Online Customer Reviews Becoming Bigger Purchase Driver

According to a new survey from e-tailing group and PowerReviews, online shoppers are taking more time to read customer reviews before making purchase decisions. They are also reading more reviews to gain confidence.

Of the 1,000 respondents, 64 percent of the online shoppers spend 10+ minutes reading reviews, compared with 50 percent who did so in 2007, according to marketingprofs.com. Thirty-nine percent said they read eight or more reviews to be confident in judging a product (vs. 22 percent in 2007) and 12 percent say they read 16+ reviews (vs. five percent in 2007).

Overall, 64 percent said they consistently read online reviews prior to making product purchase decisions. When asked what website capabilities or features most influence product selection and purchase decisions, customer reviews and product ratings was the top selected answer (72 percent). That was closely followed by customer service information (69 percent), third-party buying category guides and expert opinions (64 percent). Top-rated product lists, as rated by customers, were named by 60 percent.

MY COMMENTARY:
The role of third-party opinion in human decision-making is very important. That importance increases as the gravity of the decision increases. Interestingly, it is human nature to work through levels of investigation and then seek opinion to--consciously or unconsciously--confirm what has more or less been decided.

I can find opinions about Sunday brunch spots and laptop computers. How far will I go before I make an actual purchase? That depends on a variety of values and situational attributes. Is brunch with my mom and family or is it a cure for a hangover with my buddies? Is the laptop for client presentations or gaming at home? Did I get drunk with my mom and clients while presenting on my laptop?

Seriously, my point here is that we as consumers have more purchasing confidence today than any other time in history because we have access to this information. It is incumbent on us marketers to provide as many credible and authentic ways as possible for consumers to find and use the information in the way they see fit. At the end of the day, if the offer is not competitive, it won't sell. Now, the speed to that conclusion is ever increasing.

Read the original post here: http://bit.ly/aF2zYU

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Brand Dilution: When the Wrong Saks Comes to Town

Yes, when the wrong Saks comes to town, Saks dilutes its brand.

FROM RETAILWIRE:
Some retailers at the Bridgeport Village fashion lifestyle center in Portland, Oregon, were happy to hear about a Saks coming to their complex but were caught off guard when they realized it was actually the luxury retailer's Off 5th discount concept.

The 28,000-square foot location, opening in September, will be the chain's 12th "in a new 'luxury in a loft' design that aims for a modern and -- without aisles -- open feel," according to an article in The Oregonian.

Fred Bruning, chief executive of CenterCal Properties, which owns Bridgeport, told the paper that the concept looks like a mini department store. Jewelry departments are similar to Saks' full-price locations; with one Off 5th store he toured selling a $20,000 piece.

"We feel this will really fill a retail gap that exists here in Oregon," said Mr. Bruning.

About 20 percent of the Off 5th merchandise is from full-price stores, another 20 percent is private label, and the remainder is especially made for the store.

"We work with brands that you would find in other luxury retailers, whether Saks or Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus. We just work with them to create a value product," Robert Wallstrom, president of Off 5th, told the Oregonian.

The 500,000 square foot open-air center is located in one of the Portland metropolitan area's most affluent areas. Tenants include the Apple Store, Container Store, Crate & Barrel, Tommy Bahama, BCBGMAXAZRIA, J. Crew, Banana Republic, MAC Cosmetics and Ann Taylor Loft. It also includes restaurants such as California Pizza Kitchen and P.F. Chang's as well as the largest Regal Cinema in the state. The move comes as Saks just announced plans to close its full-price store in downtown Portland.

MY COMMENTARY:
I think it is an exciting prospect for the luxury department stores to be developing brand extensions. If that is, in fact, what they are doing.

It is not.

Unfortunately what's really happening here is forcing old formats into new places. AND on the heels of announcing the close of their “full-price” store.  This is considered strategic?

Consumers today know and understand the game. They realize that a small percentage--in this case 20%--of product is actually "off price." Will consumers accept and buy from these stores in lifestyle centers? Probably. They will be driven by price, not brand experience.

Easton in Columbus, Ohio was mentioned above. My gut tells me the we won't see an "off price" brand there. The managers of Easton are much better editors than that. (Puma, Lacoste, Burberry are the latest additions.)

My advice is to look at proper brand extensions such as Barney's Co-Op. While not an "off-pricer," it gives Barney's new and different relevancy in different centers, appealing to different customers. Consumers get the halo effect of the master brand, but it's accessible in their neighborhoods, more on their terms.

Saks et al should be re-inventing these operations for the new normal and to complement and enhance their core brands.

Check out Off 5th here: http://bit.ly/9xKifr

Read the original post here: http://bit.ly/cAiCk7

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Women Will Swap Personal Information for Personal Attention?

I say it’s not that simple.

FROM RETAILWIRE:
Some of the 1,800 women participating in a survey by Q Interactive may have taken to heart the catch-phrase from a commercial that's frequently heard on British television - "Because you’re worth it." How open are women to targeted online ads?

