The hospitality industry is leveraging social, local and mobile (SoLoMo) technologies to enrich the customer experience. Hotels are using mobile apps to allow customers to book rooms, access loyalty programs, search for recipes from executive chefs, and get recommendations for nearby places. They are also using Facebook for marketing campaigns, collecting customer stories, and running contests. Experience apps on iPads in hotel rooms provide integrated luxury experiences by controlling room settings and placing food orders. SoLoMo initiatives are spreading customer experiences and generating customer data to increase loyalty and promotions.
1. STQ Social Technology
Quarterly
Vol. 2 Issue 1
Games Marketers Social TV and the Social Office
(Should) Play Future of Online Spaces
Media
2. Social Technology Quarterly Vol. 2 Issue 1
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3. Kuliza Social Technology Quarterly Vol. 2 Issue 1
sources. Images have an uncanny ability to take control of shared interests, and it is doing that in big numbers. This is
a person’s time in an instant and lead them down a path why Pinterest provides the ideal platform for brands to connect
that they didn’t intend taking. They are also the most shared with a community of existing or potential customers who are
Visual
assets on the social web. passionate about things that relate to a brand’s core values.
So if a business runs a lawn-care center, for instance, they
A number of image-based platforms like Visualy, Instagram, would want to engage with people who are pinning pictures
Storytelling
and SlideShare have already made a strong statement of landscaping.
about how visual content can impact business results. The
introduction of Facebook’s timeline in September 2011 has
to Connect
further exaggerated the impact of visuals. A recent addition Leveraging Pinterest
to this list of image-based social platforms is Pinterest. The
platform has witnessed phenomenal growth and brands are The simple and obvious approach is to use Pinterest to create
rapidly adopting it to connect with their customers. a new board of your products, adding descriptions and prices
Inspiration to
to the images, and making sure they link back to your website.
The objective of this article is to provide some insights Brands can then start tracking pinterest.com as a referral source
into how brands can leverage Pinterest as a platform in their website’s analytics. This approach may get brands some
Purchase
to understand and engage with their customers through initial traction and one more platform to source traffic from, but it
effective visual storytelling. may not pay any major dividends in the long run.
Campaigns Businesses should not try to just pin pictures of all their
What Makes Pinterest Tick products, but should pin images that capture a lifestyle,
by Kaushal Sarda
passion or cause that forms the essence of their brand. This
is because there is something really magical about sharing
one’s dream with strangers on the social web, and especially
when it is visual. As the images that represent the brand’s
Brands are using Pinterest to engage in
vision get re-pinned onto other people’s boards, an emotional
meaningful ways with their customers.
connection that stems from sharing a common journey or
purpose is established. Brands that share this level of intimate
exposure will cultivate a meaningful and impactful presence
We all know that stories provide a great way to reach out
on Pinterest as well as lay the groundwork for a thriving
to people and create an instant connection. Storytelling is
community. They will also forge genuine connections while
an ancient and effective way of communicating a message
emotionally triggering consumer loyalty.
that is clear and relatable. It is no surprise brands have been
leveraging this tool to create impactful campaigns.
Infographic Credit: Flowtown Let’s now look at some ways brands have used Pinterest in
meaningful ways to engage with their customers.
In order for a brand to market itself effectively in the era of
social it really needs to connect deeply with its target audience
Pinterest is a pinboard-style, social sharing website around Create value
or community. It must have a narrative that clearly articulates
photos. The service allows users to create and manage theme- Brands should look to offer helpful advice and useful ideas
its core values, captures the attention of that community,
based collections of images. The site’s mission statement is that their followers would find valuable and create boards that
creates value, and makes them emotionally invested.
to “connect everyone in the world through the ‘things’ they showcase the lifestyle the brand represents.
Illustration Credit: Edd Cross find interesting.” It launched as a closed beta in March 2010.
Brands are now trying to augment their ability to tell a great
On August 16, 2011, Time magazine listed Pinterest in its “50 Cooking Light, one of the early stars on Pinterest, created a
and consistent story. They are providing customers with
Best Websites of 2011” article. In December 2011, the site series of boards that featured timely holiday recipes, seasonal
tools to contribute and share stories through technology
became one of the top 10 largest social network services, menu ideas and how-to cooking techniques, along with DIY
advancements in real-time communication, on social
according to Hitwise data, with 11 million total visits per week. projects and kitchen resources. Lowe’s Pinterest presence
platforms, location based services, and with augmented
It now drives more referral traffic to retailers than LinkedIn, has around 25 boards that span topics like family projects,
reality tools.
