This document discusses the results of a study conducted by the mobile marketing agency Plastic Mobile to understand what engages consumers on mobile apps. The study found that successful retail mobile apps rely on visuals like images to engage consumers because images can be processed more instinctively than text. It also found that the opening experience, and how quickly an app loads, strongly impacts the user's first impression. The study evaluated apps from Pizza Pizza, Best Buy, and Hyatt, and found consumer sentiments toward Hyatt declined after a negative app experience. The document also discusses VF Corp.'s approach to mobile, including how some of its brands like The North Face use dedicated apps versus mobile-optimized sites.
OgilvyOne Worldwide and OgilvyAction set out to discover how the growing penetration of smartphones influences the way people build brand preference and select, purchase and experience products in three representative international markets: the United States, the United Kingdom and Singapore. Marketers and retailers alike need to know where to focus their energies and how they can make the biggest impact on their bottom lines. The report reveals some surprising insights - conclusions that go against conventional wisdom - and some thought starters to identify the opportunities ahead.
The “Commerce Graph” is a new framework we have developed to think about the future of physical exchange. The model offers an alternative to the dominant narrative about the commerce landscape that frames digital networks as an adversary of physical exchange — a force that will inevitably drive us to buy and sell nearly everything virtually.
7 Inspiring Examples of Augmented Reality in the Business World Pixel Crayons
Many businesses are turning to augmented reality (AR) to reach new audiences, create immersive experiences, and boost sales. So, how can brands take advantage of an emerging trend like augmented reality (AR), which allows them to provide new customer experiences?
Let’s look at some of the most impressive examples of augmented reality in marketing to get you thinking about how you may use this technology to improve your consumers’ experiences in the future.
Brands create an expectation in our heads about how they should act, and the experiences we should have. They set the standard for other brands, irrespective of category.
OgilvyOne Worldwide and OgilvyAction set out to discover how the growing penetration of smartphones influences the way people build brand preference and select, purchase and experience products in three representative international markets: the United States, the United Kingdom and Singapore. Marketers and retailers alike need to know where to focus their energies and how they can make the biggest impact on their bottom lines. The report reveals some surprising insights - conclusions that go against conventional wisdom - and some thought starters to identify the opportunities ahead.
The “Commerce Graph” is a new framework we have developed to think about the future of physical exchange. The model offers an alternative to the dominant narrative about the commerce landscape that frames digital networks as an adversary of physical exchange — a force that will inevitably drive us to buy and sell nearly everything virtually.
7 Inspiring Examples of Augmented Reality in the Business World Pixel Crayons
Many businesses are turning to augmented reality (AR) to reach new audiences, create immersive experiences, and boost sales. So, how can brands take advantage of an emerging trend like augmented reality (AR), which allows them to provide new customer experiences?
Let’s look at some of the most impressive examples of augmented reality in marketing to get you thinking about how you may use this technology to improve your consumers’ experiences in the future.
Brands create an expectation in our heads about how they should act, and the experiences we should have. They set the standard for other brands, irrespective of category.
SXSW throws up a lot of interesting questions around the future of marketing...and while we couldn't be there to witness it...we've gone ahead and presented our ideas on what could be round the corner for brands.
Our Near Futures Series of inspiration and insights reports is designed to highlight what is happening today and how it can shape tomorrow for brands and business. This one is on the Near Future of Telecom.
Technology is crucial to the telecom industry and it continuously changes, disrupts, and molds consumer behaviour, marketing, and products on the market. By looking into the changing landscape and analyzing the early signs that are coming from the intersection of culture, business and technology, we found 3 emerging opportunity areas for telecommunication providers:
1. Beyond Talk and how communications habits are changing
2. Provide Value to the lives of your customers
3. Connected Everything and the rise of the Internet of Things
This report is powered by the LHBS Inspiration-Hub that systematically tracks changes in culture, markets and technology and how these signs collectively point to a bigger story.
