2013.11 | Retail Tech Miscellany

March 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Screen Shot 2013-03-26 at 10.17.52 PMWaste Elimination – Check out The Disappearing Package – a Masters Thesis based on eliminating the packaging part of consumer packaged goods altogether.  Not sure how realistic these are, but eliminating packaging is a welcome concept, and there are some interesting options shown.  via Fast Company

Mobile Selling Across Platforms - There has been lots of talk about mobile retailing, but Gucci took it to heart and redesigned their mobile website to provide a unique experience suited to buying on a smartphone or tablet as well as a traditional pc or notebook.  One can’t help but notice that Gucci chose to update their mobile website instead of an app.  Given the increasing pile of mobile os ecosystems and flavours (iOS, Android, Windows) and devices (smartphones and tablets of various shapes and sizes), setting up a great website with mobile optimization seems the way to go.

IBM retail AR appShelf Overlay - Augmented Reality is another concept that has been touted as a game changer for retail.  IBM has a conceptual mobile app that allows users to use their mobile device’s camera to capture items on the shelf with image recognition and then allow shoppers to sort through the assortment based on various parameters as they would on a website.  Customers could find gluten free items, or see what items are on sale.  I love the concept, but I’m not sure if most people today will have the patience to search a store this way.  If they do, everyone will be bumping into each other and trying to stand back from the shelves.  It could get a bit awkward walking down the aisles!

Data elements are likely to be a challenge for this.  If a retailer doesn’t have a fully populated database with all the elements needed to filter, a significant effort will be required to update systems on the back end to support this effort.  Apparently it’s being tested in the UK.  Some fun additions in my mind: highlight items from my shopping list on the shelf in green in case I can’t find them, highlight my usual items as I walk by them, put blinking green on items that may interest me, and finally integrate this into Google Glass to make it less awkward to use.

Loyalty Apps – I’ve always hated those little loyalty cards that you got stamped for a free coffee.  My sushi place has a terrible version of this that you can’t even read.  I also hate carrying paper cards and I’m not alone.  Check out this recent blogto profile of a number of smaller loyalty programs that are trying to take this niche into the smartphone age.

CapturePinterest Analytics – Pinterest is one of the most interesting social media stories to come on the scene for some time, and it got a bit more interesting as their Web Analytics have been released.  Now pinners including retailers, will have a better idea of what people are pinning.  It’s unclear if that changes much for retailers that pin, but at least some gauge of reaction is possible.  Perhaps the ability to tag whether an item was purchased would help.  I’ve always thought Pinterest would be a great social media network for retailers to add to a client profile.  When I visit higher end retailers or am looking for something fashion related, staff always ask about my hobbies and style.  It would be nice to just let them glance through a few Pinterest boards to give them a flavour for what you like. Not only that, but the retailer sees what you like at other retailers.

Filed Under: dining & qsr, food & drug, general merchandise, retail, social networking Tagged With: , , , ,

2013.10 | Customs Kiosk | Starbucks Square Issues

March 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

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Canada Customs Self Service – After traveling out of the country recently, I had the opportunity to use Canada Border Services Automated Border Clearance solution in place at Pearson Airport and Vancouver Airports.

The system works very similarly to the original method used in speaking to an agent.    Canadians coming home to Canada fill in the customs form by hand on the plane as usual, and proceed to the customs area at the airport.   Instead of proceeding to an agent, the handlers in the area will ask you if you wish to leverage self service.   If you opt to use the kiosks, you approach, select your language, and follow the instructions on the screen.  Users insert a completed customs form in the slot below the screen, and then scan your passport(s).  The kiosk will categorize travelers with a code indicating whether you may proceed, or speak to an agent.  Then a printed copy of the populated form with the code as a watermark over the form is produced.  In my case, I had indicated I had nuts with me, which required intervention, and had to speak to an agent who passed me through quickly on my way.

While having to speak to the agent after using the kiosk was a bit frustrating, the vast majority of the times I cross the border I would have had no issue at all.  The kiosks are very simple to use, they have a huge green light at the top indicating availability and instructions are shown simply and on screen.  About the only criticism I can make is that it’s a waste of paper to print out a copy of the form which is already a waste of paper.  Moving towards electronic interfaces in these situations will take time, and this is a wonderful step towards simplifying this much loved process.

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Starbucks Square Issues - Fast Company recently reported on issues that Starbucks has experienced around implementing the acceptance of payments via Square Wallet.  The fundamental issue appears to be a challenge with communicating the ability to accept Square Wallet at Starbucks at their outlets.  I read this article with a great deal of interest.  I’ve been part of numerous deployments in retail and there are so many opportunities for a deployment with a great concept to go awry.

