Sam’s Club to Gift Wi-Fi This Holiday Season

When Sam’s Club begins offering free Wi-Fi in its stores this November, the retailer hopes shoppers will be more likely to purchase electronics, specifically new Internet-connected television sets.

“It is an intimidating category with lots of complexity,” said Sam’s Club Chief Executive Brain Cornell in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. “This will allow a member to walk up to a Samsung LCD Internet-enabled TV and see how to find his Facebook page or stream video from Vudu.”

Wi-Fi will also improve customers’ in-store Internet access on their smart phones and will allow them to easily find more information about a product and do comparison shopping within the store. Sam’s Club isn’t concerned about its customers doing price comparisons with its competitors. Consumer electronic analyst Stephen Baker from NPD Group, a market research firm, confirmed Sam’s Club has little to worry about in that respect. “[Retailers] know they are not going to lose customers over a few dollars, and many retailers have price-match programs.”

Retail analysts agree Wi-Fi access is especially important in stores like Sam’s Club, a place that is known for low prices and not necessarily for its customer service. One of Sam’s Club’s competitors, Best Buy, is also developing a mobile application for its customers this holiday season. Many other stores are sure to follow suit.

Do Location-Based Social Networks Work for Your Company?

Should retailers check out location-based social networks and let their customers check in to their stores? An AdAge.com post on Forrester Research’s recently released study advises companies to take a second look as to whether LBSNs are right to include in their current marketing mix.

The study reports that only four percent of U.S. online adults use location-based mobile apps such as Foursquare, Gowalla and Loopt. Only one percent update these services more than once a week. Even more, a good majority of respondents—84 percent—claimed they were unfamiliar with the apps, a number to surely make companies rethink how necessary it is to start a marketing campaign using LBSNs.

Those numbers may seem like LBSNs aren’t a great investment at this time, but the report calls for another look. Among location-based service users, almost 80 percent of them are male and about 70 percent of them have a college degree and are between the ages of 19 and 35. Even more importantly, Forrester discovered these users are highly influential. They are far more likely to research products and read customer reviews and frequently have family and friends coming to them for advice before purchasing a product. In this sense, companies in the gaming, electronics and sportswear industry that target their marketing plan to men may want to include an early adoption of LBSNs.

Still, plenty of companies have launched marketing plans with location-based apps that aren’t just for the guys, including PepsiCo and Starbucks. When deciding whether LBSNs are right for you brand, consider your demographic and marketing plan’s goals. Weigh whether you want to establish yourself early in the location-based marketing playing field or whether you’d rather sit in the bullpen and wait until the user numbers grow to give it a try. Like every other marketing plan for a retailer, whether it be holding a sweepstakes, advertising or social networking, location-based mobile apps can be just another tool in a well-stocked toolbox.

Mobile Applications Can Do More for a Retailer

Shoppers are on the move, and they’re taking their mobile phones with them.

Forbes Insights published a study that surveyed leading U.S. retailers’ use of mobile applications in enhancing consumer’s shopping experiences. Researchers discovered many retailers–almost fifty percent–are hoping to capture first-mover advantage as their customers go mobile. The levels of sophistication in mobile design and application vary depending on the retailer and its goals. For many, the mobile features are a scaled-back version of their website. Others have ventured into offering transaction-based and customer-oriented applications that use powerful GPS technology to pinpoint an individual customer’s needs.

Whether you want to try to increase e-commerce sales, give out coupons or suggest products to your customer, mobile applications must be molded to fit your store’s demographic and mission in order to be effective. American Eagle Outfitters, a specialty retailer that caters to 15-25 year olds, was one of the earliest adopters of mobile technology when they launched their mobile website in August 2008. They recognized their customer base was highly engaged in mobile technology and made sure to capitalize on that activity by going to where there customers spent their time: on their mobile phones. Since the experiment began, the store has seen several hundred thousand customers opt in and contribute to sales through the mobile site. Vice President Michael Dupuis cites their success to consistency across all channels. Customers can access all the same information on their mobile phone that is on American Eagle’s website. Similarly, The North Face built applications that use GPS technology to determine the location of skiers, bikers, rock climbers, runners, and more. The mobile phone users can then access information about terrain they soon will face and read suggestions for how to tackle the trails. The possibilities for what kind of mobile application a retailer develops are endless, and it’s important to figure out what your customers want in their hands.

