IBM helps 1-800-Flowers connect with shoppers

New York -- With 25% of annual flower sales (for an estimated $1.9 billion) tied to Mother’s Day, it’s no wonder the holiday looms large for 1-800-Flowers. IBM is helping the retailer simplify Mother’s Day gift-giving for its digital customers no matter where or how they shop, including through the website, with a mobile device or via social media.



Using analytics found in IBM’s Smarter Commerce solutions, 1-800-Flowers is now able to better understand web traffic, identify best-selling items, gauge campaign effectiveness and visitor behavior. With these insights, the retailer has been to adjust ads and provide special offers or coupons on the spot to better serve clients and boost sales.



The company is also aggressively pursuing ways to keep them coming back for all special occasions. For instance, when a shopper buys flowers for Mother’s Day, 1-800-Flowers applies IBM analytics to come up with an incentive that will drive the customer to come back to the site for Father’s Day and buy a gourmet food basket.



Tech-savvy retailers like 1-800-Flowers are using social media to listen to consumer opinions and participate in discussions, allowing them to gain new insights into shopper preferences that would otherwise not be possible. As another direct communications channel, customers use 1-800-Flower’s presence on social media sites like twitter to inquire about their orders and delivery times. Customer service representatives monitor these sites and are able to respond in minutes to concerns.