In today’s InternetRetailing newsletter we’re reflecting on the Views that struck us at this week’s InternetRetailing Conference. There, retailers of all stripes aired and shared their ideas from emotional commerce to developing a greater understanding of the customer. It was striking, indeed, how often it all came back to the customer. That elusive shopper whose business retailers so need right now, in an uncertain retail environment, underpins all of the Views we’ve chosen for today’s coverage – from how customer insight can help to refine fulfilment services, to how the future of retail might develop.
It should be no surprise then, that two Top500 retailers unveiling their figures this week emphasised the importance of responding to the customer. Both Tesco and DFS said their work to invest in the customer experience had helped to lift sales – although, in DFS’ case, profits were hit by just that uncertain business environment and the weakness of sterling following the Brexit decision.
Today we feature an interview with Ross Clemmow of Debenhams on how the department store’s focus on the customer, via social media and mobile, is helping to shape its strategy for the future.
Today’s guest comment also looks at the customer experience, as Duncan Keene of ContentSquare argues that it’s vital to understand what shoppers do, and why they do it.
In other news we’re reporting on Amazon’s tax fine from the European Commission, and a Royal Mail strike that’s set for October 19 – and what it means for retailers.
Webinars
Find out more about upcoming InternetRetailing webinars and register for free on the InternetRetailing webinar page. You can also catch up with past webinars on the page: recent sessions have come from IBM Watson on using AI to improve the customer experience, and from SmartFocus and The Entertainer on using social to reach digital customers.
