<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Friday Insight - Underlines Magazine</title> <atom:link href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/tag/friday-insight/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Fri, 11 Mar 2022 06:24:36 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-GB</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1</generator> <site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">112297075</site> <item> <title>Friday Insight – How a good bra fitter can triple your business (even if you are online)</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/03/11/friday-insight-how-good-bra-fitter-can-triple-your-business-even-online/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 11 Mar 2022 06:22:32 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Friday Insight]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=48297</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Post pandemic, face-to-face lingerie stores are striving to appeal to a consumer who is increasingly shopping online. At the same time, ecommerce lingerie stores are trying to make sure the growth…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/03/11/friday-insight-how-good-bra-fitter-can-triple-your-business-even-online/">Friday Insight – How a good bra fitter can triple your business (even if you are online)</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">Post pandemic, face-to-face lingerie stores are striving to appeal to a consumer who is increasingly shopping online.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>At the same time, ecommerce lingerie stores are trying to make sure the growth they have seen in sales volume translates into bottom line profit and not just more returns. An expert bra fitting service has become a key tool to top quartile trading performance for both of these types of business.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Underlines spoke to <b>Helen Masters</b> of <a href="https://www.puddinglingerie.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pudding</a>, a leading bra fitting & sales training provider to stores in the UK & across the world, about how today’s most successful lingerie businesses are:</p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li>upskilling their bricks & mortar bra fitters to wow customers and deliver maximum sales, and<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></li> <li>using bra fitting advice as a tool to reduce returns rates and increase average sales online.</li> </ul> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><b>UL: Helen, first of all, tell us a bit about you and what you do</b></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><b>HM:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>I have a 25-year track record in business and all aspects of retail – strategic and hands on! I spent 10 years in the corporate world, running everything from big operations and sales teams through to corporate strategy and business planning. I learned a lot and got a taste for running my own business so I went on to set up Pudding. In its first guise, Pudding was a top performing, award-winning lingerie retailer. In 8 years of trading, it became the biggest UK trade account for many well-known global lingerie brands and delivered sales and profits at around three times the level of the average independent of its size.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">After I started a family, I decided to take a step back from 7 days a week retail and take the business in a new direction, focussing on using my skills and experience to help other lingerie retailers and brands to excel via consultancy and training services.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>For the last 7 years, I have been working with start-up retailers and brands, well-known independents, department stores, chains, and big-name brands all over the world. One of the many services I offer is bra fitting training, and crucially how to leverage bra fitting for superior sales.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><b>UL: What are the challenges you are working on with your clients, as we come out of the pandemic?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">I work with bricks and mortar indie retailers, department stores, lingerie chains and online stores. The pace of change in the last 2 years has been so rapid that right now many of them are still establishing the best operating model for the new retail landscape:</p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Face to face stores –</b> it’s all about elevating the customer experience so people have a reason to go back into store and buy more on average when they are there.</li> </ul> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="text-align: justify;"><b>Online retailers and DTC brands</b> – the challenge is different: many of them have benefited from the consumer shift to shopping online, but while sales have grown, they are also facing the challenge of increased returns which can quickly eat into the bottom line.</li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>However, the lingerie sector is uniquely placed to solve both of these issues.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><b>UL: So what’s the formula for success for lingerie businesses in the new landscape?<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Obviously, the product mix has changed, and most businesses have responded really well to that. The area that can be more difficult – but also by far the most lucrative – is the sales and service model.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-48300" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Fitting.jpg?resize=320%2C450&ssl=1" alt="" width="320" height="450" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Fitting.jpg?resize=350%2C492&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Fitting.jpg?resize=170%2C239&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Fitting.jpg?resize=585%2C823&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Fitting.jpg?w=600&ssl=1 600w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" />I struggle to think of any other product category where consumers need help & expert advice more than in lingerie, and where giving the right advice in the right way can triple your net sales. The good news for bricks & mortar stores is that a large proportion of consumers still want that face to face, and the good news for online stores is more people are comfortable with & expectant of virtual advice now so it’s a win-win.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><b>What the top bricks & mortar stores are doing:</b> The bricks & mortar stores performing well right now have a proactive, service-led model with an expert bra fitting service at the core – and they ensure their fitters are highly skilled proactive sales people.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Incredibly, the type of bra fitting service you offer can raise your conversion rate from the industry standard of 19% to a whopping 50% and can triple your average sale. That’s what I work on with my clients.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><b>What the top online stores are doing:</b> The best performing online stores are realising the need to elevate their offer to mimic the type of bra fitting advice you’d get in a high street store and utilise that to help the customer a) choose the right size and styles to limit returns, and b) buy more than they would have done if left to their own devices.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><b>UL:</b> <b>Tell us the steps you need to take to triple your sales from bra fitting</b></h4> <h5 style="text-align: justify;"><b>The 3 Steps to Tripling the Sales of Your Bra Fitters</b></h5> <ol style="text-align: justify;"> <li><b>Adopt an expert bra fitting process – Tape measure or fit by sight?</b></li> </ol> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="text-align: justify;">While many expert bra fitters adopt the ‘fit by sight’ method, a significant proportion of stores, particularly bigger chains and those with a heavy online presence, use the tape measure technique. There are pros and cons to both and for many businesses tape measure fitting is far easier, especially at scale.</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">The key change recently in the top performing stores is that even the bigger chains are realising that in terms of customer experience and bottom line profits, fitting by sight wins out when the customer is in front of you either in person or virtually. Why:</li> </ul> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li style="text-align: justify;">For a start, the average sale is three times higher</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">It is the ultimate ‘wow’ experience for customers. When you offer a ‘by sight’ fitting, you transform the way a woman looks and feels.</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">It delivers long term profits: You don’t just win a sale, you win a big customer (after all she usually needs to overhaul her lingerie drawer). If you are really good you win a lifelong customer. And if you are really, really good you win an advocate.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <ol style="text-align: justify;" start="2"> <li><b></b><b>Put Bra Fitting at the centre of a proactive, service led sales model</b></li> </ol> <p style="text-align: justify;">When I train lingerie sales teams, I look beyond the bra fitting process. I work with them to move from doing what the customer expects to what wows the customer. That is how we triple sales. We work towards a very simple vision of what the end result should look like and this is why I call my sales & service model training the<b> WOW FACTOR </b>programme:</p> <table class=" aligncenter" cellspacing="20" cellpadding="20"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;"><strong>WHAT I EXPECT</strong></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><strong>WHAT I HOPE FOR</strong></td> <td style="text-align: center;"><strong>WHAT WOWS ME</strong></td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;">Average service</td> <td style="text-align: center;">Good service</td> <td style="text-align: center;">Great service</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;">Do what I ask</td> <td style="text-align: center;">Do what I ask well</td> <td style="text-align: center;">Do what I need even if I don’t know I need it, go the extra mile and make it an experience to remember</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="text-align: center;">You fit me when I ask and I find a bra</td> <td style="text-align: center;">You fit me when I ask and I find things I love and want to buy</td> <td style="text-align: center;">You fit me when I ask or even if I didn’t know I needed it, transform the way I look and feel and find me lots of things I want to buy now and tomorrow. I won’t shop anywhere else and I tell everyone I know!