In order to justify a change to a retail solution, there have to be benefits:

First, there must be a benefit to the retailers’ customers.  At first glance, that appears to be missing.  At present, the benefit of using Square over the standard Starbucks mobile app is a bit of a puzzler.  If they use Square Wallet, customers don’t get to count purchases toward future free beverages as part of the Starbucks loyalty program.  That is actually a DIS-incentive to use Square Wallet.  If Starbucks want to drive usage, they should change that.

Second, there must also be a benefit to the retailer.  I don’t see a real benefit to Starbucks beyond the ability to accept another payment method.  It would seem that drawing additional traffic with additional payment options would not be a key driver at stores with long lines in place most of the time.  In fact, throughput would be more of an issue, and the acceptance of Square as portrayed in the article is actually a hindrance to throughput.

Hopefully there is more to this solution than meets the eye.  It would seem logical to assume that getting the Square Wallet in place at Starbucks is to lay the foundation for the geolocation version of Square Wallet which would allow tendering without presenting a mobile device at all.  That would provide benefits for both the Starbucks and their customers.

Filed Under: dining & qsr, retail, travel Tagged With: , , ,

2013.07 | Wearable Technology

February 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment

488057_10151438249817871_1163881505_nGoogle Glass – As the masses become increasingly addicted to our mobile devices, it comes as no surprise that the wearable side of technology would be the next prime target for technology companies everywhere.

Google released a new video today highlighting all of the things you can do with Google Glass.  They’ve including taking photos, tweeting, recording videos, video chatting, searching for images, getting weather reports, getting turn by turn directions (on streets and more),  pulling flight information and details, language translation, wikipedia searches and texting.

Apparently there is a contest kicking off to see which laymen get the first sets of Google Glass based on a 50 word application of what you would do with them (18+, US only, and…. you still have to pay the $1,500 and show up to get them in a few select cities.)

The interface looks really great and using them looks simple. It’s anyone’s guess whether this thing takes off.  I think they look a little crazy, and I’m not keen to hear “OK, glass” (the beginning command to activate the device) everywhere I go.  If you think people talking on mobiles or everyone looking at mobiles is aggravating, hearing “OK, glass” again and again is going to top everything.

That said, I didn’t think I’d get an iPad, but here we are all with tablets.  Crazier things have caught on.

Update: Check out this real life review of Google Glass.

8757681_origCynaps – If you’re looking to top off your geek ensemble, you may also want to pick up your Cynaps – the world’s first bone conduction bluetooth headset built into a baseball cap.   This device connects to any bluetooth mobile device so you can listen to music and answer calls without actually wearing any headphones in your ears.  The sound is passed to your inner ear via vibration pads that are flush to the wearer’s head.   The control panel for power and volume is in the bill of the hat.   They sell two models of the cap as well as a DIY version that you can mount into whatever headwear suits your fancy.

If this becomes common, we will no longer be able to tell if people are listening to music or talking on their mobile by looking at their ears.   Quite a change in social norms, and probably another interesting challenge for cashiers at a traditional point of service, who now can’t even tell if someone is being rude or not.

w680Smart Watches – With the success of the Kickstarter darling Pebble, there is lots of talk around the potential that Apple may jump in with a watch device as their next big deal.  While I’ve seen lots of articles on this subject, this article by Tom Chatfield at the BBC provides the best arguments for why it might happen, and provides some interesting perspective on how the solution could be useful.

What do all of these wearable devices mean for retail?  Like mobile, it’s a split scenario.    Consider how it impacts the customers, and consider how it could be used by retailer associates.

Wearable devices like these worn by customers could be used much like mobile is today but much less obtrusively.   It’s another channel, another benefit and another environmental factor for consideration.

Google Glass could be used for:

  • Showrooming – With the right SDK, apps like Amazon, or RedLaser can enable wearers to scan items by pulling them off the shelf and looking them.  The camera can recognize the barcodes (just like redeeming an iTunes giftcard with your facetime camera – try it – it’s very quick and satisfying) and return search details on comparable prices elsewhere.
  • Mobile Self Scanning – Google Glass could be used to port to a mobile app for users to scan their groceries as they go through the store, and then they could checkout with Paypal or some other mobile payment solution.
  • Price Lookup and Product Information – Store staff could use Google Glass to look at an item and get instant heads up on whether a product is in stock – if not, where else can they get it?
  • Loyalty – Based on the client information, information can be shown only to the eyes of the store staff in order to best serve the client without the client seeing the information.
  • Mobile Payment – For mobile payment, Google Glass represents an opportunity for multiple screens that could be beneficial in the case of whether a payment was accepted.  Instead of it showing on the mobile device, it would flash on the glasses where only the wearer could see the information.  Personal information could also be verified with clients without anyone nearby seeing or hearing it.

Cynapse  could be used for:

  • In Store Communication – Worn by store staff these devices could make it possible to have better communication among store staff across a large retail location without hampering their ability to hear customers with their ears being covered or filled with headphones.

Smart Watches could be used for:

  • Mobile Payment – Users could scan their watch instead of a mobile device – simplify the process and avoid mobile devices being dropped.
  • In Store Communication – Store staff could use them as price checkers (camera required) or for a simple paging system.
  • Apps – An iOS or Android watch would presumably either have access to apps on the mobile phone to which they are paired or may have their own apps that could be built by retailers or by third parties to be used by consumers.

As always, retailers need to be aware of these changes, think about how they threaten their business, and how they can be leveraged for gain.   If systems are able to talk to all of these devices, and there is a match between a retailers target market and those that use these devices, there is a real chance to take on the channels as true differentiators.  New twists on technologies like these can also be the tools that drive  retailers into the future by enabling their staff access to more and better information.

Filed Under: food & drug, general merchandise, retail Tagged With: , , ,

2013.06 | No Omnichannel without Operations

February 16, 2013 By Leave a Comment

All of my talks on Omnichannel with retailers drive me to try out every option I possibly can with my own transactions.

Last weekend I went to see Bharati in at the Sony Centre in Toronto. (I highly recommend the show by the way.  See it if you can!)  Being part of a busy family our weekend was packed with events, ride giving, lessons, and more.  I found myself getting ready to leave the house only about 2 hours before the show – this is definitely cutting it close.

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While I was preparing to depart, I used all of the tools technology available to enable to get there on time.  Ticketmaster was kind enough to send me a reminder email about the event on Friday, so I was able to pull up that message and logging into my account, I printed my tickets.  Great omnichannel experience from Ticketmaster.   It costs too much for Ticketmaster, but it worked smoothly to the point where I didn’t even think about it.

I know the route to get to the theatre well, but always check the GPS routes for options.  I also had to think about parking. Everyone who goes to any urban location knows that parking is a changeable proposition.  Your favourite sites get built upon, closed up, or changed to some other use.

I visited the Sony Centre website to see what parking options were recommended, and I was intrigued by a link to something called Click and Park.

When I clicked that link, I saw a list of the events at the Sony Centre.  The system allows you to pre-pay for a parking spot during your event in a prime location right next to the theatre.  It makes a lot of sense to have a parking spot reserved in a convenient location.  The site indicates the process is as simple as three easy steps: choose your event, select your location and print your permit.  I read through the FAQs, and decided I definitely wanted to try this.  What a terrific idea to optimize a consumer experience and that of a parking lot operator.

I picked my event, validated the parking garage, and paid.  I quickly received my permit.  The pricing was high.  It was $22.42, including fees and the cost of parking.  I expected it to be more like $10 to $15 for a weekend, but I was willing to pay a bit of a premium for a good guaranteed spot, and well – this was for science.  I wanted to see how it worked.

The parking location is a garage I have frequented many times over the years, so I knew where I was going.    I was parking at the Brookfield Place garage.  I did a bit of checking as I know that there are multiple entrances.  One off  Wellington Street and one from Front Street at least.  Both were referred to on the Click and Park website so I figured I was ready to go.

CaptureI printed my permit, hopped in the car, and drove downtown, smug in the knowledge that I had parking covered.  As I approached the lot, I encountered my first problem.  I knew where I was going, but I like to double check any special instructions.  I pulled out my parking permit to double check the address and see what instructions were provided.

Unfortunately, the permit just says Brookfield Place.  Um, ok.  It also says 5pm to 6 am.  Wait, what? My show is on at 2 pm.  It says that right on there.  What does that mean?

Now, what if I didn’t know the address?  Would have been nice to have that on there, right?  Oh well, when I looked at the website, there was lots of friendly green and blue Web 2.0 branding.  I’m sure there will be some sort of signage to point me in the right direction.

I found the lot (after taking a detour – downtown construction being what it always is), and drove up to the kiosk.  I pulled out my form, ready to scan it at….at…..well, nothing.  There was no scanner.  There was no signage indicating what to do.  There was no logo from Click and Park telling me what to do.  There was a flashing light.  Thought that might be a scanner, but no.

Now, I like to think that I know what a scanner looks like.  If you glance through the blog, you will see I’ve worked with a few scanners.  I did not see a scanner, any signage, or any indication of anything other than pushing a button to get a ticket.  So….I pushed the button to get a ticket.

I drove through the garage.  No signage.  No indication that Click and Park exists at all.  I walked through the garage to the event, and saw no indication of Click and Park.

After my very enjoyable show, I thought perhaps I would see a scanner on the way out.  I drove up to the machine on the way out, and with a much more extensive search can assure you that there is no scanner on the exit system either.  I dutifully paid Brookfield Place $10 and departed.

Now, I can’t speak to how this Click and Park solution works in other places, and when I read through their site, I see all sorts of venues that love this system.  It may work well in those spots, but they are not going to get much in the way of business in Toronto without some changes.

If an omnichannel solution like this is going to work, it needs to work for everyone, virtually without them having to think.  I go well beyond the average person to seek out answers and make systems work, but this whole thing does not work at all.   I’m willing to take the $22 (well, maybe $32) hit for science, but I don’t think all of the potential clients of the Sony Centre will feel the same.

This is all about making it easy – not about making the user do the work.

Here’s what I hope the good team at Click and Park consider:

1.  FULL Process Transparency: Providing a process that goes beyond Click and Park getting money and the user printing a piece of paper is important.  That’s all that shows on the website.  It’s great graphic design, but it’s not going to help customers.  I understand that individual parking sites may vary on a process because different parking lots look different and have different systems.  In the interim, why not have specific images or video of the parking lots and how it works?  When you pick a parking lot on the site, it should show the user those images of the process (like scanning a barcode at a gate) so they can see what to expect.  If clients feel comfortable they will try the service and are more likely to use it successfully.  Once you have repeat customers; inertia can carry the solution more.

2.  Better directions: Writing Brookfield Place on a piece of paper is next to useless for the user driving in an urban centre.  Give an address at LEAST.  Better yet, provide some verbiage with details on parking – maybe even an image of the front entrance.   Why not provide a link to Google Maps with the garage on it so I can click an an email or text on my smart phone to get directions on my GPS?  There is no other Brookfield Place, but I’m still not sure if I went to the wrong place or what happened.

3.  Signage: Working with partners can be challenging, but there absolutely needs to be signage at a partner garage above or near the entrance.  If there’s no signage, I’m not sure I’m in the right place.  There should also be signage at entrance welcoming Click and Park guests with some simple instructions like: scan your barcode at the gate next to you.  On the gate itself, there should be some signage with the logo and simple instructions on how to use it.

4.  Recovery: If I as a user somehow manage to make an error in the process, like I forget to scan my card, there should be a way to recover.  The only recovery I saw was a message in my email saying no refunds.  Wrong message.  There should be signage at elevators coming back to the garage for Click and Park clients saying that if they missed scanning their codes, they can go to a certain place to get a new ticket, see an attendant or whatever works.   As a user, I now have a negative feeling of the Click and Park brand and about Brookfield Place.  If you make it easy, everybody wins.

5. Followup:  If I didn’t use the parking space, I should get a text or email asking me why I did not use it.  Click and Park has a list of tickets.  The Parking Lot has a list of tickets.  Mine isn’t on it. Why not ask me why it didn’t work out?   This is a missed opportunity to be sure the solution is working correctly and to gain feedback from users and the site staff.

I fully realize the effort required to complete the items I  have suggested here, but with absolute certainty I can say that this service may as well not exist if it doesn’t revisit its processes.   This is a terrific idea, and I hope it takes off.  For now it just feels like someone slapped a payments website up with this parking lot’s name on it.  It takes more than that for a solution like this to work.  It has to be completely aligned with the operation of the site.

I know I’m $22 smarter from my experience.  I fully expect the value on the knowledge Click and Park will be a much higher amount in the end if they don’t change things up.

Filed Under: food & drug, general merchandise, retail, travel Tagged With: , , , , , ,

2013.05 | Facebook Card | Sport Chek Lab | Traffic

February 3, 2013 By 2 Comments

facebook-card-balance-mobileFacebook Gift Card – Facebook recently announced a Facebook branded giftcard that can be used in the real world.  If you wish to gift someone at a Jamba Juice, Sephora, Target, or Olive Garden, one only has to select that recipient from your list of Facebook friends, identify them as a gift recipient and pay -much as you would do for any other gift card.  The gift recipient is mailed an actual physical Facebook branded card to use in stores like Target.  What makes this card unique and worthy of interest is the fact that the card can be reloaded with balances from multiple retailers.   Thinking about it this way, Facebook are providing another centralized payment mechanism.  That is, while in a card form now, Facebook is beginning  to act as a centralized clearing house for payments.  The Facebook card could be used as a future payment platform for online purchases, or via a mobile app like Starbucks does, or as a card as it is now.  Based on the card images it appears to be provided by some sort of partnership with Discover.  Looks like there is another potential partnership vying for space in the world’s already crowded wallet – mobile or otherwise. via psfk

skitchSport Chek Retail Lab – Looks like I’ll have to get on down to North Toronto to check out the latest in technology to get us to buy athletic equipment.  It seems that Sport Chek have put together lots of tech in a store deemed the Sport Chek Retail Lab to try it out.  I love the passion for the technology, and will definitely head over to visit.  While it sounds like it’s more of a lab scenario and therefore subject to different rules than a more traditional store, my only caution on projects like this is whether or not there is a need for all of the technology.

Things I would watch for in visiting this store:

  • is the technology really selling more merchandise than if we just put the items on a shelf in an attractive, engaging manner that is a part of the brand experience?
  • is the technology providing a truly unique customer experience?
  • is the technology assisting customers in a way that is not possible without it?
  • is the technology part of an overarching targeted customer experience, or are these just toys?
  • does the technology usage fit the retailers brand and customer demographic?

I love technology for its own sake, but not everyone does.  My experience dictates that if these technologies are to find their way into more than just a flagship or a demo store, they have to bring benefits to the retailer and the consumer.  It certainly appears that no option has been overlooked at this site!  Check out all of the tech!  I look forward to visiting and seeing the place myself!  via Artisan Complete

books_set2-1Book Recommendation: I just finished reading: Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (And What It Says About Us) by Tom Vanderbilt.

I enjoyed this book a great deal.  A few thoughts on why you might as well:

  • It will make you re-think your driving habits.  If you are like me, you’ve taken driving for granted and don’t think about it much.  You will think about it after you read the book.
  • There is so much around us that we don’t notice because we see it so much!
  • It helps to reset your perception of open mindedness.  I found the discussion of some renegade traffic planners in Europe removing street signs altogether and completely re-thinking roads and intersections to be an incredible example of how you can think completely outside of your assumptions.
  • Some fascinating ideas that are covered in the book: the rise of eating in the car – discussions of drive thrus – how we change our personality when we drive and why – how seeing eyes (real or artificial) can change your behaviour – a discussion of the psychology of queueing and how it holds true in traffic and in other areas – how we never get feedback on driving – how traffic design may not seem to be in your best interest but it is for the greater good – there is a ‘starbucks effect’ for traffic – that looking for the best parking spot at the mall is a waste of time – cars are parked 95% of the time – free parking has a high cost – comparing traffic to queuing at Disney – how rules affect behaviour like Pizza Hut in China
  • While he doesn’t cover Google’s self driving cars and their impact (the book was published in 2008), he did write about them for Wired this year.

I was surprised to see that it had so much information of relevance for my work.  I found myself in that first year university scenario where I was highlighting more of the book than not.  If you work in retail or retail technology, I guarantee there is something in this book for you! via 99 percent invisible

Filed Under: dining & qsr, general merchandise, retail Tagged With: , , , , , ,

2013.04 – Evernote Fridge | Amazon Coupons | Mobile Pay

January 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

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Evernote Fridge – As time goes on, client channels that have to be addressed by retailers continue to pile up, splinter and move all over the place.  Consider the prototype Samsung T-9000 refrigerator from Samsung.  This sleek modern refrigerator sports a 10 inch control screen built into the door.  The screen’s interface has an Evernote widget that would allow proud owners of this gleaming device to add items to their grocery list right on the door.

As Evernote is a note taking utility already in extensive use with the kind of consumers that would buy a refrigerator like this, it’s a very thoughtful addition and something that might actually justify another screen in the house.  Additions to a grocery list on the door can be synchronized with your Evernote account via a wifi connection on the unit and would be updated up on whatever device(s) are connected.  Given the add-on applets to evernote like Skitch and Evernote Food, you have to think a smarter grocery list app might not be far off .  This is a clever idea, and another challenge/opportunity for retailers who are working to engage clients at any point in the decision making process.

Amazon Coupons – While we can’t buy groceries at Amazon in Canada yet, they can in Seattle from Amazon Fresh.  I found a recent tweet on their coupon options particularly interesting.  Coupons are not used as much in Canada as the US, but if an Amazon were to come on the scene, the ability to leverage coupons like this starts to look very attractive.  If all clients have to do is go through the list and click to add the coupons to their account and then select the items – well why wouldn’t you do it?

In contrast, manufacturer’s coupons are not used as much in Canada.  Most of us can’t or won’t remember to bring a paper coupon, and we don’t want to hold up the line at a checkout.  Most Canadian retailers do not have an interface to a central clearinghouse to scan coupons as far as I have experienced in my work with retailers.  The acceptance of coupons remains relatively manual.  This exposes retailers to potential coupon fraud, expired coupon or misredeemed coupon losses, additional costs to manage and redeem manufacturer coupons.  For these reasons and more, I’ve noted a distaste for coupons and a preference for price matching policies that are simpler to administer and only really used by the zealots who will do anything to save a few dollars.

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Canadian retailers are missing an opportunity and perhaps exposing themselves to a real competitive disadvantage if online providers get a simple process to leverage coupons.  Effectively these retailers can sell for less, and they are still getting their higher price via CPG redemptions.

I have an answer to this, Canadian retailers; send me a message if you are interested in how it can work.


Capture1Mobile Pay -  While I was working in NCR booth at the National Retail Federation Big Show in New York last week, I saw a lot of really interesting ideas but I found one of the new solutions to be particularly  interesting.   While mobile payment is a really hot item everywhere these days, some of my colleagues on the hospitality side have taken things to a new level.

All of us have had the experience where we are in a restaurant and we want a refill but the server is nowhere to be found.   Instead of trying to catch the server’s attention, imagine being able to pull out any mobile device with a browser, connect to the restaurant, pull up your tab and order another beverage.

At the end of the transaction, instead of going through the whole:  ”paper bill dropped at table – put card on paper bill – server takes card/ brings back machine or receipt” routine, you could just scan a 2D code on the bill, add your tip, pay and leave.  That’s exactly what Mobile Pay can do.  The system even allows you to rate your service right on the mobile device and even mention your experience on social media.

It’s a simple, but very intriguing solution.  For now this is offered in the US at a number of venues, but I would be very interested in trying it out at home.

Filed Under: dining & qsr, retail Tagged With: , , , ,

2013.03 – Hangers | Burgers | 3D Cases

January 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Screenshot_2013-01-19_11_37_AMDigital Hangers – Shoppers at the Vanquish Ikebukuro PARCO store in Tokyo are experiencing a new twist on digital signage.  When the hanger with a clothing item on it is removed from the rack, a video clip of a model wearing that particular item is triggered and plays in large format on one of a number of LCD units that are part of a multiple video display array above the rack area.  This sort of context sensitive digital video solution is certainly a step up from playing standard video ads in a store.  Interactivity is certain to capture more interest from shoppers in store, and also provides for curation opportunities as the video can share combinations of items to wear with the featured apparel item. via Vsauce2 - (thanks Hussain!)

Screenshot_2013-01-19_11_47_AMEdible Packaging – Brazilian burger purveyor Bob’s recently unleashed a new ad campaign indicating that their burgers are so tasty that you can’t wait to eat them.  As part of that campaign, Bob’s are selling the burgers with edible wrappers.  Make sure you check out the video showing customers tucking into still wrapped burgers to get the full effect.  It’s a bit strange watching people chew on paper covered burgers. Bob’s wins the trifecta with an engaging campaign that ties well with selling their burgers, shows innovation and reduces waste to boot.

As a neatness obsessed individual, the idea of keeping burger mess inside paper really appeals to me.  To take it to the next level, perhaps instead of e-receipts we can start to issue receipts on edible paper.  Thermal printers can provide just the right amount of heat to cook them. via Vsauce2

Screenshot_2013-01-19_12_01_PM3D Cases – The 3D printing craze continues to pick up steam.  In case you needed some prodding to get out there and get yourself a Nokia Lumix Windows 8 Phone, Nokia recently released files to allow users to print their own 3D case.  Nokia is the first major corporation I’ve noted to put out a part you can print on your own.  Expect this to be the first of many such offers.

Traditional retailers could look on this as a way to extend their shelf space by offering products with exclusive links to download files to personalize, modify or extend products sold in stores.

Haven’t we all purchased electronics and immediately discarded items we know we will never use?  Manufacturers could use the availability of online 3D printing files to reduce waste and cost on included items that not all purchasers may wish obtain.

Got your own 3D printer yet?  Soon. via Wired.

Filed Under: dining & qsr, general merchandise, retail Tagged With: , ,

2013.01 | 3D Parts, Sail, SilverCar

January 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment

teenage engineering3D Parts Printing - As 3D printing becomes increasingly mainstream, we can expect to see more companies taking advantage of that to differentiate themselves.  Swedish Synth Company Teenage Engineering allows customers to print their own parts from CAD files on their website.  This is a wonderful use of the technology and while keeping clients happy, allows TE to spend their time on their next product instead of fulfilling low profit, manual, but very important requests for small replacement bits for currently installed product.  I would love to see more of this!

Capture2Sail is Done – Verifone Sail is discontinued already.  Released last year as a dongle for smartphones to be used as part of a service to accept payments aimed at smaller retailers, Verifone are apparently backing away from Verifone Sail as they say the segment is not viable in the long term, though the website is still up at present.  Curious challenge since this segment is the entire business model for Square, though their partnership with Starbucks provides an out for them to other business models.

unnamedSilverCar - SilverCar is a car rental service offering one kind of car - Silver Audi A4s.  That’s it.  Clients use the website or mobile app to book their reservation.  Clients build a profile that includes not only the usual information like dates and times for rental, but addresses that they plan to visit, and even their favourite radio stations.  When clients get to the airport, they enter in their information on their mobile and their car unlocks with all of their information uploaded to the vehicle.  On return, instead of dealing with a mobile wielding attendant, the app automatically charts out all of the costs and passes the receipt electronically.  Looks like they are only operating in Dallas at present, but will be very interesting to see how they make this work.  It could change car rentals everywhere.

Filed Under: dining & qsr, food & drug, general merchandise, retail Tagged With: , , ,

2012.42 | Tech Trends to Shape 2013

December 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Fast Company recently released an article about the technology trends that will Shape 2013.  These 20 items cover a broad range, but almost all of them are worthy of consideration by retailers.  Check out just a few of these items.

CaptureSmartphone accessories become smarter – As the article indicates, smartphone accessories are already getting smarter. Going beyond the usual accessories like Nike Fuel, Jawbone Up, Fitbit, and Wemo, we can expect to see a whole range of accessories such as the AliveCor ECG referenced by Fast Company article.

From a retail perspective, this trend will drive a market for new devices, but for retailers and shoppers it also provides more shopping channels. Consider prescription pill bottles that can ensure you take your meds and automatically add refills to the mobile app on your smart phone when they are near the end of supply. Consider electric toothbrushes that remind your smart phone that you are due to replace your toothbrush head. These are just two examples of how devices and products in our home can talk to our smart phones.

Retailers need to be certain that they are prepared to take advantage of these sorts of small changes as they occur so that their brands are positioned to take advantage of these technologies to simplify shopping for their targeted consumers and lock them in like the Amazon Kindle Store does for eBooks or iTunes does for music.

Think how easy it would be go connect this to Amazon Subscribe & Save.  Consumers don’t even need to wait.  They could build their own with enabled devices using IFTTT to get different services to talk to each other to do this.

800px-Jurvetson_Google_driverless_car_trimmedWe lose control of our cars – Google and all of the auto manufacturers certainly seem to be pushing towards making self driving cars a reality. Autonomous vehicles are now legal in Nevada, Florida and California and have driven thousands of miles already.  Volvo is looking to have self driving cars in 2014.

This completely changes the shopping perspective when going from one destination to another doesn’t involve being part of the driving process. Imagine a new sort of shopping regimen created by the free time given to people by not having to drive. Imagine how important it will be for retailers to have inventory online by store so that our cars using our smartphones can direct us through the best possible route to get home and get all the things on our shopping lists to get on with our lives.

Once again it’s important for retailers to keep an eye on these sorts of developments and make their systems as open as possible for services to be leveraged so that consumers can interact with them from whatever channel they choose.

We embrace a new kind of patina - This idea says that what makes things ours will not be the scratches and dents on the watch we use our whole life, but the personality we bring to our profile.   That personality will be something that drives our interactions with consumer facing organizations.

Leveraging the information that consumers are willing to share with retailers along with low cost technology means that more and richer experiences can be provided using alternative interfaces within stores.    This means using their data to identify them and to provide them a customized experience based on their preferences, past purchase history and more.  These interactions could be with any sort of screen – large format, projected, or anything.

From a retailer perspective this means that touchpoints and content are more important than ever.  Thinking through the message, the brand, and what the touchpoints are meant to be are a key element of any roadmap.  Operations, marketing and technology need to be inextricably linked for any of this to work at all, let alone achive a differentiated successful solution.

CaptureHuman computer interaction gets more humanistic – Computer interaction from a retail perspective is already becoming more humanistic with tools like Siri (Book a table for 2 at 6) Google Voice Search (Where can I buy a copy of Shawshank redemption) that allow voice interactions to transact. Projected virtual assistance at stores like Duane Reade automate greetings or the sharing of information required at consumer facing place of business with a human like interaction. As the technology gets more sophisticated, we can expect a personal shopper that can discuss our shopping options in a more Siri like interactive conversation.

This provides the opportunity for retailers to provide a more curated customer specific experience in a consistent targeted manner that can be updated centrally.

Data ecology becomes more diverse – The amount of data generated is exploding.  That’s not news.  From a retailer perspective, there  are new sources to consider.  eBook readers can tell us how long it takes people to read a book.  It can tell us if they finished it or not.   It goes way deeper, allowing for a new level of understanding of clients.   New channels mean more data and more complexity.

From a retailer perspective, it will be important that all of these new channels take into account how data will be gathered and analyzed.  If you build a mobile app and only 400 people use it, that may sound like a loser if you have thousands of stores.  However, those may be your most important customers that lead the rest of  your customer base.  Without the data to understand who they are, retailers could mistakenly discontinue their most important customers’ favourite channel.

Interaction choreography goes shopping / Faces become interfaces – These are just new flavours of interactive experiences in malls.  Gesture based catalogs on large format screens is to yesterday’s gift registry kiosk as the 60″ flatscreen is to yesterday’s 23″ tube television.  The facial recognition is interesting, but will certainly bring up some issues around privacy.  Both of these fall under the comments on the patina item above.

The article has many other great items.  Read them all.  Stay open to new ideas, and consider how they will influence your business and your customers.  Most importantly ensure that anything considered brings value to the organization and the customer – however you define value.

Filed Under: dining & qsr, food & drug, general merchandise, retail Tagged With: , , , ,

2012.41 | New Ways of Retailing with Tech

December 13, 2012 By Leave a Comment

googleshoppingGoogle Shopping –  It seems almost everyone is expanding their retail presence, making it possible to buy anything, anywhere, and anytime.  In addition to Google Play –  Google’s online store for android apps, ebooks, movies and music, consumers can also visit Google Shopping – a shopping portal apparently on the rise.

Consumers have another shopping channel and retailers have another confusing choice to make around partnering with Goliaths like Google.  Do retailers rely on Google to point clients to them for free, pay with adwords, or leverage a sponsorship with Google Shopping?  Do they post an enhanced catalog on Google Catalogs?  Increasingly retailers lean towards curation of goods and services to provide differentiation.  Does Google take away some of that differentiation with top 10 lists and 360 degree views?  Perhaps, but it could potentially drive more traffic in the near term.

PepsPassbook Promo – While still underwhelming and in need of expansion, Apple’s Passbook is probably the best mobile offer/ticket/giftcard platform out there by potential user count and likelihood of uptake by consumers.  Consmr recently offered a reasonable bribe to new users.  Download Consmr, and receive a Passbook ‘coupon’ for a free Pepsi Max redeemable at Kum & Go stores.

This is the first notable campaign to use Passbook to meet my notice.  Getting that large base of users to try a coupon via Passbook can only help expand the footprint.  There will certainly be lessons to learn, as this is not nearly as simple as it appears from the perspective of those offering the free Pepsi Max

Hopefully this Passbook offer only provides a one time only coupon code that is a unique code.  If it doesn’t, all the user has to do is take a screen capture of the coupon (It’s as simple as pressing the power button and then home button and then waitning for the flash on iOS.  Swipe your hand across the screen on newer Samsung Android for the same result.) and then use it again…and again…and again.  Just because coupons are electronic doesn’t make them less subject to fraud.  In fact, a user could send out that coupon to all of their friends in seconds – negating the intent of the offer as only one person had to download the Consmr app to get the coupon.  Beyond a unique coupon code for each user, retailers can also tie coupons to unique identifiers as part of a loyalty program to ensure redemption matches the expectations of those making the offer.  Retailers and marketers have to be sure the target audience AND the technology are all considered or losses and campaign failures can result.

sbuckssquare

Square Giftcards – Square is now offering electronic gifts as part of their service.  Square Wallet Users can give and receive credits for businesses that use their payment systems.  This is an intelligent and logical progression of the payments system and provides another potential expansion point as everyone’s mom joins Square to try to give their grown techie offspring a free coffee or book.

The article says they are waiting on Square giftcards for Canada.  Seeing as we don’t have Square Wallet here today and won’t until 2013, that seems a valid point.

Filed Under: dining & qsr, food & drug, general merchandise, retail Tagged With: , , , , ,
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