trendwatching.com: etail evolution Apr 2012

May 2012trendwatching.com’s free Monthly Trend Briefing(R)etail (R)evolutionetail is retail is etail

introduction Exactly as predicted by e-gurus 15 years ago, e-commerce is hotter than Some obligatory stats: ever. Whether in mature markets, where consumer spending is shifting • US e-commerce sales will grow 62% by 2016, to USD 327 billion (Source: online, or in growth markets where rapid urbanization and increasing Forrester, February 2012). (mobile) internet penetration are unlocking new shopping habits, shoppers • European e-commerce sales will grow by 78% by 2016, to USD 230 billion are ‘e-commercing’ it up. (Source: Forrester, February 2012). Now, consumers’ current ‘online’ experiences are of course fundamentally • Brazilian e-commerce sales will grow 21.9% in 2012 to USD 18.7 billion (Source: eMarketer, January 2012). different to those during the early dotcom boom: e-commerce is no longer just about choice, price, convenience, reviews and ratings, but also about • Chinese e-commerce sales were CNY 780 billion (USD 124 billion) in 2011, an increase of 66% from 2010. E-commerce is expected to rise from 3% of everything that consumers look for in any purchase: status, the right consumption to 7% by 2015 (Source: IDC, March 2012). product and a compelling experience. • India’s e-commerce market is expected to grow to USD 70 billion by 2020, from just USD 600 million in 2011 (Source: Technopak Advisors, February 2012). • Indonesian e-commerce sales are forecast to grow from USD 120 million in 2010 to USD 650 million by 2015 (Source: Frost & Sullivan, February 2012).w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 2

Contents For consumers who are constantly connected, buying online is simply #1: E IS FOR another option, rather than a wholly separate and distinct medium. EVERYWHERE Featuring sub-trends like: SCREEN CULTURE, ALL THE WEB’S A (SHOP) WINDOW and ON TO OFF / OFF TO ON. #2: metail Going ‘online’ now means immersing oneself in (and enthusiastically adding to) a rich, personalized, social web. Featuring sub-trends CASHING IN ON CURATION, SELL-YOUR-OWN STORES, RETAIL INVESTMENT and AT YOUR SERVICE. #3: E(asy) All the barriers initially holding e-commerce back (e.g. correct fit, secure payments, convenient deliveries) have been significantly reduced, if not commerce totally removed. Featuring sub-trends PERFECT FIT, DELIVERY DELIGHT, LIFE: SUBSCRIBED and PERFECT PAYMENTS.. #4: oh that Consumer expectations at large are now set online. Endless choice, instant gratification, total transparency, seamless collaboration, the list wonderful web goes on… Featuring sub-trends like NICHE RICHE, CROWD CLOUT, TOTAL TRANSPARENCY, ETAIL-TAINMENT and EXCLUSIVE EXPERIENCES.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 3

#1 E IS FOR EVERYWHERE For consumers who are constantly connected, buying online is simply another option, rather than a wholly separate and distinct medium. For consumers, the very act of navigating to a website, locating SCREEN CULTURE / and then buying a specific product is giving way to a world where (e)commerce is always just a click (or a point, tap, swipe) away. ALL THE WEB’S A (SHOP) WINDOW / Indeed, e-commerce is rapidly being joined by ‘m-’ and ‘t-’ commerce on to off / (via mobile, tablet and TV). Whatever the medium, consumers will use off to on / any and every available technology that helps them find and buy the right product, at the right price, in a manner they enjoy.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 4

screen We looked at the all-pervasive SCREEN CULTURE in our 12 Crucial Consumer Trends * Note: That’s it in this Trend Briefing for m-commerce. Yes, the lines between mobile culture and online are getting more blurred by the day, for 2012. Now, for (r)etailers, everything from especially for mobile-first consumers in emerging bus stops to TV programs can be an outlet, as markets, but to keep this manageable, for us and consumers armed with smartphones or tablets you, we’ll save looking at all the m-commerce embrace innovative new applications and developments for another Trend Briefing! technologies to shop wherever and whenever*. Tesco Homeplus: Glamour & L’Oreal: QR code bus stop stores Fashion Taxis QR code ‘shopping walls’ have popped up During New York’s Fashion Week, Glamour everywhere since Tesco Homeplus’ pilot in Korea. magazine partnered with L’Oreal to enable The company has now extended the initiative to passengers riding in selected cabs to buy 20 bus stops in Seoul, after becoming the number Lancôme products they saw featured on the in- one shopping app in Korea with nearly one million cab TV screens. downloads.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 5

