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1、Retail in Focus2023 Digital Trends2023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 2Foreword 3Executive Summary 4Section 1:The Dust Settles 5Meet expectations everywhere,all the time 5Case study:Walmart 6Serving the dynamic customer 6Case study:Gymshark 9Mobile is the glue 9Case study:The growing role of image r

2、ecognition at Lush and Target 10Case Study:Mall of the Emirates 11Section 2:No Time to Fly 12Cautious innovation 12Talent at a premium 13Case studies:Neiman Marcus and Marks&Spencer 15Time to be creative15Case Study:Mars Pet Nutrition 16Section 3:Empower Employees 17Drive creativity through better s

3、ystems integration 17Case Study:Home Depot 17Case Study:Home Depot 19Expand the customer universe through data 20Case Study:Walgreens Boots Alliance 22Conclusion 23Methodology 24Table of Contents2023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 3Welcome to the 2023 Digital Trends Retail in Focus!Based on Adobes a

4、nnual survey,produced in collaboration with Econsultancy,the report captures the insights of nearly 400 retail executives and identifies opportunities for companies to refine their digital strategies and drive sustained growth in the new year and beyondAs we look to the future,one thing is apparent

5、as customers continue to raise the bar for great experiences,it will be critical for retailers to respond with creativity They will need to be creative thinkers and problem-solvers Theyll need to find ways to quickly solve both the problems of their businesses and their customers And above all,theyl

6、l need to imagine creative ways to inspire their teams,boost efficiency and improve the workstream.All by aligning their people,processes and technologyAs Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen recently declared,“Everyone is creative and has the right to share their story”And you can help make that a reality Bu

7、t rather than jumping to quick fixes or short-term strategies,think of this as a chance to stop for a moment,take stock of your situation,get creative,and chart the course ahead for long-term growth in the digital economy Our survey revealed that a whopping 73%of senior executives across all sectors

8、 agreed that focusing on immediate needs in their organisations has come at the cost of longer-term planning and strategyBy evaluating the state of your business,you can begin to identify current challenges In turn,this will help you understand whether increased automation and improved workflow solu

9、tions can help overcome friction and meet customer expectations across channelsBruce Richards Senior Industry Marketing Manager Retail&Consumer Goods,AdobeBruce Richards,Senior Industry Marketing Manager Retail&Consumer Goods,AdobeForewordThe move to unified commerceNow that digital adoption has ste

10、adied,retailers are looking to manage the evolution from multichannel,through omnichannel,toward unified commerce to allow real-time data flows across integrated systems that allow seamless communication and ultra-personalisation.However,71%of the retail survey respondents agree that the interplay b

11、etween offline and online experiences makes customers journeys harder to track.There is clearly progress to be made,as nearly three-quarters of retailers know customers are looking for those wow moments,but fewer than a fifth would claim theyve delivered them.Digital and physical in harmonyDeliverin

12、g a wow moment means understanding what matters to customers most and when.It also means realising that some moments have a shelf-life.Rapid delivery may have been a clincher in the past,but two-thirds of retailers say same or next-day delivery is now expected,and a similar number(62%)report the sam

13、e about returns.Todays wow moments are achieved when customers find the product they want,where and when they want it whether in-store,online,or a combination of both.Its why many retailers are bringing ecommerce operations closer to physical ones,growing hybrid hub&store models,and increasing the n

14、umber of mobile apps to be used in a physical store.For example,41%cite the latter as one of their top two areas for investment in 2023,while 29%are also looking at the former.Executive SummaryBalance the creativity equationBut certainly,not all wow moments are down to convenience.Retailers recognis

15、e the need to make online experiences as personal and immersive as physical ones.They also know they need to make their brick and mortars stand out to entice the consumer in-store once more.There are still too many barriers to creativity,however.Many retailers feel that their staff have neither the

16、time,technology integrations,nor digital skills to deliver creative ideas that could create true differentiation.Theres no better indication of the importance of creativity than the fact that employees of sector leaders those who outperformed their sector last year are much less likely than the main

17、stream to lack time to be creative(37%vs.57%).Leaders have seen creativitys potential,and theyre already creating structures that let their staff engage.Walk the personalisation tightropeData remains one of the great retail challenges.Its potential to inform strategy,predict customer needs and deliv

18、er personalised experiences that enhance loyalty and attract new customers is stronger than ever.But retailers still struggle to access the correct data,knock down silos to free up real-time data flows,and move toward a first-party model,weaning themselves off third-party cookies.The number of solut

19、ions to companies data challenges,such as the emergence of data clean rooms,is growing,and most retailers have shown an appetite to engage with them(73%are actively addressing the deprecation of the third-party cookie).Once data is in order,the ability to anticipate customer needs,automate and build

20、 personalisation at scale(both in-store,online,and a mixture of both)will be the completion of a critical step towards fully unified commerce and more wow moments.2023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 42023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 5Meet expectations everywhere,all the timeIf we were to use one

21、word to describe the past year in digital retail trends,it would be consolidation Following 2020s rush to digital and the uncertainty of 2021,the online/offline journey appears to be settling down,with no more surprising and volatile channel shifts And while ecommerce is predicted to grow at its slo