The new smart customers - How they really buy and how we can address thisCarmen Fehrenbach
This slide deck presents the results of a Sapient internal study on consumer behavior during the purchase path and underlying information needs. Moreover, tools and ideas on how to enable connected consumer-brand experiences
over multiple channels are explained.
What is the future of CRM? It dawned on us that the customer/brand relationship will not change, but the what, when, where, why and how we manage the relationship will. This presentation helps explain why.
GAFAnomics: Using APIs to gain unfair competitive advantage in the network ec...Fabernovel
At FABERNOVEL, we’re convinced APIs are a powerful lever for traditional companies willing to enter and thrive in a world dominated by the GAFA (Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple), Unicorns (Uber, Airbnb…), Chinese giants (Alibaba, Tencent…) and all similar actors that have deeply changed the way goods and services are produced, shared and distributed.
As outlined in our latest study, these new players share one common feature: they’re all structured as networks, connecting individuals, businesses, information and goods to one another.
2014 top mobile trends. Discover which trends are shaping what marketers will need to know in the coming months and years to take advantage of the mobile opportunity.
A must-read before finalizing your marketing plans
Want to make 2014 a great year for your brand and business? Here are the 10 trends we at Jack Morton believe will make a difference for brands in the year to come. From the obvious social media marketing tactics to the not so obvious (the next iPhone that's not an iPhone), we share our POV on the things we think will matter to marketers in 2014.
Hidden in plain sight: How mobile is quietly revolutionizing the B2B worldOgilvy
Mobile@Ogilvy has published a new report into how business-to-business (B2B) brands can leverage “smart mobility” to gain significant competitive advantage. Entitled “Hidden in plain sight: How mobile is quietly revolutionizing the B2B world,” the report outlines key mobile opportunities for B2B marketers and describes how to develop mobile strategies for B2B brands.
With customers ranging from ASOS
to Tesco, this fi rm has a fair claim to
being the world’s biggest mobile
platform provider. Karen Moss speaks
to Jason Taylor, vice president at
Usablenet, the company that does
exactly what it says on the tin
Me Data - The Rising Opportunity for Self Optimization Apps Beyond
A new research study from creative digital agency Beyond, shows that the lack of concern over the privacy of Me Data - open, freely available, personal data - and the popularity of personal tracking apps is leading to a demand in self-optimization services like Google Now. These products and services will break out of the niches created by personal tracking apps, instead offering overall lifestyle self-optimization services based on several different strands of Me Data.
Mobile trends to transform your business in 2015Self-employed
To download the eBook, head on over to www.mobext.ph/ebook-download2015
In the eBook you'll find:
- The five crucial developments in the mobile space that your business must keep in mind to stay ahead
- Creative ways that other companies have leveraged mobile to reach both their business targets and their customers
- Tips to help boost your business’ mobile efforts
Fantastic Problems and Where to Find Them: Daryl WeirFuturice
Machine learning and big data have been buzz words for years now, but how do you know you have a machine learning problem on your hands? These slides, taken from a Futurice Beer & Tech talk, describe the types of problems ML methods are well suited to solve, with examples from a wide variety of industries. The deck also tells you where to get started if you want to try solving one of these problems yourself.
Will 2015 be the year of wearables? Will Apple Pay succeed? Why are enterprise apps getting more expensive and complex? What's happening with Big data? How should developers treat phablets?
Every year we analyse and summarise the key mobile trends for the following year and share with customers and partners. The main objective is to keep you up to date on what’s going on and give you insights into what these trends may mean for you. Last year our mobility predictions and UX/UI trend presentations were used in hundreds of workshops, lectures and jointly got more than 100,000 views on Slideshare.
The Top 10 Mobile Trends for 2015 are more exciting than ever as we are experiencing explosive growth in almost every area including mobile usage (apps and web), mobile commerce, payments, enterprise apps, Internet of Things, wearables, nearables (sensors) and invincibles, data driven mobile services (big data), mobility in healthcare, omni-channel retail and innovations in mobile application development.