According to the survey, 65 percent of the participants were delighted at receiving targeted online ads, exclaiming "Cool! How did they know I wanted this?" Of those surveyed 88 percent "wish brands they trust sent them more tailored offers."

But what they particularly appreciated was receiving gifts to show they are appreciated. To build an online relationship with women, brands need to "give me something" according to 58 percent of women; "get to know me better first" for over 19 percent; and "tell me something valuable" for over 17 percent.

MY COMMENTARY:
I'm not convinced that women (or men for that matter) differentiate their acceptance of online vs. other media messages as much as, say, an interactive agency might think. (Of course, that 1800 subject sample was probably skewed toward heavy internet users.)

The quid pro quo of "giving something" is simply a barrier to entry for this level of engagement. We need to not only get their attention, but the product/service must meet or exceed expectations AND if we want to maintain an ongoing relationship, it needs to be compelling and relevant over time.

Studies have shown that multi-faceted programs of engagement work best--tailor direct communication through a variety of channels and perhaps let your customer choose which way to engage your brand. That deepens the relationship even further.

Read the original post here: http://bit.ly/9k31nO

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Great Experience: Palindromic Poetry?

For those who may doubt the next or any generation, please take a moment to watch this.  It was a winning video in a contest sponsored by AARP asking twenty-somethings where they think they’ll be at 50.  It is simple, modern and brilliant.

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Retail Banking. A Watershed Moment?

Banks have struggled with relevancy for a long time.  Since the advent of telephone banking, the physical bank branch has had an identity crisis.  There have been some interesting experiments over the years—combining with other “errand services” such as dry cleaning and coffee; break down of teller/customer barrier, presenting the bank as a point of community (see Umpqua below) etc.

And there have been offers.  Lots offers. 

From consumers’ perspectives, it all just seems like a lot of promotional noise.  If an incentive to open a new account or a make a referral is acted upon, it seems it is a short term engagement, given that a new, more enticing offer will come down the path.  Consumers don’t switch banks the way the do coffee shops, but what is really going on here?

We are at a watershed moment; as we define a new economic normal, banks have a truly unique opportunity to reestablish themselves in the lives of their best customers.

Banks Standing Out

I recently asked people in my networks about their best banking experiences. (Thanks Jeff, Melissa, Emily, Nikole et al.)  There is a great deal of indifference out there.  Much of what banks offer is basic and is simply dressed up with promotions and advertising.  There seems to be very little product innovation, so when USAA and Bank of America and Umpqua (see below) get some nods on these fronts, they really stand out.

Money is an emotional thing.  What are these banks doing to elicit such enthusiasm?

“USAA! USAA! USAA!! It's the bank for Active Duty Military Members, Veterans and their families. Is your Dad a Veteran? If so you too can reap the benefits.”

“….for those of us lucky enough to be members, no one beats USAA, and they don't even have any brick and motor branches.”

“Chuck, they do lots of good things, excellent customer service and innovation like "deposit @home" - scan a check with your computer and deposit it. No fees, ATM charge refunds. Whenever I've needed a loan or to transfer money around it's always just a quick phone call or a few clicks.”

“Umpqua Bank is fantastic.”

Yes, this is a bank.  Umpqua. A point of community building.

We can see evidence of the Principles of Consumer Centricity http://bit.ly/9DbM7j in the reactions of the people above.  We see connections made between the brand and the customer based on deep knowledge and authenticity.  Consumers like good ideas that make sense, such as “deposit@home” and reassurances along the way that the Bank of America ATM experience video shows.

Bank of America ATM Experience

To paraphrase, Now is the time for all good banks to come to the aid of their customers.

So, tell me about what your best banking experience. 

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My cX: Hyatt Place, Atlanta Georgia

(Another in an occasional series of my consumer experiences, or “My cX”.  More to come.)

On a recent trip, I had the opportunity to experience a Hyatt Place for the first time.  I found it to be a very nice experience.  What really stood out for me, beyond the fresh design, were the obviously well-trained staff and the thoughtfulness of the amenities. 

Part of what we do at ConsumerX is deconstruct experiences in order to understand them and use that insight to develop new, idealized experiences.  We use our cX Framework ™ as our guide (more on the cX Framework ™ in a future post), which is based on the oft-used customer journey idea, but pushes it to yield implications for user, brand and any other entity along the value chain.

Given I was in Atlanta to do a series of experience audits, I couldn’t help but view the Hyatt Place property through the cX lens.  Take a look at the video, it’s a bit rough (NOT a videographer here) and see what you think.  I was impressed with the environmental design and the thoughtfulness behind the layout of the rooms, the food service and the staff was appropriately friendly.  I had the distinct impression that they cared and were eager to make my experience there just what I wanted it to be.

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Something Beautiful Happens...