screen culture QR code virtual shops ‘Watch with eBay’ iPad app Other online brands deploying the stores include eBay’s new iPad app includes ‘Watch With eBay’. eBay in both London and New York, PayPal in Users enter the channel they are viewing to see Singapore, luxury fashion retailer Net-a-Porter, relevant items available for purchase. For example, and online grocery store Ocado. Traditional sports fans watching a game can buy memorabilia retailers such as Toys”R”Us, Sears and Kmart, as relevant to the teams on screen. well as manufacturers such as Procter & Gamble have also deployed the ‘stores’. With their winning combination of novelty, convenience and low set-up costs, shopping walls could be one retail innovation that runs and runs.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 6

ALL THE WEB’S It’s not just offline that consumers are able to seamlessly buy almost everything they * As with many new technologies, some publishers won’t be able to resist the temptation to blanket their photos and A (SHOP) videos with intrusive ads. You shouldn’t need us to tell you encounter (see our February/March 2012 Trend to only embed subtle, helpful and most importantly welcome Briefing on POINT-KNOW-BUY). Online too, product links. And no, aggressive pop-ups will never people can increasingly click, find, and then become ‘cool’. WINDOW buy items they see in images or videos*. IKEA & ThingLink: Shoppable images Stipple: Image marketplace IKEA have been using ThingLink technology to Stipple offers consumers the ability to discover, embed product links into the images on their and then purchase objects in images. Swedish blog, enabling customers to shop directly from the photos.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 7

ALL THE WEB’S A (SHOP) WINDOW Gucci: Shop the Spring/ Summer 2012 video ClickBerry: Tag videos to make them interactive Until POINT-KNOW-BUY technologies can ClickBerry offers a number of solutions to make be accurately deployed by people merely videos interactive, by enabling publishers to add watching videos online, it’s up to brands to create clickable areas to their videos. ‘shoppable’ videos. Which is exactly what Gucci have done to promote their Spring/Summer 2012 collection.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 8

ON TO OFF While virtually all consumers are now online, sometimes it makes sense for even the Because after all, as we observed in RETAIL RENAISSANCE, consumers will continue to biggest online brands to branch out from crave ‘real world’ experiences for a long time to their virtual roots and reach out to customers come. in the real world too. Amazon: Google: Rumored Dublin Launching retail stores? store In February 2012, industry blog Good E Reader Following their pop-up Chromebook store in reported that Amazon would launch a retail store London in October 2011, a planning application in its hometown of Seattle, to showcase its branded in January 2012 led to rumors that Google was physical products such as the Kindle. planning to open a retail store in Dublin, Ireland.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 9

ON TO OFF Groupon: Available at kiosks in Chicago Living Social: 918 F Street Daily deal site Groupon launched interactive Groupon competitor Living Social opened 918 F kiosks in Chicago in January 2012, enabling Street, a 28,000 square foot, six story building people to buy deals for local businesses direct in Washington DC. The space is used to host the from the machines. experiences that the site sells online, such as cooking, painting and yoga classes.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 10

ON TO OFF Threadless & GAP: Online retailer’s t-shirts StylistPick: Meet the sold in stores curators at pop-up store Threadless, the crowdsourced t-shirt site that Personalized online accessory subscription service became one of the web’s most successful retailers, StylistPick opened a pop-up store in London’s launched a collaboration with GAP in February Westfield shopping center in February 2012, where 2012. The partnership saw 25 t-shirt designs from fans could meet the celebrity curators behind their the online brand available in selected GAP stores selections. and online.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 11

OFF TO ON Just as consumers enjoy finding previously online-only brands offline, they also expect the offline to be accessible online. Now, while there’s obviously nothing new about brands selling online, these recent OFF TO ON innovations stand out: Google Catalogs: App Turnhills: offers digital versions of Window shop online store catalogs store Turnhills is a crowdsourced online photo directory Google’s Catalogs tablet app brings real world of real store windows. Launched in December catalogs online. The app features digital catalogs 2011, the site currently covers New York. from brands such as Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Sephora and Williams- Sonoma. Users can search for products within and across catalogs, and either buy online or locate in-store products.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 12