22、west rate since 2011,any further slowdown is expected to be minimal1 Whatever the demographic,customers can be expected to shop across online,mobile(m-commerce),social and offline as part of business as usual From their perspective,these interactions should be delivered seamlessly on whichever platf

23、orm they choose and at whatever point in their customer journey For example,customers dont see your newsletter as separate Section 1:The Dust Settlesfrom your website or your mobile app;for them,its all part of a single experience Like the fabled swan paddling madly below the surface,the challenge i

24、s to make it all look effortless We know and the research confirms it is not.Recent Forrester research found that“73%of customers want to be delighted by companies,”but“just 18%say they have met that standard”2 In our Adobe 2023 Digital Trends Retail survey,92%of retail practitioners agree that they

25、 need to deliver consistent,personalised content to more channels Though at the same time,71%report that the interplay between offline and online experiences makes their customers journeys harder to track(Figure 1)1 https:/ https:/ 1Thinking about your customer behaviour last year,to what extent do

26、you disagree or agree with the following statements?We need to deliver consistent,personalised content to more channelsThe interplay between offline and online experiences is making our customers journeys harder to trackCustomers increasingly want to go through the entire journey without human inter

27、action exclusively self-serve via digital channelsCustomers are looking to replace historically offline experiences with digital experiencesSample Size=137Strongly disagreeDisagreeAgreeStrongly agree34%58%7%6%7%4%23%35%27%53%45%60%18%13%9%2023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 6Faced with the additiona

28、l challenge that customer expectations arent just high but constantly resetting(experienced by 93%of senior executives3),the goal of seamless personalisation is a highly complex one The leap to unified commerce is the next major step in the evolution of the customer journey that customer experience(

29、CX)professionals have been developing for some time.It first moved from multichannel communicating in silos through multiple channels to omnichannel communicating across multiple channels by finding ways to integrate different systems and data sources Now,retail is evolving toward the world of unifi

30、ed commerce.In unified commerce,back-end systems are linked to the customer-facing channels to allow data to flow easily back and forth in real timeDavid Llamas is chief digital officer at Central Retail,a retail group with 1,721 stores across Thailand He explains how the group is evolving its omnic

31、hannel strategy in a way that begins to approach the unified commerce model:“We define our new omnichannel customer experience as multi-moment real time and ultra-personalised.We can detect consumer signals when they happen,understand their behaviour and micro-segment those customers to ultra-person

32、alise a one-to-one understanding of what exactly are the consumer needs,the consumer requirements,and that is really enhancing that consumer experience.”Achieving the goal of unified commerce is no small task;building the tech stack to support it is just the beginning As we saw,marketing and CX prof

33、essionals find the interplay between online and offline challenging to track.But the trend toward customers looking to replace historically offline experiences with digital ones may prove helpful in delivering better insights into customer needs Virtual tools are just one example of bringing the phy

34、sical,in-store experience online While customers shifting more and more of their physical behaviours online is a challenge from an experience management point of view,it could potentially transform retailers understanding of that online/offline interplay and allow them to create even better experien

35、ces Serving the dynamic customerNaturally,not all offline interactions will be replaced by online,and understanding the dynamic customer is an ongoing challenge The dynamic customer moves on and offline as needed They may browse in-store,buy online and collect in-store again While Walmart is pioneer

36、ing shopper personalisation,blending physical and digital in shopper logistics is also important in optimising CXCase study:WalmartWalmarts Be Your Own Model concept launched in September 2022 Using the customers photographs,the technology creates a dressed image that can demonstrate how clothing it

37、ems will look when worn,down to how the fabric drapes or the sleeve length4 While the feature delivers a highly personalised service to the customer when using the app,it is also providing valuable data about consumer preferences and sizes back to the retailer information that might otherwise only h

38、ave been gleaned from conversations or observations of the store staff 3 Senior executives refers to leadership-level professionals,while practitioners,referred to later in this report,refers to lower seniority professionals,typically more hands-on.4 https:/textile- Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 7T

39、he Walmart Commerce Technologies store fulfilment solution allows the customer to adapt their shopping choices,such as making the most of Buy Online,Pick Up In Store(BOPIS)capabilities The value of the hybrid shopping journey shouldnt be underestimated Fashion retailer Primark was one of the last la

40、rge retailers to maintain an offline-only presence.In 2022,the discount fashion chain finally created an ecommerce arm,allowing for Click and Collect in-store During its limited launch in Wales and the North of England,the site immediately crashed,overwhelmed with traffic5The words delight and logis

41、tics are not often mentioned in the same sentence But our research clearly shows that investment in inventory management and logistics is a high priority for marketing and CX professionals Inventory management is viewed as critically important by 42%of respondents,nearly double the number who view A

42、I to optimise in-store operations as critically important(Figure 2)That said,a further 42%think AI is important,showing that executives are beginning to understand just how responsive AI can make their organisations,as well as its impact on reducing waste and improving CX This will be particularly i

43、mportant as the levers retailers have relied on in the past to differentiate and delight are becoming baseline customer expectations Same-day or next-day shipping options are now a given,with 67%saying its important or critically important for meeting customer expectations Similarly,executives recog