</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <ol start="3"> <li><b>Go omni-channel</b></li> </ol> <ul> <li style="text-align: justify;">The strongest businesses are embracing the shift towards the online channel and giving customers the best of all worlds by being omni channel.</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">The beauty of fitting by sight without the need for a tape measure is that it can more easily be translated into a virtual fitting environment. Not only does this enable you to grow sales by extending your service to a new customer group, but in the face of returns rates as high as 50% or more in some online businesses, it is a low-cost way of reducing those returns while offering a service of real value and a point of differentiation.</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Whether you see yourself as bricks and mortar or online, there is a place for bra fitting within your offer if you wish to maximise sales and minimise returns.</li> </ul> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">UL: So what type of results might businesses expect from this approach?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>HM:</strong> Typically, I see clients double or even triple their sales when they move to this model. It obviously depends on the starting point.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Independent stores: </strong>A lot of independent stores already have an expert bra fitting service and a focus on sales. However, they may not be making full use of all channels and they may not be pushing the proactive sales as far as they could – often for fear of being ‘hard sell’, but when it is done well it is not a hard sell at all.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Larger stores and chains:</strong> Bigger stores, where staff training has been possibly not had the right level of investment often see big benefits – easily doubling their sales.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Whatever the size or type of store, I have yet to come across a business that cannot make significant improvements whether online or brick and mortar.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">UL: How can lingerie businesses find out more?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">We run regular bra fitting courses in person, by zoom and via our remote self-service course, so get in touch to find out the next dates. We also run our WOW FACTOR sales programme regularly and offer bespoke consultancy. You can get in touch with us at <a href="mailto:consulting@puddinglingerie.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">consulting@puddinglingerie.com</a> or call me directly on 07789 921097 for a free no-obligation consultation. You can also visit the website on <a href="https://www.puddinglingerie.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.puddinglingerie.com</a>.</p> <hr /> <p style="text-align: justify;"><em>“We are delighted with the results we have seen following the consultancy and training from Helen at Pudding. Our lingerie sales have increased significantly; the team are rejuvenated and the fit by sight method is wowing customers. We have doubled what we were doing versus a year ago with the same team and the same products, simply down to our sales and service approach in store and of course the bra fitting,” Ulster Stores Group</em></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Helen Masters is the owner of Pudding Lingerie Consultancy.</strong></p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/03/11/friday-insight-how-good-bra-fitter-can-triple-your-business-even-online/">Friday Insight – How a good bra fitter can triple your business (even if you are online)</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">48297</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Friday Insight – Trends in e-commerce functionality: What was once a luxury is now standard!</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/02/25/friday-insight-trends-ecommerce-functionality-what-was-once-luxury-is-now-standard/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 25 Feb 2022 03:00:59 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Friday Insight]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=48059</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Despite the fact that in the Fashion industry, direct contact with customers in stationary points of sale is the most important, we should remember that the world is changing, with…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/02/25/friday-insight-trends-ecommerce-functionality-what-was-once-luxury-is-now-standard/">Friday Insight – Trends in e-commerce functionality: What was once a luxury is now standard!</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Despite the fact that in the Fashion industry, direct contact with customers in stationary points of sale is the most important, we should remember that the world is changing, with the youngest generation of customers “living on the Internet”, so no industry can escape or evade technology. What was once a luxury is now standard, and an online store needs the right combination of accessibility tools to succeed in the online shopping environment.</em></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Web accessibility means applying web design and digital accessibility principles to help serve customer needs. But what are now the most basic needs of your clients, and how do you know if you’ve satisfied them? According to current research, customers expect Accuracy, Accessibility, Partnership and Advice: all can be serviced by technology.</p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-48066" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_3.jpg?resize=550%2C406&ssl=1" alt="" width="550" height="406" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_3.jpg?resize=780%2C575&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_3.jpg?resize=350%2C258&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_3.jpg?resize=170%2C125&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_3.jpg?resize=768%2C567&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_3.jpg?resize=1170%2C863&ssl=1 1170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_3.jpg?resize=585%2C432&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_3.jpg?w=1220&ssl=1 1220w" sizes="(max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px" /></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;">eCommerce Store Accuracy</h3> <p style="text-align: justify;">It doesn’t matter if you are a socially responsible brand, how politely your staff behave, or the beauty of product photos; at a fundamental level, customers expect accuracy. Accuracy is based, in my opinion, mainly on e-shop back-office management and your website error policy.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">eCommerce stores: Backoffice management deficiencies</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Backoffice is a panel for managing the entire online shop. Backoffice management deficiencies are related chiefly to e-shop management services. So, in a nutshell, it’s up to your employee engagement, thoroughness and creativity. On the one hand, the basis is correct, error-free descriptions and correctly resolved images. But, on the other hand, there are stock issues as surplus or shortage of stocks. These aspects are seemingly obvious. And yet, firstly, technology will not be of great assistance. It’s a question of the talent employed by the company. But the stock issue is something we can handle. However, I would like to focus on the shortage of stocks dilemma that causes your clients’ disappointment in time for the checkout process.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">This problem is not acute when a product is sold in 3-4 sizes. However, when the product sold comes in more than 30 sizes, the dilemma and the fortune-telling begins. If you conduct reliable sales analyses of your products, you have a good chance of predicting what sizes and quantities to order based on the cut or sales trends of similar products. But is this enough to avoid customer disappointment due to the absence of the creation of their dreams?</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">We’re talking about something as ephemeral as a trend, a ‘risky’ production such as a seasonal collection. That is why more and more fashion companies (especially those working agile – companies distinguished by employees with great potential and talent, focused on development and innovation, creative and open to change) are choosing to offer pre-sales of products. Customers readily accept this solution.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">A couple of the most significant advantages from B2C pre-order view:</p> <ul> <li style="text-align: justify;">Never again over-request;</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Stay away from monotonous stock relates;</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Eliminate any opportunity of squandering cash on moderate moving products;</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Improve your entire online presence and its efficiency… and above all, place the most focus on customer satisfaction.</li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-48065" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_2.png?resize=280%2C532&ssl=1" alt="" width="280" height="532" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_2.png?resize=350%2C666&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_2.png?resize=780%2C1483&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_2.png?resize=170%2C323&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_2.png?resize=768%2C1460&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_2.png?resize=808%2C1536&ssl=1 808w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_2.png?resize=585%2C1112&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_2.png?w=996&ssl=1 996w" sizes="(max-width: 280px) 100vw, 280px" />However, there is one basic condition – the pre-sale must be clearly marked and highlighted on the website.