Something beautiful happens on Saturday mornings at The Columbus College of Art & Design (CCAD), here in Columbus Ohio.  Kids from all over the region from grades 1 through high school learn about art, design and creativity in their Saturday Morning Art Classes (SMAC)

My daughter has been taking classes here for several years and she uses this part of her education all the time.  I’m confident that it helps her in math, science, music and social development. She has explored a myriad of subjects—from the fundamentals of drawing and landscape design and Photoshop to the development of a fantasy character and bringing it to life through illustration and sculpture.  I love seeing what she does with these experiences and I can’t wait to see where she takes it.

Here’s a bit from the CCAD page about SMAC

“CCAD has provided quality arts education for tens of thousands of Central Ohio children since 1880. More than 1,200 children each year participate in CCAD’s Saturday Morning Art Classes and Creative Summer Workshops. Not all of the young people who take art classes go on to become the next great painter or designer but they do take with them the long-lasting benefits of arts education.”

Learn more about CCAD at www.CCAD.edu or about Saturday Morning Art Classes (SMAC) here http://bit.ly/aJDooK.

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Idealized Experience: Biking LA's Empty Streets

<p>WOLFPACK HUSTLE: LA MARATHON CRASH RACE from Warren Kommers on Vimeo.</p>

A Facebook friend posted this video of a very unique and ideal experience.  It’s the morning of the LA Marathon and 26 miles of LA streets are blocked off and empty.  Bicyclists spread the word and at 4:00 am  thousands show up to bike the course—a once a year, very unique opportunity.

The video is nicely shot and a bit of visual poetry.  Check it out.

Thanks Lee!

Posted via email from ConsumerX: cXChuck's Stuff

The Principles of Consumer Centricity

Over the course of a career as a merchant (at retailers Crate & Barrel and Macy*s—Executive Training Program class of Fall 1989) and consultant to retailers and brands, I have come to know a great deal about consumer behavior.  How and why we buy has always been fascinating.  As a kid, helping out my father in his corner store here in Columbus, Ohio, I learned the fundamentals of service and operations. See my post Channeling Mom & Pop.

I have been fortunate to work with very smart, talented clients, fellow strategists and designers from every discipline.  Throughout this body of work, I have seen patterns and core ideas that I have distilled into “The Principles of Consumer Centricity”.  They act as our guiding principles as we work with our clients.

At ConsumerX (cX) we apply them to retailers and consumer brand marketers, but the principles apply to most endeavors that involve people and money.  A wise woman—my wife—once said, “Everything is retail, isn’t it?”

Take a look and let us know what you think.  Look for posts about each one and the rules and tools we use at ConsumerX.

The Principles of Consumer-Centricity

The Prime Directive: Create SHARED RESPONSIBILITY with the consumer.

INTERNAL

Principle No. 1: Know Your BEST Customers. Fire the bad ones.

Build business around consumer segments not around products or operations.

Principle No. 2: Keep it FRESH

Link offerings with strategic partners to add value and maintain an ongoing conversation

Principle No. 3: Align everything around the IDEAL EXPERIENCE

Connect internal processes to focus on consumer experience

Principle No. 4: COLLABORATE across functional areas

Always ask how new ideas and opportunities benefit the consumer

Principle No. 5: Create DIRECT RESPONSIBILITY to consumers for all staff

Motivate and reward based on consumer behavior

EXTERNAL
Principle No. 6: Know THEIR story

Develop customer relationships based on DEEP INSIGHTS into their needs and lifetime value.

Principle No. 7: Know YOUR story

Speak to, listen and respond in CONSUMER LANGUAGE (informed by brand stance)

Principle No. 8: Tell THE story

Create consistency across all consumer touch points.

Principle No. 9: Let them IN on the story

Respect & learn from their intelligence: make actions TRANSPARENT and VISIBLE to consumers

Principle No. 10: Write the SHARED story together

Be where they are: Let your customer CHOOSE how to converse with the brand

Allow experience (with the brand) to be personalized and customized to develop emotional connections

©2010 Consumer Experience Design. All rights reserved.

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Domino's Pizza Turnaround? Maybe. Probably not.

Friday is Pizza & Movie night at our house.  It’s our family time and we’ve been doing it for years.  We try to find a movie we can all enjoy and a pizza we can all agree on.  Not always an easy task.  This time around I wanted to try Domino’s; their “Pizza Turnaround” campaign (see my compare/contrast blog post here: http://bit.ly/cg1oSk) had caught not only mine, but my kids interest.  They noticed how different the ads were, in that the brand was saying some not-so-nice things about itself.  Kids.  Pretty bright, as it turns out.

Online Ordering

So I thought I’d try out their online ordering system and compare it with how I typically order a pizza, on the phone.  Comparatively it’s a much more robust, albeit time consuming experience.  On the phone, you have a preconceived idea—mostly from preference and perhaps from suggestions made in advertising media—about what you want.  Same goes for online ordering, but the visual cues allow for a bit of configuration play with crusts, sauces, toppings.  Being a normal person, I started with the coupon offers to see if any of them fit with what we wanted.  There it was: two large pizzas and a 2 liter of soda for $19.99.  Given the idea of a pizza we can all agree on, we wanted one for the kids and one for the grown-ups.