YouTube, and Google Plus combined. craft ideas, decorating ideas for the home and other home-
improvement-themed boards. Whole Foods, one of the first
The rise of visual storytelling as a means of spreading a
04
What is exciting about Pinterest is that site illustrates the food brands on Pinterest, features boards on gardening,
marketing message seems to be the direction in which the
evolution from the “social graph” to the “interest graph”. What recycling and fitness.
world of online marketing is heading. Images, presentations,
and infographics are shared with ease, attracting thousands that means is that it is creating a shift from friend-based
of views and sending huge volumes of traffic to their original networks to networks that connect people based on their
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4. Kuliza Social Technology Quarterly Vol. 2 Issue 1
Saveur magazine created a dinner party pinboard contest,
asking pinners to build a dream dinner party on their own boards
using at least three recipes from Saveur.com. Participants
were asked to tag pins with #saveur and #dinnerparty to help
extend the reach. The winning board was brought to life in the
print edition of Saveur. French car maker Peugeot’s Panama
unit recently ran a contest that awarded fans who completed
a Pinterest puzzle. The brand’s Pinterest profile featured
images of cars running over two or more boards. In each
case, a board was missing. To get the missing pieces, fans Pinterest Board: McDonald’s Olympic Games History
had to go to Peugeot Panama’s Facebook Page or website.
Influencer engagement
Thought leadershop
Brands can create collaborative boards that allow external
B2B businesses should look at Pinterest to share resources,
Pinterest Board: Cooking Light pinners to contribute. It’s a way to engage and recognize
content and ideas that help drive interest and opinions in their
a few of their top evangelists or favorite pinners. America’s
industry that will in turn lead to bolstering their position as an
Test Kitchen created several boards focused on projects that
expert. Spredfast has a board up on social media management
feature pins from contributors – from homemade gifts to slow-
Tell stories where they share anything and everything related to helping
cooker recipes.
GSD&M created a visual guidebook for surviving SXSW 2012 social brands get ideas for social programs.
and used Pinterest to make the survival story come to life.
Community engagement / Capturing customer stories
This also ensured all the information they wanted to share
Pinterest provides brands with a great way to not only share but
was easily available in one place.
also learn about their customer community. Pinterest allows
businesses to understand trends and styles the community
likes based on engagement (i.e. likes and repins). Panera
asks its followers to share their favorite pairing (like soup and
salad) using the hashtag #youpicktwo. A board was dedicated
to these creative pairings. Dunkin Donuts asks users to share
what they’re drinking and how they’re “running on Dunkin.”
Pinterest Board: Spredfast
Takeaway
The aim of this article is to aid brands in leveraging the true
Pinterest Board: GSD&M
potential of Pinterest and find new ways to use the platform to
deliver their story with more vigor and strengthen connections
Engage through context with and within their customer communities.
Brands can create “pin and win it” contests to encourage
customers to share their inspirations and drive engagement Pinterest Board: Dunkin Donuts
around their creations.
Bringing offline events to life About Kaushal Sarda
Brands can leverage Pinterest to bring their offline activities to
life by creating photos and video footage of events.
Technology evangelist, serial
Chobani, a Greek yogurt, brand’s boards highlight the entrepreneur, Chief Evangelist
travails of the CHOmobile as it canvasses the country. at Kuliza, advisor to HashCube.
Cabot Creamery showcases farm families that are a part of Writes on commerce and CRM.
the Vermont cooperative and McDonald’s has a Pinterest
board dedicated to the building of its first Olympic park Twitter: @ksarda
Pinterest Board: Saveur Dinner Party restaurant in London.
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5. Kuliza Social Technology Quarterly Vol. 2 Issue 1
leadership with a mobile app. The app allows customers to iPad application to recommend wines to its customers.
search and create recipes prepared by executive chefs of the
hotel and share them with their network. Similarly, the hotel’s
How the
‘Concierge Insider Guide’ application recommends places to
visit, video tours and provides inside tips.