SXSW throws up a lot of interesting questions around the future of marketing...and while we couldn't be there to witness it...we've gone ahead and presented our ideas on what could be round the corner for brands.
Our Near Futures Series of inspiration and insights reports is designed to highlight what is happening today and how it can shape tomorrow for brands and business. This one is on the Near Future of Telecom.
Technology is crucial to the telecom industry and it continuously changes, disrupts, and molds consumer behaviour, marketing, and products on the market. By looking into the changing landscape and analyzing the early signs that are coming from the intersection of culture, business and technology, we found 3 emerging opportunity areas for telecommunication providers:
1. Beyond Talk and how communications habits are changing
2. Provide Value to the lives of your customers
3. Connected Everything and the rise of the Internet of Things
This report is powered by the LHBS Inspiration-Hub that systematically tracks changes in culture, markets and technology and how these signs collectively point to a bigger story.
The new smart customers - How they really buy and how we can address thisCarmen Fehrenbach
This slide deck presents the results of a Sapient internal study on consumer behavior during the purchase path and underlying information needs. Moreover, tools and ideas on how to enable connected consumer-brand experiences
over multiple channels are explained.
What is the future of CRM? It dawned on us that the customer/brand relationship will not change, but the what, when, where, why and how we manage the relationship will. This presentation helps explain why.
GAFAnomics: Using APIs to gain unfair competitive advantage in the network ec...Fabernovel
At FABERNOVEL, we’re convinced APIs are a powerful lever for traditional companies willing to enter and thrive in a world dominated by the GAFA (Google, Amazon, Facebook, Apple), Unicorns (Uber, Airbnb…), Chinese giants (Alibaba, Tencent…) and all similar actors that have deeply changed the way goods and services are produced, shared and distributed.
As outlined in our latest study, these new players share one common feature: they’re all structured as networks, connecting individuals, businesses, information and goods to one another.
2014 top mobile trends. Discover which trends are shaping what marketers will need to know in the coming months and years to take advantage of the mobile opportunity.
A must-read before finalizing your marketing plans
Want to make 2014 a great year for your brand and business? Here are the 10 trends we at Jack Morton believe will make a difference for brands in the year to come. From the obvious social media marketing tactics to the not so obvious (the next iPhone that's not an iPhone), we share our POV on the things we think will matter to marketers in 2014.
Hidden in plain sight: How mobile is quietly revolutionizing the B2B worldOgilvy
Mobile@Ogilvy has published a new report into how business-to-business (B2B) brands can leverage “smart mobility” to gain significant competitive advantage. Entitled “Hidden in plain sight: How mobile is quietly revolutionizing the B2B world,” the report outlines key mobile opportunities for B2B marketers and describes how to develop mobile strategies for B2B brands.
With customers ranging from ASOS
to Tesco, this fi rm has a fair claim to
being the world’s biggest mobile
platform provider. Karen Moss speaks
to Jason Taylor, vice president at
Usablenet, the company that does
exactly what it says on the tin
Me Data - The Rising Opportunity for Self Optimization Apps Beyond
A new research study from creative digital agency Beyond, shows that the lack of concern over the privacy of Me Data - open, freely available, personal data - and the popularity of personal tracking apps is leading to a demand in self-optimization services like Google Now. These products and services will break out of the niches created by personal tracking apps, instead offering overall lifestyle self-optimization services based on several different strands of Me Data.
Mobile trends to transform your business in 2015Self-employed
To download the eBook, head on over to www.mobext.ph/ebook-download2015
In the eBook you'll find:
- The five crucial developments in the mobile space that your business must keep in mind to stay ahead
- Creative ways that other companies have leveraged mobile to reach both their business targets and their customers
- Tips to help boost your business’ mobile efforts
Fantastic Problems and Where to Find Them: Daryl WeirFuturice
Machine learning and big data have been buzz words for years now, but how do you know you have a machine learning problem on your hands? These slides, taken from a Futurice Beer & Tech talk, describe the types of problems ML methods are well suited to solve, with examples from a wide variety of industries. The deck also tells you where to get started if you want to try solving one of these problems yourself.
