Marketing, customer satisfaction and loyalty
Satisfied customers will follow you everywhere
Why Amazon wants to open physical retail stores [Analysis].
Aug25

Why Amazon wants to open physical retail stores [Analysis].

According to the Wall Street Journal, Amazon is about to open large physical stores in the U.S. Of course, this is not the first time that Amazon has opened “brick and mortar” stores (Amazon Go, Whole Foods, Amazon Books), but these 3,000 square meters would imply a deployment on an entirely different scale. We propose an analysis of the reasons that could push Amazon to realize this strategic investment and the expected synergies. At the end of this article,...

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Amazon Salon: a 3.0 hair salon in the heart of London
May07

Amazon Salon: a 3.0 hair salon in the heart of London

Amazon Salon is the latest innovation launched by the Seattle giant. A 6th brand has been added to the already very active Amazon galaxy (see at the end of this article our video overview of the group’s different brands). The Amazon Salon hair salon opens in London in partnership with Elena Lavagni, a stylist well known to stars and VIPs. With this hyperconnected sales outlet, Amazon is trying new recipes to reconcile the online and offline worlds, a...

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6 innovative solutions for contactless payment [Research]
May03

6 innovative solutions for contactless payment [Research]

With the Covid crisis, consumers have massively opted for electronic payments over cash. Contactless payment, in particular, has benefited from a craze fueled by the fear of the virus. In addition to card payments, completely new payment methods will be democratized in the next few years and will revolutionize the way we pay for our purchases. Some of these methods are not science fiction. They have already been used for several years (facial recognition, the iris of the eye), are...

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The interest of eye tracking in the retail sector [Guide 2021].
Apr28

The interest of eye tracking in the retail sector [Guide 2021].

Eye tracking is a technique used in the marketing field since the 1980s. It allows optimizing advertisements and packaging design and naturally finds its main applications in the retail sector. Eye tracking allows piercing some of the mysteries surrounding consumers’ purchasing decisions by analyzing where their attention is focused. This technique is therefore of great interest in terms of optimizing the customer experience. This article proposes a general overview of the history of eye tracking, the different technologies...

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8 store formats that will shape the future of retail
Apr12

8 store formats that will shape the future of retail

What are the new forms of retail that will dominate the next 10 years? Which ones will emerge, and which ones will become permanent? In this article, I propose to project ourselves to after the Covid crisis and see 8 store formats that will be the future of retail. Each of these store formats capitalizes on emerging or already present trends. Read also 6 innovative solutions for contactless payment [Research] Summary Introduction Small stores Demonstration stores Popup stores...

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Omie: a brand that advocates total price transparency
Mar31

Omie: a brand that advocates total price transparency

Does the Covid crisis sound the awakening of consciences and the dawn of a new day in responsible consumption? In any case, I had the sensation of awakening after seeing the receipt of the online sales platform Omie, a ticket on which are displayed in all transparency the margin, the price paid to the producer, the cost of raw materials. In this article, I first question the global context in which this platform operates. Then I analyze Omie’s...

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Customer Loyalty: how Nespresso takes advantage of this with a single click
Jan22

Customer Loyalty: how Nespresso takes advantage of this with a single click

How to sell more with your e-shop? How to build customer loyalty? These are questions that many traditional retailers are asking themselves when customers are converting massively to e-commerce. In this article, we present a system developed by Nespresso and strangely forgotten by conventional retailers. Yet, it makes customer loyalty a driving force for business growth. Introduction 80% of the purchases we make in supermarkets are recurring purchases. Charles Duhigg explains in his book “The power of habit” that a buying...

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[Podcast] Optimising sales prices with Pricing HUB
Nov09

[Podcast] Optimising sales prices with Pricing HUB

Discover this entrepreneurial adventure in this new podcast. Only for our subscribers: exclusive analyses and marketing advice Email address  * Subscribe By signing up, you agree to our Terms of use and privacy policy. "I thought the blog was good. But the newsletter is even better!" Esteban Hendrickx, art director Sommaire Chapter 1: your entrepreneurial experience in 3² point Chapter 2: The genesis of the business idea Chapter 3: Validation of the business idea Chapter 4:...

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Covid-19: how to ensure social distancing in retail stores and airports?
May20

Covid-19: how to ensure social distancing in retail stores and airports?

What are the best techniques to ensure social distancing in private and public spaces (shops, airports, public transport)? This is the question we answer today in this podcast by interviewing an expert, Dr Flurin Hänseler. His research work is devoted to flow regulation, and his expertise is therefore valuable in understanding which techniques to implement to ensure that social distancing is maintained in environments where many people usually cross paths. Tips for ensuring social distancing reduce density in...