OFF TO ON PanoPlaza: Online Plink: Facebook credits for shopping in real stores offline purchases Japan based PanoPlaza launched in January January 2012 also saw the launch of Plink, a 2012. The site creates virtual versions of bricks- loyalty program where participants are rewarded and-mortar stores using 360-degree panoramic with Facebook Credits for shopping and dining photos, complete with ‘hotspots’ where products offline. Participating establishments include Taco are available for purchase. The technology has Bell, 7-Eleven and Dunkin’ Donuts, with over been used in Tokyo for a department store, a 25,000 locations available across the US. bookshop, and a sweet shop.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 13

#2 (M)etail Going ‘online’ now means immersing oneself in (and enthusiastically adding to) a rich, personalized, social web. Giving customers a uniquely personalized or tailored experience is CASHING IN ON CURATION / something that successful e-commerce sites from Amazon onwards have always focused on. But now, consumers sit at the center (and SELL-YOUR-OWN STORES / indeed actively contribute to) a far richer and more deeply personal RETAIL INVESTMENT / and personalized online experience - meaning e-tail is increasingly (M)ETAIL. AT YOUR SERVICE / Expect the trend for all forms of of personalization and curation to continue, as consumers embrace everything that enables them to display their style and good taste (as on social ‘pinning’ site Pinterest), or to receive selected, high quality picks from trusted curators (as with independent, design-focused Fab.com).w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 14

CASHING IN ON The status boost that comes from discovering, compiling, commenting, recommending and they will also welcome brands or platforms that reward them for their sharing. CURATION sharing desirable, inspiring or useful products But be warned, this isn’t about bribing people and services means that the trend for to tweet about you or ‘like’ you. Smart brands consumers to become curators will run and will be those that encourage or incentivize run. And while many consumers won’t need existing consumer behavior in a genuine any encouragement to become SOCIAL-LITES, and natural way. VANCL Star: Share your RNKD: Winning wardrobes style and earn Users of RNKD are awarded points for uploading Customers of Vancl, one of China’s largest fashion photos of clothes and accessories in their closet. e-tailers, can set up their own personal stores The more points a user has, the better their as part of the brand’s VANCL Star initiative. chances of winning a prize, with rewards including Customers can upload photos of themselves Zappos gift cards. wearing Vancl products, and as well as highlighting potential combinations and styles, they get 10% of sales generated from their pages.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 15

CASHING IN ON CURATION Fopping.com: Friend-based discounts Zara People! Fopping.com is an Indian startup where Brands too can easily tap into this trend. Zara’s consumers get discounts for sharing potential People! initiative asks fans of the brand to upload purchases with their social networks. The more photos of themselves wearing at least two items friends a user has, the lower the price they pay. from the Spring/Summer 2012 collection. Each week, a selection of photos are published on the brand’s website, with featured contributors winning EUR 300.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 16

SELL-YOUR- Consumers will always be attracted to both the perfect fit and prestige of personalized or Yet, while some early pioneer brands and entrepreneurs have been letting consumers OWN STORES bespoke products, and, hurrah, e-commerce, create, design, tweak or edit their products for with its separation of order and fulfillment, has years, social networks make it easier than ever long promised to deliver mass customization. for these customer-producers to then sell (and And of course, the mega-trend for consumers therefore profit from) their own creations to become producers continues apace. too. Converse Made By uFlavor: Make-and-sell- Facebook app your-drinks Opened to selected testers from December Launched in December 2011, uFlavor offers 2011, Converse Made By is a Facebook app consumers the chance to concoct their own soft that enables users to design their own Converse drinks. Customers can choose from a list of 100 sneakers and sell them to their friends on the social flavors and upload images to create personalized network and via their own virtual store, with users labels. Drinks are available to buy online via the who sell enough pairs being rewarded with free uFlavor marketplace, and creators are rewarded pairs of Converse shoes. for each sale.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 17

