As customers and retailers look across all touchpoints rather than siloed channels, so IR retailer reviews look at the entire retailer’s eco-system of website, mobile, the use of digital in store and their overall strategy. Longer in-depth analysis of the four areas can be viewed online at www.internetretailing.net. This issue our reviewers examine Marks & Spencer .
RETAIL STRATEGY 25/25
EMMA ROBERTSON, MANAGING DIRECTOR, TRANSFORM
M&S digital channels have been in growth and outperforming stores for the last few years making it harder for the new infrastructure to prove its commercial benefi t against some already hefty YOYs. In addition, the market remains unconvinced about the M&S product range in many areas, with womenswear continuing to come under scrutiny around target customer, confl icting brands and fashion credentials. The multichannel experience can only go so far to drive the business forward if the product proposition remains unclear. However, in the new website M&S has a strong channel proposition, and the fl exibility to adapt to a changing market and customer base. To quote the famous M&S Food adverts – this is not just a website redesign, this is an M&S website redesign: a multichannel strategy spearheaded by the website, with a generous side order of cultural change and underlying infrastructure. Tuck in.
For the full review, click here.
WEB EFFECTIVENESS 20/25
NICOLA DUNLOP, USER EXPERIENCE ANALYST, USER VISION
On a whole Marks and Spencer is a prime example of an effective ecommerce site. The revised structure effectively follows user expectation with good use of navigation titles and calls to action throughout. The product page in particular successfully guides the user through the experience while setting an exemplary balance between contextual images and product information. In addition, the style and editorial section offers diverse, fresh content that will inspire and engage a range of user types both regular and new. Slight issues were identifi ed in how this information was displayed to the user as well as the basket summary pop-over, yet in general this is a leading retail site.
For the full review, click here.
MOBILE 15/25
ROB THURNER, MANAGING PARTNER, BURN THE SKY
The mobile site provides the high standards of user experience I would expect from M&S, particularly around search and navigation, with an excellent use of fi lter options for easy browsing of an extensive product range. The browsing experience is signifi cantly better on tablet than on mobile – where high quality images come into their own, and the style and living section gives the site an editorial feel. No doubt the teething problems on the mobile site and the check out glitches – noted in my longer review on internetretailing.net – are being addressed to bring the mobile site up to scratch.
For the full review, click here.
INTERNET RETAILING IN STORE 20/25
LOUISE GARVIN, CONSULTING MANAGER, JAVELIN GROUP
The key omnichannel building blocks are now in place after 3 years of investment. The “Shop your way” proposition is a real strength, with fl exibility for the customer to order in any channel, for delivery in any channel. With the launch of the new platform and API stack, the ability and pace to innovate should pick up building on in-store innovations to date such as Virtual Rails, showcase Browse & Buy points in-store and equipping store colleagues with iPads. M&S appears to have a real appetite to test & learn which will be key to evolving the in store digital experience. Personalisation currently is somewhat limited to the app, but will likely be the next major focus to shape future digital store interactions.