Hospitality
Industry is
Becoming
SoLoMo
Facebook campaigns and F-commerce apps
Hotels are very aggressive in their use of the social network for
marketing and sales. Many have experimented with Facebook
Campaigns applications to share customer stories and experiences to
facilitate word of mouth. Holiday Inn uses this concept to
by Achintya Gupta
Crowne Plaza and Hotel Indigo use their mobile applications to collect and showcase stories of customer travel using their
facilitate room bookings and loyalty programs. Customers can Stay Social application. Similarly, Hilton uses its Facebook
book rooms with their mobile phones, redeem points for stays application - Hilton Stories - to get customer feedback and
and get their entire loyalty program managed with a single market research. Hilton also ran a Facebook contest for music
Social, local and mobile initiatives are
application. The Hilton, Choice Hotels and the Marriot also have lovers where the application asked participant to submit stories
enriching customer experience.
similar mobile applications for discovering interesting resorts of musical adventures and the most popular entry voted for by
across locations, booking reservations and managing reward fans won a trip to Grammy’s.
Over the years, the hospitality industry has thrived on word points. Accor Hotels has further gamified this experience by
of mouth and expert referrals for its promotions. Since hotels integrating their mobile application with Facebook Places.
are all about the experience, no ad campaign can replace the With this application, users can check into Accor hotels to earn
ability a customer’s word-of-mouth has to increase numbers points and unlock exclusive badges and rewards.
and loyalty. However, today there is a major shift among hotels
to social technologies for their abilities to enrich customer Experience applications
experience, spread customer experience through trustworthy Social technologies have enabled businesses to enrich their
channels, and generate customer centric data. customers’ experience with high-end experience applications.
Hotels that provide customers luxury experiences are using
In this article we have tried to illustrate how hotels are using such high-end experience applications to build fascinating stays.
social, mobile and local channels for customer engagement,
loyalty, promotion and data. New York’s Plaza hotel provides an integrated luxury
Photo Credit: eGlobal Travel Media experience with iPads. Each room has an iPad that can
With so many consumers on Facebook hotels have begun to
be used to control room temperature and lighting, order
use the social network for direct sales. Hotels like Super8,
Hotels room service, request wake up calls, and avail of concierge
Hotel Indigo and Home2Suites are using Facebook for
services. Similarly, the St. Regis E-Butler application gives
Mobile apps reservations and bookings. Here, however, most of the
the guest access to communicate with chefs and receive
With their consumers increasingly moving to smartphones, applications limit themselves to providing an interface for
recommendations for food, restaurants and sites worth visiting
some of the largest hotel groups are building mobile booking and taking the customer to the hotel website when
from city celebrities and experts.
applications to enable mobile transactions, push deals, reward they click on the search button. We think these hotels will
08
loyalty, and offer concierge services on mobile phones. Many other hotels are jumping into this race to craft memorable move to a 100% Facebook transaction experience (like Best
experiences for customers using applications. For example, buy and 1-800 Flowers) to address customers who do not
The Intercontinental Hotel Group’s Kitchen Cookbook is an the Holiday Inn has equipped its concierges with iPads to want to leave Facebook for transactions. There is also the
excellent example of promoting the brand’s gourmet thought provide better guides of hotels and Naples Tomato uses an possibility of viewing other people’s interactions with the hotel
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6. Kuliza Social Technology Quarterly Vol. 2 Issue 1
on Facebook, like publishing what the users’ friends have balance called ‘The Business Balance’. The Four Seasons a fascinating campaign in New York City, where consumers local space displays how social tools can be used to enrich
said about the hotel (across various channels), how many of has a foodie community called ‘Four Seasons Foodies’ and could interact, dance and move with Disney characters on the customer experiences, spread consumer stories and provide
their friends ‘like’ the hotel, and how many used its services the Sheraton has an online community where customers can TV screen. In the past, Disney has built more social campaigns great service. It comes as no surprise that so many hospitality
in the past. share their stories of travel and living. like the ‘let the memories begin’ campaign, where they asked businesses are experimenting in this space.
users to submit and vote for their favourite Disney memories,
Blogs and online communities and an advocacy program, ‘InsidEARS’, where they asked
The most fascinating thing about blogs is the diversity of parents to advise others on their Disney visits.
ways they can be leveraged to engage one’s audience and
market one’s offerings. Hotels are using blogs to target
various marketing strategies. The Marriott has built a blog About Achintya Gupta
based press room for quick and social news publishing. The
hotel chain is also using blogs for thought leadership in the
hospitality industry. They have a CEO’s blog and expert blogs Marketing enthusiast and Brand
on food, fitness, wellness and travel. Renaissance Hotels Manager at Kuliza. Writes on social
and Courtyard Hotels (both managed by the Marriott) have media marketing.
moved a step ahead in creating blog based communities.