SELL-YOUR- OWN STORES Kaiser Chiefs: Make-your- Scottish Whisky Blender own album Glasgow-based Scottish Whisky Blender enables In June 2011, UK band Kaiser Chiefs released visitors to design their own custom whiskey blends, their album “The Future is Medieval”. The band by choosing from seven hand-picked whiskies. produced twenty tracks, and fans could choose Customers’ creations are also entered into the ten to create their own version of the album, brand’s archive and available for sale by anyone which they were then actively encouraged to sell. with the unique code. Creators received GBP 1 for each album they sold for GBP 7.50.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 18

RETAIL The opacity of production and distribution meant that customers were often left with and creators to pitch products directly to consumers. INVESTMENT products that someone else (i.e. distant brands) And the near-infinite flexibility of e-commerce thought they wanted. has allowed tiered pricing to move way Now increased transparency and collaboration beyond boxed sets or limited editions. on social networks mean that consumers can Consumers looking for ever-valuable STATUS help support production of specific items or STORIES are often able to support favored projects that attract their attention. Platforms projects not just with a purchase but a like Kickstarter enable entrepreneurs, designers significant investment. Learn from: TikTok: iPod Nano watch-strap Coffee Joulies Chicago design firm MINIMAL created TikToc, a The inventors of Coffee Joulies, metal ‘coffee watch-strap attachment for the iPod Nano that beans‘ containing a thermodynamic material that raised over USD 900,000 from 13,500 people on cools excessively hot drinks, and then maintains Kickstarter. Nearly 1,500 people pledged USD 150 the heat as the drink cools, put the project on or more for editions laser-signed by the designer. Kickstarter hoping to raise USD 9,500. Nearly 5,000 people pledged over USD 300,000.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 19

RETAIL INVESTMENT Not always enough Benfeitoria: Auire Prisma time to read our bill identifier for the blind Trend Briefings? Check out our exclusive yet affordable Global Trend Seminars (Aug-Oct 2012) 13 cities, 11 countries. Don’t miss out. Benefeitoria is a Brazilian crowdfunding platform Give us half a day of your time, and leave the similar to Kickstarter. A recent sVuccessful project room knowing about every consumer trend, saw Auire Prisma, a scanner for visually impaired insight and innovation that needs to be on your people that could ‘read’ notes and say which radar! denomination they are, get funded and go into production.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 20

AT YOUR One of the benefits of shopping in-store is the ability to speak with shop assistants and From tapping into publicly available if not volunteered information, or connecting SERVICE get advice. But e-tailers too can now take consumers with other consumers to get advantage of the widespread adoption of social better recommendations, there are endless technologies to unlock innovative ways to online services that make it possible to find replicate, if not enhance, these ways to serve the perfect product. Take inspiration from the online shoppers. examples below: ASOS Skype Style Needle: Customer-powered Sessions customer service February 2012 saw British fashion e-tailer ASOS Needle enables companies to use loyal brand offer customers free ‘Style Sessions’ via Skype. aficionados to assist in live online chats with Selected participants could ask ASOS’ Style customers, in return for points which can be Advisors questions about ASOS apparel and seek redeemed for gifts. By discussing how they use the out advice on purchases they were considering. product in their daily lives for example.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 21

AT YOUR SERVICE CTrip: Automated Weibo Reach.ly: Travel leads via concierge Twitter for hotels Chinese travel site CTrip launched an automated Latvian service Reach.ly filters Twitter traffic ‘robot’ in Februrary 2012 that could automatically to show hotels tweets from people who have and instantly respond to Weibo messages directed expressed an interest in traveling to a particular at it, such as about flight prices, or hotel rates in city. specific destinations.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 22

AT YOUR SERVICE Ticketmaster: Karma: Gift giving made Recommended gigs based easy on listening history Karma is an app that enables users to easily The Ticketmaster timeline app for Facebook give spur of the moment gifts. Connecting the suggests recommended gigs for fans based on app with Facebook also enables users to receive their Spotify listening history. The app can also tell notifications about which of their friends they users where their friends’ tickets are located to might want to give a gift to, by highlighting friends enable people to sit together. who have recently experienced something worth celebrating.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 23