The trip from the coupon to the pizza configurator was wonky.  The interface used confusing language, so I didn’t know how to tell it that I wanted double cheese on one, mushrooms on the other and Diet Coke to drink.  I hesitantly clicked what I thought was the right button, and whew, it was.

The experience of building my pizzas was kind of fun (not thrilling, just kinda).  For example, when I ordered double cheese, a prompt came up letting me know that the reason I couldn’t see the extra cheese on the pizza (a limitation of the visual database, I imagine), was because the extra cheese was layered below the top layer.  That was a nice moment of reassurance and thoughtfulness.  It reinforced the promise in the “Pizza Turnaround” campaign that Domino’s is different now.

Once the order was complete, I got a nifty order tracker that tells me when the pizzas went into the oven and when they will be ready for pick up. It's very interesting; I found out at pick up (no Domino’s near my house) that there is actually a Cory, and he made and boxed my pizzas. I like the idea of the real-time tracker, although it made me feel like I was tied to my computer screen.  If it were delivery, I could see how reassuring it could be.

The Pick Up

The closest Domino’s is on busy High Street near The Ohio State University campus.  On my way over, I checked my email (at a red light—don’t drive distracted) and saw that I got a confirmation of my order spelling out all the details in a mobile-friendly format.  Nice.

I found a parking spot on the street, jumped some giant snow piles and dashed in (the parking spot wasn’t exactly sanctioned by the city of Columbus).  Yikes.  There was a bit of a line and at the front was a smallish woman with twenty pizzas piled on the counter in front of her.  This was going to take longer than I thought. 

It didn’t take that long.  The staff was courteous and efficient; this of course is a high volume location and it has to work like a well-oiled machine.  Further reinforcement of the turnaround promise.  I told the staffer that I had ordered online, she immediately grabbed my order and started ringing me up.  I didn’t have to present the coupon and since I opted to give the online system my card number, it was ready to go.  I asked her if there really was a Cory, she smiled and said yes.  She pointed him out and I thanked him for making my pizzas.  He grinned (it might have been pride in his work or a way to get this nut-job-who-knows-my-name out of the store, I’m not sure which).

Make It Yummy

In my family, it’s the driver’s prerogative to taste the pizza on the way home.  It’s really about quality control.  Really.  I was hungry. First bite.  Not bad. 

Once home, we settled in to watch the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympic games.  As we’re munching on the pizzas and discussing our dinner, the consensus was resoundingly neutral.  It was ok, but there’s better pizza out there.

So yes, it doesn’t taste like cardboard anymore, but it doesn’t really taste like pizza either.  It seems that Domino’s is pitting itself against its biggest competitors and shooting for parity.  If this is the case, they have achieved their goal: they have moved beyond pizza that consumers openly mock to pizza that is as ordinary as the next huge national chain. So what?

I’m sure they and their marketing agencies have worked very hard to realign their operations and build compelling stories, but at the end of the day, they may be disappointing these new and returning customers by giving them what they expect from Pizza Hut and Papa Johns.  Will the cool order tracker or the courteous staff get me to go back?  No.  Those things are vital to the experience.  They are expected.  (It’s still easier to call on the phone.)

Those things don’t make the pizza yummy.   

Our Favorites

This week we're back to our local favorites here in Grandview Heights Grandad's http://bit.ly/dkcZD5, Rotolo's http://www.rotolospizza.com and Cow Town http://www.cowtownpizza.com .

Let Me Know What You Think

I invite you to give it a try.  Start your customer journey here: http://www.dominos.com/home/index.jsp.  I’d love to hear about your experience with Domino’s Pizza Turnaround.

©2010 Consumer Experience Design. All rights reserved.

Posted via email from ConsumerX: cXChuck's Stuff

Olympic Design

Watching the Winter Olympics with the family. I've always been fascinated with the comprehensive execution of Olympic aesthetics. I thought it interesting that the visual standards book and lots of info about how the team developed the graphics. Here's an interesting link: http://www.canadiandesignresource.ca/officialgallery/graphics/vancouver-2010-graphic-identity/

What sparked this idea was the torch from last night's opening ceremony. The design of the torch is elegant and organic. The design team cites the patterns winter sports makes in snow and ice as inspiration. Check out the designer's brief here: www.bombardier.com/files/en/supporting_docs/BI-Bombardier-torch.pdf

Posted via email from ConsumerX: cXChuck's Stuff

Ideal Experiences Start with Provocative Conversations

When designing the ideal consumer experience, where do retailers and brands start?  The smart ones, of course, start with the customers.  The brand landscape is littered with companies that have become so operationally-centric that they become irrelevant to their customers (let alone new ones).  Why DOES Domino’s pizza taste like cardboard?  Why did it take them so long to listen and respond in consumer language?