44、nise customers want multiple options regarding returns(62%)Efficiency is a buzzword of the moment.Later in this report well discuss the importance of store associates,or their digital equivalents.But retailers are also keen to explore the potential for self-service alternatives,with over half(57%)sa

45、ying self-service checkouts or chatbots are important or critically important 5 https:/ 2How important are the following in meeting customers service expectations for your organisation?Inventory management syncing physical/online channel stock levels in real timeSame day or next day delivery/shippin

46、g optionsAI to optimise physical store operations,eg forecast demand/stock allocationPersonalising in-store experiences based on online behavioursIn-store returns,self-service return portals,and free return shipping optionsSelf-service,eg self-checkout,chatbots,adaptive FAQsFinancing options,eg shop

47、 now,pay later Sample size=132Not at all importantSomewhat importantImportantCritically important42%25%22%14%14%13%12%40%42%42%55%48%44%37%10%20%20%22%26%27%27%8%13%16%10%12%16%24%2023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 8Retailers are ensuring their stores are doing double duty to meet their complex log

48、istical needs In November 2022,Target announced that it would launch 150,000sq ft stores,20,000sq ft more than usual,to meet in-store inventory and online ordering demands.These larger stores will have fulfilment space five times greater than a typical Target store,so they can operate as stores-as-h

49、ubs6 Indeed,our research reveals that nearly a third of respondents(29%)consider opening this kind of hybrid hub as central to their physical store strategy for 2023 Moving inventory into stores rather than warehouses makes it easier to keep rapid delivery promises and reduces the risk of stock outa

50、gesIntegrating ecommerce needs into existing models is the preferred strategy.Nearly a quarter(24%)of those surveyed plan to open traditional stores,and three in 10 plan to take no action There is currently little appetite for switching physical retail real estate to exist purely in the service of e

51、commerce(ie creating new stores as hubs only or converting stores)Walmart-owned warehouse chain,Sams Club,uses machine learning to forecast how many pumpkin pies and other products it is likely to need during the hectic holiday season Its Fresh Sales App can predict how many products should be stock

52、ed hourly,which not only reduces the cost to the retailer and improves customer availability,but also reduces food waste and supports the companys sustainability pledge7 Improving the distribution of on-site inventory(versus sitting in remote warehouses)allows marketing and CX professionals to meet

53、the other customer service expectations revealed in our survey Nearly seven out of 10 respondents believe that personalised in-store experiences based on online behaviours are either important(55%)or critically important(14%)6 https:/ https:/ 3How would you best characterise your organisations physi

54、cal store strategy for 2023?Sample size=128Opening hybrid traditional retail locations/store-as-a-hubOpening traditional storesConverting existing stores into hubsClosing traditional stores to prioritise ecommerce operationsOpening new hub-only stores OtherNone of the above29%24%5%4%4%6%28%2023 Digi

55、tal Trends:Retail in Focus 9Whether informed by digitised customer insight provided by a sophisticated customer data platform,or just a good old chat with a store associate,its important to remember that the customer is at the heart of replicating the online experience in-storeRobert Hede,head of cu

56、stomer experience,Cotton On Group,explains why physical stores are still vital in delivering a holistic retail experience:“The hardest part in 2023 is making sure you get the same,amazing,personalised experience no matter how you want to shop with us.Weve got to keep playing in new digital channels

57、and make that really easy,but if we can elevate the stores to be the ultimate brand experience,thats really exciting.”Mobile is the glueMobile continues to be the critical link that unites the digital and physical worlds,and 41%of executives surveyed highlight apps for mobile shopping in-store as on

58、e of their top two areas for developmentBrowsing the aisles,device in hand,has become commonplace But towards the end of 2022 and into 2023,it has taken on an extra significance.Consumers worldwide are feeling pressure from rising prices,with some nations going as far as to call it a cost-of-living

59、crisis10 Smartphones are becoming a valuable tool in managing household expenditures Recent consumer research found that 54%of shoppers use their phones to compare costs in-store,with 88%saying theyre looking for special offers and promotions rather than the reviews(78%)interesting given that the re

60、views are often cited by many industry commentators as a primary purchase driver11 Beyond price,mobile is central to providing best-in-class retail experiences Further research has shown that consumers are more satisfied with merchants integrating mobile and digital features into the physical store

61、experience12Case study:GymsharkWhile Peloton took the in-gym spin class experience online in 2014,Gymshark took it in-store in 2022,albeit with a focus on lifting rather than spinning Previously an online-only,direct-to-consumer,start-up success story,Gymshark opened its first physical store on Lond

62、ons Regent Street in October 20228The aim was not only to sell gym kits in a retail environment The outlet also features The Sweat Room a fitness studio with a regular programme of events and classes,plus community sessions Combined with one-on-one training sessions with experts at The Pro Bench,Gym

63、shark brings personalised experiences full circle Where once retailers wondered how to translate the personal in-store experience online,now companies like Gymshark are bringing that bespoke experience based on insight and customer behaviour back in-store again98 https:/www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/

