Digital Marketing

Watch out millennials, there’s a new generational cohort upsetting the retail landscape.   Generation Z has become an increasingly important influencer of consumer spending, according to a new study by HRC Retail Advisory, with new shopping behaviors that focus on both malls and online shopping. (The HRC survey describes Gen Z as individuals born between 1999 and 2006).  

As Black Friday quickly approaches, it is anyone’s game on who will garner the most wallet share — clicks or bricks.    More than three-quarters (76%) of Americans plan to shop over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and they plan to spend $400 between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, a slight uptick from last year's intentions to spend $369.  

Shoppers at select Calvin Klein stores may soon be able to charge their phones while also watching some promotional content.    The specialty apparel retailer is installing complementary in-store phone charging kiosks in approximately nine stores across the United States and Canada, including New York City and Las Vegas. The kiosks, from Veloxity, will be in place just in time for Black Friday.   

Walmart has fired the first shot in the Cyber Monday wars.   The discounter said it will launch its “Cyber Week” sales several days early this year, with the first round to be offered on Friday, Nov. 25, at 12:01 a.m. (EST).   In announcing the deals, Walmart noted it has nearly tripled its online assortment to more than 23 million products from 8 million last year, with the growth partially driven by the increase in the chain’s third-party sellers.     

Abercrombie & Fitch’s efforts to turnaround its struggling namesake brand aren’t finding much traction with shoppers.   The teen apparel brand on Friday said that its profit declined 81% in the third quarter and warned that it expects a challenging holiday season for its namesake banner.     Abercrombie posted net income of $7.88 million, or 12 cents per share, for the quarter ended Oct. 29, down from $41.9 million, or 60 cents per share, in the year-ago period.  

Consumers are warming up their fingers as they prepare to shop on Cyber Monday.   As more of these shoppers (63%) flock online for Cyber Monday, 54% will use a desktop or laptop. Twenty five percent (25%) of shoppers plan to use a smart phone or tablet, but 21% will use a combination of all of these devices, according to “Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Thanksgiving 2016,” a report from Perk, an engagement platform provider. The study is based on responses from 670 Perk users between Nov. 1-8, 2016.   

Lowe’s Companies is partnering with an unusual and very tech-savvy retailer to sell “smart” home devices.    The home improvement retailer has teamed up with San-Francisco-based b8ta to launch an in-store shop concept dedicated to demystifying and simplifying the purchase of smart home devices Called “SmartSpot powered by b8ta,” the new concept is currently in place in three Lowe’s stores in California (Livermore, Burbank and Aliso Viejo).  

As shoppers use more devices to shop their favorite brands, it is not surprising that digital shopping will drive retail holiday sales.   This message was delivered in Nielsen's 2016 holiday trend report, which tapped 1,159 adults aged 18 years and older. As of Nov. 11, online shopping was outpacing in-store visits, with 58% of shoppers already purchasing their holiday gifts online compared to 40% that went to big-box retail stores, and 25% who visited department stores.  

As retailers expand their operations beyond their domestic borders, many are finding new opportunities to connect with new shoppers.    This message was delivered in “PayPal Cross-Border Consumer Research 2016,” a report from PayPal and Ipsos, a study that investigated the online domestic and cross-border shopping habits of more than 28,000 consumers in 32 countries.