#3 E(ASY)- COMMERCE All the barriers initially holding e-commerce back (e.g. correct fit, secure payments, convenient deliveries) have been significantly reduced, if not totally removed. Clothes, shoes, furniture, groceries. All things that were widely PERFECT FIT / predicted to be impossible to sell online, yet increasingly added to millions of virtual baskets around the world. The following sub-trends DELIVERY DELIGHT / show why, with the right infrastructure, anything that is bought, will LIFE: SUBSCRIBED / be bought online too. PERFECT PAYMENTS /w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 24

PERFECT FIT Buying something that can’t be seen, touched or tested will forever be a barrier. Many popular technologies mean that customers can be ever more confident that they are making a perfect e-tailers have borne the risk of returns in an purchase first time. attempt to overcome shoppers’ fears, but new Upcload: Sizing via a CD Bodymetrics: Living room and webcam to fitting room With Berlin based Upcload, shoppers stand in UK based Bodymetrics launched its LivingRoom front of their webcams holding a CD as pictured, fitting product at CES 2012. The PrimeSense 3D to generate a personalized size profile that can technology can map a user’s body using Kinect- be used when purchasing apparel products. The like 3D sensors. When attvached to a TV, shoppers North Face is currently trialing the system in the can virtually ‘try on’ clothes and see how they will US. fit on their body shape.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 25

PERFECT FIT Zazzle: Visualize art on the Brayola: find perfect bra walls size Launched in December 2011, US based Zazzle’s Israel’s Brayola, which launched in February 2012, Realview enables users to upload their own aims to help women buy perfectly fitting bras photographs to the site in order to visualize how online. Rather than using measurements, the site the DIY e-tailer’s prints and artwork would look in asks women which bras they already own that are their own home. comfortable, and then matches them against its database to recommend similarly fitting bras.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 26

DELIVERY With customers’ NOWISM and lust for instant gratification (and combined with the frequent And while ‘click and collect’ services remain popular with online shoppers, also DELIGHT difficulties in receiving goods bought online), check out these recent innovations: making delivery seamless or even a delight should be right at the forefront of every e-entrepreneur’s or e-tailer’s mind. Shutl offers speedy The Corner & FedEx: Try- deliveries while-they-wait-commerce UK based Shutl offer deliveries in as little as 90 Italian fashion e-tailer Yoox offers customers in minutes across much of the UK. In March 2012, the China enhanced delivery services when they order brand announced that they were partnering with from the dedicated Chinese version of its luxury Maplin, an electronics retailer, to offer delivery in multi-brand site, The Corner. In partnership with over 40 cities. FedEx, Chinese shoppers can expect delivery staff to wait while they look over their purchases, try them on and decide whether they want to keep or return them.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 27

DELIVERY DELIGHT Slice: Keep the surprise Giftwhip: Virtual gift while tracking online gifts wrapping Slice enables users to track all their online And it’s not just physical goods that are ripe for purchases in one place. In December 2011, the innovation. Giftwhip aims to make receiving online company rolled out their ‘Track With Friends’ gift cards, vouchers or virtual goods more exciting. feature, enabling recipients to track their gifts The service creates a virtual present, which without revealing what they are or how much they recipients can’t open or view until the ‘unwrap date’ cost. set by the giver.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 28

LIFE: We first looked at the rise of subscription- based sites last year, but with their winning SUBSCRIBED combination of convenience and curation ensure that this is one ‘trend’ that you should be sure to sign up to ;-) Memberly: Run-your-own Frank & Oak: Only pay for subscription service what you keep The emergence of a platform is always a sure sign Frank & Oak offers a twist on the fashion that a trend is booming, and Memberly, a platform subscription model. Based in Montreal, members that provides a back-end administration panel and of the site’s Hunt Club are sent a monthly email payment handling for online subscription services, with that month’s fashion selections. Customers is no exception. select between one and four items that they wish to receive by post, and unwanted items can be returned free of charge.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 29

LIFE: SUBSCRIBED Los Paderos: La Ferme des Echancées: Artisan breads in Brazil ‘Contrat Poule’ Los Paderos is a Brazilian site that sends In October 2011, French farm, La Ferme des subscribers three loaves of half-baked artisan Echancées made its ‘Contrat Poule’ (‘Chicken bread each week. Customers can then store the Contract’) service available to 50 towns. loaves in the fridge for up to two weeks; when ‘Subscribers’ receive packages of eggs for one they’re ready to eat them, they simply finish baking year, and at the end of the nesting season they can them. opt to have the carcass delivered to them to cook.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 30

