Omnichannel

Q:"I'm experimenting with sending printed direct mail catalogs to my customer list, and would like to get some insight around conversion or response rates for this type of mailing. Anyone out there have some benchmarks or advice?"— Howard Berg, online division marketing manager, 
Horizon Hobby, Inc. A: Howard, that's a great question. However, there isn't…

Multichannel commerce has evolved; the lines between channels are disappearing. Retailers have long built strategies for marketing to shoppers within a channel, whether it's online, in-store, through a catalog, via a mobile site and so on. But today's shoppers view retailers holistically, regardless of how and where they choose to shop. This dynamic changes everything for retailers. They're now required to promote their brand and products consistently, in relevant context, to individual customers. The era of "syndicated commerce" is upon us. 

As use of digital signage increases, the price of equipment comes down, consumers become more mobile savvy, and digital and mobile begin to integrate through proximity technology, it becomes increasingly important for retailers to consider these new forms of communication.

International footwear designer and retailer Stuart Weitzman will launch VendorNet’s StoreNet Ship-from Store software to integrate its store inventory with e-commerce sales and fulfillment to save sales on the web and in stores.

To help meet customers' desire for immediacy during the shopping experience, Nordstrom President Blake Nordstrom announced that the retailer will deploy mobile devices for its store employees by this fall.

In 2011 there will be new challenges and new opportunities for apparel manufacturers, retailers and brands. Based on insights from this month's just-style management briefing, we look at what the industy can expect this year.

Beauty care company Estée Lauder is using digital technologies to enhance the customer experience at various points of sale, including iPads for consumer use. Estée Lauder is "the first cosmetics brand to put iPads at selected store counters," said Fabrizio Freda, the company's president and CEO.

According to the 100 evaluated in the e-tailing group's Annual Mystery Shopping Study, merchants are reducing the clutter, raising the bar, embracing technology, and reaching beyond their websites to deliver a more polished customer experience.

Aeropostale's comparable store sales for January have been better than most peers in the teen segment, though room certainly exists for improvement. The company's comparable store sales for the month increased by a modest 1 percent while net sales for the month increased by 7 percent, largely driven by growth in its internet and catalog orders.

Online consumer behavior is constantly changing. There are more touchpoints and channels to connect with consumers than ever before. Keeping up with these steady and ever-present changes in online shopping behavior is the No. 1 thorn in the sides of retailers, according to a recent report by Retail Systems Research (RSR), sponsored by ATG, a subsidiary of Oracle, titled After the Storm: Connecting with the New Online Consumer.