Take a few minutes to watch this video.  Does your marketing team think of your customers like this?  Do your customers feel neglected like this?  You won’t really know until you ask. 

Now, contrast it with Domino’s Pizza Turn Around. 



I hate to call it a campaign, because it seems to be the best of consumer-centricity: listen and respond.  What they are saying here, is that they are re-aligning their operations around delighting their customers and in turn, they have faith that they will bring back those of us who wouldn’t think of ordering from Domino’s and perhaps win over new generations that don’t even know the brand. 

Domino’s response has been about presenting a level of transparency that feels fresh.  They have committed national media buys to telling the story of what they heard and how they are responding.  Innovation and creativity applied to the consumer experience; keep an eye on this.  We should all be learning from it.

©2010 Consumer Experience Design. All rights reserved.

Posted via email from ConsumerX: cXChuck's Stuff

SnowPocolypse 2010 Videos

It is a truly beautiful experience when it snows here in Grandview Heights, Ohio.  It’s still snowing and starting to get messy.  I’m going to close one eye and just look at the snow coming down.

Posted via email from ConsumerX: cXChuck's Stuff

SnowPocolypse 2010

The photographer in me couldn’t resist.  It is beautiful right now here in Central Ohio.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Freeway Giraffes & the Buttermilk Chicken Sandwhich

The Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich at Bake Sale Betty’s

I used to live in the Bay Area and I have to say that Oakland was a place I drove through to get elsewhere. Like many cities in America, it is full of contradictions, but at the edge of the good and the bad, we find some pretty cool stuff.

While doing research on the distinctiveness and brand stance of cities, I came across this piece on YouTube from Cool Hunting.  It’s about Oakland and they call it a  Word-of-Mouth Guide http://bit.ly/8gVWu7.  The approach is to ask interesting and unique people for recommendations of their favorite things, places, people that make a place, well, a place and not some other place.  My father taught me a long time ago to ask the locals and I still believe this is the best way to experience a place.  This lovely video offers glimpses into parts of Oakland that you may not know about.

And if you want the recipe for that sandwich, go here: http://bit.ly/92qqUB.  It seems “Betty” has some Chez Panisse in her.

Enjoy.

Posted via email from ConsumerX: cXChuck's Stuff

The Xmas Clown & Chuck wish you a Happy New Year!

The Christmas Clown*, and I, wish you a happy and prosperous new year.

Keep us in mind for all your retail and consumer strategy needs!

Chuck Palmer

ConsumerX

Retail + Experience + Strategy + Design 

 

614.562.9315

cx.Chuck@gmail.com

cX Blog:  http://bit.ly/4ozN4X

www.ConsumerExperienceDesign.com

Chuck Palmer's RetailWire BrainTrust Blog  http://bit.ly/3fnCTb

*The Christmas Clown is a magical ornament that has been in our family for generations.  He brings us luck prosperity.  We’re not sure what happened to his hands.

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SnapFish Deserves a Holiday Nod.

Good consumer experience: @Snapfish sent a preemptive apology email.  50 free prints because there MAY be a weather delay shipping my order (that I placed today).  That Rocks.  I had a great idea today for photo gifts.  I choose Snapfish because they had the photo book product that fit my need, and I’m a loyal HP customer and somehow that made me trust them with these family images. 

What a nice surprise.  Given that we have yet to print the perfect family shot for our yet-to-be-sent Christmas cards, we will take them up on that offer. 

Posted via email from ConsumerX: cXChuck's Stuff

Pixar's Lasseter Makes His Presence Felt in the Disney Toy Aisles

I love John Lasseter.  Not only does he have the coolest job ever on the planet ever, but he has always understood the people he is entertaining.  He, and Pixar, are stand-out examples of consumer-centricity best practices.

This piece in the  LATimes http://bit.ly/6ohRus offers a view into his thinking about merchandise and product development.  His understanding and respect for kids is paramount to making the products compelling to play with, but also his insistence that all the characters are given their due.

Whether he calls it Design Strategy or not, he surely understands the rational and emotional drivers of a brand and how they should be translated into the rules and tools designers, manufacturers and marketers need to use.  Be sure to read about the use of light green in the development of the new Princess Tiana products associated with Disney’s new “The Princess and the Frog”—spot on and defendable.

This, of course, is informed by his inherent understanding of storytelling and the connections made with audience and consumers.  When Bug’s Life came out, our daughter was very young.  Over time we collected plush doll of all the characters.  Some were easier to find than others, but they were out there and that complete collections is somehow satisfying to us and our daughter.  You see, people define a brand and the brand needs to give them the opportunity and voice to do so.

That’s the reason Toy Story is still relevant and will continue to be.

Posted via email from ConsumerX: cXChuck's Stuff

How to Design the Perfect Shopping App

To answer my own question:

KNOW THE CUSTOMER.  IDEALIZE THE EXPERIENCE.

RetailWire posed the question: Which apps or other tools make the most sense for retailers to incorporate with mobile phones? 