64、2022/10/gymshark-regent-street/9 https:/www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2022/10/gymshark-regent-street/10 https:/ https:/ https:/ Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 10However,one of the more intriguing findings from our research is that the most popular focuses for mobile investment into 2023 will be in mo

65、bile messaging,either via push notifications and updates,or two-way conversations between customer and retailer(43%)Case study:The growing role of image recognition at Lush and TargetAs consumers express demand for content and context around their products,as well as price and product information,th

66、e customers mobile device is indispensable Ethical skincare and bathing products producer,Lush,released the Lush Lens in experimental form in 2019 but it became an integral part of the app in mid-2021 The app uses image recognition to link to details about its products and their ethical credentials

67、before consumers make their purchase Image recognition has been growing to satisfy consumers who are increasingly influenced by items they see on social feeds Without any handy details,the image recognition functions can find the products themselves and/or lookalikes As early as 2017,Target announce

68、d a partnership with Pinterest Lens to allow Target customers to take a picture of any product and then match it to similar items available for sale at the retailer The functionality has since evolved to be used by companies like Wayfair and Walmart as a try-on function for furniture,so people can v

69、iew large items in their homes before they commit to delivery13,14 In 2021,Google expanded its shopping searches to include Lens,which is also used to snap pictures online and find out where they are on sale or if there are alternatives15FIGURE 4What are the top two areas of mobile experience in whi

70、ch your organisation will be investing most in 2023?Sample size=16713 https:/ https:/ https:/ messaging43%Mobile applications for in-store shopping41%Scanning and self-checkout22%Contactless payments in-store19%Geo-fencing17%Augmented reality shopping apps12%2023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 11Rea

71、l-time mobile messaging presents an excellent opportunity for brands wanting to capitalise on the mobile consumer behaviours outlined above As you might expect,Millennials and Gen Z consumers are the most responsive to mobile messaging(95%and 88%,respectively16),and aside from the all-important orde

72、r updates,consumers would most prefer messaging related to special offers(51%)or the number of loyalty points accrued(48%)17Messaging is also increasingly the preferred way for consumers to interact with retailers While still not entirely on par with Asia and particularly Chinas use of mobile messag

73、ing apps to connect with customers,consumers worldwide are happy to use WhatsApp or text to communicate their needs Research would suggest an 80%increase in WhatsApp activity in the first half of 2022 compared to the same period in 202118 Indeed,even customer service agents are 50%more likely to pre

74、fer messaging to live chat when communicating with customers19 This can develop into conversational commerce and can be deployed anywhere whether the customer is in-store or online,debating a purchase,trying to arrange delivery,or trying on an outfit.Messaging interactions over WhatsApp can seamless

75、ly resolve queries and involve directed conversations that lead customers to purchase.Exchanges can also be amplified by other technologies,such as AI,geofencing or conversational commerce that can help close the loop and enhance the data pool in the future However,what is clear is that there is a n

76、eed for the right customer data in the right situation if companies are to deliver real-time marketing or highly personalised promotional incentivesAfter a turbulent couple of years,retail is taking the opportunity to reflect and rediscover what its relationship is to consumers in terms of sustainab

77、ility,consumption,ecommerce and more New channels continue to evolve,but there are less dramatic swings in behaviour artificially induced by global events There has been some return to traditional practice the critical role of the store associate,for example but technology integration will be at the

78、 heart of progress The challenge comes in understanding where to place your bets In the next section,well explore the range of technological innovation and attempt to separate the genuinely transformational from the Emperors New Clothes 16 https:/www.datocms- https:/www.datocms- https:/www.telemedia

79、online.co.uk/editorial-a-christmas-messaging-message/19 https:/ Correct at time of going to pressCase study:Mall of the EmiratesHowever retailers choose to engage,there is ample proof that mobile messaging delivers sales Dubais Mall of the Emirates gives shoppers access to its 350 stores via its Wha

80、tsApp-powered Digital Concierge,launched in October 2022 The instant messaging chat service connects customers with an agent during mall opening hours by scanning a QR code or clicking a link The Digital Concierge can then arrange for customers to have their goods shipped within the United Arab Emir

81、ates next day,or same day in Dubai,for free202023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 12Cautious innovationRetail is an always-on sector,facing constant change and challenges Marketing and CX professionals have multiple balls in the air But just as retailers who dont seek to grow will shrink,those that d

82、ont stay up to date with innovation quickly become obsolete.Even if some ideas seem outlandish,it is always important to stay abreast of change just in case Our research demonstrates that retailers are taking a test-and-learn approach to innovation As youd expect,most of the activity is at the less

83、bleeding edge end of the spectrum,with about two-thirds of retail respondents(67%)either already using or exploring new but largely established channels,including social commerce,shoppable TV and livestreaming(Figure 5,below)Section 2:No Time to FlyFor a long time,livestreaming seemed to be an activ

84、ity exclusive to Asia,with the mutually dependent ecosystem of messaging apps,marketplaces like Taobao and Douyin,and KOLs(key opinion leaders or influencers)making it a facet of everyday life Douyin users alone spend 89 minutes watching videos every day21 It is so popular,the countrys broadcasting

