Loyalty Marketing

The holiday season is rapidly approaching, so of course everyone is thinking about the latest trends in... retail IT. Okay, nobody outside of the industry has visions of technology solutions dancing in their heads, but retailers do need to know what is developing on the IT front as their busiest season arrives.

After a 16% increase in e-commerce sales in 2014, another 14% increase is projected this year, in turn driving greater customer expectations.* Today’s shopper is more connected than ever before, which means they have more information and can turn to any number of retailers for the products they want. The bottom line is if they don’t have the experience they desire, they will go elsewhere, especially during the holiday shopping frenzy.

A new marketplace has launched with the goal of helping retailers and suppliers keep up with the blistering pace of innovation that is transforming their world.

The emphasis on omnichannel commerce has largely laid to rest (at least for now) the debate of online versus offline. Indeed, A.T. Kearney put it best in the title of a recent study, “On Solid Ground: Brick and Mortar is the Foundation of Omnichannel Retailing.”

We live in the age of the empowered consumer – with little patience and sky-high demands for personalized shopping experiences. Today’s consumers are used to having everything they want available to them at the swipe of a finger or within a physical store. When there’s an app for nearly everything along with ultra-accurate search technologies, brands need to make sure they’re delivering on their promises and providing seamless and relevant customer experiences across all channels –mobile, web, social, call center, physical stores and more.

Express is making payment and participation in its loyalty program easier to accomplish from a mobile device. The specialty apparel retailer is launching a new mobile app that includes full integration with its Express Next loyalty program and cardless payment functionality.

There may not be a return of the annual “Running of the Brides” sales event, but a legendary discount retailer is back in business. Filene’s Basement has launched an e-commerce site that combines its traditional bargains with new omnichannel features.

When it comes to selling products online, retailers want to go wherever their customers go. According to the 2015 E-Commerce Benchmark Survey from Boston Retail Partners, close to half (45%) of surveyed retailers indicated that mobile websites are their most important e-commerce capability.