Will 2015 be the year of wearables? Will Apple Pay succeed? Why are enterprise apps getting more expensive and complex? What's happening with Big data? How should developers treat phablets?
Every year we analyse and summarise the key mobile trends for the following year and share with customers and partners. The main objective is to keep you up to date on what’s going on and give you insights into what these trends may mean for you. Last year our mobility predictions and UX/UI trend presentations were used in hundreds of workshops, lectures and jointly got more than 100,000 views on Slideshare.
The Top 10 Mobile Trends for 2015 are more exciting than ever as we are experiencing explosive growth in almost every area including mobile usage (apps and web), mobile commerce, payments, enterprise apps, Internet of Things, wearables, nearables (sensors) and invincibles, data driven mobile services (big data), mobility in healthcare, omni-channel retail and innovations in mobile application development.
M-Commerce: Converting Browsers To Buyers On MobileEmarketeers
As mobile continues to grow at a staggering rate, digital marketers, strategists and business owners find themselves under increasing pressure to provide transactional content and services to mobile consumers.
During this free lunchtime webinar, Steffane Aquarone reveals the very latest developments in mobile apps and m-commerce, discussing the business case for m-commerce, how to encourage consumers to purchase on mobiles and issues around gathering customer data.
Curiosity Stop Special: Techcrunch Disrupt 2016We Are Social
Techcrunch Disrupt is where some of the world’s most game-changing technologies and tech innovations are first revealed. Didn’t get a chance to go? Fear not. We've identified six of the most interesting themes and talks from this year to keep you in the know of what’s going to be big over the coming months.
Mobile marketing overview for B2B and B2C marketers, covering the unprecedented growth and opportunities of mobile--as well as a summary of mobile marketing tools available to today's companies.
Impact of mobile marketing on youngsters for buying electronic gadgets.RahulSingh297288
This report is based on the rapid evolution of mobile technology, and the enthusiasm with
which it has been embraced. These developments have transformed mobile as a
marketing channel. Mobile marketing spend across the world is starting to rise
significantly. In the right circumstances, mobile can be a powerful tool. The rise of
smartphones and tablets has deepened the relationship between consumers and their
devices. The connectivity and technology they give to consumers are helping to drive
several consumer trends, including ‘smart boredom’ and ‘gamification’. They also
transform mobile as a marketing channel. Mobile had always had reach (the sheer number
of handsets in circulation) and location (the fact that phones go wherever the consumer
goes) in its favour. Now it has much more besides. One of the iPhone’s achievements was
to abolish the idea that the ‘mobile web’ had to be a different, lower-grade experience
compared to the PC-based web. Smartphones have opened up areas like mobile search
and mobile social networking like never before. Added to this is the bundle of technology
that comes in a modern phone – cameras, voice and image recognition, QR code readers,
GPS, and a host of new features.
Affordable Stationery Printing Services in Jaipur | Navpack n PrintNavpack & Print
Looking for professional printing services in Jaipur? Navpack n Print offers high-quality and affordable stationery printing for all your business needs. Stand out with custom stationery designs and fast turnaround times. Contact us today for a quote!
Enterprise Excellence is Inclusive Excellence.pdfKaiNexus
Enterprise excellence and inclusive excellence are closely linked, and real-world challenges have shown that both are essential to the success of any organization. To achieve enterprise excellence, organizations must focus on improving their operations and processes while creating an inclusive environment that engages everyone. In this interactive session, the facilitator will highlight commonly established business practices and how they limit our ability to engage everyone every day. More importantly, though, participants will likely gain increased awareness of what we can do differently to maximize enterprise excellence through deliberate inclusion.
What is Enterprise Excellence?
Enterprise Excellence is a holistic approach that's aimed at achieving world-class performance across all aspects of the organization.
What might I learn?
A way to engage all in creating Inclusive Excellence. Lessons from the US military and their parallels to the story of Harry Potter. How belt systems and CI teams can destroy inclusive practices. How leadership language invites people to the party. There are three things leaders can do to engage everyone every day: maximizing psychological safety to create environments where folks learn, contribute, and challenge the status quo.