85、regulator ruled minors couldnt tip livestreamers,nor could they watch it after 10pm22 It will be interesting to see if the relaxation of the stringent COVID quarantine rules that dominated society in China right up to the end of 2022 has any impact on the amount of time Chinese consumers spend onlin

86、e and with livestreaming platforms FIGURE 5How would you describe the way your organisation will innovate the retail customer experience next year?Extending to new channels,eg shoppable TV,livestreaming,social commerceUsing digital price tags in-store to ensure prices match onlineIncorporating augme

87、nted reality/virtuality reality into the customer journeyOptimising ecommerce for voice searchLeveraging Just Walk Out technology,eg Amazon GoCreating customer experiences in the Metaverse,eg metaverse storeUsing blockchain for authentication of goods and to drive sales,eg NFTsSample size=117Describ

88、es us todayWere working on itNot on our radar33%55%60%69%72%74%76%50%27%32%22%18%19%17%17%18%8%8%10%7%7%21 https:/www.hicom- https:/ Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 13It may have taken a while for the livestreaming trend to reach the West,but it certainly garners interest,although it may take a diffe

89、rent form than what was pioneered in China In June 2022,eBay launched eBay Live in the US,allowing bidders to chat with sellers and buy instantly,with the company claiming it would bring“a higher level of entertainment to shopping23”Its not all smooth sailing,however In October 2022,Meta announced t

90、hat Facebook would no longer support shopping features such as product playlists,although it would still host livestreams themselves24At the other end of the spectrum is blockchain and NFTs(non-fungible tokens),with 76%of retail executives stating it is not on their radar This is entirely unsurprisi

91、ng.The massive fluctuations in the cryptocurrency market and the associated wild swings in the value of NFTs,combined with a general lack of real-world understanding of what such things are,means that only organisations with a reputation of innovation excellence and exploration to uphold are dipping

92、 a toe Similarly,exploring the metaverse is being met with a distinctly frosty response(74%of executives say its not on their radar)Indeed,the assumption that the metaverse will prove an instant hit with computer savvy Gen Zers appears to be misplaced The EU spent 387,000 on a metaverse venue for th

93、e launch party of a new strategy,and only six people turned up,one of whom was the journalist sent to cover it25However,this may be a prime example of failing to ensure the content matches the medium EU policy sessions not being high on the Gen Z metaverse itinerary As reported in Adobe Digital Tren

94、ds 2023,both Starbucks and Nike have high hopes for Web3,the overall entity based on blockchain and cryptocurrency that many expect will be the next internet universe On Starbucks Odyssey platform,users will be able to play games and buy collectibles,while Nikes SWOOSH initiative will include a crea

95、tor economy,virtual marketplace and VIP community26Talent at a premiumTheres no doubt that retail is crying out for more skilled,creative and strategic talent Shopping is a people business,whether its associates in the showroom,customer service staff chatting to potential customers online,or digital

96、 wizards creating wow experiences 23 https:/ https:/ https:/ https:/ retailers are taking a test-and-learn approach to innovation,exploring the metaverse is being met with a distinctly frosty response(74%of executives say its not on their radar)2023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 14But many retailer

97、s are on the back foot when it comes to talent According to Figure 6,23%are relative novices when it comes to talent development and education(rating themselves as just 1-3 on a 10-point scale),and 61%are only intermediate(rating 4-7)Things are not much better on diversity of backgrounds and opinion

98、s,with 13%rating themselves as novice and 60%intermediateEmployee diversity and inclusion(D&I)is not a checkbox exercise to fulfil the gender pay gap or diversity quotas.It has a real impact on retailer reputation and competitiveness Retailers known for lack of internal diversity have often found th

99、emselves on the wrong end of public opinion,damaging their brand Whether its tone-deaf branding about a particular nationality,or failing to understand cultural differences and how those might impact the reception of a particular product or promotion,brands need to make sure they have varied voicesF

100、IGURE 6How would you rate your marketing organisation across the following dimensions from 1 to 10?Sample size=159Novice(1-3 out of 10)Intermediate(4-7 out of 10)Advanced(8-10 out of 10)Balancing short-term and long-term planning20%63%17%Balancing emphasis on data/algorithmic“truth”with human insigh

101、ts,eg customer research,Voice of the Customer18%63%19%Combining deep understanding of the customer(via data&empathy)with creativity to design experiences that wow your customers17%63%20%Talent development and education16%61%23%Ensuring a diversity of backgrounds and opinions26%60%13%These are areas

102、where retail industry leaders excel:In terms of diversity,a quarter of leaders claim theyre experts,and a further 59%claim to be intermediates,contrasting with the 37%of mainstream executives who will admit to only being novices52%of leaders rate themselves as intermediate,and 20%claim to be advance

103、d in developing talent(compared to the 48%of mainstream executives who admit to being novices)2023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 15Retailers dont just have to have employees from D&I backgrounds in the room;they must also feel that they have a voice This can extend to employees in general,and they

104、must feel they can speak truth to powerCase study:Neiman Marcus Neiman Marcus is leaning toward the scales intermediate/expert end Its D&I policies have reduced its time to hire,helped the company achieve its highest-ever Net Promoter Score,and driven high employee retention rates It also has a cult

