How Lilly Pulitzer, Kate Spade, and Boggi are staying ahead of the curve
With the retail industry changing so quickly, it can be hard to keep up.
Where are shoppers going for their shopping needs? What trends have defined and influenced consumer behavior over the past few years? And how have those trends evolved?
As retail continues to evolve with the latest technological advances, in-store tech and mobile retail solutions have become crucial aspects for retailers to keep pace with changing consumer behaviors.
In this blog, we will delve into some of the top retail trends— including personalization, mobility, and customer connection— and retailers who have successfully adapted to these trends.
A truly personal CX— Lilly Pulitzer
First and foremost, in-store tech has become a necessity for retailers to enhance customer experience and improve sales. For 54% of retailers this means prioritizing personalization when engaging with customers.
Technologies like 360-degree customer profiles that compile customer information from in-store visits as well as online behaviors including purchases and wishlists help enable a more personalized shopping experience. Cross-channel customer data is a powerful tool that gives associates the insight to be able to offer recommendations that are so tailored to their customers, that the customers see them as a trusted advisor, not just a salesperson.
One retailer that has excelled in leveraging in-store tech is Lilly Pulitzer. Their ability to capture customer data and use it to their advantage has allowed them to offer a truly unique and personalized shopping experience. The use of personal shopping appointments and connecting with customers outside of the store has also helped build lasting relationships and fierce loyalty with their customers.
Lilly Pulitzer has a cult following. The brand’s customers are fiercely loyal, not only for the bright floral designs, but also the outstanding personalized service. In fact, customers who receive personalized notes about new product lines have been known to purchase the entire collection on-the-spot. This is because Lilly Pulitzer understands the importance of building relationships with its customers and creating a sense of community. The brand’s personalized service makes customers feel special and valued, which in turn leads to increased sales.
Mobility and scalability— Kate Spade
Another important trend that has emerged in recent years is mobile retail solutions. With 56% of in-store shoppers using their smartphones to shop or research items while they are in-store, it has become imperative for retailers to stay ahead of the curve and optimize their digital presence accordingly.
Shifting retail priorities support this trend with 63% of retailers prioritizing mobile endless aisle— also known as a digital catalog or digital inventory— 54% prioritizing mobile clienteling, and 42% prioritizing mobile POS.
Kate Spade is a retailer that has successfully implemented mobile retail solutions. They have switched from manual clienteling and customer management communication to digital. This means that associates no longer have to carry around large binders full of client and product information, and instead have it on a sleek, modern device that allows them to move around the store with the customer with ease.
By integrating mobile solutions into their business model, Kate Spade has been able to scale their operations in a way that would not have been possible with a more manual system. This is because the cloud-based devices make all of the information accessible from anywhere, which not only makes it easy for the business to grow and scale without worrying about transferring data, but also allows customers to have the same experience no matter which store they are shopping in.
Connections across channels— Boggi
A few years ago, COVID-19 forced retailers to become more agile and responsive than ever. One of the biggest challenges being how to connect with customers who were not allowed in-store. With lockdowns forcing retailers to close their doors, many shoppers turned to online and social shopping in unprecedented numbers.
Many retailers have had to create new organizational processes and make smart technology decisions to adapt quickly to respond to these changes. But even as doors opened back up, the question of how to connect with customers that aren’t physically in the store still remained.
Boggi found the answer on how to successfully leverage technology and digital communication tools to continue building relationships with customers during the pandemic and beyond. By equipping their associates with mobile technology, they could connect with customers like never before. For example, they could send personalized messages from home about new products, connect through chats to showcase items, and even provide virtual styling assistance. This allowed Boggi to maintain a high level of customer service and satisfaction even when they were unable to meet in person.
Bringing it all together
In conclusion, retail trends continue to evolve at a rapid pace, and it is crucial for retailers to stay ahead of the curve in order to thrive in today’s competitive landscape.
Leveraging in-store mobile solutions, as well as being responsive and adaptable to changing circumstances, are all important strategies for retailers to consider.
By learning from successful retailers like Lilly Pulitzer, Kate Spade and Boggi, retailers can continue to grow and expand their customer base through these evolving trends.
Learn more
As a leading provider of mobile retail solutions, Tulip is committed to helping retailers stay ahead of the curve and succeed in today’s dynamic retail environment— contact us today to learn more!
To get more insights like this about mobile technology along with personalization, customer engagement, and the role of the point-of-sale (POS) system check out this webinar The State of Retail Technology: Insights from the 24th Annual POS and Customer Engagement Report.
With nearly 4 decades of combined industry experience, Tulip’s Ashley Barby and Retail Consulting Partners’ Ryan Grogman host a fire-side chat to delve into the trends reshaping the retail landscape and the priorities retailers have to future-proof their operations using real-world examples.
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