Renaissance Hotels manage the RLife blog that focuses Twitter: @achintya85
on lifestyle, luxury, travel and experience and the Courtyard
Hotels manages the Connections blog which is essentially
a blog based travel community. Other hotel chains like the Social media campaigns
Four Seasons are using blogs to engage people with families Apart from building social platforms for marketing, hotels also
around travel. Their well designed blog - Have Family Will use social channels such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook
Travel - publishes information on having fun with families on for creative campaigns. For example, the Hilton’s potential
Airports
vacations and outings. guests can watch videos of its Caribbean hotels and get video
Many airports have tried to woo their SoLoMo consumers with
tours on the Hilton’s YouTube channel. The Hyatt provides
their mobile applications to aid their airport visits. Copenhagen
Twitter concierge services with the sole objective of helping
airport built an augmented reality mobile application to
people in their travel queries. The Hyatt’s guests can also
guide travellers across the airport. The mobile application
check in with their mobile phones and simply pick up keys from
helps you search for and locate various places and review
the front desk. Similarly Accor Hotels launched the ‘A-Club
customer ratings in a very user friendly way. Heathrow’s
social media project’ where their social media team conducted
mobile application helps travellers get instant access to all the
research on their customers’ open social media conversations
information they need for air travel. Using this application they
(tweets, blog posts) of their customers. Based on the research
can check live flight updates, book long-stay car parking, view
they treated customers with surprise gifts on their next arrival.
interactive terminal maps, see shop and restaurant listings,
check flight timetables, and view city guides. A while ago,
Other businesses in the hospitality industry, such as theme
Bangalore Airport ran a social media ideation campaign where
parks and airports, have launched very interesting initiatives
it asked its customers for ideas on how can they make their
in the social and mobile space that the hotel industry can gain
airport experience better. Other airports like Gatwick are using
inspiration from.
When it comes to engaging one’s target audience, nothing channels like blogs and Twitter to solve customer queries and
works better than online communities. Online communities help them in their airport travel.
succeed in providing a very high engagement quotient to Theme Parks
members, like the ability to generate profiles, connect with The hospitality industry initiatives in the social, mobile and
the audience, find friends and connections among like- Theme parks have a lot to teach us when it comes to using
minded people, and gain recognition among a community of technologies to boost consumer experience. Many water
people with similar passions. These are some areas where parks like the Great Wolf Resort are using RFID wristbands to
blogs fail. Therefore, the world’s leading hotels have created allow users to post their pictures on social networks during the
communities for a niche target audience around lifestyle, course of their stay. Some are even using wrist bands to help
interests and passions. Wyndham has a community for customers post status updates while in the park. Other theme
women travellers - ‘Women on their way’ - for travelling tips, parks are using augmented reality to create great experiences.
advice and conversations. Marriott has a very active travel In South Korea, a complete 4D theme park has been built with
community for members of its rewards program. Similarly, Kinect and RFID. The theme park allows users to become a
Embassy Hotels has a customer community around work-life part of a 4D adventure. Disney, too, used AR tools to create
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7. Kuliza Social Technology Quarterly Vol. 2 Issue 1
3
We are going to witness a major
4
The user interface of the TV is going
convergence of television and mobile to feel more and more like mobile
platforms. With the introduction platforms, complete with on demand
of different television features like content, games, and media apps. There
Social TV and
streaming devices, streaming services, has been an acceleration in this trend
on-demand viewing, and custom apps because of initiatives by companies like
there are more ways to watch TV than Google, Samsung, and Apple.
6
ever before. This may create a strong
the Future of demand for a one stop-destination for
users to plan their entertainment.