105、ure of actively listening to employees at every level,even when that feedback is negative2727 https:/ to be creativeWe have long since discounted the myth that automation will supplant talented staff,instead coming to understand that it frees up employees time to focus on higher value,more creative

106、work By creative we dont necessarily mean dressing the shop floor or developing an ad.Creativity applies to many aspects such as developing new strategies and thinking innovatively about customer data and what new trends to examine next But is the understanding that employees should engage in higher

107、 value work translating into the real world?Indeed,marketing and CX professionals seem to have largely bought into the idea that training existing staff is important(68%are upskilling current employees)With those skills must come the freedom to be creative There appears to be a strong correlation be

108、tween introducing the technologies and processes that give employees space to be creative and market-leading performance Leaders are far less likely than mainstream organisations to lack the time to be creative,implying they are making the best use of tools and techniques to allow their staff time t

109、o participate in higher value tasks(see Figure 7 below)FIGURE 7What is holding your marketing/customer experience organisation back,if anything?Sample size=128 retail respondentsLeadersMainstream37%Cite lack of time to be creative57%Cite lack of time to be creative2023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus

110、 16Case study:Mars Pet NutritionCat videos are estimated to drive 15%of the worlds internet traffic28 It follows that,for some marketing and CX professionals,time to create must involve a concentrated period of staring at cats on TikTok,Instagram,Facebook and more A respectable number of these video

111、s belong to Mars Pet Nutritions WHISKAS and Amazon which,in 2021,was responsible for creating the#CatsInBoxes campaign The pet food company sent out 250,000 Amazon boxes to customers in Australia with cat entertainment designs to turn the boxes into play areas for cats Mars Pet Nutrition Category St

112、rategy Leader Georgia Slonim said of the#CatsInBoxes campaign:“I dont think any of us had ever been that excited to go straight into a meeting on a Monday morning.There were cats with crowns on sitting in the cat castle and working cats hiding out in their cat office with humorous comments on the ta

113、lk box.We even had some#rabbitsinboxes and#dogsinboxes.My absolute favourite,though,was a video that was shared,a cat in his cat rollercoaster rolling along on a light-up skateboard to a catchy soundtrack.I reckon I still watch it weekly.”It wasnt just a motherlode of memes that the company was look

114、ing for It also included a QR code on the box,which sent them to the brand page on the Amazon store to create further consumer interaction Following the campaign launch,WHISKAS observed a 70%uplift in ad-attributed sales on Amazon compared to the control period before the launch of the campaign2928

115、https:/ https:/ Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 17Drive creativity through better systems integrationSection 1 highlighted the need for fully integrated systems to allow retailers to transition from omnichannel to unified commerce Bringing systems together wont just help companies serve the right con

116、tent to the right customer at the right time,it is also fundamental to fostering the creativity that will elevate those experiences above the competitionThats because silos arent just a recipe for failure when it comes to efficiency,data integration,and personalisation.They stifle creativity Half of

117、 all practitioners(50%)surveyed name integration between tech systems as one of the key internal barriers holding them back Section 3:Empower EmployeesFIGURE 8What is holding your marketing/customer experience back,if anything?Sample size=151Case study:Home Depot Home Depot wanted to create a unifie

118、d online and in-store customer experience,but it wanted to go beyond just product-finding tools.It was as much about inspiration as information In creating a multifunctional app,the company could put everything the customer needed in the palm of their hand,but the demands on the team to develop such

119、 a sophisticated CX tool were significant.Implementing workflow technology helped the creative team increase the number of completed DIY guides by 286%in just one year3030 https:/ between tech systems50%Lack of time to be creative45%Workflow issues43%Lack of digital skills/capabilities40%Lack of cus

120、tomer insights37%Data quality36%Lack of innovation29%No internal barriers5%2023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 18Efficient workflows certainly provide the backdrop for creativity Still,not enough retailers can take advantage of them,with 43%of marketing and CX professionals reporting that workflow i

121、ssues are holding the business back(see Figure 8 on the previous page)When we break down why this might be,it becomes clear Only around a third of respondents claim they are either good or very good regarding their ability to plan,produce and deliver content using intuitive tools that are integrated

122、 with the rest of their system Most struggle with getting content FIGURE 9Thinking about workflow and content management in your organisation,how would you describe your ability to do the following:Sample size=145live quickly with the associated data to track its performance(33%poor or very poor)Mos

123、t would say their overall performance was just acceptable(Figure 9)This years workflow report card theme is:Could do betterTechnology integrations for workflows or CX systems cant just be done ad hoc How systems are integrated plays a considerable role in creative success A complex hybrid retail env

124、ironment demands a broad portfolio of tools,but without a unifying or integrated platform,the technology intended to solve problems can get in the way instead Plan(scope,prioritise and assign)content to achieve measurable outcomesProduce and streamline content that eliminates rework,duplication of e

125、ffort and administrative minutiaDeliver content by deploying assets quickly,automating execution,using data to personalise content and tracking insightsWork in a personalised,user-friendly application that integrates with other tools you frequently useVery poorPoorAcceptableGoodVery good9%10%10%8%24

