Tech Bytes: Three Thoughts on Social Retailing: SAP Retail Forum

At the recent SAP Retail Forum held in Miami, I was part of a panel discussion titled, “Creating One Experience for the Digital Consumer.” Providing a consistent, integrated online and offline experience for digital shoppers is a multifaceted task that involves many platforms.



A lot of my commentary focused on how social media in particular can prove a crucial asset in creating a unified digital customer experience. Here are three specific thoughts on social retailing pulled from the panel discussion.



Social joins online and offline

Social media provides a unique opportunity for retailers looking to bridge the online and offline worlds. By its nature, social media is a tool that enhances consumers’ physical lives with digital content. Let’s briefly review a couple real-life examples I gave of how social media can improve offline experience with online content.



I recently attended a large folk music festival in Lowell, Massachusetts. Locally based dairy product provider Hood distributed free samples of its ice cream from a truck, and posted real-time updates of the truck’s location on Twitter. Based on reaction of my two kids and the long line we waited in, the promotion was a big success.



In another example, specialty outdoor retailer Poler Outdoor Stuff curates Instagram posts from consumers using its products and displays them in its Portland, Oregon flagship store on flat-screen TVs. The posts enhance the in-store experience and provide a better demonstration of Poler’s products in action than any advertising agency could produce.



Poler’s in-store Instagram promotion has also had an impact in the digital realm. Use of the retailer’s Instagram hashtag “#campvibes” has exploded since it started displaying posts featuring the hashtag in the store.



Social is a real-time focus group

Consumer social media activity provides a global and diversified real-time focus group for retailers. A quick scan of consumer comments and responses to a retailer’s social postings creates an immediate measurement of how well their engagement strategy is working.



For retailers who want to invest a little more time and money into what on the surface is a free consumer analysis tool, “social listening” solutions and services delve into broader consumer commentary across social platforms to discern consumer sentiment. Whether retailers want to simply wade or dive deep, the social data is waiting and constantly updating.



Social is a direct sales tool

From the Twitter Buy Now button, to Pinterest Buyable Pins, to You Tube shoppable ads, to Facebook and Instagram’s continuing efforts to make their platforms commerce-friendly, social media is becoming a place where consumers make purchases.



The increasing status of mobile as a primary Internet device is partly responsible. It’s a lot easier to click on a social media app than open a mobile browser and type a URL on a tiny virtual keyboard.



In addition, time-starved consumers can easily log into a social media site and browse through pages and posts of their favorite retailers, rather than and navigate numerous separate e-commerce sites.



Smart retailers are making sure they are as accessible on social media as possible. They are also providing the same access to the same products at the same prices as on any other channel, with pick-up and return available anywhere and anyhow the customer prefers.