Who might benefit? Anyone and everyone leading folks from the shop floor to top floor.
Dr. William Harvey is a seasoned Operations Leader with extensive experience in chemical processing, manufacturing, and operations management. At Michelman, he currently oversees multiple sites, leading teams in strategic planning and coaching/practicing continuous improvement. William is set to start his eighth year of teaching at the University of Cincinnati where he teaches marketing, finance, and management. William holds various certifications in change management, quality, leadership, operational excellence, team building, and DiSC, among others.
Attending a job Interview for B1 and B2 Englsih learnersErika906060
It is a sample of an interview for a business english class for pre-intermediate and intermediate english students with emphasis on the speking ability.
Tata Group Dials Taiwan for Its Chipmaking Ambition in Gujarat’s DholeraAvirahi City Dholera
The Tata Group, a titan of Indian industry, is making waves with its advanced talks with Taiwanese chipmakers Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) and UMC Group. The goal? Establishing a cutting-edge semiconductor fabrication unit (fab) in Dholera, Gujarat. This isn’t just any project; it’s a potential game changer for India’s chipmaking aspirations and a boon for investors seeking promising residential projects in dholera sir.
Visit : https://www.avirahi.com/blog/tata-group-dials-taiwan-for-its-chipmaking-ambition-in-gujarats-dholera/
"𝑩𝑬𝑮𝑼𝑵 𝑾𝑰𝑻𝑯 𝑻𝑱 𝑰𝑺 𝑯𝑨𝑳𝑭 𝑫𝑶𝑵𝑬"
𝐓𝐉 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐬 (𝐓𝐉 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬) is a professional event agency that includes experts in the event-organizing market in Vietnam, Korea, and ASEAN countries. We provide unlimited types of events from Music concerts, Fan meetings, and Culture festivals to Corporate events, Internal company events, Golf tournaments, MICE events, and Exhibitions.
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"𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲, 𝐚 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲. 𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐞 𝐚 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬."
Improving profitability for small businessBen Wann
In this comprehensive presentation, we will explore strategies and practical tips for enhancing profitability in small businesses. Tailored to meet the unique challenges faced by small enterprises, this session covers various aspects that directly impact the bottom line. Attendees will learn how to optimize operational efficiency, manage expenses, and increase revenue through innovative marketing and customer engagement techniques.
Implicitly or explicitly all competing businesses employ a strategy to select a mix
of marketing resources. Formulating such competitive strategies fundamentally
involves recognizing relationships between elements of the marketing mix (e.g.,
price and product quality), as well as assessing competitive and market conditions
(i.e., industry structure in the language of economics).
Putting the SPARK into Virtual Training.pptxCynthia Clay
This 60-minute webinar, sponsored by Adobe, was delivered for the Training Mag Network. It explored the five elements of SPARK: Storytelling, Purpose, Action, Relationships, and Kudos. Knowing how to tell a well-structured story is key to building long-term memory. Stating a clear purpose that doesn't take away from the discovery learning process is critical. Ensuring that people move from theory to practical application is imperative. Creating strong social learning is the key to commitment and engagement. Validating and affirming participants' comments is the way to create a positive learning environment.
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This insightful presentation is designed to equip entrepreneurs with the essential knowledge and tools needed to accurately value their businesses. Understanding business valuation is crucial for making informed decisions, whether you're seeking investment, planning to sell, or simply want to gauge your company's worth.
Discover the innovative and creative projects that highlight my journey throu...dylandmeas
Discover the innovative and creative projects that highlight my journey through Full Sail University. Below, you’ll find a collection of my work showcasing my skills and expertise in digital marketing, event planning, and media production.
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Mobile Experience
1. W
hat do consumers want in a mobile
experience? Flashy, cool, slick, fun
— those seem to take center stage,
especially in mobile apps and mobile-opti-
mized websites geared toward always-on
Millennials. But in many ways, it’s the sim-
pler things that matter most.