Retailers should know that mobile technology is not a passing fad. Soon, customers will expect stores to have mobile applications. Like a website, mobile technology will be just another part of the shopping experience.

Using Technology to Get Consumers to the Store

No one doubts the claim that the Internet and rise in mobile technology hasn’t transformed the retail industry. It’s the thought that people are no longer making trips to the stores that should be up for debate. The truth is that people still shop in stores. Technology is used to get them there and to make their experience more enjoyable so they keep coming back.

PSFK highlighted some great ideas of how retailers can leverage technology and drive consumers to their stores. For certain retailers, it may be helpful for the customer if they post wait times, store maps and inventory lists on their website. Google has launched an initiative to begin posting pictures of the insides of places on Google maps. Retailers can set up an appointment with Google photographers to get their interior shot and added to the Google places site. In the meantime, stores can post updated interior photos themselves and even set up a web cam so customers can watch a live stream of the store’s activity any time they want. This way, customers can time their visits based on whether they think the photos and videos show it’s a good time for them to shop.

Once a customer gets to the store, employees can use technology to create a more personalized shopping experience. Sales staff can use handheld devices and iPhone and iPad attachments to make transactions on the floor, freeing them from the desks and increasing interaction with customers. iPads stationed in store can run applications that help customers find what they’re looking for or get more information about a product when they don’t want to talk to a sales person.

Stores can also encourage its customers to share their experience on social networking sites by building a station where they can upload a picture or message in store. Diesel in Spain equipped their stores with a kiosk and camera so customers can upload photos to their social networking sties and ask for friends’ opinions as they try on outfits. This summer, JC Penney embraced user-generated content and had kids create YouTube back-to-school haul videos, showing friends what they bought when they shopped at JC Penney. The department store hopes the viral videos featuring ordinary teens will influence followers and friends to make similar purchases.

Technology will continue to be a welcome addition to the physical store environment. It’s a valuable asset in helping retailers create a destination shopping experience through storytelling and product education.

ICC/Decision Services Launches Second of its iPhone Applications – ConversionCalc

The latest in iPhone applications shows retailers the dollar value resulting from increasing their conversion rates.

New York, NY — ICC/Decison Services’ latest in iPhone applications shows retailers the dollar value resulting from increasing their conversion rates. ConversionCalc™ is the second of its iPhone applications available for free download on iTunes. ICC’s existing application, the UpSellCall™, was the first of its kind in the industry when it was launched this past summer. ICC/Decison Services is an international customer experience management company based in New York City.

Field management loves our calculators because they are portable and easily show store management the power of associate behavior. “We received great feedback on the UpSell Calc, our first application,” says David Rich, President/CEO of ICC/Decision Services. “Field management loves our calculators because they are portable and easily show store management the power of associate behavior. Corporate loves them because they point to increased revenue. It takes so much to get customers in the door in today’s marketplace,” continues Rich, “but many retailers don’t realize that increasing your conversion rates by only 2% can increase revenue by 10%. The ConversionCalc™ will quantify that lost opportunity for retailers and can produce calculations for a single store, district or the entire retail chain.”

Other features of the ConversionCalc™ include: easy one-screen operation; allows calculations over multiple time periods (days, months, quarters, etc); reveals the true dollar amount for increased associate performance.

Click here for more “ConversionCalc” conversion rates information, iPhone applications and download links.

About ICC/Decision Services
ICC/Decision Services was founded in 1979 to design and execute Customer Experience Management programs. ICC/Decision Services offers a wide range of qualitative and quantitative business tools, including mystery shopping, shopper intercepts, iPhone applications, conversion rates tools, customer satisfaction and employee engagement. Clients include Coach, L.L. Bean, Rite Aid, 7-11, Foot Locker, CVS, Walmart and others. The company is headquartered at 122 West 27th Street, New York, NY 10001, U.S.A. Phone: (800) 444-1717. More information is available at www.iccds.com.

