Big Retail Changes Blog Series: Is Online Really Taking Over?

As we enter December, it comes time to reflect on this past year’s retail changes. A few weeks ago we looked at a few of those changes with regard to specific retailers, but this week we are broadening the spectrum and looking at a trend that has been discussed in great detail over the course of 2015 (and the years preceding). Online shopping has come to dominate the discussion of retail trends, and for good reason, but is it really taking over?

Over the last few years, online shopping has grown to become a major player on the retail stage. Individuals are shopping online far more often than ever before, and this, for many bricks and mortar stores, has led to a drop in sales - sometimes small, sometimes more noticeable. It is no secret that online shopping offers consumers convenience and a simplified method of price comparison, but even with these conveniences, online fails to offer what many consumer still desire - the experience.

Bricks and mortar on the way out? If anything, retailers are now finding that having the two channels work together is the best way to up sales - we are thinking here of the option to order online and pick up in store. Having a physical location, offering products and services people can actually see, and offering customer service that has people leaving the store satisfied, is a way to differentiate - something that largely remains unachieved through online channels.

Why all the hoopla? Sure, online is taking a chunk out of the market, but so are physical locations. There is still a great deal of discussion because of the competition. As we mentioned, points of differential are what help you compete, and most of these can only be achieved on the ground. Drawing in customers is the optimal way to boost sales, and some of the biggest retail changes over the last few months have had more to do with this than even downsizing or company mergers.

So, is online really taking over? Are the big retail changes taking place indicative of this? Nope. The malls are still busy, and consumers are still spending most of their time and money in physical stores. Will this change in the future? Perhaps, but as it stands, it is pretty clear that bricks and mortar stores are here for the long haul.

Are you finding it difficult to compete, whether with online or other bricks and mortar stores? Maybe a change in direction and a strategy to achieve differentiation is what is needed. Don’t delay. Storesupport can help you develop a plan to get people through the doors. 

Call us today at 905.847.6513.

Improve Your In-Store Marketing: 2015-2016 Food Trends

People like food. Of course it is a necessity, but for the world’s foodies it is also a source of enjoyment, entertainment and pleasure. And as such, food trends represent a huge opportunity when it comes to your in-store marketing. The hottest dishes, favoured by both professional chefs and amateur cooking enthusiasts alike, are becoming about far more than just taste (although of course that still reigns supreme).

So what are these trends? Check out this great infographic from The Food People. Based on current trends and future predictions, here are the food trends for 2015 and 2016:

So what are the hottest trends in food?

-          Multi-sensory is huge - all part of the experience

-          Hybrid veggies are also becoming increasingly popular - think broccoflower

-          Rise of fermentation

-          Ethnically insired breakfasts

-          Modernised and reinterpreted classics

People really want:

-          Food with a conscience

-          Food with a story

-          Simple and natural

-          Uniqueness/creativity/something different

-          Overall, a great food experience

How are you using these trends as part of your in-store marketing strategy? If you want some help taking advantage of all they represent, call Storesupport today at 905.847.6513.

Who is Shopping: Retail Trends for the Months Ahead

We always like to keep you up to date on the latest retail trends in the CPG industry, and this week is no different. Over the last few months we’ve talked a lot about millennial shoppers, and how they are changing the face of grocery shopping. However, with this focus, we’ve neglected the other changes in consumer behaviour, and so today we right that wrong. 

Check out this great article from Canadian Grocer, “Look Who’s Buying Groceries Now,” http://www.canadiangrocer.com/blog/look-who%E2%80%99s-buying-groceries-now-55466. In it, Marion Chan takes a look at some of the other major players shopping in Canada today, mainly those almost always forgotten.

Who are we talking about? Historically women have almost always been the main shoppers in a household, but over the last few years this has changed. According to the article, today approximately 40% of men take on the responsibility of household grocery shopping. When you look at shared responsibility, where both adults take part, that number increases to 60%! That is a huge segment largely being ignored when it comes to target markets.

Earlier we mentioned millennials, and the focus being placed on this group - but Chan notes this may be a mistake as well: “According to Project Millennial, a study conducted at the end of 2013, 45% of boomer males claim to have the primary responsibility for grocery shopping compared to 24% of millennial males. This has risen consistently from an overall of 15% in the early 2000’s.”

Whoa, again, big numbers.