126、%24%24%21%44%37%34%41%19%23%27%23%4%6%6%6%2023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 19Its still a significant challenge for many,with 45%of retailers juggling with multiple technologies and vendors for their customer experience management,with no unifying platform But there is little consensus among the o

127、ther 55%on how to solve this issue Some choose to develop internally,which depends on having the IT resources to do so,while others rely either on a single cloud-based provider or a combination of approaches(Figure 10)Case study:Home DepotHome Depot used AI to build audience segments from its 170 mi

128、llion profiles to send the right experience to the right customer,and increased its personalised campaigns by 62%year on year According to Ranjeet Bhosale,Vice President of Customer Marketing and Operations at Home Depot,“not only are customers benefitting from streamlined,personalised experiences,b

129、ut with Real-Time CDP,Home Depot can now act on insights across channels to provide customers with deals,relevant messaging and inspiration for their projects.”Using integrated technology to drive marketing campaigns hasnt all been about sales performance How it has impacted staff internally,too,has

130、 been vital Melanie Babcock,Vice President of Integrated Media,Home Depot,reveals:“We give our associates opportunities to grow their skillsets,learn and make mistakes in a safe way.It gives people a sigh of relief to transform themselves.And that means the world to me.”3131 https:/ 10Which of the f

131、ollowing best describes your organisations approach to customer experience technology?Sample size=255We exclusively use a cloud-based customer experience management platform11%28%16%45%We use a cloud-based customer experience management platform in concert with other CX/data management systemsWe man

132、age customer experience with a management platform that we developed internallyWe use multiple technologies/vendors for customer experience management without a unifying platformDespite earlier frustration that a lack of technology integration is holding them back creatively,leaders are over four ti

133、mes more likely than the mainstream to be experts at combining an understanding of the customer with creativity that delivers wow experiences(27%vs 6%)of retailers are juggling multiple technologies and vendors for their customer experience management,with no unifying platform But there is little co

134、nsensus among the other 55%on how to solve this issue45%2023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 20Expand the customer universe through dataAt the start of this report,we revealed that the need to deliver consistent,personalised content across more channels was almost universally recognised by marketing

135、and CX professionals 92%agreed We also revealed that 73%of customers want to be delighted by companies They will not be delighted by simply being addressed by name or receiving an annual email on their birthday Marketing and CX professionals recognise that they must up the ante when delivering perso

136、nalised experiences Personalisation,especially personalisation at scale,is multi-faceted Sometimes,its as simple as addressing a customer by name based on a previous transaction or having appeared in a database Other times,its the subtle surprise of having your needs anticipated and being served at

137、just the right time before you knew you needed it Personalisation sophistication is on a scale,and it will come as no surprise to realise that the higher up the scale you go,the fewer marketing and CX professionals can achieve it Finding the personalisation sweet spot is an ongoing challenge Very fe

138、w online retailers can anticipate customer needs and personalise experiences based on customer interaction history(16%)or intent(9%)(Figure 11)Above all,personalisation must be done with the customers needs in mind Take,for example,a recent academic study into the effects of personalisation in media

139、 ads If consumers felt the personalisation was intrusive(eg it had accessed too much data or broadcast too much personal information in the ad),they felt the need to regain control and would purposefully take the opposite action to the one the brand intended In other words,consumers might actively r

140、eject a brand that creates intrusively personalised ads32 32 The Personalisation Paradox in Facebook AdvertisingFIGURE 11Which of the following best describes your organisations highest level of customer experience personalisation?Sample size=174Little or none12%21%23%18%16%9%By name,product,purchas

141、e follow-up,etcBased on segment,interests,etcAcross channels based on customers stated preferencesbased on customers history of interactionsBased on intent/prediction2023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 21The fact that purchase intent is so far down the list of CX personalisation in 2023 is concernin

142、g With the projected deprecation of Googles third-party cookies,it will be an essential bridge to understanding consumers buying signals It may well be that intent is a lower priority for CX and marketing professionals because Google continues to push out the end date for deprecation and its now tar

143、geted to happen in 2024Apples iOS 14 tracking option has been in place since the summer of 2020,and advertisers have noticed a marked drop in their ability to identify and track customer journeys Meta announced in February 2022 that it expected the move would be at least partially responsible for a$

144、10bn drop in advertising revenue,as advertisers couldnt get back the same type of targeting information from campaigns33While retail marketing and CX professionals will undoubtedly want to double down on securing customer retention and maximising lifetime value,given the pressure on margins from ris

145、ing costs and a squeeze on consumer spending,there is still the imperative to acquire new customers Despite the challenges in understanding what might replace them,our research reveals that most retailers are taking steps to address the loss of third-party cookies(73%)For the remainder,it may be tha

146、t the constantly shifting deadline,cited above,and other pressing concerns,mean they feel confident to leave this challenge on the back burner Figure 12 illustrates that most of those who are taking steps are focusing on growing their own first-party data(47%)which will be an essential tool to serve

147、 the creative,highly personalised content that drives deeper engagement and,ultimately,grows revenue While the reliance on third-party data has been high,there is no doubt that retailers already have significant volumes of their own data that can be used to improve customer relationships One report