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">There is another advantage to the infrastructure of an online shop. A well-prepared backoffice can also be used to manage the pre-sales of products in a stationary shop. This is because it allows the seller to register orders of customers from the shop, automatically inform them about such orders, and, if necessary, redirect them to online payment or simply remind them about the product. What is even more important, it allows you to collect data on your customers, which is an excellent basis for stock planning. It allows you to analyse orders, sales per product, size, colour or any other parameter. And most importantly – you do not need to be an IT specialist to use this tool.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Website accessibility error policy</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">The design of the 404-error page is often overlooked and I do not know why. This is the page that comes up when something goes wrong for the customer, it might be an old, broken, non-existent link or maybe a moved link. So, why spend time on a page that we don’t want people to visit?</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Let me ask it differently. Have you ever been lost? Have you ever felt anxious and impatient because of that? That’s it. The response is easy: we have to redirect a lost customer to our homepage or search bar and ease the accessibility considerations in a sophisticated, endearing, and effective manner. We should also be aware of the importance of capturing each visitor to the site, especially if they land on an error page. A socially responsible e-Commerce store should, after all, turn even the most frustrated visitors into potential customers.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">So, what’s the website error policy? Remember to follow these best web design practices:</p> <ul> <li style="text-align: justify;">Clearly state the reason for the website accessibility issues;</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Your 404-error page should have a link that redirects users to the homepage or other working web page;</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Category links, search engines integration, or a navigation bar are highly desired forms of web content. However, these tools work just as well to help them find what they need;</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Remember about consistent branding with the rest of your web pages;</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Engage customers, be it charming or seductive. Apply anything that can show some of your brand’s personality beyond the website design.</li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;">I checked a dozen fashion brand website page elements, in which I reviewed user interface and various page elements. Each search took me from the pinnacle of luxury, Louis Vuitton, to young British lingerie brands. Unfortunately, it becomes apparent that the bigger the ‘player,’ the less attention companies pay to error handling and web accessibility. It’s a pity, but also an excellent opportunity to improve and build an inclusive shopping experience.</p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;">eCommerce website accessibility</h3> <p style="text-align: justify;">Any business that becomes more accessible (open to customers and their needs; one that is easy to get in touch with, easy to access) will undoubtedly secure more customers who want to come and try it. So how can technology support accessibility expectations?</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Online stores’ stock availability</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Essentially, your ability to manage stock level is determined by synchronising your warehouse software with your site, platform, or cloud B2B. A stock indication is given ordinarily in a document position or (in a more professional manner) over API/EDI. Whether it’s updating your products, transferring product pictures, or stacking new provider products, there is nothing more frustrating for customers than an ‘out of stock’ notification.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignright wp-image-48064" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_1.jpg?resize=330%2C330&ssl=1" alt="" width="330" height="330" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_1.jpg?resize=350%2C350&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_1.jpg?resize=780%2C780&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_1.jpg?resize=170%2C170&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_1.jpg?resize=768%2C768&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_1.jpg?resize=585%2C585&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Friday-Insight-ecommerce_1.jpg?w=900&ssl=1 900w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 330px) 100vw, 330px" />I want to distinguish between two types of out of stock information. The first one is when a product has finished, the website informs the customer, but the product can still be viewed and read about. The second is when the product is presented as ‘available,’ but it turns out that it is not during the order process. I will now focus on this second problem.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The primary approach for web accessibility is to verify the stock levels and frequency of changes and updates when managing many such products. Selling out-of-stock items can inflict a profoundly negative mark on your online store’s integrity.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">There are various ways to transfer your inventory information to make your online store accessible to employees:</p> <ul> <li style="text-align: justify;">Manual import;</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Make physical updates of stock, one by one. This is shockingly more common than you would expect but, while popular, this is an entirely unproductive activity;</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Semi-manual import;</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">With the use of Excel, you can connect your worksheet and provide online store stock updates regularly – even several times per day;</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Outsource automation software;</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Outsource mechanisation software, which is generic in its formulation and therefore will not be adapted to the sector’s specific needs;</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Composing a script -this consists of automation of ‘physically’ bringing in the records and the code made by software developers, who execute it themselves regularly.</li> </ul> <h5 style="text-align: justify;">What steps to take</h5> <p style="text-align: justify;">It’s up to you to determine which solution is the most convenient for your online store and web accessibility. But, keep in mind that the world wide web consortium is moving towards full business automation and cloud solutions. Managing and integrating online store inventory and the order fulfilment process are critical components of e-commerce work. Imagine controlling your inventory on a cloud platform with complete, unfettered customer access if you are the producer.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">If you are an e-commerce site owner, imagine booking goods across the platform on the fly to avoid selling out of-stock items. Adding to this, you could experience full automation and execute complete trend analyses. Does that sound like a utopia for shopping online?</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Not at all. When cloud solutions started to gain popularity in the mid-2010s, one Polish lingerie producer introduced such a solution to its inventory. As a result, this e-commerce website recorded a 200% increase in sales in the B2C sector on its home market online store. On the other hand, it experienced a 60% increase in sales in the B2B sector on its wider EU market online stores.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">This miracle occurred in less than one year after the assistive technologies implementation. If that isn’t tempting towards your next accessibility testing, then I don’t know what is!</p> <hr /> <p style="text-align: justify;">Author: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/agapinczuk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Agnieszka Topczewska-Pińczuk</a>, Product Owner in SoftwareHut, a company ranking highest (33rd) among all Polish IT companies in the Financial Times “1000 Fastest-Growing European Companies” ranking. Agnieszka Topczewska-Pińczuk is responsible for the effectiveness of project implementation, internal team organisation and direct contact with clients; specialising in fashion and fashion lingerie projects. Before entering IT, she worked in the fashion industry for 10 years.</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/02/25/friday-insight-trends-ecommerce-functionality-what-was-once-luxury-is-now-standard/">Friday Insight – Trends in e-commerce functionality: What was once a luxury is now standard!</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">48059</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Friday Insight – The rise of 3D in the swimwear industry</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/02/18/friday-insight-rise-3d-swimwear-industry/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 18 Feb 2022 06:07:02 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Trends]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Friday Insight]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=48022</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>It’s no secret that the Covid-19 pandemic has changed a lot in our industry. One such change is the increased use of 3D in various areas of product development and…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/02/18/friday-insight-rise-3d-swimwear-industry/">Friday Insight – The rise of 3D in the swimwear industry</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>It’s no secret that the Covid-19 pandemic has changed a lot in our industry. One such change is the increased use of 3D in various areas of product development and marketing. Over the last two years I’ve seen many brands who are shifting away from traditional sampling and photoshoots and instead investing in 3D artists, training and software. But is 3D here to stay, or is it merely a fad?</em></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">An important thing to note is that 3D clothing design software is nothing new. For example the <a href="https://www.clo3d.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CLO 3D</a> software was released in 2009, <a href="https://browzwear.