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White paper: Designing an Effective Omnichannel In-store Experience: 5 Key Considerations

This article completely parallels what you have been stressing in class about making omnichannel shopping as cohesive as possible. Not only does the store have an expected image to fulfill, but if the store is utilizing a virtual app in addition to an online website, the channels need to work in harmony to achieve the same desired outcome. It is evident that different consumers have different buying preferences and habits, so it is important that no matter where the consumer is deciding to buy that the channel has a cohesive image that represents the overall brand as whole.

It will be interesting to see how stores respond to the changes in consumer needs. We talked in class about how our generation is very focused on the store experience. I think that we really enjoy stores that differentiate themselves from others in terms of service- that is why Apple and Nordstrom so frequently in class because they stand out in our minds and have made a prominent impression on us. However, I do think its important to recognize that not all in store cell phone usage is bad. Brands can really benefit from consumers being on their phones by encouraging them to check in, tweet at their friends, or engage online with the brand- for the potential in store benefit.

This was so interesting! I completely agree with the online-to-store relationships and why customers want to touch and feel the product. I experienced this when completing my e-commerce audit when shopping for my product (a CD). There were perks associated with purchasing online (an exclusive product not available in the store) but there were additional savings options when purchasing in the store. Mobile presence is huge and I foresee this aspect continuing to dominate the market for both brick-and-mortar and online retailers.

Great article to read for our guest speaker next week, Lisa Hudson

I think this strategy to attract the Millennials is a great idea! With the omnichannel integration and creating a better in-store experience for the consumers, I believe this will be very beneficial for Macy's. Almost all millennials are on either a mobile or tablet device so I think the omnichannel integration will be greatly utilized by the millennials.

This article discusses Staples incorporation of interactive kiosks and digital signage into their stores to help be more efficient with their square footage. They are trying to give customers "access to endless aisle shopping and ordering capabilities." Do you think shoppers will be disappointed by the limited amount of options on hand or will the ability to order more items in-store outweigh the limited selection?

The digital kiosk idea can be great, but only if it works effectively. In my experience, I tried using Targets kiosks that they started using to pull up a registry for a wedding. However, the system wouldn't allow me access to the registry, and even after an employee tried helping me, we both just kind of gave up. This is just one example how technology if used improperly can do more to hinder a consumer's experience than help.

I am not sure how I feel about Staples new plan to offer a limited selection in-store. If this is more for small items that there are many types of -- it is helpful and takes away the frustration of searching for a specific item among many alike items -- but why would we go into the store when we can just order it online? Going off Lina -- sometimes the reason people go into stores is to get the item there and then . . . this makes me think will ordering it in store be more of a hassle than a convenience? I think it will be interesting to see how consumers react to this new shopping experience. . I think it is a good way to incorporate online and in-store shopping but I think that this may just drive consumers to shop online and stray away from going into the store.

I like how Finish Line addressed the issue when being asked about it. They did not put down the omni-channeling idea after their first attempt failed, but rather expressed the importance of it and the importance of doing it right. I think it made them seem very professional and very customer-focused. I think the employees using iPads is a great idea for Finish Line. It would be very helpful for customers to know right away whether they had their size in the back rather than having to wait for the employee to check and then return and find the customer. While the hiccup with the system may have cost them, I think the general idea is a great one, as long as it is executed properly.

I have to agree with Sarah and Paige, failure isn't about falling it's about staying down. It is easy to see that Finish Line won't stay down and are eager to try again. For a shoe company which doesn't have a lot to separate itself from its competition, the desire to do better and offer new services is an important aspect to keep them as a top competitor in the market.

Agreeing with Sarah and Paige, I think Finish Line was very professional in the way they handled the "hiccup." It is clear that not everything can work smoothly 100% of the time, but I think they are doing a great job bouncing back from that. Also, going along with what they have already stated, I think the iPads really are going to improve the customer service because I know when I'm shopping for tennis shoes and they have to go back and look and then they get stopped by someone else and other people ask questions on their way to look, it can take a while so I think costumers will really appreciate the employees being able to let them know if they have what they want right at that moment. I think this will be very beneficial for the company!

From Macy's Investor Relations website, their "millennial" strategy

I think Macy's "millennial" strategy is a great idea for the retailer to continue innovating it's brand. They are seeking to attract a major portion of their target market through new programs. I believe the omnichannel integration will be extremely beneficial because the mobile and online aspects are the areas that will be utilized the most outside the brick-and-mortar locations. I'm interested to hear Lisa Hudson's opinion on these new changes.

Top e-commerce trends

I feel this new technology integration is a great aspect for Finish Line to incorporate into their stores. The mobile kiosks they explained will really benefit customers since it's hard for a shoe/apparel store to have every color, in every size, and every style needed - especially when there are so many different variations available. Shoes are almost more critical than clothing when a customer wants the "touch, feel, try-on" aspect. Every shoe looks, feels, and fits differently. So if customers are able to see the style and try on a similar size to know what they specifically need, I think mobile devices and kiosks will greatly benefit customers and add value to the overall Finish Line shopping experience so they can get exactly the shoe they want and not have to settle for what's in-stock. I was also excited to read in the "Keeping Pace in Omnichannel Race" article, about the Finish Line "sections" coming to Macy's stores. When I go to Macy's, I usually shop for dressy shoes or everyday styles and steer away from running/tennis shoes because I feel I need a little more guidance for a shoe that will support my foot in such physical exercise. So now that Macy's will have a section under the Finish Line name that supports active shoe purchases is something I'm very anxious to take a look at when the integration is complete! It's great to have such established and successful companies such as Eli Lilly and Finish Line headquartered in Indianapolis!

This article details Nordstrom's attempt to promote its products in store by using the ideas and thoughts of their customer's from their Pinterest site.

I think this is a GENIUS idea! So often on Pinterest, people label their clothing boards as "My Dream Closet!" By highlighting what items are pinned the most, women specifically feel like their dreams can become a reality! And so often with online shopping, we can't touch/feel/try-on the items. Now we can "pre-shop" online and actually buy the item after looking at it in a physical retail location! A normal item that once sat on the shelf can be highlighted as a "special" or "elite" item just with a simple circle logo! I love this idea - this article has actually motivated me to go to Nordstrum just so I can see the Pinterest logos on items! (And I'm also going to follow their boards online too!) A win-win for both the company and customer!

This is similar to what Jcrew has donein only launching their catalg on Pinterest- they are then saving lots of printing costs and providing a direct link to purchase for their customers online