Online Media
5
The social aspect is being thoroughly
integrated into the entire production
Campaigns process of a show. This bottom up, super
participatory approach will certainly
by Kaushal Sarda
have an impact on the way some news
Users are using web connectivity and shows are produced.
access to smartphones and tablets to
Eight ways that social technology is going to revolutionize supplement their TV experiences via
television and online media. the second screen. This trend is now
becoming mass market in the USA. The
1
second screen provides a means to
make TV content engaging, personalized
and trigger conversations amongst
7
the audience community, adding an
extra element to the experience of just
2
watching a show.
The ‘click’ paradigm from the PC and
TV era is being replaced by the ‘touch’ Photo Credit: 88 Media
paradigm. The mass adoption of tablets
8
and smartphones will require media Social ratings will augment traditional
companies to make their content aligned rating systems like Nielson’s ratings.
to the touch experience. Companies Social gestures are transitioning from It will provide unfiltered focus-group
are achieving this by partnering explicit shares and likes to frictionless like insights based on social feedback
Photo Credit: with touch content aggregators like sharing. With Facebook’s open graph that audiences are providing while
Jectaspecta Flipboard, coming up with their own API it has become possible to build apps watching TV. We may see more advances in ‘push’
touch magazine-like experiences using that share information about what users
based media consumption. This is
publishing tools like Adobe Publisher are watching, reading, or listening to
where personalized media content that
for native apps and Mobstac for html5 on their profile pages. The Washington
may be specific to the user’s current
based apps. Post’s social reader app is a great
location is pushed for consumption
example of this trend. However, media
using technologies like NFC.
companies need to be aware of privacy
issues when building such apps.
12
12
Photo Credit: Future Tech Life
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8. Kuliza Social Technology Quarterly Vol. 2 Issue 1
3. Miso
Top Miso has evolved social What we like
4
TV to beyond check-ins. This app enables the
They create a community creation of communities on
by providing a publishing the second screen which
platform to anyone - networks, can create long lasting
Miso’s superfans, bloggers, engagements and deepen
comedians and, potentially, relations between the
celebrities, regardless networks and their audience.
of their association with
a show. This year they
Social TV 2. Shazam
Photo Credit: Mac Talk
launched “SideShows”. This
is an interactive content
Apps Shazam is
identification
an
mobile
audio
app.
experience
on users’
that
iPhones
plays
while
It uses a mobile phone’s they watch TV to deepen
microphone to gather a brief engagement with the second
sample of audio being played screen. It varies from
and provides information on characters’ back stories to
the album or artists in the information on guest stars,
case of music. The app also fashion, history facts, trivia
caters to TV ads providing and quotes.
brands with an opportunity to Photo Credit: Deviant Art
take advantage of Shazam’s
‘second screen’ experience
1. GetGlue to provide their consumers What we like
with additional product The app provides an 4. Zeebox
About: GetGlue is platform information or give them opportunity to transform
that allows users to “check- an easy and fast point-of- TV ads from being about Zeebox acts as an electronic What we like
in” to television shows, interest retail experience in awareness to being more program guide, weighted They are focused on
books, and movies that real time. interactive, personalized, by what your friends or providing the three key things
they are watching using a and engaging. anyone is watching. They will users need when watching
website, mobile website, or soon introduce interactive TV: getting information
a device-specific application. social payments and voting about what they see on TV,
Checked-in users are features into the social TV ability to buy products they
entitled to receive points, app, allowing users to buy see on TV in real-time, and
earn virtual stickers, receive what they see on screen, and have access to links to new
Photo Credit: Serendipity
recommendations, and earn also vote for a contestant in episodes.
Susan Photo Credit: Analogfolk
discounts for entertainment their favorite TV talent shows.
companies.
What we like
The app provides a way to
create a connection with
and amongst the audience
and create a framework for
recognizing and rewarding
loyal fans.
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9. Kuliza Social Technology Quarterly Vol. 2 Issue 1
Each disruption in retail redefined customer expectations and Why is this Trend Happening?
reimagined what retail is. Retailers that have survived thus far
are the ones who adapted their format and offerings. The next We think this trend is the start of the integration of online and
major disruption will be the integration of the mobile internet physical stores. Some of the reasons that it is occurring are:
and the in-store experience of shopping. This is not just typical
e-commerce with stores competing on price or convenience 1. People value experience and engagement with
Clicks Meet
for shoppers, but is about commerce becoming social. other people
Shopping has always been a social experience, but now As the pace of technology change accelerates we value
online and brick-and-mortar retailers are leveraging people’s and find comfort and security in the familiar: human contact.