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Browzwear</a> in 2012 and even prior to that 3D clothing design was possible and largely used in the gaming industry. From my understanding, early adoption was low and fashion brands were hard to convince when it came to using the software in place of traditional sampling, which is hardly surprising when we think of how reluctant our industry can be when it comes to making changes to our structure and processes. Ironic really, given how fast we react to new trends each and every season.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">I first became aware of 3D product development being used by brands in 2018 and this was largely by big name brands with the budget to explore their options, with many trialling small product ranges in 3D to see how it went, before expanding into more areas. I do believe that the industry would have looked more and more to 3D, even without the pandemic, but it has certainly accelerated it in my opinion, particularly in 3 key areas.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Sample Development</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">This is the area where I personally have seen the most change and had the most use for 3D. A lot of the people I work with find it hard to visualise what products will look like when looking at the traditional technical sketches. In this respect 3D work has been a game changer as we can achieve digital garments that are extremely close to the finished product, helping people to imagine the garments clearly and make styling changes in real time. We can achieve realism not only in terms of colour and styling, but in texture too. My clients have found 3D development so helpful, that over 60% realised they could reduce the amount of samples they needed, thus reducing development timelines and costs. Plus, there’s environmental implications too; less materials needed, less transport and packaging and all-in-all less damage.</p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-48023" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Vickis-wallis-swimwear.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1" alt="" width="780" height="520" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Vickis-wallis-swimwear.jpg?resize=780%2C520&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Vickis-wallis-swimwear.jpg?resize=350%2C233&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Vickis-wallis-swimwear.jpg?resize=170%2C113&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Vickis-wallis-swimwear.jpg?resize=768%2C512&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Vickis-wallis-swimwear.jpg?resize=1170%2C780&ssl=1 1170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Vickis-wallis-swimwear.jpg?resize=585%2C390&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Vickis-wallis-swimwear.jpg?resize=263%2C175&ssl=1 263w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Vickis-wallis-swimwear.jpg?w=1280&ssl=1 1280w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">It’s not just small businesses like mine who have adopted 3D though, big name brands are doing it too and I’ve been lucky enough to take an inside look at what they’re up to. Of course, due to NDAs I’m restricted to what I can tell you but one thing I can say is that a lot of brands are going all in on this, with a 2-3 year plan to – at a minimum – exclusively use 3D sampling for all core lines. I do think that fashion lines for many businesses will still need samples due to the newness and the fact there may not be existing blocks that can be modified. For high end luxury brands for example, I think physical samples will always be important, but for commercial labels who put a new twist on previous bestsellers, there are a lot of advantages to doing the majority of development in 3D.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Advertising</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">While I personally don’t create marketing assets in 3D, it’s something I’ve seen more and more. The most exciting thing I’ve seen in the last 2 years is the freedom that 3D gives the brand. With traditional photoshoots we have to stay within the realms of reality. But in 3D, anything goes. You’ve probably seen the <a href="https://www.thefabricant.com/puma" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Puma campaign from The Fabricant</a>, which used futuristic models in place of human avatars and the location could easily be a far off planet. If you’ve not heard of The Fabricant, they’re one of the big winners of the rise of 3D and I have to say I couldn’t be happier for them, the founders are a breath of fresh air and really supportive of the 3D design community. It’s refreshing to see the industry finally starting to embrace collaboration.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Aside from the creative freedom that 3D advertising offers, it also reduces the burden on the brand, as often photoshoots require a lot of travel and organisation. Having been involved in a lot of photoshoots and scheduling nightmares in the past, I can tell you it’s no easy task to get a group of busy fashion professionals together on the same day. Plus when working outside as we often do for swimwear, we always run the risk of a rainy day, which really causes a problem when you’re trying to shoot an aspirational sunny beach scene. Finally of course, there’s the benefit for sustainability; digital photoshoots don’t require any travel or any samples, thus reducing the carbon footprint of the advertising.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">While I love the opportunities that 3D advertising brings, I have to say I don’t think it’s for everyone. Especially those who want to show personality by having models speak; I don’t think we’re quite there yet in making believable talking avatars. But, for those focussing on being truly sustainable, or those wanting to do something outside of what is physically possible, I think it presents an exciting opportunity.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Fashion Shows</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Last but not least, digital fashion shows went from unheard of to the new normal in the past 2 years. Without doubt it was a pivot that needed to happen in order to save – or try to save – brands who rely on fashion shows to get the awareness and visibility they need to thrive. One of the biggest successes in my opinion was the <a href="https://www.thediigitals.com/lavie" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">La Vie by Claude Kameni</a> digital swimwear show created by The Diigitals; when released it felt like that collection was everywhere and it seemed to dominate the fashion press.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">As with the digital advertising, digital fashion shows save a lot of time, energy and reduce the need to travel; not only in this case the brand’s team, but also of course, guests remain at home too. The sustainability case is strong, but I am interested to see what happens when the world regains its confidence and wants to go out. The feeling I get is that people are ready to step away from their screens and embrace the real world, but well curated 3D experiences can still have their place in a post-covid world, I believe.</p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-48024" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Bok-goodall.jpg?resize=780%2C780&ssl=1" alt="" width="780" height="780" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Bok-goodall.jpg?resize=780%2C780&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Bok-goodall.jpg?resize=350%2C350&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Bok-goodall.jpg?resize=170%2C170&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Bok-goodall.jpg?resize=768%2C768&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Bok-goodall.jpg?resize=585%2C585&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Bok-goodall.jpg?w=1080&ssl=1 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">The Future of Retail</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">We’ve all heard the rumours about physical stores being dead, but personally I don’t believe that. You only have to try and find a parking space at Ikea at the weekend to know that people are still out there spending. And during the pandemic, I’d regularly see queues outside brands like Zara and Primark. They had customers so determined to shop that they were willing to wait in the snow until a space opened up in the ‘one in, on out’ policy that a lot of stores had to adopt when capacity restrictions came in. I bring this up because I see retail as the next big opportunity for 3D artists and perhaps the saviour the High Street is looking for.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">I recently had the pleasure of visiting an immersive <a href="https://www.visitberlin.de/en/event/monets-garden-immersive-exhibition-experience" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">3D Monet exhibition</a> which brought the late artist’s work to life with colour, music, interactive digital installations and stunning 3D work. It was captivating and held the audience’s attention for 44 minutes, which is a huge amount of time for a world which seems to have the shortest attention span in history. It’s especially impressive given the audience were sitting on uncomfortable wooden stools or the floor for the duration. I believe that, as many others do, experiences are the way to get people coming back into retail stores. Shops need to give people a reason to get out of their comfy chair and go to the trouble of actually visiting a store; it has to be enticing and worth their time. If all a store is offering is the ability to buy products people can – and will – just stay home. It’s far easier, and let’s be honest, often the price is better online. A marriage between great service and digital experience in my opinion is what can bring people back to the stores and increase the all-important average transaction value.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">I’m excited to see what the post-pandemic world does with 3D and other innovations that we’ve adopted during these uncertain times. I for one hope that we don’t go back to the old normal and instead take time to question whether we should still be using old strategies, or instead moving forward and embracing the new.</p> <hr /> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.vickiwallis.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vicki Wallis</a>, Fashion Business Strategist and Sustainability Expert / Images: <a href="https://www.vickiwallis.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vicki Wallis</a> and <a href="https://www.bokgoodall.