You can see the base article and the BrainTrust discussion here: http://bit.ly/8TivDA.>

In the opening piece, the author notes that  a "number of consumer packaged goods brands have introduced iPhone apps that give consumers direct access to the brand and include recipe ideas, nutrition info and special offers. But the reality is, shoppers are not going to download all the brand applications that come down the pike. More realistic is an application offered by a retailer, store-branded and shopper-focused, that enhances the entire shopping experience, starting from home and the creation of the shopping list.

"The greater challenge in using technology as a practical tool is ensuring the accuracy of the data and the ongoing relevance of the offering. Novelty will drive trial for many, but continuing value is the only way to keep people using the service or application."

I couldn't agree more.  Most of the apps we're seeing are technology driven--use gps to find Crest White Strips; take a picture of a product and get more info--not human behavior driven.  Cool once or twice, but will I do that with every purchase?  Who has that much time in the grocery?  (Or even Best Buy?  I'd rather play with the stuff and not the phone I already have.)

At ConsumerX, we start with the idealized experience.  In this case, which essentially is a grocery occasion, our intrepid customer is shopping with a list.  She is balancing influential messages received through various sources--broadcast, print, the weekly circular, friends ideas and recommendations--with the emotional drivers of doing what's right for her family and her self.

The potential for mobile in the shopping experience lies in understanding her and what drives her behavior. Odds are, she has spent a good deal of time reconciling all the offers and clipping paper coupons.  How will, at a minimum, mobile mimic that (so she can easily migrate her behavior to a new construct)and more importantly, how will mobile make it better in ways she cannot imagine?

The article puts the opportunity at the feet of retail store and I think this is spot on right.  Retailers know more about us than we do (or perhaps they realize) or any single brand can.  We know that and the average consumer knows that.  As a matter of fact, the average consumer, would LOVE it if we used all this information to make her life, not just easier, but cooler, nicer, better.

Combine the insights gleaned from thoughtful, attentive qualitative research, with the broad and deep data from loyalty programs and point-of-sale data and work with consumer packaged goods brands on her behalf.

Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter has launched Square, a company that uses the iPhone as a cash register (that cannot take cash).  This is great--for small retailers, iPhone enthusiasts and, well, Jack Dorsey.

Where's the app for the customers that will let them design their own shopping experience?  Hell, just keeping track of hundreds of coupons is a cottage industry.

So, come on retailers, let me access the information you and the brands have about me and what you're willing to offer and I'll try new stuff, buy more from you and keep coming back.

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It's the EXPERIENCE stupid.

Ok, this may be a stretch, and I’m totally showing my inner geek with these two links, but they blew me away. 

For my Friday Diversion this week, I thought, about the compelling experience.  Whether it is a five minute short that looks really cool (depending on your perspective of course) or the answer to a question you’ve had floating in the back of your mind (Why can’t my digital experience be as cool as what I see in the movies?  I mean, who wouldn’t want to take a bunch of pictures of Philip Seymour Hoffman and instantly make a perfect mask of his face?)

The basis of any experience is storytelling.  Crafting the experience--guiding your audience through the story—can be a complex exercise.  Just imagine all the talent went into the production of the work at these links.  We can dissect that next week, but for now, enjoy a few minutes of really cool stuff.

Enjoy.

Friday Diversion: Ridiculous User Interfaces In Film, and the Man Who Designs Them - Fake user interfaces - Gizmodo http://bit.ly/7obvJi

Friday Diversion 2: Ataque de Pánico! Awesome effects laden robot attach short film.  Worth five minutes.  http://bit.ly/54IThe

Thanks to Dave Culbertson  @daveculbertson for posting this .  The  links to which I picked up from his Twitter feed displayed on @HuberandCo ‘s Web site http://www.huberandco.com/.>

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Paper Tools: All 25% Off! Great Journals, Sketchbooks, Notebooks

Take a look at my retail store over at http://www.amadonweb.com/anvil.html.  We’re featuring our line of Wire-O bound notebooks/sketchbooks.  All are on sale.

Laura Bauer 2008 These beautiful notebooks and journals have been among our best sellers for years. Bold graphics paired with heavy stock paper and thoughtful details--the Wire-O bind is big enough to hold a Sharpie and the faint dots on each page lets you make each page lines or grid, your choice--make them a great place to archive your greatest sketches and thoughts. Our customers buy them in bulk and keep them forever. Here's what they are saying: "Size is right, plus there’s the place to stick the pen so it comes along with the pad. Two positives. The light dots on the paper is an interesting effect. One could easily draw out a sketchy design of a space, or connect the dots horizontally in one’s mind to write with. While not necessarily the same as lined paper, definitely an intriguing angle here." --Donald "I LOVE this notebook: unlined is the best, good quality spiral binding so you can lay the thing flat open or 1-sided, subtle little gridded dots so my sketchy scribbles don’t meander more than I want, but unlined so I can draw amongst my writing." --Alice In size, quality, hard front and back covers and heavy-weight pages, the Anvil notebooks will remind you of those formerly produced by Oh Boy Artifacts. In fact, we found out Anvil uses the same production factory that Oh Boy used. But, these are no knock-offs, they are wonderful in their own right and are sure to become your new favorites. Available in eight patterns: Monkeys, Geisha, Sputnik, Butterfly, Green Asia, Octopi, Love Hurts and Plum Pretty. 7" by 9.5", 96 pages

