Page 56 - BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2014

Section 03 | Thought Leadership

COMMERCE

Devices
Decision Time

Empowered, demanding and digitally savvy 2014 is a turning point in the struggle between
consumers expect to research and buy goods Amazon, retailers and FMCG/CPG manufacturers

4.0 – DEVICES, anywhere, anytime using any device or touch point for control of the consumers’ shopping basket as
and to have a seamless experience. Brands need Amazon continues to expand its offering, particularly
to be conident they can meet their customers’ in grocery. Outside footwear and apparel, FMCG/
expectations of convenience, recognition, service CPG manufacturers have been trialing ecommerce
and immediacy.
but have yet to make big inroads into the direct to

consumer market. Amazon’s continued expansion of
DATA AND Successful brands will be those that manage to tie its grocery offering should be a massive wake-up call
all of this together seamlessly, connect with their to any supermarket or FMCG/CPG manufacturer not
customers at a physical place or in the virtual world selling online. It’s decision time.
and get the products quickly to wherever they
want to receive them. And the range of devices is Manufacturers can embrace direct to consumer

increasing fast. Brands will need to consider the commerce without alienating retail partners, by for
DECISION impact of the ‘Internet of things’ (the network of example, offering exclusives, subscription services,
physical objects with embedded technology, like niche or customized products, different pack sizes
in-car sensors and wearable technology). Gartner etc. While there are many ways to get to market
predicts that there will be 26 billion such devices in quickly, it’s also important to think strategically so

2020 compared with 7.3 billion smartphones, tablets that new offerings link up to existing ones seamlessly,
and PCs in use at that time.
that data and intellectual property is retained within
TIME
the company and that strong foundations are in
We’re at the early stages of this but it’s easy to see place for future growth.
what some of the commerce applications might be.

Volvo, for example, is testing a smart car that can Technology has always been disruptive and
give delivery irms access to the trunk, via a single transformative. Now we are 25 years on from the
use digital key.
birth of the web, brands need to harness the power
of technology to offer consumers the seamless
I have a Fitbit wristband that tracks the distance I experience we all crave.
walk each day, calories eaten and used, weight and

sleep patterns. I’d be very happy if this could be
seamlessly linked to my chosen supermarket to easily
re-order food and to be reminded when I’m likely
to run out of an item. Some days, I’d even like to be To deliver a seamless
alerted if I try to order the double chocolate chip commerce experience,

cookies when I’m shopping, instead of the fruit salad. brands need to think about:
2014 marks the 25th anniversary of the invention of Other days I might choose to switch off such alerts.
Sue Pratt
the World Wide Web. The web has disrupted the
way we carry out many aspects of our lives, from Data
End-to-end experience – it’s easy just
Global Head of Marketing socializing, to watching TV, banking and shopping, to focus on the customer experience at

Salmon and has led to the demise of some brands, the rise One of the keys to enabling a seamless experience
the different touch points, however this
marketing@salmon.com
of others. The creative use of web technology has is effective exploitation of data. However, with
overlooks the end-to-end experience, which
shaped commerce; online commerce sales are set 2.5 billion gigabytes created each day , the
can be different. Brands should nominate a
to increase by 20 percent this year to reach $1.5 member of staff to ‘own’ a particular end-
trillion globally. As we stand at the start of a fourth challenge for brands is using it to derive insight
to-end journey, aiming to reduce customer
wave of online commerce, the challenge for today’s and most importantly, acting on that insight. With a struggle and improve the whole experience.
burgeoning list of data sources (back-ofice systems,
brands is to ensure their customers have a seamless stores, call centers, value chain partners, email,
experience. Consider the journey so far:
mobile, rich media, user-generated content, social Data and analytics – it’s increasingly
important that brands bring data sources
– Commerce 1.0 saw the irst generation of web media) many businesses are overwhelmed by the together to develop a single customer view.
shops that were based on the real world and scale of the challenge.
This can provide an in-depth understanding

extended the product range through virtual Effective use of data can give brands a competitive of shoppers; whether it be the reason for
shelves. Brands took their traditional sales model advantage. Analysis of data will, for example, show their last purchase, personal preferences
and ported it to the web.
or which devices they use for which stage
how customers are using which devices and at what of their shopping journey. And most
– Commerce 2.0 incorporated rich content – such stages in their shopping journey, and will highlight importantly, it can be used to develop
barriers to purchase. Building a single customer view
as video and user generated content, social and using that to develop customer segments and customer segments, tailor their experience,
networking and web applications – into the selling Salmon is a highly innovative eCommerce digital agency whose to tailor communications will help brands offer a promotion or content and to improve future
process. Brands started to link physical assets like business processes.
stores with their digital assets.
commitment to on-time, on-budget project delivery is increasingly seamless experience. And if done right, will shorten
embraced by the leading names in retail, wholesale and sales cycles, and increase consumer engagement, Infrastructure – to deliver a consistent
– Commerce 3.0 is all about the proliferation of manufacturing. Major brands turn to Salmon for its ability to deine, loyalty and revenue.
and personalized experience and track
deliver and exploit enterprise scale eCommerce, multichannel
non-PC devices and globalization. Brands are operations and digital marketing solutions. Salmon quickly And just think what additional data will be
interaction in order to react in real-time,
integrating digital fully into their physical stores.
understands the business vision, creates realistic project plans and available from my Fitbit wristband, other wearable brands need to choose platforms and
technology components that can be
– Commerce 4.0 will be driven by the ‘Internet of eficiently delivers solutions to plan; based around a management technology and all the new devices with embedded centrally conigured and managed to
things,’ advanced use of data and analytics and a process that removes risk from successful project roll-outs. For sensors. As long as I receive useful and enjoyable support all channels and devices.
more details visit www.salmon.com.
communications and have the option to opt
battle for control of the shopping basket between out at any time, then I’d be happy to link this to
retailers and branded manufacturers.
speciic applications and receive personalized

communications.

110 BrandZM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands 2014
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