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 Oasis .
RETAIL STRATEGY 15/25
Emma Robertson, Managing Director, Transform
Having risen from the flames of the Mosaic Group, the company now looks set to re-ignite, this time moving away from the group operating model to make way for a smaller, more agile business model. Under the Aurora Fashions banner, the businesses have thrived both commercially and within the industry, becoming synonymous with multichannel retailing in the fashion market and launching some high-profile market firsts: being at the forefront of click & collect in fashion; the first 90 minute delivery proposition; grabbing headlines through in-store technology pilots. Additionally Aurora’s progress in tackling the perpetual challenge of stock visibility, and combining a store and distribution centre stock position to maximise digital sales has generated interest in the industry.
INTERNET RETAILING IN STORE 17/25
Amy McInnes, User Experience Consultant, User Vision
Oasis offers users a good example of an effective ecommerce experience that is visually appealing and easy to use. Category pages display a large variety of choice which are easily filtered down. Product pages use images and video clips well to aid the users’ familiarity with products. The conversion funnel is clearly signposted at all stages and users are constantly reassured throughout the checkout process, with the main barrier being the requirement to register prior to purchase. There are certainly areas that would benefit from improvement such as with regards to accessibility and improvements such as ‘quick views’.
MOBILE 18/25
Adam Maxted, Square Media Consultancy
Both the App and Msite were well executed and reflected well on the Oasis brand. They both worked efficiently and were easy to navigate with a clear direction through to the search options. The items for sale were presented well, with ability to see more photos of the item, enlarge them and check size options etc. From selection of your item, to adding to your bag and then check out, was a reasonably quick experience. I thought the entry of credit card data appearing on a graphic of a card was clever and would reassure shoppers at this stage of the process. However, the App let itself down when after several attempts by two people offering two different cards the transaction had to be aborted, due to an “Unknown error”. This was a real shame to fall down at the crucial payment hurdle.
WEB EFFECTIVENESS 16/25
Reeta Junankar, Consulting Manager, Javelin
Behind the scenes, digital technology in stores (advanced inventory systems) enables Oasis to deliver one of the more advanced omnichannel offerings on the high street. Digital in store is manifested through the use of iPads (in key stores only) which provide access to the Oasis website, allowing customers to locate items in stock at other stores; while staff can look up stock using the POS. Large digital screens are present, but used for visual merchandising rather than delivering interactive ‘content’. Mobile features like “PayPal inStore” app payment & barcode scanning using the Oasis mobile app are present, but not yet actively promoted in store. Although Click & Collect and In-Store Ordering (for store delivery) are not yet available, with the iPads, Oasis is clearly first focusing on what’s important to their core customer – “I need to wear this dress tonight, where can I get it right now?!”
RETAIL LEADERBOARD
John Lewis 83/100
IKEA 75/100
Oasis 66/100