PERFECT Most internet users are now (fairly) comfortable with shopping online. Yes, concerns remain, but process too often remains far from seamless, creating opportunities for any innovation PAYMENTS online sales continue to significantly outpace that makes paying online quicker, more all other spending, despite the occasional convenient, or more secure. well-publicized glitch. However, the checkout PayPal Access: Facebook Credits: An Single sign-in alternative currency? Citing the high abandonment rate when consumers Facebook announced in February 2012 that it are required to register at a new site to complete had partnered with a number of the largest mobile a purchase, eBay launched its PayPal Access operators, including AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, product in October 2011. The initiative allows Orange, Telefónica, T-Mobile USA, Verizon and consumers to login to, and pay at participating Vodafone, to enable users to make Facebook e-tailers without having to register a new account. Credit purchases via mobile operator billing (i.e. see the charge appear on their mobile phone bill).w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 31

PERFECT PAYMENTS Flipkart: Virtual ‘wallet’ Amex: Sync with Twitter Indian online shoppers often face issues with American Express launched its Sync initiative payment gateways, perhaps explaining why many in March 2012. Cardholders can link their credit e-commerce transactions are still settled with cards to their Twitter accounts, to receive coupons cash on delivery. Hoping to smooth the payment and discounts for tweeting certain hashtags. For process, Flipkart, India’s answer to Amazon, example, users who tweeted #AmexWholefoods introduced a feature where customers could received a USD 20 credit on purchases of over deposit up to INR 10,000 (USD 190) in an online USD 75. Participating brands include H&M, ‘wallet’, enabling users to check out quickly McDonalds, Best Buy and Zappos. without having to re-enter their credit card details.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 32

#4 OH WHAT A WONDERFUL WEB Consumer expectations at large are now set online. Endless choice, instant gratification, total transparency, seamless collaboration, the list goes on… Certain factors (taste, smell, and physical interaction to name just a NICHE RICHE / few) still compel people to continue to shop in the ‘real world’. But the online world has its advantages too, especially when it comes to CROWD CLOUT / things such as collaboration, accessibility, reach, transparency and TOTAL TRANSPARENCY / shareability. ETAIL-TAINMENT / In fact, consumers now expect the online experience to not just match the offline experience, but to improve on it in ways that are EXCLUSIVE E-XPERIENCES / difficult if not impossible to replicate offline.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 33

NICHE RICHE E-commerce is an endless aisle, in which consumers can shop niche products from all selling quirky, unique or storied products that perfectly align with their particular interest or over the world as well as in the online mega- tribe. malls such as eBay and Amazon. On the business side too, it’s easier than ever And the appeal of small-scale, artisan shops to open an online store, as there are now is just as strong online as it is offline. Indeed endless platforms and solutions that make it online consumers can now easily discover virtually effortless, from Shopify, Payvment, (whether via personal tips or via trusted eBay Xcommerce to Taobao and more. curators) even the smallest, most obscure store With Love from Brooklyn: LocalBrand.co.id: Your local online store Indonesian fashion portal With Love from Brooklyn is an online retailer that LocalBrand.co.id is based in Indonesia and only sells items created by local artisans. The site’s exclusively stocks Indonesian high-fashion products range from the iconic Brooklyn Cruiser, designers, with a goal of supporting and promoting to locally made food, drinks and preserves, to the local brands on a global stage. An online works of local artists. magazine also features photo shoots, interviews and pictures of Indonesian ‘street style’.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 34

NICHE RICHE Never Liked It Anyway: Cuelcinha: Male lingerie in Post-break up sales Brazil Launched in December 2011, Never Liked It Launched in January 2012, Cuelcinha is a Anyway is a marketplace where users can sell Brazilian site that sells fine lingerie collections for items connected to past romantic relationships. A men. Products include high quality boxers and wide variety of products are available on the site, panties made with fine fabrics, animal prints and generally at a discounted ‘break-up’ price, with lace inserts. Pieces are designed to fit the male many unwanted gifts such as jewelry, or items anatomy in comfort, with elasticated detailing. connected with engagements or marriages like wedding dresses.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 35

