Value of Point-of-Sale Materials in a Digital Era

Although online shopping and social media continue to grow and transform the retailing experience, point-of-sale materials remain a critical factor for store-based retailers.
Consider these observations from FESPA, a global federation of 37 national associations:
“Point of Sale (POS), promotional, and in-store packaging are becoming increasingly important to brand marketers, with many investing in neurological research to find out why we buy what we buy.”
“It’s said that the point of sale (POS) is the last great marketing opportunity. After the multi-million [dollar] TV spots, print campaigns, billboard ads, focus groups, and social media chatter, whether a product sells often comes down to a quick decision made in a supermarket aisle.  That decision depends on a huge range of factors: discounts, placement, whether the customer is male or female, how much time they have, pester power, and obviously, requirement.”
“When we shop, up to 80% of our purchase decisions are made at the POS. So it should come as no surprise that brands regard this point in the customer journey as vital – so vital that a specialist industry sector has emerged to cater for this increasing demand for insight into the mind of the customer. Shopper marketing – the science of attracting customers to in-store products – isn’t particularly new. Ever since the first shopkeeper began placing high-margin goods at eye level after noticing these were often the first to sell out, shopper marketing has been around for centuries. But what’s different now is the level of complexity and sophistication required to keep brands shifting product in the face of increased in-store and online competition.”
“With the average person assaulted by over 170 marketing messages on a typical journey to work, it’s becoming more and more difficult to attract and retain customer attention, so brands are placing more importance on the in-store experience. Indeed, research by Booz & Co for the Grocery Manufacturers of America found that some brands are actually spending more on shopper marketing than digital marketing.”
Click the image to learn more from FESPA.

Credit for Slides: Michelle Adams, Founder & President, Marketing Brainology
Post suggested by Bekir Telek

 

Posted in Global Retailing, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 5: Managing a Retail Business, Part 6: Merchandise Management and Pricing, Part 7: Communicating with the Customer, Technology in Retailing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Pinterest: A Valuable Social Media Tool

Pinterest is booming — and, as a result, the social media site is now a key aspect of many companies’ online strategies. For example, see these two previous posts: Better Understanding Pinterest and The Appeal of Pinterest to Retailers.
Today, according to Crispin Sheridan, reporting for ClickZ: “The new ‘it girl’ in Hollywood may be Jennifer Lawrence, but in the online world it’s Pinterest. The image content sharing service just raised $200 million at a $2.5 billion valuation and is successfully being leveraged by several online retailers and large brands. Eighty percent of Pinterest users are women and one in five women are on it. And they’re not posting pictures of their kids — like that other declining social behemoth, Facebook. No, Pinterest users are curating everything from home décor and kitchen gadgets to baby products. They’re in a buying mood and they’re browsing for the next ‘it’ item. Why is that important? Simply, if you can make social profitable and influence commerce you are going to win the popularity race.”
Click the image to read more.

Posted in Part 2: Ownership, Strategy Mix, Online, Nontraditional, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 6: Merchandise Management and Pricing, Part 7: Communicating with the Customer, Social Media and Retailing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wi-Fi and Mobile Shopping

With the raid growth of Wi-Fi (both public and in-store), mobile shopping is moving to a whole new level.
As eMarketer reports: “Shoppers are taking full advantage of the information they can access using their mobile devices. JiWire’s survey of U.S. customers found that more than nine in 10 smartphone owners had used their device while at a physical store location. According to JiWire, both men and women who used in-store Wi-Fi on their phones were most often using it to compare prices, read customer reviews, or hunt down coupons and other deals that could be used at the store’s physical location.”
Click the image to read more.

 

Posted in 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, Part 7: Communicating with the Customer, Technology in Retailing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment