Check out the recent issue of The Urbanist. It calls attention to a few interesting urban shopper activations including: North Face's Extreme Shopping Experience J. Crew's DIY Day Amazon Pop-Up Lincoln's Sales in China And more in past issues Don't forget to check out past issues by clicking here. And stay up to date with the latest retail trends by following us on Twitter. @_The_Urbanist. Read more →
The dog days of summer call for the coolest trends. Dive into this month's Urbanist to see what's new in urban retail including: The latest in 3D printing Price checking Amazon with PriceJump A peak at Birchbox's SoHo store Stay up to date with the latest retail trends by following @_The_Urbanist and @shopperculture. Read more →
Denver is known for many things—the Broncos, its skiing (though it is 2 hrs away), and recently its legal marijuana shops. But that's not the only unique retail experiences you will find in Denver. At my local coffee shop, filled with plaid-wearing, bearded men and outdoorsy-chic women, I noticed a peculiar looking vending machine. Covered in wood and equipped with a tablet and credit card payment system, the vending machine was actually filled with local Denver and Colorado goods. It had a bit of everything from 'Keep Denver Beard' stickers to wooden iPhone cases, Colorado flag wallets, earrings and hemp bars. These items help Denverites showcase their regional... Read more →
Attending the Digital Signage Expo? Make sure to come hear adidas and The Integer Group present Thursday February 13th. They will be discussing the details behind the design, development and execution of Wi\Sh (Interactive Window Shopping) in retail. The panel will review: Client need Concept and design Prototyping Platform integration with mobile/social/mComm Return on investment metrics. If you're not at the conference, click here to download the white paper written by Integer's Rebecca Walt, VP & Director of Digital at Retail, published in the January/February issue of The Hub Magazine about the changing retail landscape and how digital can impact the shopping experience. Photo Source: courtesy of adidas,... Read more →
Traffic is never really thought of as a good thing, unless you are a 'entreprenuer' in Managua, Nicaragua. On a recent trip there I noticed just how many locals were meandering between cars selling window-washing services, fruit and nuts to those stalled in traffic jams. And after a long plane ride I was pleased to buy some reasonably priced, freshly roasted cashews. Managua is not the only traffic ridden city where local are capitalizing these unique commerce opportunities. NPR reported on Jakarta's 'gridlock economy' highlighting some interesting services for sale including personal traffic 'cops' and carpool 'aides' that basically means a woman and her infant hop in the... Read more →
Check out the latest urban shopping innovations that are making a scene for the New Year in the latest issue of The Urbanist, courtesy of the Integer New York office. This month's issue talks about dressing room checkout options, 3D tailoring, and new ways of engaging shoppers in the big city. Stay up to date with the latest urban retail trends by following The Urbanist on Twitter @_The_Urbanist. And don't forget to visit The Urbanist shopper culture page to view past issues. Read more →
By shifting the balance of power to connected consumers, digital innovation has changed retail forever. Far beyond the simple power to purchase, today’s shoppers can take advantage of the convenience of smartphones and the flexibility of online retailers to decide when, where and how they will transact, even going so far as to customize the merchandise itself. In view of digital’s rise, what attracts a customer to a physical store today? This question represents a game-changing opportunity for traditional retailers. Stores still offer several advantages that can now be leveraged to turn a shopping trip into an experience by introducing digital innovations. To read more about the changing... Read more →
Vending machines are nothing new in today’s marketplace—even at airports. But during a layover in Houston recently, I noticed some new vending machines that caught my eye. Similar to the Best Buy vending machines, these ones offered flyers valuable (and functional) travel items like medication (from Max Wellness) and high-end cosmetics (from Benefit) that airport kiosks and shops do not necessarily offer. In addition, they were very eye-catching and interactive with touch screen product selectors, videos and even a blood pressure station. So eye-catching in fact that we had to wait our turn to check them out. These are just a couple examples of vending today. Vending machines... Read more →
While recently perusing my Instagram feed I saw an interesting post from the popular account Target Does it Again. The feed is written by two trendy and beautiful young moms who find all things fabulous at their local Target, often try them on, and post them on Tumblr and Instagram. Pictures of Target’s promotion with FEED USA were posted as well as selfies of the bloggers trying on the fashionable clothes. I have heard of Lauren Bush’s work with the FEED Foundation, but wanted to find out more. If you’re new to the organization, the FEED Foundation is a global non-profit that raises money to address chronic world... Read more →
While I was recently on shopalongs spanning different CPG categories with female shoppers, there was one universal finding: value was associated with the retailer more than with the actual product. In marketing, value is defined as what you get for what you pay. However, when shopping certain categories, such as diapers or laundry detergent, many shoppers didn’t want to sacrifice performance to pay less. In those instances, it was all about where they chose to shop. They shopped at Target to feel good about receiving a free $5 Gift Card, or went to Walmart believing they’d find good prices on the brands they love, or bought their diapers... Read more →
Back in January, we posted about some of the top trends you would see in shopper marketing this year—one of which was interactive retail. Retailers and brands are not only striving to bring fun to the shopping experience through interactive retail but also efficiency. Case in point, the recent installation of Me-Ality (a self-billed "digital sizing station") in five Bloomingdale's locations. These installations aim to solve the chronic shopper problem of finding the right pair of jeans in the right size. I know from experience that trying on jeans is one of the most daunting shopping tasks. It requires the right mindset, knowledge, selection and setting to achieve... Read more →
In the wake of Puma’s successful “fastest purchase” campaign, which enabled shoppers to get higher discounts if they bought sneakers quickly, and Nike Mexico offering runners the opportunity to redeem their kilometers into currency to buy new shoes, Guatemalan shoe retailer Meat Pack just launched a funny, cutting-edge discount initiative. The amount of the promotion directly depended on shoppers’ ability to physically surpass themselves. The faster they ran, the cheaper it got. To increase loyalty and drive sales, Meat Pack came up with a brilliant, irreverent promotional campaign addressing its core audience: hardcore sneaker fans, also known as sneakerheads. To promote the new discount, they created Hijack, an... Read more →
Tesco’s rise to preeminence in the UK occurred on a wave of innovation, both in products offered to customers and in customer service. Recent years have brought global expansion for the retailer, the development of its own label, and laterally venture brands, alongside the continued quest for outstanding value dominating the Tesco agenda. The shoppers’ in store experience began to take more of a supporting role. Tesco recently announced its likely departure from the U.S. with the sale or closing of the Fresh and Easy banner. This announcement coincides with a greater focus on what the retailer does best, with 2012 bringing in-store revamps to UK Tesco stores... Read more →
There must have been something potent in the British air this year. A summer of celebration and a nation coming together has seemingly spilled out into the Christmas campaigns created on the backdrop of the Jubilee and Olympics. There’s been a common theme of emotional advertising in a category that is generally about price drops and saving shoppers money. Retailers are focusing more on identifying with shoppers by representing family moments that only Christmas can bring. Sainsbury’s has created a lovely integrated “12 Days of Christmas” campaign. The TV advertising brings to life 12 special days that happen in the run up to Christmas. The Christmas section on... Read more →