148、suggested that Kroger is able to use its two billion annual customer transactions to give supplier partners insight into consumer buying patterns,while revealing that Walmarts Retail Link similarly helps suppliers make decisions about store position3433 https:/ https:/ 12Which of the following appli

149、es to how your organisation is approaching the loss of third-party cookies?Sample size=137Loss of third-party cookies is on our radar but not a high priority at this time27%Seeking out and establishing paid partner data relationships that are not dependent on third-party cookies24%Partnering with ot

150、her brands to collaborate on overlapping customer data for improved insights24%Investing in new technologies to overcome the negative effects of their demise33%Investing in growing our own first-party data47%2023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus 22Retail marketing and CX professionals could be making

151、it harder for themselves than it needs to be Only 24%plan on establishing paid partner data relationships,and 24%on partnering with other brands There are naturally concerns about data quality and regulatory matters,but there have been significant advances in anonymised and consented data,plus the u

152、se of data clean roomsData clean rooms allow retailers to run targeted campaigns while complying with privacy regulations.It matches first-party data provided by a group of advertisers to provide non-personally identifiable information to target specific customer segments and to measure audiences.St

153、ill,the identifiable data stays within the clean room and cant be shared with anyone Data clean rooms are,themselves,an integral part of the burgeoning Retail Media Network(RMN)trend BCG(Boston Consulting Group)suggested that RMNs would be worth around$100bn by 2027,growing at a rate of 25%per annum

154、35 Companies like Walgreens created its RMN titled wag in 202036,while Boots unveiled Boots Media Group(BMG)in 202137 Retailers on and offline including Nordstrom and Amazon have also launched RMNs Typically,RMNs allow access to advertising opportunities on their own and other brand-safe channels Th

155、ese ads have the potential to be highly personalised at scale through the privacy-first sharing(hence,data clean rooms)of customer data with brand partners like 35 https:/ https:/ https:/ https:/ companies For example,in the case of Walgreens,the company is able to leverage first-party data from its

156、 100m-plus loyalty scheme members As retailers are able to unlock more and more of their own and their partners insights,they will be able to realise their plans to create much deeper customer relationships,owning more of the customer journey and achieving their twin aims of robust yet lower-cost cu

157、stomer acquisition and long-term,profitable loyalty.Case study:Walgreens Boots Alliance Walgreens-owned Boots is using data clean rooms to target members of its loyalty scheme with personalised messaging in TV or streaming ads The companys CMO,Peter Markey,said the idea was to create“mass personalis

158、ation”and while today its focusing on“privacy-centric targeting”,Markey hopes one day to be able to go much more granular:“If I knew one viewer was a fan of one brand and someone else another then Id be able to show them a bespoke piece of creative with a targeted offer.”38 232023 Digital Trends:Ret

159、ail in FocusConclusionCustomer journeys are more settled but also more dynamicAcross 2023,we dont expect seismic shifts in consumer behaviour like the ones experienced in 2020-2022 Now that the vast majority of consumers and retailers have been brought into the digital fold,the customer journey is f

160、ully and truly omnichannel However,as shopper patterns settle and the shock of 2020/21s rapid transformation recedes,expectations will continue to rise.Customers want to replicate their offline experiences online but equally want to move seamlessly between the two.How retail marketing and CX profess

161、ionals keep on top of these journeys and coordinate activities will impact every business area,from warehousing through merchandising to m-commerce Empower employees with the resources and structures to be creativeUndoubtedly,retailers must find solutions to todays problems meeting their consumers n

162、eeds during a cost-of-living squeeze and delivering projects on time and on budget with ever-squeezed resources.But they must also look to the future and find the space to innovate and create.This is easier said than done when new talent is in short supply and existing staff are bogged down in daily

163、 minutiae Retailers need to evaluate whether their current practices hinder their growth By looking behind the curtain and putting systems,technologies and processes in place that liberate their employees to focus on higher-order work,retailers will find the space needed to bring groundbreaking,fres

164、h ideas to market.Support excellence through integrated technology and dataMost retailers today would agree they have some technology that will improve their CX They would also confirm that they have a lot of customer data.But getting those technologies and data working in sync still seems a long wa

165、y off To achieve leader status in the market,retailers must work towards a more unified platform.This will make it easier for them to access the necessary data and deliver it to the right teams for the right purpose At the same time,they must build data partnerships that create future-ready organisa

166、tions for a unified commerce vision that brings best-in-class customer experience to meet todays expectations and tomorrows even higher ones 2023 Digital Trends Retail in Focus is based on an online survey fielded to select Econsultancy and Adobe lists.The survey was launched on 20 September 2022 an

167、d closed on 30 November 2022 with 381 qualified client-side retail respondentsDemographics Profiles 20%of respondents are senior director level or above,and 80%are at the practitioner level Throughout the report,we include comparisons between these two groups By retailer type,67%of respondents work

168、at multichannel retailers with physical locations and an online presence,22%work at online-only retailers with no physical presence,and 9%at retailers selling only from physical locations The largest regions by sample size include Europe(38%),North America(31%)and Asia Pacific(25%).Methodology 242023 Digital Trends:Retail in Focus MMXXIII Econsultancy/Adobe Adobe and the Adobe logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe in the United States and/or other countries