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bok Goodall</a></p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2022/02/18/friday-insight-rise-3d-swimwear-industry/">Friday Insight – The rise of 3D in the swimwear industry</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">48022</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Friday Insight – How to build loyalty and keep customers coming back again and again</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/12/10/friday-insight-how-to-build-loyalty-keep-customers-coming-back/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 10 Dec 2021 03:02:08 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Friday Insight]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=46594</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Traditionally loyalty has come from delivering an exceptional experience at the point of transaction and incentivising repeat purchases with rewards; but as virtual platforms expand, giving consumers even greater insight…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/12/10/friday-insight-how-to-build-loyalty-keep-customers-coming-back/">Friday Insight – How to build loyalty and keep customers coming back again and again</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">Traditionally loyalty has come from delivering an exceptional experience at the point of transaction and incentivising repeat purchases with rewards; but as virtual platforms expand, giving consumers even greater insight into businesses and what they stand for long before the decision to spend their money is made, the opportunity to build brand loyalty starts way ahead of a customer walking through the door or clicking to order. Planning out a user experience considerate of every touchpoint a customer has with your business – from an online enquiry to going home with a bag of gorgeous lingerie – plays a fundamental part in building awareness, like and trust. And, ultimately, converting browsers into buyers.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Here are three ways to build loyalty and keep customers coming back again and again:</p> <h5>Focus on communication</h5> <p style="text-align: justify;">The ways in which customers connect with us now are many, from social media DM’s, comments on posts, email enquiries, phone calls, WhatsApp or texts, to outward messages you share via blogs and newsletters. Without monitoring every channel every moment of the day, it’s easy to miss a message and accidentally let a customer down.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">To build strong relationships from the start, set expectations by letting customers know exactly when they’ll hear from you. Free up time by choosing one preferred communication method then engage auto-responders across all platforms that immediately notify customers to know when you’ll respond, or if their enquiry should be redirected via an alternative channel for a more efficient reply.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">To deepen your reputation for reliability, adopt the same approach for sharing newsletters and blog posts, or communicating order status consistently too. Delivering on your promise to publish a blog on the first Tuesday of the month, send a newsletter every Friday afternoon, or receive a delivery update within the week conditions customers to actively look out for you and goes a long way to show you are a trusted expert in what you do.</p> <h5>Make it relatable</h5> <p style="text-align: justify;">Sharing the real stories behind your business, especially when they’re relatable to customers’ own experiences, cultivates likeability through shared empathy. Perhaps you had a bad bra fitting and wanted to re-shape how it could be done, or maybe the lingerie styles you longed for were missing from the local offering. There are many people out there in the same position and by showing they’re not alone you naturally attract an audience with shared values. And, once you deliver on your promise (to find them the perfect fitting t-shirt bra, or dress them in a matching lingerie set that makes them feel secure and confident), not only will they become a loyal customer, but they’ll become a walking advocate for your services. And that’s advertising money just can’t buy.</p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-46610" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/customer-review.jpeg?resize=780%2C476&ssl=1" alt="" width="780" height="476" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/customer-review.jpeg?resize=780%2C476&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/customer-review.jpeg?resize=350%2C214&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/customer-review.jpeg?resize=170%2C104&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/customer-review.jpeg?resize=768%2C469&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/customer-review.jpeg?resize=585%2C357&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/customer-review.jpeg?w=917&ssl=1 917w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></p> <h5>Don’t forget to ask for feedback</h5> <p style="text-align: justify;">Collecting testimonials from customers is gold. Sending a simple email after every fitting or asking someone to fill in a short form while they relax with refreshments before leaving the fitting room captures their true experience while it’s fresh in mind. Not only will customer commentary help you stay informed of their needs, shape business decisions, and demonstrate to future customers what it’s really like to work with you, but positive feedback is extremely uplifting for you and your team too.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In an era of instant gratification, capturing customers’ attention amid the never-ending flow of posts, emails and adverts is no easy task. But when your most original and genuine content comes directly from real-life people in the form of testimonials and personal stories, and when your unique user experience is delivered with care and consistency, you’ll make strides in standing out from the crowd and build a loyal fanbase that stays with you for life.</p> <hr /> <p style="text-align: justify;">If you have a question, or need help navigating a challenge in your business and would like to discuss consultancy or mentoring options, write to me at hello@sarahconnelly.co.uk</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/12/10/friday-insight-how-to-build-loyalty-keep-customers-coming-back/">Friday Insight – How to build loyalty and keep customers coming back again and again</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">46594</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Lingerie brands must embrace new comfort zone as behaviours shift</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/24/lingerie-brands-must-embrace-new-comfort-zone-as-behaviours-shift/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 24 Sep 2021 04:09:24 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[COVID19]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Friday Insight]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=45338</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Underlines welcomes guest writer, Alain Sévaux, RFID Market Development Manager, Avery Dennison Smartrac (RFID – Radio Frequency Identification) Omnichannel retailing has become a gold standard for the fashion industry in…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/24/lingerie-brands-must-embrace-new-comfort-zone-as-behaviours-shift/">Lingerie brands must embrace new comfort zone as behaviours shift</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Underlines welcomes guest writer, Alain Sévaux, RFID Market Development Manager, <a href="https://rfid.averydennison.com/en/home.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Avery Dennison Smartrac</a> (RFID – Radio Frequency Identification)</em></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Omnichannel retailing has become a gold standard for the fashion industry in recent years and now we’re seeing the intimates sector evolve too, reflecting not only consumer trends but also wider societal change. The merging of physical and digital retail has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the pressure to create a seamless omnichannel experience is the new reality for brands and retailers.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Today, consumers are discovering brands in new ways, and seeking convenience, transparency and new experiences to guide their shopping decisions. Research from <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/marketing-and-sales/solutions/periscope/our-insights/surveys/reinventing-retail">Periscope McKinsey</a> illustrates how shopper behaviour and expectations have shifted in the pandemic. Consumers reiterated their demand for frictionless experiences and their stated importance to easily find products in store increased by 14%. An effective <a href="http://www.osscube.com/omnichannel-integration">omnichannel strategy </a>meets these needs by providing a convenient and consistent experience across all customer touch points, whether it is a desktop, mobile app or tablet, or brick and mortar shop.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">According to <a href="https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/press-release/intimate-wear-market.html">Allied Market Research</a> the global intimate wear market will be worth a staggering $325 billion by 2025: that figure alone is proof to how influential the sector is and when we consider that retailers with a strong omnichannel strategy enjoy an average retention rate of <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2018/06/15/omnichannel-cx-how-to-overcome-technologys-artificial-divide-and-succeed-at-being-seamless/?sh=39263aaa3205">89% compared to 33%</a>, the business value is evident.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">A successful omnichannel strategy must start with accurate store inventory. Retail stores have traditionally struggled at accurately tracking inventory. Consider the complexity of stores where everything is unpacked and individually displayed and potentially hundreds of people have access to each item. Not having an accurate picture of your inventory in real time can lead to item shrinkage resulting in loss of sales as well as disappointed customers and a negative brand experience.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">This problem is heightened when we consider increased consumer expectation that an item is available in store for pickup or same-day delivery. Customers have no patience for waiting, they expect instant availability and an omnichannel approach enables them to get the same experience everywhere and make their purchase via their choice of channel without any delay.