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Just Discovered: Later...with Jools Holland

We just discovered Later…with Jools Holland on @OvationTV.  Presented by co-founder of Squeeze, the show presents and incredible line up of eclectic pop music. Every night at 7pm eastern, Ovation reruns the show originally broadcast on BBC2.    Tonight’s show was Estelle, Green Day and an interview with the Clash on the reissue of London Calling among others (US broadcasts are cut down to accommodate commercials).  Go here to see the incredible line ups: http://www.bbc.co.uk/later/ and here to see Ovation’s schedule http://www.ovationtv.com/programs/jools/.

It’s like the western pop version of @KEXP.

#END

Twitter? Flickr? flickr@posterous.com Facebook? facebook@posterous.com

Posted via email from ConsumerX: cXChuck's Stuff

Untitled

We just discovered Later…with Jools Holland on @OvationTV.  Presented by co-founder of Squeeze, the show presents and incredible line up of eclectic pop music. Every night at 7pm eastern, Ovation reruns the show originally broadcast on BBC2.    Tonight’s show was Estelle, Green Day and an interview with the Clash on the reissue of London Calling among others (US broadcasts are cut down to accommodate commercials).  Go here to see the incredible line ups: http://www.bbc.co.uk/later/ and here to see Ovation’s schedule http://www.ovationtv.com/programs/jools/.

It’s like the western pop version of @KEXP.

#END

Twitter? Flickr? flickr@posterous.com Facebook? facebook@posterous.com

Posted via email from ConsumerX: cXChuck's Stuff

Mobile Merchant: SquareUp

Not sure what to write about this yet, but you'll want to see this. SquareUp  http://squareup.com @Jack Dorsey's new company. He’s one of the founders of Twitter .

GAME CHANGER

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Macy's Day Parade Pt. 2

I’ve always loved that “Macy’s Day” is a short way of referring to Thanksgiving Day.  It’s even a Greenday song http://www.greenday.com/site/music.php.  

The parade that started as a promotion to announce the opening of the Macy’s Herald Square store in 1924 has become a cultural icon and a part of families’ holiday traditions. (See the Wikipedia link below.)   Started in the day when department stores put on spectacular events to draw customers, the parade is best-known of several spectaculars the store produces.  In San Francisco, where I did my training, the annual flower show http://www.macys.com/campaign/flowershow/index.jsp transformed the Union Square store into a wonderland.

Now that Macy’s is a national chain, and working on localizing their brand, (the pictures here are of is this year’s decorations at their Chicago flagship—always known as Marshall Field’s) the annual Thanksgiving parade becomes even more important component of their identity.  Say what you will about their day-to-day operations (last time I was in the Easton store here in Columbus, it was a mess) but you cannot deny that Macy’s is part of our culture that transcends mere retail. 

Or is it that retail is part of our culture that we cannot deny?  Hmm.

Happy Thanksgiving to all. 

See you at the store on Friday!

Here’s the bit from Wikipedia:

In the 1920s many of Macy's department store employees were first-generation immigrants. Proud of their new American heritage, they wanted to celebrate the United States holiday of Thanksgiving with the type of festival their parents had loved in Europe.^{[citation needed]}

In 1924, the inaugural parade (originally known as the Macy's Christmas Parade^[2]) was staged by the store. Employees and professional entertainers marched from 145th Street in Harlem to Macy's flagship store on 34th Street dressed in vibrant costumes.^[3] There were floats, professional bands and live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo.^[4] At the end of that first parade, as has been the case with every parade since, Santa Claus was welcomed into Herald Square. At this first parade, however, the Jolly Old Elf was enthroned on the Macy's balcony at the 34th Street store entrance, where he was then "crowned" "King of the Kiddies."^[5] With an audience of over a quarter of a million people,^{[citation needed]} the parade was such a success that Macy's declared it would become an annual event. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macy%27s_Thanksgiving_Day_Parade

The spectacular Tiffany Dome ready for Holidays 2009.

The Tiffany Dome atrium from above.  Remember this is only a quarter of the infamous Marshall Field’s State Street store in Chicago.

View of Macy’s State Street Holiday 2009 display, with the iconic Marshall Field’s Clock on the corner.

I had to include this one.  My wife and I met while we were both working at Marshall Field’s in Columbus and we traveled to the State Street store to register for our wedding gifts (we made it to Crate & Barrel to register that weekend, too). 

