Articles

RSS

Click Here To Download:
•Guest Column: Retailers Experience The Ripple Effects Of Web 2.0

By Wayne Usie, Senior Vice President, Retail, JDA Software

According to a recent comScore, Inc. study, 95 percent of frequent social network users visit retail Web sites compared to only 80 percent of the total U.S. Internet audience. So it makes sense that today's savvy retailers are going beyond traditional push-marketing campaigns in order to engage customers and build meaningful relationships through a variety of Web 2.0 technologies.

Banner and pop-up ads have given way to interactive Web 2.0 technologies such as blogs, rich media, podcasts, wikis, Web surveys and social networking forums including Facebook and MySpace. In the process, those companies willing to plunge into this interactive world are not only gaining consumer insight, building brand awareness and increasing customer loyalty, but they are also obtaining valuable information that can impact an unexpected area—their supply chain.

All retailers share a common goal of wanting to get goods in the hands of customers. But what goods will customers want? And when will they want them? Each season retailers undergo a complex process of utilizing supply chain planning tools to evaluate past sales, margins and returns in order to create financial, merchandise, channel and key item plans for upcoming seasons. By engaging in ongoing conversations through Web 2.0 technologies, retailers have the unique opportunity to get a glimpse into the minds of their consumers. In addition to using this information for marketing and promotional campaigns, cutting-edge retailers are taking this information a step further and integrating it into their inventory and assortment planning.

Click Here To Download:
•Guest Column: Retailers Experience The Ripple Effects Of Web 2.0