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COVID-19: 8 concrete impacts on the future of the non-food retail sector
Apr27

COVID-19: 8 concrete impacts on the future of the non-food retail sector

This article is part of a series of analyses devoted to the medium and long-term impact of COVID 19 on different sectors of activity. The report below on the non-food retail industry is in line with another paper we have published on food retail in the post-COVID19 era.  We updated this article in October 2020 with the latest statistics on the impact of COVID on the retail sector in 2020. To receive our most recent reviews, subscribe...

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9 concrete impacts of COVID19 on the future of the food retail sector
Apr20

9 concrete impacts of COVID19 on the future of the food retail sector

After my forecasts on the future of the aviation sector, I propose today to focus on the future of the retail food industry, in other words, the trade and mass distribution sector. 25% of jobs in the US are in the retail industry. The stakes of the effect of the coronavirus on this sector are therefore significant. To write this article, I interviewed several leaders of the retail sector, including CEOs of well-known brands. I also...

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How can small stores counter the giants of e-commerce?
Mar27

How can small stores counter the giants of e-commerce?

90% of purchases are made in actual stores, only 10% online. Yet the end of small business is predicted almost daily. How can we resist giants like Amazon, Bol.com? That’s what Pierre-Raffaele wanted to know when he invited an entrepreneur to his studio, and who was not short of answers: Marc Filipson. He runs Filigranes, the world’s largest one-storey bookstore.   In this 10th episode of “The World of Business with Pierre-Raffaele”, we’re going to talk...

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#Gransharing: this Zalando popup store revisits the intergenerational link
Dec18

#Gransharing: this Zalando popup store revisits the intergenerational link

On 14 and 15 December, 2019 Zalando opened the pop-up store #Gransharing in Brussels (rue Antoine Dansaert 64). This pop-up store was designed to celebrate and promote the intergenerational bond around the hashtag #gransharing. Sarah van den Eertwegh, PR manager of Zalando, explained to me that her company had set up a panel of 16 elderly people (the “grannies”) in order to rebuild a link with the younger generations through digital tools. These grannies can chat...

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Retail: Levita’s levitation of objects in the shop window
Dec13

Retail: Levita’s levitation of objects in the shop window

Always looking for new trends in the retail world, this year we returned to interactive window displays, which are increasingly used by brands to differentiate themselves from their competitors and offer a unique experience to their customers and attract shoppers. Today, two magicians (Clément Kerstenne and Philippe Bougard) put their tricks in-store and create shop windows that levitate objects. Philippe and Clément tell us about this experience. A few words about Levita In 2018, Clément Kerstenne...

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You can shop at Sephora without being disturbed
Dec11

You can shop at Sephora without being disturbed

The consumer is becoming more and more independent and has less and less need for salespeople for his purchases. Sephora has understood this well and has even developed an ingenious system to ensure that customers are not disturbed. A paradox as it goes against most beliefs on the subject, that contact between salespeople and customers makes it easier to sell. But we have to admit that behaviours are changing.  Has the time come when salespeople will...

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PayLead: A new wave of loyalty in the world of banking
Jun07

PayLead: A new wave of loyalty in the world of banking

PayLead is redefining banking loyalty by offering consumers the opportunity to be compensated in proportion to their purchases from their business partners. In this article, we return to the initiative launched by Charles de Gastines and Jacquelin Becheau La Fonta nearly three years ago. Summary Presentation of the company Genesis and history The fields of application How does it work? The future and key figures Presentation of the company Co-founded by Jacquelin Becheau La Fonta and...

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Customer Experience: Polette puts sex toys in a shop window display
May15

Customer Experience: Polette puts sex toys in a shop window display

Last week, a shop window display aroused my interest as I walked through the streets of downtown Brussels. I was not the only one to stop in front of the Polette store, rue du Marché aux Herbes. How could it have been otherwise when moving sex toys were displayed in the window? In the series of interactive store windows, this one is at least, quite remarkable. Market research is also about that: observe trends. We have...

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Major Retail Outlets in City Centres
May08

Major Retail Outlets in City Centres

After many years of focusing on opening stores on the outskirts of major cities, Ikea opened this week in Paris, on May 6, 2019, 23 Boulevard de la Madeleine in the 1st arrondissement, its first retail outlet adapted to city centres. Summary Ikea in the city centre Retail outlets located far from the outskirts of the city What are the main advantages? Ikea relocates to the city centres This unique concept launched by Ikea is similar...