So how do male shoppers differ from their female counterparts? A few ways, the article notes:

- 60% of men are looking for a quick trip - in and out. 

- Man are not as impulsive, and their purchasing decisions are far more likely to come directly from a list.

- Men are less likely to be motivated by coupons, promotions and discounts - they are less price sensitive and typically don’t compare prices.

- 50% of men see a one-stop-shop as the priority, rather than price.

Marketing only to a certain segment of the population, primarily millennials, is something we’ve warned against in the past, and this information just cements that reasoning. In order to reach the greatest number, your strategies may need to be multi-pronged, but that will result in greater sales never a bad thing.

For more about retail trends and who is shopping (and how to target those shoppers) call Storesupport today at 905.847.6513.

Ramping Up Customer Service Over the Holiday Season

This weekend we will don our costumes and stock up on candy to delight those trick-or-treaters, but as we do so, we will be inundated with seasonal decorations not of the terrifying variety, but more so the red and green kind (although admittedly this in itself is terrifying because of the number of shopping days left!). Retailers have been getting ready for the Christmas season for weeks, and that means new staff and stocking back rooms in an effort to match customer service levels with expectations.

Based on research done through the year, and by comparing annual sales, US retail consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas has predicted that holiday sales for 2015 will be healthy, and anticipate retail hirings will match or exceed the 755000 individuals hired for the 2014 season.

Many retailers have already started in an effort to ramp up customer service levels. American Girl, a division of Mattel, started in June, hiring almost 3000 seasonal workers for everything from floor staff to packaging. Kohl’s and Target plan to hire more than 69000 new employees to staff their stores across the U.S. Check out http://host.madison.com/business/holiday-hiring-gears-up/article_4e61e6a2-fe36-5b68-bd50-c1ae5b765ef5.html for a few other retailers who are also taking charge early.

According to a recent Nasdaq release, Macy’s will also be hiring 85000 workers, many for direct-to-consumer needs, for the upcoming holiday season. Walmart will also increase its staff numbers by hiring 60000 seasonal workers to help handle the crowds.

Regular staffing however is not the problem. According to the article, while soliciting seasonal floor staff isn’t necessarily an issue, “employment agencies for retailers and logistics companies say they are already having trouble finding warehouse workers to stock early holiday inventory and employees to train for work in fulfillment centers, where holiday orders will be packed and shipped.” This could spell problems when it comes down to the wire. Read more about this here: http://www.nasdaq.com/article/macys-to-hire-85000-workers-for-holidays-20150921-00559. 

If you’ve waited until now to start thinking about hiring additional staff to ramp up customer service, you may just find that the available workers are not what you’d hoped. You may also find timing is limited when it comes to the training time required to ensure these workers are in tip-top shape to handle the holiday madness. But what can you do? If you’re too late, you’re too late, right? Nope. You just need the right company that can offer people support in the form of professional, experienced, and trained employees - then all the work is done for you.

Storesupport is just the company. We can provide the individuals to help ensure your busy season is a little less stressful. Call us today to find out more: 905.847.6513.

Taking Control at Retail Over the Holiday Season

It is that time of year again. Time to get ready for the holiday season and all that it entails. When your brand is located at retail, this can mean many different things - most of which also mean more stress. 

That is why taking control at retail, especially over the busy holiday season, is so crucial. So, to help out, here are some tips to help you regain control and ensure sales are as high as possible!

One of the best ways to ensure your product will perform is to ensure that it is always on the shelf. You simply cannot rely on retailers to consistently ensure that your brand is getting out of the backroom and to the right location on the shelf. At the end of the day, if the customer has a bad customer experience it will directly impact your bottom line. Since you can’t be there to check yourself, the best way to guarantee your products will be on the shelf is by taking back control. This is particularly important for those products that enjoy larger sale numbers during the holidays.

Promotions are a great way to help boost sales - and to ensure customers are more aware of what you have to offer. Displays are a perfect way to highlight sales, as well as promote your product in store. Additionally, having a company set up/build that in-store display means you can worry about everything else on your plate.

Want to make sure those sales are being ticketed properly, that shelves are stocked, or that displays match your price points (after all, this is a major part of staying competitive)? A retail audit is a great way to do it. This is also a good way to ensure that a retailer’s employees are knowledgeable and able to provide the information your customers want.