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;">Technological innovation</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">The right technology can help brands overcome store inventory accuracy hurdles. At Avery Dennison Smartrac we’re helping multiple brands across the fashion and intimates’ sectors to digitise their store inventory tracking using IoT solutions like RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) . We’ve found that RFID technology can bring inventory accuracy up to 99 percent compared to traditional store inventory accuracy, which is often below 70 per cent. In the apparel industry alone, RFID has proven to reduce inventories by 2-13% while at the same time providing a sales lift of <a href="https://www.gs1uk.org/rfidinretailing">1.5-5.5%</a>. Moreover, according to a recent <a href="https://www.accenture.com/us-en/insights/retail/new-era-rfid?c=acn_glb_retailsupplychalinkedin_12253528&n=smc_0621&abc=retail+supply+chain_linkedin_100002195590627&linkId=100000053626162">Accenture retail report</a>, 87% of the respondents said focusing on RFID enabled them to deliver better omnichannel experiences during the pandemic.</p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-45345" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_hang-tag-e1632456371855.png?resize=764%2C502&ssl=1" alt="" width="764" height="502" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_hang-tag-e1632456371855.png?w=764&ssl=1 764w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_hang-tag-e1632456371855.png?resize=350%2C230&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_hang-tag-e1632456371855.png?resize=170%2C112&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_hang-tag-e1632456371855.png?resize=585%2C384&ssl=1 585w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 764px) 100vw, 764px" /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The first step to implement RFID inventory is to add a RFID label to each item. Technological advancements mean the size of the RFID tag is small enough, so it integrates into a hangtag in a discreet and elegant way. In essence, it replaces traditional inventory systems like the barcode. With the addition of the RFID label, every part of a product receives a unique identifier, what we sometimes refer to as a “digital twin”. It means that for every single item you can store details such as location, serial number, manufacturer, photo, use history, materials used, source origins and much more.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">One of the many advantages of RFID is that it can track inventory more efficiently and provide real-time data. In fact, our customers tell us that the technology is easy to use and results in time savings; simply wave a scanner over a rack of undergarments, eliminating the need for line-of-sight barcode scanning and the need to touch every individual object in order to count it.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Best-in-class</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">One brand getting very creative with RFID technology is <a href="https://etam.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Etam</a>. As the number one lingerie brand in France with a long heritage of more than 100 years, Etam has long stood out as an industry pioneer embracing digital transformation. This adoption was underpinned in 2007 with Etam’s ‘Undiz’ spin off aimed at ‘Generation Z’. With some 1,200 new lines every season the brand used RFID to move fast, with a specific “Order Management System” providing a global vision of stock, whatever the location. The brand now enables consumers to order an item available from anywhere, not just the store they happen to be standing in.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Providing a best-in-class retail and omnichannel experience in the lingerie segment is at the heart of Etam’s business. In order to achieve this, the brand is exclusively deploying digital ID technology from Avery Dennison Smartrac. This includes RFID and QR coded hangtags to digitise the whole value chain and processes, along with vendor shipments, store inventory accuracy, self check-outs, returns or reverse logistics, e-commerce, and the retailer’s Try@home initiative.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Knowing how crucial touch, feel and fit is in the lingerie sector, Try@home gives consumers the convenient option to try up to five items in the comfort of their own home. After twelve days, the articles are either returned to the store, or their price is debited from the customer’s account.</p> <div class="penci-post-gallery-container justified column-3" data-height="250" data-margin="3"><a class="item-gallery-justified" href="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_RFID_1-2.jpg?fit=1575%2C1900&ssl=1" data-rel="penci-gallery-image-content"><img decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_RFID_1-2.jpg?fit=585%2C706&ssl=1" alt="" title="Etam_RFID_1"></a><a class="item-gallery-justified" href="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_RFID_3-2.jpg?fit=1473%2C1900&ssl=1" data-rel="penci-gallery-image-content"><img decoding="async" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Etam_RFID_3-2.jpg?fit=585%2C755&ssl=1" alt="" title="Etam_RFID_3"></a></div> <p style="text-align: justify;"> <p style="text-align: justify;"> <p style="text-align: justify;">Inventory accuracy in-store is crucial and vital to consumer satisfaction. Typically, Etam customers combine several products in their basket, such as one bra and two pairs of knickers. Given the huge number of SKUs covering a wide variation in sizes and cup depth, Etam needs to guarantee the availability of at least three styles to respond to customer purchasing habits. RFID plays a critical role in achieving this required stock accuracy, making sure inventory is precisely tracked, taking account of the constant flow of purchases and returns.</p> <blockquote> <p style="text-align: justify;">According to Benjamin Durand-Servoingt, COO at Etam Group, “The functionality offered by Avery Dennison Smartrac’s products is critical to our drive to remain the lingerie market leader in terms of consumer experience and our omnichannel strategy. Happy consumers are repeat customers, so our goal was to make the buying process as smooth as possible, by ensuring that the right products are available in-store, and that the consumer can engage with us throughout the purchase process. Rather than a transaction, we create a relationship tailored to our consumers’ buying preferences and behaviour. That relationship has become even more important in the still-uncertain times of COVID-19.”</p> </blockquote> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Transparency from source to store</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">RFID and other digital identity technologies can also enable sustainability efforts. Following high profile movements like #PayUp, consumers expect and demand transparency. Now more than ever they want to know the impact that their garments have. They want to know how they’re made, who made them, where they’ve come from, what is in them, and ultimately what they should do with them once they’ve reached the end of their useful life. Digital identity technologies can help to bridge that divide between brands and consumers, reinventing the rules of engagement.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The deployment of digital IDs is critical to Etam’s transparency project. Customers can scan the product label by means of a QR code with their smartphone to get instant access to short videos that provide insights into the actual factory where the item was produced. This further supports Etam’s sustainability efforts, but also broadens the consumer experience.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">By the end of 2021, Etam plans to extend its transparency programme to every item sold, which is truly a pioneering breakthrough within the textile industry.</p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>What’s next for intimates?</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Intimates have fallen behind other fashion categories in addressing sustainability, but we’re starting to see the necessary shift and some great innovation in the sector. For example, direct-to-consumer brands are also reconsidering how delivery and returns can incorporate ethical practices. Lingerie brand, <a href="https://harperwilde.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Harper Wilde</a>, uses the returns process as a channel to allow its customers to send old or unwanted bras back to the company to recycle or repurpose, regardless of which brand they are.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Digital technologies are essential for a circular business model as brands need to be able to identify the materials of a product to give it a second life. This becomes even more complex with lingerie as you have a mixture of fibres in any single product and bras alone are typically made up of 25 to 40 components. Digital identity technologies can certify the origin of materials down to each fibre, making the future of what’s possible incredibly exciting for business, people and the planet.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Today, lingerie brands that can strengthen their omnichannel efforts, provide seamless experiences, enable end-to-end transparency and offer personalised and meaningful interactions will fortify their brand equity, reinforce their market positions, and ensure they are future-fit and resilient for our ever-changing world.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">For more information on Avery Dennison and to access the latest trends and insights in omnichannel retail, download the <a href="https://avydn.co/regenerative-retail-economy-report" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Regenerative Retail Economy Report</a>.