To discover what really counts in mobile
design, interactive mobile marketing agency
Plastic Mobile undertook a small study of
mostly young urban professionals, evaluat-
ing three different apps to see how partici-
pants responded to and engaged with each
one. As mobile commerce matures, the stakes
are getting higher and higher; Plastic Mobile
found that for retail mobile apps specifi-
cally, the amount of time consumers spent
engaged in-app skyrocketed 525 percent in
just one year, with an estimated $34 billion
spent via m-commerce in 2013.
More than just another channel to worry
about, the mobile experience can affect a cus-
tomer’s overall perception of a brand — for
better or for worse. In Plastic’s study, which
leveraged EEG sensors and eye-tracking tech-
nology to discover what actually engaged the group,
participants rated two of the mobile apps — Pizza Pizza and
Best Buy — even more favorably after using the brands’ mobile
offerings, while their sentiments toward Hyatt dipped after a less-
than-positive app experience. Before using the Hyatt app, par-
ticipants used the words “classy, comfort, and luxury” to describe
the hotel brand, which shifted to “luxury, expensive, compli-
cated and pretentious” after interacting with the app.
Successful m-commerce apps rely on images to engage and
steer consumers because “people can process signs and visual cues
instinctively, whereas reading is a cognitive function that takes
more conscious effort to process,” according to the study.
And not to be overlooked: the opening experience, literally.
Mobile developers should strive to minimize the time it takes for
the app to launch, aiming for five seconds or less for the best pos-
sible first impression. A slow-loading app
means the customer experience is already
starting off on the wrong foot, and some frus-
trated users might abandon the app alto-
gether.
VF votes for responsive design
Greg Pulsifer, vice president of digital
development for VF Corp., keeps close tabs
on the company’s many brand-specific mobile
offerings. While VF brands such as Nautica
and 7 for All Mankind feature mobile-opti-
mized sites, The North Face has a dedi-
cated app, designed by mobile developer GP
Shopper.
“Currently the decision of app versus
mobile site is made on a brand-by-brand case,
ultimately determined by the question, ‘Is
APRIL 2014 • www.apparelmag.com14
retailintelligence CASE STUDY
Making the Most of the
Mobile Experience
Mobile design matters, and a bad app experience can tarnish your brand. Learn how
VF Corp. and The Apparel Group are working to optimize their apps and sites with
engaging new features to keep shoppers coming back for more.
While VF brands such as Nautica and 7 for All
Mankind feature mobile-optimized sites, The
North Face has a dedicated app, designed by
mobile developer GP Shopper.
2. APRIL 2014 • www.apparelmag.com16
Apparel: Today, brands and retailers are competing
in an environment where anything consumers want
to know is at their fingertips. What types of unique
initiatives are raising the bar when it comes to
replicating the “instant gratification” environment of
mobile by fusing the digital and physical worlds
gracefully together to most delight the customer?
MCKEE: While it’s true that there is more and more
information available to consumers, having it “at their
fingertips” is a bit of an exaggeration. While Big Data has
come a long way toward servicing the information needs of
consumers, brand owners, and retailers, we still have a
long way to go before giving them what they need — at
their fingertips. To put it quite simply, there is more data
available today, and in many cases less useful information.
Giving structure and definition to unstructured data can be
a challenge. The other area of concern is simply — do
brand owners and retailers always ask the right questions?
We’re in an industry that clings to old ways and old habits.
While technology is prepared to present greater
information, it’s only useful if someone is making use of it.
Another fallacy is the presumption that the key
differentiator between mobile and physical is the “instant
gratification environment of mobile.” Realistically,
immediate gratification is: I look for it — I find it — I pay
for it — you hand it to me — and that sounds more like
traditional retail. Consumers today have choices, and more
information available about product differentiation, pricing,
availability and brand ‘track record,’ which may have a
greater impact on buying cycles and buyer behavior than
anything available to the brand or the retailer.
