In today’s InternetRetailing newsletter, we report on how multichannel strategies are developing at IRUK Top500 retailers from Next and Ted Baker to B&Q and Screwfix. This comes as we also report that online spending hit £1bn a week in February, according to the ONS.
What all of these reports have in common is the strong continuing shift towards online spending, often at the cost of stores. And it seems that consumers are keen to go still further in the way they use technology to buy. Oracle research that we also cover today suggests that most shoppers would like to use virtual reality, drones, or have shopkeepers predict their shopping lists – as long as they stay in full control of the transaction.
We interview Stuart McMillan of Schuh on usability and design in today’s IRX preview, while today’s guest comment comes from Nick Keating of BounceX on the role of email in customer engagement.
Webinars
IBM’s Neelam Kharay, customer experience analytics specialist, who works on the IBM Watson Customer Engagement project joins us on March 27 for a webinar that focuses on the customer experience. Neelam will show how cognitive solutions are helping brands to develop automated and data-driven customer experiences in a session that features the experiences of retailers Ernsting’s Family and Performance Bicycle. Deliver exceptional customer experiences with cognitive solutions is at 2pm on March 27. Visit the IBM webinar page to find out more and register for the free event.
Sarah Taylor, chief marketing officer at SmartFocus, joins us on April 4 for a session that focuses on social. She’ll argue that this is now the vital channel to reach the digital consumer, and show the role that it plays in an omnichannel marketing strategy. An innovative approach to addressing the modern commercial society is at 4pm on April 4. Click to visit the SmartFocus webinar page and to register for the free event.
Click to visit the Internet Retailing webinar page to catch up on the latest events.
IRX and EDX
Eight conferences packed with retail speakers and covering everything from omnichannel and international to delivery are running at the InternetRetailing Expo, from April 5 to 6 at the NEC in Birmingham. To learn more about IRX 2017, its sister conference eDelivery Expo and to register for free, visit www.internetretailingexpo.com and www.edeliveryexpo.com.
Attendees can also get a 25% discount on their train fare to the NEC when they book through the IRX or EDX visitor information website.
