When the going gets tough – INNOVATE
That's my view of retail and I think over the coming years we are due to see a lot more of it on Aussie shores. As the retail sector suffers and the country sits on the brink of a recession it's no secret that the coming months are set to become a challenging period. We’ve seen it in the Northern Hemisphere but if we are smart we can at least learn from their experiences.
What’s interesting is that the one thing nearly all retailers forget with diminishing revenue and cut budgets, is innovation. And that innovation and creativity is what will set them apart.
As Australian Retail Outlook deftly notes, “the money is there for the taking. It is up to retailers to create a compelling reason for them to part with it… Apple, JB Hi-Fi, Zara and Super Retail Group are all examples of retailers who are unzipping consumers’ wallets in supposedly bleak times.”
ALDO and Topshop are both great examples of retailers putting back a sense of fun, a sense of joy into shopping. Because quite frankly, it should be fun, I think we've just forgotten how to sell that.
This week Topshop teamed up with gaming app SCVNGR to provide an interactive store experience for students in the UK and US. By doing so Topshop bring cute challenges students can play to unlock exclusive rewards. For example, 20% off, a shopping spree, competitions and giveaways. Students are asked to simply download the app, do the challenges set to earn points and collect badges to receive rewards and prizes.
ALDO also revealed a new campaign called 'Shoes For Life'. An online competition where users are encouraged to play 3 games. Once completed (assuming you win each round which, quite frankly who cares if it's rigged that way or not) you receive a discount voucher to redeem against your next ALDO purchase, plus the chance to go into the draw to win shoes for life (well, 2 pairs per year for 25 years). A simple fun engagement piece that gives consumers a reason to shop there over Wittner or NineWest for example.