Apparel: In the end, creating a seamless and
entertaining “front-end” environment for the
consumer across touchpoints is only as good as the
back end that supports it. How are social and mobile
business models inside the enterprise contributing
to new collaborative efforts that ultimately
contribute to a better and more consistent
experience for the customer?
MCKEE: We have to recognize that as we’re moving into
this new business model that's being created around the
fashion industry, we have to be looking at things with fewer
barriers, rather than more. A few years back there was a
television commercial for UPS. A group of web designers
was standing around a computer and one of them said
“we’re live in 5 – 4 – 3 – 2 – 1” — and as the web site
went live, they all cheered. Then, for few seconds, as they
watched, nothing happened.
Suddenly, a few orders popped up.
Then a few more. Then more — and
everyone was cheering and excited.
But, more and more orders kept coming in faster and
faster. The rate of the incoming orders was so fast you
couldn’t even see the total; it was just a blur. As they all
realize their success, they also realize that they had to deal
with and fulfill the requirements of that success. Or, as the
70’s band “The Eagles” put it just after their breakup: “We
built it — and it ate us.” Customer and consumer total
experience is everything: ‘You never get a second chance
to make a first impression.’ Consumers vote with their
dollars. You have to earn their loyalty every day, and every
day the way you earn it will be up to them to define. Listen
to them and engage with them at every possible
opportunity. Those that do will be the most successful.
Apparel: Looking down the road two to three years,
what current or developing technologies do you
expect will change yet further the way that
customers interact with brands and retailers, and
how?
MCKEE: In my opinion, the emerging technology that has
the likelihood to change the industry the most is 3D
printing, followed by fiber and fabric tech, followed by
enabling business model changes. Imagine being able to
‘print’ a luxury handbag — not a counterfeit — from a
transaction that took place directly with the retailer. You
told them what you wanted and they built it and sent you
the print file. All you have to do is execute your print file.
We could likely look forward to a time in the future when
many, or even most, of the items we wear come from 3D
print files. Still fully branded, and designed by the new
virtual brand owners. Or, as we move forward with fiber
tech: new electro, luminescent, or electro-mechanical
fibers that allow you to own only one shirt, and all you have
to do is enter a code and it changes color or pattern. If you
lose weight it adjusts. Too cold outside? It adjusts. Too hot,
and it circulates cooling air through the weave. But, as all
these technologies happen, as theory becomes reality, we
will need to amend our business models to adapt to the
changing business environment. You might have to have
two shirts instead of one: one to wear and one in the
laundry (hmmm, or we make the shirt 100 percent
antimicrobial so it never needs to be washed). The future of
this industry is exciting and we’ve only touched the
preliminary stages at this point.
VENDOR VIEWPOINT
Interview with Robert McKee, Global Fashion Industry Strategy Director, Infor
3. www.apparelmag.com • APRIL 2014 17
there a specific consumer need/use case we can address?’” Pul-
sifer explains. “For The North Face, they wanted to create an
omnichannel app that, in part, made it easy for consumers in store
to scan the UPC code on the item and easily access the rich dig-
ital content (specifically product videos and customer reviews)
from thenorthface.com.”
The North Face transitioned to the mobile app in 2012 from a
mobile site launched in 2010, and traffic via smartphones and
tablets has been growing at an “exponential” rate, and not just for
the outdoor apparel brand. Growth rates in mobile channels are
between 50 percent and 85 percent across all VF brands, Pulsifer
notes. “Mobile optimization across devices is one of our highest
priorities and opportunities,” he adds.
To monitor what’s happening on mobile, VF turns to IBM Core-
metrics, Google Analytics and the proprietary analytics dashboard
built into its native apps. “Success metrics really depend on the
device and intended use,” explains Pulsifer. “Obviously we love
traffic, sales and conversion, but knowing that consumers use their
devices differently helps us shape what kind of success metrics we
evaluate.
