This three-part blog series on the future of the store focuses on insights from the Future Stores Conference in Seattle, Washington. In the first two parts, we discussed the changing role of retail and how retailers need to shift from focusing on the consumers to front-line associates. The third and final section will focus on how brands […]
Part 3: The Future of the Store Read More »
This three-part blog series focuses on insights from the Future Stores Conference in Seattle, Washington. Part 1 of The Future of the Store discussed the renewed value of brick and mortar locations as part of retail’s growth strategy, as well as the importance of tailoring the store experience to the given trade area while creating a strong
Part 2: The Future of the Store Read More »
After over two years since the last live gathering of senior retail executives in operations, design, digital, and technology, this year’s Future Stores Conference took place in Seattle, Washington, on July 14 and 15. The seminar explored various topics and opportunities in retail and featured sessions on how leading retailers integrate a hybrid approach to their in-store
Part 1: The Future of the Store Read More »
As consumer shopping patterns and expectations are constantly evolving, it’s important for retailers to ensure an effective omnichannel strategy is implemented within their customer journey. To deliver an impactful service experience, organizations need to ensure that all customer touch points truly reflect their customer’s shopping habits. Not only should the customer journey consider both the
How To Develop an Omnichannel Customer Journey Read More »
One of the most promising strategies for established CPG brands attempting to grow their direct-to-consumer online business is in giftables. M&Ms started the trend many years ago when they offered consumers the chance to personalize their classic candies: bridal showers, weddings and baby showers in the early 2000s just didn’t seem complete without a tulle-wrapped
CPG Brand Gifts that Drive Direct-To-Consumer Growth Read More »
The customer journey is closer to becoming seamless with the convergence of brand focus on UX, omnichannel, and overall shopping experience. However, much will change as a new sales channel emerges with the advent of the metaverse and augmented reality. What seems like a novel platform gained momentum with the recent announcement that Apple’s creation
Creating the Right Omni-Channel Experience Journey in a Metaverse World Read More »
The COVID-19 pandemic has renewed our focus on health and wellness, influencing people worldwide to be more self-aware of its importance. This has driven growth in the global wellness economy, and it now exceeds a $4 trillion industry. Demand for wellness products and services creates an exceptional opportunity for health and wellness companies to secure
The Importance of Branding to Health & Wellness Brands Read More »
As the world transitions towards a plastic-free future, retailers need to keep up with sustainable packaging trends. Previous methods of packaging that retailers considered essential, cost-saving measures, such as single-use plastic shopping bags, utensils, or cups, are losing their desirability. Using cheap sources of plastic ensures products are safe – but creates an ecological issue
Small Changes, Big Impact: How 6 Retail Brands Are Becoming More Sustainable Read More »
The pharmaceutical retail industry and their traditional service design have been met with a number of disruptions – from the COVID-19 pandemic plateauing retail sales to the uprise in digital pharmacy companies. Digital start-ups like Pillway and Capsule are providing prescription drug fulfillment deliveries, Direct-To-Consumer brands like Persona Nutrition and Ritual are supplying vitamins, and
Service Design for Pharmacies Read More »
Retail brands want to know what an NFT is but should be focused on how fast they can start utilizing them. From its ongoing Twitter popularity to being featured on Saturday Night Live, the term NFT was even chosen by some dictionaries as the 2021 Word of the Year. Many have heard the word, but
The Retailers Guide to NFTs Read More »
Direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands have disrupted retail with unique niche offerings, greater convenience, and great savings. By rethinking simple products like shaving cream and razors, giants like Dollar Shave Club shook things up. Their success has inspired a sea of entrants into almost every category, driving up the costs of customer acquisition online and making it
How to Enter Retail for DTC Brands Read More »
Consumer research tells us shoppers want sustainable CPG products and will even pay more for them. However, as many brands know from experience, consumers don’t always follow through on this intent. In this blog we take a behaviorally informed view to explore the reasons consumers may not actually purchase more sustainable choices, even though they
Behavioral Tools for Sustainable CPG Choices Read More »
The healthcare industry has experienced significant challenges as a result of the pandemic, including the rising cost of operations and the growing scrutiny of governments. As a sector that has been somewhat insulated from disruptions occurring in other industries, such as retail and banking, it can no longer assume it’s “business as usual.” Healthcare needs
Why Culture and People are Key to Healthcare Transformation Read More »
The movie Ready Player One, live events hosted by Fortnite, and Facebook’s recent name change to “Meta” are all harbingers of a coming advance in technology that will be a game-changer: the metaverse. Just how far away we are from the vision Mark Zuckerberg laid out in his infamous video is a subject of great
Future-Proofing for the Metaverse Read More »
The Current State of Transformation Digital transformation, for many institutions, has ended at the doorstep of their retail channels. The pandemic has accelerated the growth of both Amazon and Fintech, forcing banks and retailers to shift their focus to digital to help drive sales and customer retention. However, as digital transformation efforts mature and
Five Ways to Fill the Digital Transformation Gap for Retail Brands Read More »
2021 was not the year many had hoped for. The pandemic, natural disasters, inflation, supply chain issues and a persistently polarized planet has put humanity’s resilience to the test. Yet, with the new year’s arrival, there is renewed hope that conditions will stabilize and provide retailers with a clearer look ahead. As a future-focused strategic
What Will 2022 Look Like for Retail Brands? Read More »
As we look back on 2021, it would be nice to be able to view COVID-19 in the rearview mirror with a sigh of relief. But to quote Michael Corleone, “just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!” This must be the way a lot of brands are feeling right now,
The Best Brand Pivots of COVID-19 Read More »
Since the pandemic began, retail has been in a state of near-constant crisis and change. For those who have made it this far in solid shape, a new challenge is arising that poses a longer-term threat: staffing. As headlines across the continent state loud and clear, there is a shortage of workers especially in frontline
Five Trends Influencing Retail’s Labour Shortage Read More »
Though the popularity of online shopping was trending upwards even before COVID-19, the past year and a half has seen a dramatic increase in online sales across a wide range of industries. While expected categories like household supplies, food delivery and personal care products saw significant growth, one of the largest jumps has been in
How CPG Brands Can Elevate Their Social Media Presence Read More »
About half of Gen Z are now over 18 and are making adult financial decisions. As banks and other financial institutions look to the future, what does this diverse young generation want? In this blog, we explore emerging trends in banking preference and behavior, the driving forces behind these changes, and what banks can do
5 Things Banks Need to Know About Gen Z Read More »