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Black Friday Launch Pad for Brand Social Media

There is mounting evidence in the use of social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, as an advertising medium. A prime example is the way that brand marketers are targeting Black Friday by sending out messages featuring special deals for their followers. Why? A recent blog post on Simple Thoughts quotes Deloitte Research as saying that, “One in five shoppers plans to use the sites in their holiday shopping this season.”
 
It has been widely reported that retailers and manufacturers have been effectively using sweet deals to attract consumers to follow their company presence on various social media outlets. The hope is that shoppers will continue to follow and build brand loyalty. Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year, presents itself as a great jumping off point to disseminate information and gain followers. Hundreds of special offers are being leaked to vigilant consumers.
 
Brand marketers get additional penetration from special deal sites such as dealnews.com who also track and list Black Friday offers. Many e-commerce deals extend to the Monday after Thanksgiving, now known as Cyber Monday, because of consumers’ propensity to shop from their computers that day.

ICC/Decision Services Launches UpSellCalc™ iPhone Application — Available Now for Free Download on iTunes

New York, NY July 14, 2009 — ICC/Decison Services (http://www.iccds.com), an international customer experience management company based in New York City, has developed an iphone application is the first of its kind in the industry. Now available for free download on ITunes, the UpSellCalc ™ will quickly and easily calculate the sales potential of increased suggestive selling.

Retailers, restaurants, financial institutions and brands deal too often in numbers and percentages when dollars are what really matter. In just a few simple steps, the “UpSellCalc ™” takes current suggestive selling numbers for a corporation and calculates the dollar value of the upsell on the sales floor, in the fitting rooms and at the register. Taking it one step further, UpSellCalc ™ will also calculate the dollar value should the frequency of suggestive selling increase by 5, 10 or even 20 percent. Other features of the UpSellCalc ™ include: easy one-screen operation, ability to calculate ROI for a specific store, district, region or across an entire retail chain, and key indicators of the true dollar amount for increased associate performance.

“Mobile technology is playing an increasing role in the retail and brand experience every day,” says David Rich, President/CEO of ICC/Decision Services. “At ICC, we believe first and foremost in showing our customers a return on investment, and with the UpSellCalc ™ we have developed yet another tool for delivering this information to them–in this case right into the palm of their hands. We look forward to introducing several other new tools in the mobile technology and social media arenas in the coming months.”

Click here for more “UpSellCalc” information and download links.

ABOUT ICC/DECISION SERVICES
ICC/Decision Services was founded in 1979 to design and execute Customer Experience Management programs. ICC/Decision Services offers a wide range of qualitative and quantitative business tools, including mystery shopping, shopper intercepts, customer satisfaction and employee engagement. Clients include Coach, L.L. Bean, Rite Aid, 7-11, Foot Locker, Walmart and others. The company is headquartered at 122 West 27th Street, New York, NY 10001, U.S.A. Phone: (800) 444-1717. More information is available at www.iccds.com.

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Retailers Get Mobile

Smartphone are quickly dominating the cellphone market. ZDNet reported iPhone users downloaded more than 60 million applications within the first month of the App Store’s opening. The availability of smartphone applications can be a retailer’s promotional dream.

Kroger’s recently jumped on the mobile bandwagon by allowing consumers to download coupons via their smartphones. The mobile coupon clipping was implemented nationwide involving national brands such as General Mills.

Customers with a Kroger Plus card can register for a mobile coupon account at www.cellfire.com. Once registered, consumers can search for coupons on the go or at leisure, with the chosen coupons loaded into their Kroger card. The coupons are redeemed at checkout.

The wave of mobile marketing is moving fast. Making both the smartphone market more attractive and allowing retailers to reach consumers on a different platform. The trend for retailers to use mobile apps will continue to grow. In the future, we may see customer feedback apps or a mobile suggestion forum. There are endless possibilities for companies to reach consumers using smartphone applications.

HP Target’s Apple Consumers with New App

Hewlitt-Packard is tapping into Apple’s iPhone customers. On Monday, the company announced a new iPhone application that allows for wireless printing from the iPhone. Since the iPhone 3G, there has been a steady wave of companies using the iPhone as a way to broaden their brand.

iPhone consumers are very loyal customers, often starting the Apple experience with an iPod or a MacBook. Read more…