</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/24/lingerie-brands-must-embrace-new-comfort-zone-as-behaviours-shift/">Lingerie brands must embrace new comfort zone as behaviours shift</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">45338</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Friday Insight – How to rebuild your business and come back stronger after Covid-19</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/17/friday-insight-how-rebuild-business-come-back-stronger-after-covid-19/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 17 Sep 2021 03:00:05 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[COVID19]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Friday Insight]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=45233</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Emerging from almost two years of unpredictable economics and rapidly changing consumer demands, it’s likely your business has evolved at the pace of lightening and is almost unrecognisable compared to…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/17/friday-insight-how-rebuild-business-come-back-stronger-after-covid-19/">Friday Insight – How to rebuild your business and come back stronger after Covid-19</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">Emerging from almost two years of unpredictable economics and rapidly changing consumer demands, it’s likely your business has evolved at the pace of lightening and is almost unrecognisable compared to its pre-pandemic self. And while the last thing a solo-preneur who spent multiple lockdown’s resolving myriad problems wants to consider right now is reassessing their business plan (yet again); with a full summer of ‘normality’ behind us and before the holiday season gathers pace, it really is an ideal time to review your position, product, and processes.</p> <div id="attachment_45234" style="width: 330px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-45234" class="wp-image-45234" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Image-Credit-Bok-Goodall.jpg?resize=320%2C271&ssl=1" alt="" width="320" height="271" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Image-Credit-Bok-Goodall.jpg?resize=350%2C296&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Image-Credit-Bok-Goodall.jpg?resize=780%2C659&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Image-Credit-Bok-Goodall.jpg?resize=170%2C144&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Image-Credit-Bok-Goodall.jpg?resize=768%2C649&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Image-Credit-Bok-Goodall.jpg?resize=585%2C495&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Image-Credit-Bok-Goodall.jpg?w=1080&ssl=1 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" /><p id="caption-attachment-45234" class="wp-caption-text">Illustration: Bok Goodall</p></div> <p style="text-align: justify;">As Mary Portas wrote in a recent newsletter, “we can no longer predict where exactly people will be – whether that’s our customers, our employees or our suppliers” – so here are three things to do right now to rebuild your business and come back stronger after Covid-19.</p> <h4>Understand your numbers</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;">Intermittent trading, payment holidays and loans, and new infrastructure investments (from PPE and Perspex screens to e-commerce development and increased post and packing costs) make for a very different bottom line. Review the financial years spanning the pandemic to date to identify what percentage of income you’re spending in all categories now (everything from operations and cost of goods, to rent and rates) compared to the previous two years.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Where do you need to re-adjust to comfortably cover outgoings going forward? Can you build in contingency savings? Taking a fresh look at the figures will highlight the strongest income streams too. How does this new view align with your business vision and goals?</p> <h4><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">Clarify your vision</span></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">The pandemic-pause shone a spotlight on what we each find important and gave rise to entirely new ways of working. So, ask yourself what you want to do and how you want to be going forward. Perhaps you created a virtual service that was a surprising success; you discovered you work better on different days or shoppers preferred different times; or consider how it felt to connect with clients in new ways and whether you want more or less of that. Our pre-pandemic patterns and habits are primed for reinvention – take advantage to evolve in ways you truly enjoy.</span></p> <h4><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-align: justify;">Re-connect with your customer</span></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;">The demands of our customers have changed dramatically, and now is the time to ask what they really want from their intimate apparel in this new era. Not only does this offer a genuine incentive to re-engage with your audience, and demonstrate you have their best interests at the heart of all you do; but a short, well considered questionnaire sent to a segment of your customer database will return truly valuable data. Not only will the information customers share clarify the exact problems they’re facing right now, but it will also put you in command of creating and offering appropriate solutions, ensuring you meet your audience where they are right now, and naturally re-asserting your position as the authority in your area of expertise.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Taking time for each of these tasks now won’t only strengthen your position in delivering a seamless customer experience while staying true to your vision and values, but underpins business strength, and re-defines decision making to stay on course no matter what’s around the corner.</p> <hr /> <p style="text-align: justify;">If you have a question, or need help navigating a challenge in your business and would like to discuss consultancy or mentoring options, write to Sarah Connelly at <a href="mailto:hello@sarahconnelly.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">hello@sarahconnelly.co.uk</a></p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/09/17/friday-insight-how-rebuild-business-come-back-stronger-after-covid-19/">Friday Insight – How to rebuild your business and come back stronger after Covid-19</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">45233</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Friday Insight – We Athenas, an innovative network changing the way creative women communicate</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/04/23/friday-insight-we-athenas-innovative-network-creative-women/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 23 Apr 2021 03:55:38 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Friday Insight]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=42189</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Underlines talks to Asi Efros and Suzy Haber-Wakefield, the creative women behind We Athenas and in this ‘new’ world they cannot even remember how they met – bearing in mind…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/04/23/friday-insight-we-athenas-innovative-network-creative-women/">Friday Insight – We Athenas, an innovative network changing the way creative women communicate</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">Underlines talks to <a href="https://www.asiefros.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Asi Efros</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/suzywakefielddesigns/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Suzy Haber-Wakefield</a>, the creative women behind <a href="https://www.instagram.com/we_athenas/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">We Athenas</a> and in this ‘new’ world they cannot even remember how they met – bearing in mind that they have never actually met in the flesh but only across Zoom screens! For nearly a year, the two women have been chatting every Tuesday at brainstorming sessions…and storming is the right word.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">In no time at all, We Athenas became an upsurge of networking, relationship building and learning about each other. It provides the collective with a safe and caring space, where everyone can connect, get inspired and celebrate whether chatting about fashion trends or sharing practical supplier information.</p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-42192" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/We-Athenas.jpg?resize=400%2C400&ssl=1" alt="" width="400" height="400" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/We-Athenas.jpg?resize=350%2C350&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/We-Athenas.jpg?resize=780%2C780&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/We-Athenas.jpg?resize=170%2C170&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/We-Athenas.jpg?resize=768%2C768&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/We-Athenas.jpg?resize=585%2C585&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/We-Athenas.jpg?w=1080&ssl=1 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></p> <h4>What prompted you to start the group?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>SHW:</strong> At the beginning of COVID we were each talking to many other creatives on missing the connection to other people. And while we all relish having our own businesses we miss the contact of getting to talk frankly with like-minded women about work, life and reminders to celebrate each other and ourselves. It has been as much a journey in a kind of collective mindfulness as it is a professional networking adventure.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>AE:</strong> We have all worked for the same companies and were confined by the limitation of the same system. We were united by the belief that life can be much more fulfilling, happier, kinder, more collaborative and uplifting. We also agreed on the fact that it takes a while to come out of the system (12 steps rehab programme!). We found more women in their 40-60s that have stepped out and are in different phrases of becoming independent. Those who had made that transition some time ago were very content and those who have just left the industry, were scared, anxious and just ‘learning how to breathe’.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The corporate world ‘defaces’ people and they start thinking about themselves in terms of what companies they work for, as opposed to who they are and what they bring to the world. One of the helpful practices that we do, we ask our new members to send us their bios, stating what they project to the world, rather than what companies they worked for in the past, and a picture that best represents them. This is an interesting and difficult task that prompts one to answer the question: “Who am I?”.</p> <h4>But what brought you two together in this time, this space?