CROWD CLOUT One of the things that comes easily online is mass collaboration, and the crowdsourcing Now, with more consumers than ever pretty much constantly online and plugged into social trend is one that we’ve been watching for a networks, it’s never been easier for shoppers while (check out our first look at CROWD CLOUT to harness the power of the crowd in new and way back in 2007!). innovative ways. FlightFox: Human- Handsup.cn: Crowdsourced powered flight deals daily deals While e-commerce often promises low prices, Launched in China during December 2011, deal sometimes finding the best price can be difficult site Handsup.cn invites users to submit ideas and/or time-consuming. Australian site FlightFox for products they would like to see on its virtual allows travelers to set up a contest where online shelves, and suggest how much they want to pay travel experts can compete to find the best for them. Users can then vote for the deal, and if it available prices for future trips. Users pay an AUD proves popular, Handsup staff contact the brand 29 ‘finders fee’ (refundable if a cheaper flight is or business in question to try and arrange the found within 48 hours), and the site claims to save promotion. people AUD 369 per trip on average.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 36

CROWD CLOUT Amazon: Vote for Black Galoo: Greek ‘reverse Friday deals buying’ platform In November 2011, Amazon asked its Facebook Launched in September 2011, Greek website fans to vote on which discounts they should offer Galoo allows users to suggest the price they are during the Black Friday to Cyber Monday period willing to pay for an item, and invite friends to (two popular days for shopping in the US). The ‘strengthen’ their negotiating position. If a seller 30% discounts were available on the e-tailer’s agrees to the suggested price, the two parties specialist sites, Soap.com, Diapers.com, Wag.com organize payment and delivery. and YoYo.com.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 37

TOTAL We’ve looked on a number of occasions at TRANSPARENCY TRIUMPH, and how the people thought about products or services; transparency 2.0 saw this become just a TRANSPARENCY availability of online information is reshaping default element of decision-making; now consumer expectations and corporate behavior transparency 3.0 will be about making almost (check out our recent Trend Briefing on all aspects of the transaction and experience FLAWSOME ;-). transparent: manufacturing, pricing, reviews, popularity, and even personal relevance. If transparency 1.0 was all about the excitement at being able to see exactly what other (real!) Honest By: Transparent fashion KLM: Meet & Seat Launched in Belgium in January 2012, Honest February 2012 saw KLM roll out its Meet & Seat By is a sustainable, fully transparent apparel initiative. The optional service allows passengers brand and e-tailer. For every product available to link their booking to their Facebook or LinkedIn on the Honest By site, full information is available profile and select a seat next to the individuals they on manufacturing (including working conditions), find most interesting. material and supplier sources, pricing, and ethical or organic certifications.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 38

TOTAL TRANSPARENCY Hotels.com: Notify how many people Igluu: Shop for groceries have booked in past day across multiple stores Hotels.com recently implemented a feature that Igluu is a free Brazilian service that lets consumers showed visitors to its site how many times the hotel browse multiple sites and create virtual shopping they were viewing had been booked in the past 24 lists (online or on their smartphones). For each hours. item, the service shows users which participating store offers the cheapest price, and once they’ve picked the store to order from, Igluu transfers their shopping cart to that retailer to arrange delivery.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 39

ETAIL- Successful retailers in the ‘offline’ world are often those that make a store visit an enjoyable Rather than trying to replicate the offline experience, e-tailers can deploy new TAINMENT or exciting event (including those, as we showed in RETAIL RENAISSANCE, who use techniques that make e-commerce ‘fun’ in ways that physical retail can’t match, such as technology to enhance the experience and allowing consumers to collaborate, compete bring the benefits of online to the offline world). and turn shopping into a (virtual) game. Fantasy Shopper: Fantasy Little Black Bag: Football, with clothes ;-) Take or trade Launched in the UK in October 2011, Fantasy Mimicking Japanese department stores’ ‘fukurburo’ Shopper is a social shopping game that gives (lucky bag) sales, shoppers with Little Black Bag users fantasy money to browse, style and receive a mystery bag with a selection of fashion ‘purchase’ clothes from over 300 real stores. and beauty products every month. They then Players can unlock major world shopping have a week to trade with other users to make destinations, and complete challenges to boost their perfect collection. To further increase the their ‘fashionista reputation’, all while earning real excitement, selected bags contain prizes worth 4 discount codes and vouchers for participating to 5 times the value of the bags. brands.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 40

