Mobile Drove Holiday 2015 Digital Sales

Mobile was the darling of 2015 holiday digital sales according to RetailingToday.  As accounts like Target and Wal-Mart focus and invest in mobile the bet on mobile seems to be paying off.  

Mobile sales were up +50% vs last year holiday with visits to site(s) up +19%.  With traffic up vs year ago the key metric of conversion to sales was +8%.

Smart channel differentiation strategies will continue to be key to success in 2016 and beyond due continued growth of mobile. arice will not suffice for a long term winning partnership.

Upcoming retailer earnings announcements should show strong gains in digital with mobile being a big part of this growth.

Enjoy - 

DC

2016 At-Home Beauty Devices Poised To Shine

As reported by leading United States consulting firm The Kline Group, sales of at-home beauty devices continue to grow at a double digit rates year over year due to ongoing innovation and investment by start-ups and large beauty companies like Unilever and Estee Lauder.

La Lumiere LLC's illuMask brand is noted as one of the most dynamic companies of 2015, leading the charge with their cutting edge yet affordable at-home LED light therapy device that treats acne and wrinkles. 

In 2016, retailers like Ulta, Target, Wal-Mart, Amazon, Kohl's, CVS and Walgreens have publicly stated they will continue to focus on the beauty segment and my hunch is that at-home devices will continue to be a growth and profit engine.

Enjoy!

DC

Teen Vogue Survey Places Target As One Of the Top Brands For Millennials

Target was recently recognized by Teen Vogue and Goldman Sachs  as the 10th most popular brand amongst millennial women in 2015.  The annual survey uses criteria including familiarity, ownership, word of mouth and social media / blogs to help determine rankings.

The Teen Vogue ranking reinforces Target's strategy and focus around digital and mobile as its grow engine to capture millennial share versus competition.

Enjoy 

DC

Target Aims to Delight and Dazzle With Its Holiday Odyssey Campaign

The power of Target's uplifting, fun, and exciting marketing muscle will be on full display this holiday season with an innovative cross-platform campaign aimed to delight millennial families and spark children's imaginations alike.

 Ad Week's article published on November 13 discusses how Target plans to connect its brand to the coveted on-the-go, digital savvy, kid-focused millennial parent through a variety of platforms to shop and save.

Target's brand is also connecting with children and creating lasting memories with its digital book The Holiday Odyssey. Narrated by Neil Patrick Harris, it features Bullseye the Dog and three friends on a mission to light a special Christmas tree!

Enjoy!

DC

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Digital Set To Play A Big Role During Black Friday 2015

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The Motley Fool does a nice job laying out specific Black Friday plans and strategies for Target, Best Buy and Wal-Mart!

One key takeaway from the article is each retailer has a major stake around  Digital and Mobile which is exciting to see. The savvy CPG companies have the opportunity to link their plans around key social, and omnichannel events which tie into their specific key account plans!

Enjoy!

 

DC

Simplicity and Digital Part Of Wal-Mart's Plan For Black Friday

Wal-Mart announced today they will be offering for the first time ever a majority of their in-store  Black Friday deals on Walmart.com.  

As part of Wal-Mart's drive to lead in digital innovation vs. Amazon and win Black Friday overall, the retailer has published its flyer digitally on the Wal-Mart Mobile App.  

In addition, Wal-Mart has done an excellent job visually laying out its seamless omnichannel retail approach calling out store, desktop and mobile shopping options.

Wal-Mart will be offering a simplistic race track approach for its brick and mortar shoppers along with interactive maps to allow for a safe and enjoyable shopping experience.

Enjoy!

DC

Kroger Purchase of Roundy's Positions Grocer To Compete Against Meijer's Expansion In Wisconsin

As reported by the Associated Press and CNBC Kroger will acquire regional grocer Roundy's.  The Wisconsin and Midwest marketplace will become more competitive with Kroger's strategic  purchase of Roundy's which has a particularly strong network of stores in Wisconsin.  Today's announced purchase will allow the #1 grocer in America to not only get a foothold in a mostly independent market but also compete with Meijer's expansion plans for the state.  

Meijer recently opened twelve stores throughout southeast Wisconsin over the summer of 2015 and plans to expand to other markets in the state over the coming years.

Kroger will also gain entry into the Chicagoland market with Roundy's 34 Mariano's locations as part of the deal.  Mariano's, a three year old start-up, has filled the void left from the closure of Safeway's and Dominick's closures in late 2013. 

Enjoy!

DC

Wal-Mart Betting On Omnichannel Shopper Who Spends +78.6% More On Average Per Year

Published on November 9, this Advertising Age article discusses Wal-Mart's strategic long term bet on the millennial and their future earning power ten to twenty years down the road.  

As reported, a Wal-Mart Omnichannel shopper tends to spend around $2500 annually or +78.6% vs. a traditional brick and mortar shopper and +1150% more than an on-line only shopper.

Today the big spending power lies with older shoppers where Wal-Mart traditionally over indexes.  However, with a spend rate of $1400.00 per year, in-store only growth and profits will be limited without investments around Omnichannel and technology!

Wal-Mart's continued over-investment in digital platforms will not only train the consumer to shop it's sites (much like what Target is doing) but allow for additional consumption up-side spend as millennials' earning power increases.  

Enjoy!

DC

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Holiday Discounting Starting Today At Target

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As reported this morning, by the Star Tribune Target is amping up the heat to win this holiday early with discounting on key consumer brands like Apple Inc's latest Apple TV box.  

Target's strategy is to create multiple trips through their doors and digital sites prior to their Black Friday Sale which will be starting at 6 pm on Thanksgiving evening.