As online retailers continue to dominate the retail world, the future for traditional retailers seems bleak. It’s evident that many brick and mortar stores have struggled to stay ahead in the digital age, leaving them to face the inevitable doom of shutting doors and waving the white flag. Sure, the future looks rather dim for many traditional retailers… but we are here to discuss the retail crusaders who have ventured through the rubble and are coming out victorious, the retailers who have faced the digital age with a different approach. Instead of leading their customer to another online store and fight for competitive pricing, they have led their customers in-store, providing an in-person digital experience and one-upping their competition with the power of a simple human touch to keep brick and mortar sales high. Through innovative approaches, they have changed the way that shoppers interact with their products, building things that can only be experienced live. Moving Online to In-line and In-Store Macys iBeacons Macy’s used an innovative approach to bringing their mobile shoppers in-store during Black Friday. With their Walk In & Win campaign, they prompted users to install their app and shop in-store to be eligible to win prizes, including a grand prize of $1,000,000. Using beacon technology, Macy’s knew immediately when app users were in-store and were able to send them notifications of special offers and instant prizes. It was an ingenious way to incentivize their digital shoppers to get a unique in-store experience.          2. Bloomingdales, Ralph Lauren Interactive Shopping Windows Bloomingdales and Ralph Lauren took the difficulty of finding the ‘perfect gift for dad’ on Father’s Day and made it fun through a 4D graphic fashion show. Window shoppers were able to use a touch screen installed on the outside of the store to select various Ralph Lauren Polo items, mixing and matching to create a gift dads would love. They could then buy the items immediately in-store completing their shopping hassle-free.        3. Walgreens- Digital Mapping  Walgreens Pharmacy has made shopping fun again. By creating a game-like application on each shopping cart, they are allowing their customers to find each item with ease while saving some major bucks along the way. Walgreens used a special camera to add a detailed 3D view to their in-store maps. The information was woven together with the store floor plans to show where products were located and where they were on the shelves. Shoppers were also served highly contextual discounts on items as they passed by, incenting them to interact with the maps. So, as you can see, retailers are doing some pretty amazing things within the digital landscape. Are the retail crusaders responsible for reports like ….  https://retail.emarketer.com/article/us-shoppers-still-prefer-make-most-purchases-in-store/58dd8922ebd400061c80f3cf   Possibly. But what we do know for certain is that to continue to compete in the retail space, brick and mortar stores need to continue to play to their strengths, incorporating digital instore. Want to learn more about how AMP can help your business bring digital in-store? Contact us, here.  

Attention, brand marketers. One of the highest grossing shopping seasons is predicted to kick off sooner than you think. Curious as to how you can prepare? Read this post for predicted trends for the 2013 holiday shopping season. $640 Billion 2013 Holiday Retail Spend Consumers will be on the lookout for value messaging, coupons, awesome promotions, and free shipping. One in five retailers say free shipping will be the deciding factor on purchases this year, so brand marketers should consider this tactic if scalable/possible and consider using it to their advantage on the big in-store shopping days such as Black Friday according to Google Internal Search Data. In addition to this, retailers are focusing on flash sales and promotions such as BOGO. Mobile Mobile is believed to contribute to 38% of in-store sales by retailers and 53% of retailers believe the most significant transactions will be via mobile channels. Based on the shopper's location and device, retailers should aim to meet consumers in context of wherever they are (comparing prices, checking inventory, hunting for coupons, etc.) As Interbrand points out in Best Retail Brands 2013 report: "In the future, retail stores will look different than they do today. The digital dimension and corresponding consumer behavior continue to evolve and change the way a brand experience is delivered. Now that the idea of shopping can't be anchored in geography or managed as an event, the brand experience is too important'and holds too much promise'to be ignored. It's critical that retailers focus on enhancing brand experiences no matter where they are." The 'Online Shopping Continuum'? Typical peak shopping days (Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas Eve) are stretching into shopping weeks and extended promotions. Retailers are taking advantage of these shopping 'holidays'? and are pushing the urgency tactic through mobile to consumers according to the Chase Holiday Pulse. Timing is Everything Retailers will be open for business via mobile at all times, especially on those major in-store shopping holidays. The three biggest days for mobile queries were Black Friday, Thanksgiving, and the day after Christmas (Google Internal Search Data, Shopping Category, Q4, Percentage Lift vs. Average Q4 Day). In 2012, shopping-related searches increased astronomically during key in-store days. Up to 40% of retailers' sales this year are expected to happen during the 2013 holiday season (National Retail Federation, Holiday FAQ). As early as it may seem, consumers and retailers alike are busy prepping for the big holiday spend this year, which is predicted to be one of the highest grossing yet. Retailers and brand marketers, take note to plan first with mobile tactics as part of holiday marketing shopping strategies. Happy holidays and happier shopping to all!