“For example, the relatively small real estate on the mobile
phone and its accessibility — do we ever not have our phones
on us? — lends to high traffic and lower conversion versus the
larger form factor from tablets,” he continues. VF is working on
an attribution model to try to quantify the value of that mobile
phone traffic, but hasn’t cracked that yet, though having the his-
torical data is helping to achieve that goal. The company also eval-
uates additional mobile metrics and KPIs such as app downloads
by device; product scans; product views; time spent (app vs. smart-
phone vs. tablet); and videos watched.
Like all mobile offerings, Pulsifer says The North Face app is
a continual work in progress as a steady stream of improve-
ments roll out, with new capabilities such as alternative pay-
ment methods high on the list of priorities. His team is also
considering expanding the app’s robust social integration by
enabling users to post photos of themselves doing fun things in
their North Face gear.
VF doesn’t rely on promotions or discounts to encourage mobile
engagement, focusing instead on creating strong digital experi-
ences that tell compelling brand stories. “This brand content is a
driving conversion tool for not only our mobile experience, but
wherever you access VF brands — both online and offline,” Pul-
sifer explains. “However, as we continue to evolve our strategy
we will use the mobile platform to better engage with our con-
sumers around the activities and events that are unique to our
brands — everything from brand-sponsored events, access to
brand ambassadors, in-store events, loyalty programs, etc.”
Following the industry trend, VF is currently working on
optimizing its sites for all devices by transitioning to responsive
web design. Timberland’s UK site is already up and running and
Vans will debut its responsively designed sites by the end of Q2,
says Pulsifer, with other brands following closely behind.
TAG’s first forays into mobile
Lured by the promise of greater brand awareness and profits,
The Apparel Group, a wholesaler/importer that launched direct-
to-consumer for brands such as Foxcroft and Paperwhite only
within the past few years, is developing its own mobile site to bet-
ter engage its connected customer base. While mobile technology
might be most popular with a younger demographic, Jerry Huang,
vice president of process improvement management, says that the
preconception about which demographics are the biggest tech-
nology users is shifting. “One of our sites targets an older gener-
ation, which has more disposable income because of our price
point, but it turns out that everyone uses mobile,” he notes.
“The difference is in where they finish their sales. They all use
mobile to view and browse, but there’s a demographic divergence
in where they checkout.”
In TAG’s first mobile forays, the company will leverage the
responsive design capabilities built into its Magento ecommerce
platform. “We think using mobility is not just convenience or an
extra site to have,” Huang explains. “It’s an opportunity to drive
extra traffic that we might be missing out on. We’re looking at
marketing initiatives on how can we reach that market that wants
to buy things through mobility and to actually target them.”
TAG is especially keen to use mobility as a tool to promote both
its online and offline channels. Ideally, says Huang, the com-
pany wants to enable customers to check-in to receive a dis-
count or offer if they’re shopping in one of its partner retail stores,
perhaps through a sort of affiliate program. And if a product is out
of stock in store, the mobile app could help customers to find and
buy the item via direct to consumer, with TAG then giving credit
back to the retailer for driving the purchase. “Marrying the
physical store presence with a mobility presence is a powerful
thing,” adds Huang.
As it explores the vast possibilities for its mobile commerce site,
TAG is looking for inspiration in many places, taking cues from
web darlings such as Bonobos, up-and-coming brands such as
men’s sportswear company Zachary Prell, and aggregators such
as ShopStyle. Branded fashion apps that aren’t necessarily com-
merce-enabled provide useful aesthetic direction, while aggrega-
tors encourage shopping and finishing the transaction. “On the
one hand, you want a brand, but on the other hand, you want a
sale,” Huang says.
A simple, streamlined checkout process will be critical to the
mobile site’s success. TAG’s ecommerce site already integrates
with PayPal, and popular, trusted payment options including
Google Wallet and Checkout by Amazon are being considered for
mobile commerce. But Huang cautions that each new feature will
receive considerable scrutiny before gaining approval. “We prob-
ably won’t be accepting Bitcoins anytime soon,” he concludes.
Jessica Binns is an Apparel Contributing Editor based in
Washington, DC.
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