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Customer experience: This Lisbon store uses a magical recipe to make you buy
Apr26

Customer experience: This Lisbon store uses a magical recipe to make you buy

Rarely have I seen a store that used marketing so efficiently to unconciously make people buy. “O Mundo Fantastico Da Sardinha Portuguesa” is a a store located on Praça Rossio (Rossio square) in Lisbon which seels sardines in box. Boxes are colorful, bear the mention of a year and a few facts about that year. Different colors are associated to different decades. O Mundo Fantastico Da Sardinha Portuguesa uses several marketing tricks that lead to impulsive buying...

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Find & Order turns ‘Picking’ into child’s play
Apr08

Find & Order turns ‘Picking’ into child’s play

We have interviewed Arthur Guelton, co-founder of Find & Order, an indoor guidance solution for retail and supply chain businesses. In this article, we return to the creation and characteristics of this pioneering application. Summary Find & Order at a glance The genesis of the idea Technology used How and where it’s used The future and key figures The service offered by Find & Order Find & Order is a 3D mapping solution combined with an...

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How to turn a crazy idea into reality: Savour Histoires de Gourmets, our interview with Jérôme Fourest
Apr03

How to turn a crazy idea into reality: Savour Histoires de Gourmets, our interview with Jérôme Fourest

After having analysed the creation of the Savour Histoires de Gourmets boutique in Vichy, a shop resulting from the association of 3 French brands (Comtesse du Barry, Nicolas, De Neuville), we interviewed Jérôme Fourest, General Manager at Comtesse du Barry, in order to shed light on the ins and outs of this project. Summary A ‘crazy’ idea The correlation of points in common Why Vichy? Marketing strategy The future and key figures A ‘crazy’ idea Several...

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Smart bottles, from health to marketing
Mar29

Smart bottles, from health to marketing

Objects connected to a Network are becoming more and more common in our daily lives. In this article, we will discuss some initiatives concerning smart bottles. Contact us for your B2B market research Summary Drink more water thanks to smart bottles. Marketing and communication resources. How far can we go? Only for our subscribers: exclusive analyses and marketing advice Email address  * Subscribe By signing up, you agree to our Terms of use and privacy policy....

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Technology and artificial intelligence in retail
Mar27

Technology and artificial intelligence in retail

We have recently talked about the role of artificial intelligence in games and the arts, but what about retail? Following our conference on the impact of artificial intelligence in the media, retail and insurance sectors, we return in this article to innovative initiatives taken by retailers to optimise their performance, in particular, those made by Casino in their hypermarket in Pessac, which serves as a laboratory to test these in a live environment. Summary The importance...

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Retail marketing strategy: Nicolas, Comtesse du Barry and de Neuville join forces
Mar11

Retail marketing strategy: Nicolas, Comtesse du Barry and de Neuville join forces

In the age of the digitalisation of markets, many consumers are turning to e-commerce, sometimes undermining local shops, which are particularly affected by the phenomenon of showrooming. In response, retailers are increasingly redesigning their marketing strategy to maintain their share of the market. In this article, we review the opening of the ‘Savour Histoires de Gourmets’ concept store in Vichy at the end of 2018, the partnership between the Comtesse du Barry, de Neuville and Nicolas brands....

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Impact of artificial intelligence in the retail, media and insurance sectors
Mar04

Impact of artificial intelligence in the retail, media and insurance sectors

On the invitation of Philippe Warzée, editor-in-chief of Pub.be, I was pleased to present my latest thoughts on the impact of artificial intelligence in the media, retail and insurance sectors. The presentation started with a brief historical overview of recommendation algorithms, perhaps the most widespread type of algorithms around. After this introduction I dealt with 3 use cases : Netflix (media sector), coupons in the retail sector, and health insurances. I followed with an analysis of...

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Delhaize Fresh Atelier: analysis of a retail concept and new openings
Mar01

Delhaize Fresh Atelier: analysis of a retail concept and new openings

In November 2018, the Ravenstein Gallery, near Brussels Central Station, saw the emergence of the new retail concept of Delhaize, the Belgian mass retail company belonging to the Ahold group, called “Fresh Atelier”. The city of Louvain (Leuven) has also hosted a Fresh Atelier in the Diestsestraat since December 2018. This new store concept aims to refocus on consumers’ expectations, both in terms of their consumption habits and lifestyles, while providing them with a unique experience....

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Interactive showcases: the innovative tool that retailers have always dreamed of?
Feb20

Interactive showcases: the innovative tool that retailers have always dreamed of?