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Macy's Day Parade Pt. 1

At our house, Thanksgiving morning is all about the four of us hanging out together, having a special (light) breakfast--this year, savory and sweet tarts made with surplus pie crust (thank you, my sweet wife)--and watching the parade. Then it's all about traveling to both our families' gatherings. Today I am thankful for our familes. Big and small. Happy Thanksgiving to all. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

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Retail Store Design: We've Come a Long Way, Baby. Really?

http://pleasantfamilyshopping.blogspot.com/2009/07/woolco-of-our-dreams.html

I found this great blog that discusses retail days gone by.  I’m in the midst of doing a big strategy project and when I found these pictures, I thought, wow, we really haven’t come that far, have we?

At first glance, this Woolco store from the early 1960s doesn’t look all that different from the big boxes of today.  Actually, they look a bit nicer, given that super-cool carpeting and the mannequins. Although I’m not sure why the two gentlemen in the foreground are considering that blue dress; let’s hope it’s some sort of quality control.

The paint and hardware department looks rather shop-able.  Look at all that merchandise on those short fixtures.  I bet those ladies with the oddly matching coats don’t feel lost in a cavern of stuff.

At the end of the day, shoppers—people—haven’t changed all that much in the last 40 to 50 years.  We still want great merchandise at a reasonable price and to be taken care of, even in big boxes.  Woolco did some pioneering stuff back in the day.  We can still learn from best practices, no matter when they were best.

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The Power of Listening: Getting to the Emotional Core

http://www.nationaldayoflistening.org/participate/

This Friday is the National Day of Listening as declared by StoryCorps.  If you are not familiar with StoryCorp, it is an ongoing effort to record the stories of ordinary people’s lives.  It is quite simple really, two people talking with each other.  These stories are stored in the Library of Congress and can be heard on public radio and the StoryCorp Web site.

A few years back, I worked on a project with a very large health insurance company.  The challenge was to start a movement within the organization that allowed leadership, management and staff alike to “Transform Numbers into People”.  That is, think of the people at the other end of policies as humans with emotional needs and drivers and use that knowledge to affect your work everyday.

I brought StoryCorp to project and allowed the 350+ participants to hear the deeply moving stories of ordinary people.  We set up listening stations containing a selection of StoryCorp stories.

Well now we all can record stories of the people important to us.  Go to the link above to learn how to conduct your interview and share it with the world.

Here’s a bit from the www.StoryCorp.org Web site:

Listening is an act of love.

The heart of StoryCorps is the conversation between two people who are important to each other: a son asking his mother about her childhood, an immigrant telling his friend about coming to America, or a couple reminiscing on their 50th wedding anniversary. By helping people to connect, and to talk about the questions that matter, the StoryCorps experience is powerful and sometimes even life-changing. 

Our goal is to make that experience accessible to all, and find new ways to inspire people to record and preserve the stories of someone important to them. Everybody’s story matters and every life counts.

Just as powerful is the experience of listening. Whenever people listen to these stories, they hear the courage, the humor, the trials and triumphs of an incredible range of voices.

By listening closely to one another, we can help illuminate the true character of this nation reminding us all just how precious each day can be and how truly great it is to be alive.

-Dave Isay, Founder, StoryCorps

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In Honor of the Big Game

A bit of Ohio State ritual. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

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Apple Store Christmas Windows: Starting to Look a Lot Like Everyone Else

I am a HUGE fan of Apple retail stores. I think Apple is one of the best retailers out there today. Their tree of apps display in their store on Chicago's North Michigan Avenue caught my eye. Is it me, or is this ho-hum? Anywhere else, it seems it would be a stand out, but the creativity just isn't there. For a high-visibility store, I would think something a bit more high-concept would come from Apple. It could be expense, of course, but as I've passed along before, Apple stores to 30 time the sales per square foot as Macy's.

Are they becoming a traditional retailer and doing safe holiday? Frankly, the red "ribbon" wrapping the store on their high-level bilboard display is more of a jarring site, departing from Apple's usual super-simple, understated imagery.

What are the best store windows this year?

(Sorry for the poor image quality-I'm a Blackberry user.)

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Polaroid + God's Eye + Urban Outfitters

It seems Urban Outfitters is saving instant photography. On a recent trip to Chicago I saw a display featuring the Polaroid "God's Eye" logo. (What a name!) The display contains information about The Impossible Project, in which the organizers have acquired the equiptment and technology to produce Polaroid film for use in vintage cameras. Look for the film exclusively--I suppose--at Urban Outfitters in 2010. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

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Great Day in Chicago

Great day in Chicago with the family: Wilmette dog beech, shopping downtown, Millenium Park, Apple Store, dinner at friend's house. Loverly. Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

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Apple Stores

I love this little tidbit from today’s piece on the new Apple store on the Upper West Side:  Apple stores do almost as much per store as Macy's, which has 30 times more floor space.

Apple’s Modest Addition to the Upper West Side - Bits Blog - NYTimes.com http://bit.ly/47ZPRo

Wow.

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