Want to highlight certain products during the busy season? An experiential marketing campaign may just be the way to do it. Setting up in-store, having customers try your product, and then directing them to the shelf and providing a promo or coupon, can really help to boost sales. This is especially important when it comes to new offerings - and is a smart way to encourage loyalty right from the beginning.

With Black Friday and the holidays right around the corner, you need to start planning soon - and all of these are excellent ways to help ensure sales are as high as possible over the next few months.

Want to get a merchandising plan started to take advantage? Call Storesupport today at 905.847.6513.

Big Retail Changes Blog Series: P&G Simplification

Last week marked the beginning of the 4^th quarter of 2015, and to celebrate we talked about one of the changes that helped mark the first 3 quarters of the year - the Kraft Heinz merger and some of the impacts. This week we are following up with a discussion on another of 2015’s big retail changes - this time, the company in the spotlight is Proctor and Gamble.

Always strongly focused in the beauty sector, Proctor and Gamble made some big changes in 2015. One of the bigger ones was a beauty brand merger with Coty. This came after the company recognized that they had over-extended themselves. As a recent Cosmetics Design Europe article, “P&G to become a ‘simpler’ business with beauty refocus ‘essentially done’”, noted, the company has decided to get back to basics in a way, becoming much simpler, and thus letting go of some of the projects that were taking away from sales.

Check out the full article here: http://www.cosmeticsdesign-europe.com/Brand-Innovation/P-G-to-become-a-simpler-business-with-beauty-refocus-essentially-done.

Like Kraft Heinz, for Proctor and Gamble, 2015 was a big year, and the company is hopeful that their simplification plans will prove successful.

Are you like these companies, planning to make a change in the coming months? Maybe in the New Year? There are several things to consider before doing so, one of the most important is how to keep operations running smoothly in store. Here are a few tips:

-       Ensure staffing is sufficient to handle whatever is thrown at them. Downsizing can be a major task, but keeping customers happy by ensuring enough staff members are on hand to keep shelves stocked and assisting customers is a perfect way to accomplish this.

-       Don’t want to hire new employees just to handle the transition? Consider working with a company for 3^rd party people support - trained employees that you don’t have to hire, train or let go.

-       Retail merchandising and planogram resets are a great way to ensure set-up is done properly and to the benefit of both yourself as the retailer and your brand partners.

-       Brands - if your product is involved in a retailer’s changes, make sure that you are always aware of what is taking place on the ground with a retail audit.

Retail changes can be hectic, but let Storesupport take away some of the stress. We have an entire suite of services to handle your retail needs, efficiently and cost-effectively. Contact us today by calling 905.847.6513.

Taking on the Customer Service Challenge - and Winning!

In the CPG industry, one of the most important factors when it comes to influencing sales is your customer service - this is a no-brainer. Usually the two go hand-in-hand. So, knowing this, how can you up your customer service game?

Check out this great article from Canadian Grocer, filled with some interesting insight about customer service in the CPG industry and how to take on the customer service challenge and win!

Some food for thought: according to the article, the annual American Express Canadian Retail Insights Report revealed that 82% of retailers in the restaurant, fast food, grocery, gas and general retail sectors cited better customer service experiences as the reason for a jump in sales. In the grocery sector specifically, 87% of businesses surveyed are investing in improving customer service in 2015, a 21% increase from 2014!

You can check out the full article here: http://www.canadiangrocer.com/blog/three-ways-to-up-your-customer-service-game-57547.

Some highlights and tips from the article:

-      Great customer service can help differentiate you from your competitors, but since most retailers are aware of this fact, almost all are working to differentiate themselves. Therefore, you need to be prepared for more competition. Your team members need to be well versed and aware of their role in the customer service game.

-       Loyalty is important - so be creative when trying to obtain it. According to the article, 82% of grocers are working to improve loyalty by leveraging sales, promotions and discounts and 74% plan to develop more product offerings or services to bring in consumers - up 15% from 2014.

-       Don’t drop everything for online. Although e-commerce has taken over several industries, it doesn’t seem to have permeated the grocery industry yet, so make sure to balance out your strategy when choosing channels. Using technology to improve your business is a great idea, whereas relying on it may not be as beneficial.

We are heading into the last quarter of 2015, and that usually means a significant push to get things ironed out for the year and ready for what lies ahead. Upping your customer service game is never a bad idea and now is the time to do it!

Need some ideas or help getting those levels of satisfaction up? Storesupport can help. Call us today at 905.847.6513.