The creation of attractive storefronts is an integral part of the marketing plan in the retail sector. In the digital age, retailers are moving towards interactive displays. Storefronts that adapt to their environment and create interaction with this environment while keeping essential functions such as displaying the brand’s new products, promoting ongoing discounts, and much more. In this article, we will review the status of interactive display cases, a technology increasingly used in the retail world,...

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This Delhaize supermarket has been turned into an Urban Art temple
Nov30

This Delhaize supermarket has been turned into an Urban Art temple

What can be done with an abandoned supermarket? A temple of urban art? In any case, this is what Alexandra Lambert and Fred Atax of the Strokar association, who initiated the artistic project around a former supermarket in Brussels, asked each other. And the very least we can say is that this has been a success. Follow us today on a tour of this unique project and read this article right to the end to find...

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Retail: arrange products attractively to make customers buy more
Sep28

Retail: arrange products attractively to make customers buy more

In an earlier article we started dealing with examples of attractive visual displays in the retail industry. We argued that product arrangement influences information processing by customers and in return purchase decisions. Ensuring that products are displayed next to each other in an homogeneous way makes information processing easier for the customer. During our retail tour in Berlin we spotted a few of this well-designed products arrangements. In our article on the newest New Era store...

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Customer experience: is Soho House Berlin the future of concept stores?
Sep17

Customer experience: is Soho House Berlin the future of concept stores?

Soho House is known as a group of private members’ clubs around the world. Of English origins the concept has spread into continental Europe too. Berlin has its Soho Club too and the non-private parts are worth a visit, especially the concept store on the ground floor which is in our opinion a model of what the future of retail will look like. Before we report on our visit there, let’s have a brief introduction on...

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Market research : the combined effect of music and light in the retail sector
Aug13

Market research : the combined effect of music and light in the retail sector

Sensory market research has focused mostly on the effects on consumer behavior of specific cues: light, scent, temperature, … Some of those cues are always present in a retail setting (light, temperature) and past studies have therefore investigated the effects of the variations of those cues (higher/lower temperature, more or less light) Company industry atmospherics charcateristics purpose abercrombie & fitch clothing loud music, dark light targets young customers victoria secrets clothing soothing music facilitate conversation between...

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Market research: be careful when choosing the location of your store
Jul18

Market research: be careful when choosing the location of your store

A customer recently asked us to help him decide between several locations for his next store. This exercise is like doing a little market research and it’s actually crucial to the success of your business. The wrong location can lead to the death of your business. You’d better spend a little time on your market research, wouldn’t you? Here are a few tips we’d like to give you. If you want to deepen your knowledge on...

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Societal and ethical issues of digitization: are emotions covered by GDPR?
Jul04

Societal and ethical issues of digitization: are emotions covered by GDPR?

An academic paper by Royakkers et al. (2018) is currently available from “Ethics and information technology” magazine that offers an interesting overview of the societal and ethical issues of digitization (hence its title). Digitization issues are analyzed along 6 axis : privacy autonomy safety and security balance of power human dignity power It’s not my intention here to sum up the whole paper; I’d rather want to focus on one aspect at a time. In today’s...

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What’s the marketing secret behind Frank Woolworth’s fortune?
Jun18

What’s the marketing secret behind Frank Woolworth’s fortune?

The Woolworth building is one of New-York’s most iconic buildings. Not only was it the tallest building of the world from 1913 until 1930, but it also conveys the history of a brand that has revolutionized retail before going bankrupt. How did retail look like at the time of Frank Woolworth ? Frank Woolworth was a legendary businessman but also a legendary inept salesman. His inability as a salesman is told to have led him draft...

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Market research: the 5 trends that will shape the future of retailing
May14

Market research: the 5 trends that will shape the future of retailing

Our most recent market research has identified 5 trends that will shape the future of retailing. Technology and tools to enhance decision making Innovations in visual display to make customers’ purchase decisions easier Differentiating customer experiences Collection of data at massive scale (Big Data) and their usages Use of analytics to improve profitability Case studies In today’s article we will discuss and illustrate each of those 5 market trends. This article was last updated in March...

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Flying Tiger: here’s how a unique customer experience is created
Mar21

Flying Tiger: here’s how a unique customer experience is created

If you are looking for the quintessence of customer experience, look no further. This store counts only on its customer experience to drive its sales : it’s called “Flying Tiger Copenhagen“. And believe it or not I visited one store of this Danish brand for the first time a few weeks ago. I paid a visit to the store located next to the Flatiron building in New-York. A store full of 1$ and 2$ stuff This store...

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