Technologies and apps that are scaling are ones that ease
Bricks: Online
social graph to add a social layer to aid product discovery,
promote products and deals, and assist purchase decisions. transactions and encourage interaction between people. Until
Facebook is at the forefront of this disruption with social recently, the common experience when purchasing a product
plugins that add a social later to retail sites, enabling retailers is for customers to wait in a queue until they arrive at the cash
Stores on the to push personalized recommendations, and using Facebook register and the wall between the buyer and seller. However,
Deals to add a social layer to brick and mortar stores. Apple have broken this barrier and made the process a much
more seamless part of the interaction between people with
High Street
One trend that is emerging as social commerce evolves and the the purchase completed on a modified iPod Touch. The
integration of the mobile internet and the in-store experience focus of their stores is to build relationships and try to make
of shopping continues, is the establishment of physical stores people’s lives better.
Commerce by online retailers. This is reversing the previous trend of
retailers establishing an online presence, either through The eyewear retailer Warby Parker initially launched
by Diarmaid Byrne as an e-commerce site only, but quickly started offering
their own e-commerce site or on Facebook. Having either an
e-commerce site or a physical store appears to be no longer appointments to customers to sample their frames in their
an option. Retailers see the advantage of trying to perfectly office. Later they partnered with a number of boutiques for
integrate the advantage of physical and online stores to people try their frames. However, in both cases shoppers still
Online stores are adapting their online- had to purchase online. More recently they decided to open a
satisfy customers and their changing shopping habits as their
only strategy and opening brick and mortar 2,500 square foot shop. They see a retail presence as having
lifestyle becomes more influenced by mobile technology. In
stores. 4 advantages:
his Harvard Business Review article, The Future of Shopping,
Darrell Rigby outlined the advantages of online and physical
stores that retailers are trying to leverage: “First, our customers wanted it. Second, it allows us to build
A Brief History of Retail close personal relationships with customers by meeting
Advantages of online stores: them, which you don’t get from an online transaction.
The retail industry has experienced a number of major
• Rich product information Third, the showrooms act as learning laboratories, and
disruptions in its history. The first large stores developed from
• Customer reviews and tips help us to create ways to make shopping for glasses
smaller general stores through the late 18th and early 19th
• Editorial content and advice online easier based on how we see people behaving
centuries. The first purpose built department store was opened
• Social engagement and two-way dialogue physically in-person. Fourth, the stores are a great
in Dublin, Ireland, in 1853. Compact and centralized cities of the
• Broadest selection training opportunity for our staff. When they’ve served
19th and early 20th centuries, with public transport converging
• Convenient and fast checkout people in our showrooms, they do a better job helping
on the city center, were ideal for the growth of department
• Price comparison and special deals customers who need assistance by phone or over email.”
stores. As they were among the first large retailers they
pioneered store design that is still common today. However, • Convenience of anything, anytime, anywhere access
Photo Credit: Britannica Warby Parker is not the only online store to have established
mass-produced cars and new suburbs changed the structure
Advantages of physical stores: a physical presence. eBay and the Gilt Groupe both recently
of cities, and shopping malls with specialty retailers challenged
• Edited assortment opened pop-up stores. eBay opened stores in New York, San
city center department stores. The next phase of disruption
• Shopping as an event and an experience Francisco and London in December 2011 to display products
from the 1960s undermined traditional malls as discount chains
• Ability to test, try on, or experience products available online, with digital shop windows that included scan-
like Wal-Mart and big-box stores like Home Depot grew.
• Personal help from caring associates able price tags.
The next major disruption began in the mid 1990s during the • Convenient returns
• Instant access to products Anecdotal evidence of this preference for human contact while
first dot-com boom. Internet start-ups like Amazon.com and
16
• Help with initial setup or ongoing repairs shopping is the growth of farmer’s markets and the rise of food
Pets.com rushed to establish and scale their services as
• Instant gratification of all senses truck movements. While the growth can also be contributed to
investors gambled billions on the growth of online shopping.
the better understanding of the value of eating locally grown
However, the bubble burst in 2000 and wiped out most of the
seasonal food, both also offer a far more personal experience
first wave of e-commerce retailers.
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