Starbucks Is Testing a New Hyper-Local Format

Posted on October 20, 2012 by bermanevansretail
In order to stimulate sales growth, Starbucks is experimenting with a new hyper-local format. The first such outlet is in Denver, Colorado (shown below).
As reported by Fast Company: “This week in Colorado, Starbucks opened a store unlike any before it. There are no leather chairs or free power outlets. In fact, there’s no space for the customer at all. Starbucks has reimagined the coffee hut as a ‘modern modular,’ LEED-certified drive-thru and walk-up shop. The building was constructed in a factory and delivered from a truck, but its facade is clad in gorgeous old Wyoming snow fencing. As diminutive as the shop may be, its designer wants drivers to pass by and ask ‘What is that?’ only to conclude that, oh, ‘it’s art.’ ”
To learn more from Fast Company, click the photo.

 

Posted in Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 4: Store Location Planning, Part 5: Managing a Retail Business | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

This Web Site Will Make Deceptive Firms Yelp

Posted on October 19, 2012 by bermanevansretail
Yelp is a popular online review service. As the firm notes at its Web site: “Yelp is the best way to find great local businesses. People use Yelp to search for everything from the city’s tastiest burger to the most renowned cardiologist. What will you uncover in your neighborhood?”
But, Yelp has been faced with several phony reviews posted to improve specific ratings — and it has decided to do something about it. The company wants its review process to be as honest, transparent, and trustworthy as possible.
According to David Streitfelt, writing for the New York Times: “Like every Web site that depends on consumer critiques, Yelp has a problem with companies trying to manipulate their results. So it set up a sting operation to catch them. The first eight businesses — including a moving company, two repair shops, and a concern that organizes treasure hunts — will find themselves exposed on Thursday [October 18]. For the next three months, their Yelp profile pages will feature a ‘consumer alert’ that says: ‘We caught someone red-handed trying to buy reviews for this business.'”
Click the image to read Streitfelt’s full story.


 

Posted in Online Retailing, Part 1: Overview/Planning, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 7: Communicating with the Customer, Social Media and Retailing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

An Optimistic Retail Holiday Forecast from Platt Retail Institute

Posted on October 19, 2012 by bermanevansretail
There are many 2012 retail holiday forecasts that range from weak to strong sales estimates. One of the more optimistic forecasts is from the Platt Retail Institute: “This year’s holiday retail sales forecasts are out. Most are conservative, looking for a 3-4 percent sales increase. Compare this to last year’s increase of 5.6 percent. PRI is a bit more optimistic than most. We look for a 4.4-4.8 percent increase. The difference between the consensus forecast, on the one hand, and that of PRI, on the other, is a matter of perspective. We believe that most forecasts are overly conservative due to a focus on macro-economic factors. On the other hand, PRI has taken more of a bottom-up approach, as summarized here.”
Let’s see who turns out to be right.
Click the chart to learn more from Platt.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

 

Posted in Part 1: Overview/Planning, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 8: Putting It All Together | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment