Retailers are facing unprecedented pressures. They need to move to an omnichannel world, providing a consistent and satisfying experience however customers choose to shop while battling poor economic conditions that are putting a brake on consumer spending.Within these overarching challenges, Eptica has identified four key trends that retailers need to act on if they are to survive and grow in the...
Whether through advertising, search engine optimisation or simply building brand recognition companies invest significant resources in driving traffic to their websites. Then the customer journey begins in earnest, as organisations aim to move website visitors from browsers to buyers. Whatever you are selling, from books to insurance, it is vital that customers are guided through the process and p...
Despite the growth of other channels, email is still the first choice for a large number of consumers when it comes to contacting organisations. It provides a full audit trail for customers (and companies) and people often feel it is the best way to raise specific complex or technical questions – provided of course, you get a fast, accurate answer.Independently testing the quality of the ema...
Amidst all the bad news on the high street there is one bright spot when it comes to physical retailing – the shopping centre. Despite national figures that show 1 in 7 British shops are currently unoccupied, there is major growth in high end shopping centres that act as destinations for consumers. In fact rents are rising by 5-6% in larger centres with very few shops left empty and multiple...
There are many similarities between banks and retailers. Both sectors have large, geographically spread branch/shop networks, and in many cases are facing the same challenge of balancing online and offline channels to meet changing consumer needs.As part of their strategy retailers have aggressively been moving into new markets – offering everything from insurance, bank accounts and telecoms...
This has not been a good week for the High Street, with iconic music retailer HMV joining camera group Jessops in administration. It also marks a watershed moment when it comes to physical music and DVD retailing - after the disappearance of Zavvi and Woolworths, and Virgin France closing across the channel there are no longer any standalone chains of shops where you can pop in and pick up the lat...
In the run up to Christmas shoppers naturally expect a high level of customer service from retailers. In store they want helpful staff, sufficient stock and no queues at the checkouts. Online they want a straightforward ordering process, a clear acknowledgement of their purchase and to be kept informed about delivery progress.As we’ve already found not all retailers are managing to provide t...
Today, the customer really is king. The combination of ever increasing competition and greater customer expectation mean you need to deliver higher and higher levels of service, whatever sector you operate in.And, to be fair, most organisations understand the importance of customer service but many are failing to deliver what consumers actually want. This could be down to a lack of budget, not lis...
A recent check of retail UK websites found that more than a third could be breaking the law. The research, by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) uncovered issues at 62 of 156 sites, ranging from unlawful restrictions on refunds, failure to notify buyers about additional charges such as for delivery and not providing email contact details.Following the survey, the OFT has asked sites to change t...
Paris Exposition: Eiffel Tower, Paris, France, 1900 (Photo credit: Brooklyn Museum) As the clock ticks down towards Christmas, there is still time for retailers to make final changes to their websites in time for their busiest period. Continuing economic woes around the world mean that customers are demanding the highest levels of online service – if not, they will simply click across ...