EXCLUSIVE Online, everything is available to everyone, so the story goes. Yet for consumers, anything has simply been an email address away. Now a number of brands and entrepreneurs E-XPERIENCES scarce or exclusive instantly makes it that much more attractive. are seeking to introduce true e-commerce exclusivity, and thus tap into consumers’ Flash sale sites have played on this for years, desire for unique or memorable experiences with sites like vente-privee and Gilt limiting (and the great STATUS STORIES that come access to members only, even if membership with them). ICB: Invite-only digital fashion show Adam Tensta: Pass It On Fashion PR firm KCD launched Digital Fashion Swedish rapper Adam Tensta released his latest Shows at New York’s Fashion Week in February single ‘Pass it On’ via a Facebook app. The catch? 2012. The site hosts virtual fashion shows, Only one copy of the track exists, and users are streamed only to invited guests. required to sign up to join the queue to listen to it. Once they reach the front of the ‘queue’, users have one hour to listen to the track.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 41

EXCLUSIVE E-XPERIENCES Fat Duck Restaurant: Kid in Gilt Groupe offers deal on a Sweetshop experience airplane rental Celebrity chef Heston Blumental’s Fat Duck November 2011 saw daily deal site Gilt Groupe restaurant is famous for its immersive experiences, offer members the chance to rent a Virgin America and from February 2012, diners who succeeded Airbus A320 plane (seating up to 145 people). The in getting a reservation received an email inviting deal was priced at USD 60,000, and individuals them to view an exclusive animated stereo could choose a name for the plane and have this experience. The link could be accessed four times painted on the side of the Airbus. only.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 42

IMPLICATIONS Even in this monster Trend Briefing, with its four big themes and various Hence (R)ETAIL (R)EVOLUTION: all commerce is being affected by sub-trends, we’ve only scratched the surface of (R)ETAIL (R)EVOLUTION: e-commerce, and in return e-commerce will be affected by the same content commerce, celebrity curators, Facebook’s ‘want’ and ‘own’ general trends that define consumer behavior across all mediums, online buttons, shopping from the newsfeed, paying with tweets, cash on and in traditional retail. delivery, online pop-ups and more were left on the cutting room floor. So keep watching, keep learning, and most importantly keep (or start!) doing! But our biggest challenge? Trying to stick to just ‘e-commerce’. Because, as In the meantime, we’ll be hard at work on our next Trend Briefing! Make sure we showed in our Trend Briefing on RETAIL RENAISSANCE (and touching you’re subscribed. on it again here in E IS FOR EVERYWHERE), all shopping increasingly takes place within an e-commerce ecosystem that includes not just online and offline, but mobiles, tablets and TVs too.w w w. t r e n d w a t c h i n g . c o m (R)etail (R)evolution 43

NEXT Enjoyed this Trend Briefing? Want more? Click below and make sure you stay on top of all the trends, insights and innovations that matter: Previous Trend sign up Briefings Trend Seminars To receive our free monthly Trend Briefings Read all our previous free Trend Briefings, all the No time? Attend one of our exclusive trend seminars by email way back to 2002! and hear about all the key trends, in just half a day. In 13 cities from August to October 2012! Share tips Premium Service Share this Trend Briefing your team, your Want to track and apply trends yourself? Click Need access to all the vital consumer trends, insights clients or your friends, and make sure they’re and innovations? Our Premium Service is for you. here for our top tips. in the know too.If you have any comments, suggestions or About usquestions then please do let us know. Just world’s leading brands as clients, while our free Established in 2002, trenwatching.com is theemail: monthly Trend Briefings go out to over 160,000 world’s leading trend firm, scanning the globe subscribers in 180 countries.ANDREA THORN for the most promising consumer trends, insights and related hands-on business ideas. More atHead of Client Services Our Premium Service counts many of the www.trendwatching.comandrea@trendwatching.com

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