Amazon Prime? Holiday Free Shipping Begins at Best Buy

The November and December time frame is my favorite time of the year.  I love seeing all of the planning and strategy teams have put in place with retailers during the year being executed.  Innovative merchandising, gift packs, etc. help retailers compete and differentiate from each other.  

A great retailer that offers differentiation is Best Buy and they are ready to compete head on with Amazon in November and December.  The Star Tribune reported today Best Buy is offering free shipping though December 24.

During Q4 2015, Best Buy reported that the on-line / mobile category accounted for 15.6% of sales.  Expectations are for this number to be even higher in Q42016.   Best Buy's free shipping offer removes a major barrier for consumers who purchase via Amazon Prime.  Best Buy special/value packs (which have been historically showcased) will drive higher ASP's while delivering value for consumers... which in turn will drive profits.

Enjoy -

DC

Black Friday Opportunity Begins With Strong Omnichannel Approach

As a consumer and professional I always am excited when Black Friday rolls out the official start to the holiday shopping season.  Stores are have plenty of workers to assist, product to buy and customers to shop setting up a perfect storm for... The Super Bowl of Shopping!

During my career as a CPG sales manager, some of my team's biggest wins have occurred during the four days of Black Friday.  Planning, planning and more planning internally and with customers is what makes for a successful Black Friday.

Published on November 4th in The Washington Post  this piece discusses the relevance and  real opportunity to capture Black Friday shoppers (Thursday - Sunday)?  Store, digital or both?  The data is pretty glaring ... BOTH with strong offers on-line (possibly unique) and in-store the right program and product mix will drive desired consumer consumption.