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>SHW:</strong> I am so blessed to have met Asi. I had vaguely heard her name and I can’t remember which one of us reached out on LI and started the conversation. Immediately I felt her genuine warmth and from the first day we spoke, I felt her energy and creative spirit. There was never anything except an authentic spirit of partnership in how we were going to start small and support our friends, old and new. I am so happy to say that our friendship has continued to grow, we are always each other’s cheerleaders and we have become the defacto den mothers to all our other lovely Athenas.</p> <h4>How have you seen it evolve?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>SHW:</strong> Certainly, it has grown in numbers. The first meeting was less than 10 people and now we are up to almost 60 members. I also think there was a turning point at about meeting 3 or 4 where women started to share more vulnerable, curious sides of themselves. The questions and conversations got easier, the dialogue more comfortable. I am pretty sure it was when Nikki Baratta spoke. Also, the network of members helping each other with little and big opportunities as well as bringing new people in has continued to blossom. I believe everyone is truly interested to make it work for their schedule every month so they can hear what is being presented as well as the discussions at the end.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>AE:</strong> On an individual level, we have grown to appreciate life more. Every day, every moment, every process that we are involved in. We see each other not as competitors but as friends, co-creators, two individuals who help each other evolve. And for our growing membership, it is a safe place to share their concerns, ask questions, receive support, celebrate their talents, talk about where they are in their lives, brag about achievements (be those large or small).</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>SHW:</strong> We would like to be the destination for them to share ideas whether that is practicing a pitch, a discussion how to get over a bump in the road or celebrating a win in their personal or professional lives. On a more tangible level we want to highlight our members within the social streams to the design community and beyond. And help magnify the opportunities that they would find on their own.</p> <h4>And what might the future hold for Athenas?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>AE:</strong> We see it evolving into a school of greatness, a platform that truly and truthfully addresses the needs of creatives, a place to connect and evolve, share knowledge, get inspired and perhaps find what they are looking for quicker.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>SHW: </strong>Yes, it would be good to think we have a collective site where members can get partnered up with opportunities, learn about each other and also grow themselves.</p> <h4>And what has this initiative meant to you personally?</h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>SHW:</strong> For me it has been an immensely joyful experience all around. Getting to know Asi and all of these other fabulous women, along with the opportunity to do something good for our community, makes me feel good and also what we can achieve. I love hearing the speakers every month and really appreciate having a focus that is outside myself.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>AE:</strong> It’s so good to see the group grow and evolve, which brings us such happiness and joy. During our Zoom meeting, members are communicating, sharing, answering questions. In-between meetings they send emails to the group and share their knowledge on very specific subjects. We have 2 platforms, where we introduce our new members. The industry reacts in such a positive way!!! People that we knew from way back write really great comments, and it’s amazing to see this positive change happening in a very competitive industry.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">It’s also great to know that we help women feel better about themselves and their smiles mean a lot! We love watching our members’ progress in the ways they perceive reality. Little by little, they discover what makes them happy and many begin to form their new creative paths.</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/04/23/friday-insight-we-athenas-innovative-network-creative-women/">Friday Insight – We Athenas, an innovative network changing the way creative women communicate</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">42189</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Friday Insight – Let’s Zoom Down!</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/04/16/friday-insight-lets-zoom-down/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 16 Apr 2021 09:04:49 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[COVID19]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Friday Insight]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=42034</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Now that retailers large and small have been able to re-open and consumers in England are allowed limited social freedoms I for one am hoping we can ‘zoom out’ to…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/04/16/friday-insight-lets-zoom-down/">Friday Insight – Let’s Zoom Down!</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">Now that retailers large and small have been able to re-open and consumers in England are allowed limited social freedoms I for one am hoping we can ‘zoom out’ to at least some degree. The clever girls and guys at Stanford University (California) have done much research and proven the real phenomenon of ‘Zoom fatigue’. However after a year of Zoom Happy Hours, Zoom Birthdays, Zoom Quizzes and Book Clubs (never mind work!) can we really abandon something which has hugely enabled remote working and changed the way many of us will work in the future? Maybe some of us are just not very good at it (and I have some cute diversionary tactics which can be used sparingly later in this feature) and work best in the ‘real’ world? Will it be with us forever or has Zoom become so intrinsically linked along with hand sanitiser and face masks with COVID-19 era that it is part of the problem?</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">I guess the central question is do we really need to see each other all the time? Zoom has been replacing phone calls as the essential way to keep in touch but in the past we did not watch ‘floating’ faces for at least 40 minutes and everyone ends up looking at themselves for about the same amount of time. Not sure about you, but looking at myself for a minimum of 40 minutes is enough to bring me down for the day – grey hair, pasty complexion … I could go on – but in business it is considered rude not to have the video enabled (no matter how your day is going).</p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-42035" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Underlines-Zoom-e1618564102220-780x631.jpeg?resize=500%2C405&ssl=1" alt="" width="500" height="405" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Underlines-Zoom-e1618564102220.jpeg?resize=780%2C631&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Underlines-Zoom-e1618564102220.jpeg?resize=350%2C283&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Underlines-Zoom-e1618564102220.jpeg?resize=170%2C138&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Underlines-Zoom-e1618564102220.jpeg?resize=768%2C622&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Underlines-Zoom-e1618564102220.jpeg?resize=585%2C473&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Underlines-Zoom-e1618564102220.jpeg?w=1080&ssl=1 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">It is a bit of a paradox as these floating faces are the most watched but actually reveal the least about the participants – the body language that we instinctively use is pretty absent and sub-consciously when we meet people face-to-face physically it is the body language that we are reading. Likewise if you are anything like me at all, keeping upbeat (or at worst bland) facial expressions for 40 minutes or more is beyond soul-crushing and exhausting.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">However to be balanced let’s look at the pros of the Zoom era (and of course Zoom is not the only provider but Zoom is Google if you like, not many out there using Bing). Although essentially it is a video conferencing tool and these programmes have been around for years, it was the pandemic that made nearly everyone a Zoom administrator or participant. And undeniably it is easy to use – even the uninitiated can join a Zoom meeting, you do not even have to have the software – how easy is that? It has made remote working achievable even in areas where no-one would have believed it could. And this is the crux, as it looks like remote working (at least for part of the working week) is here to stay, then Zoom won’t be going anywhere, it will remain part of our lives. Just as we had to adopt it be it for work, education, peer pressure or sheer loneliness we have not been able to modulate or moderate our usage just yet.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">That said, once we exit the main crisis period our relationship with this sort of technology will evolve and we will be able to use it more sparingly and indeed more wisely so it becomes a useful aid to our other communications rather than mandatory, repetitive and inescapable. But for now and maybe the bit you have been waiting for – a few diversionary tactics which should be used tactfully and carefully.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Try a Zoom Escaper (this basically allows you to self-sabotage your audio stream…children crying, dogs, heavy construction noise…), slow internet connection, my computer is updating, unable to log in & wrong meeting details, out of memory on my device or old school, my battery is dying! Enjoy.</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/04/16/friday-insight-lets-zoom-down/">Friday Insight – Let’s Zoom Down!</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">42034</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Friday Insight</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/04/09/friday-insight/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 09 Apr 2021 03:59:05 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Industry]]></category> <category><![CDATA[COVID19]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Friday Insight]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=41915</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>With the majority of shops in the UK opening at some stage in April 2021 (and English stores next Monday) Underlines takes a look at consumer expectations of both small…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/04/09/friday-insight/">Friday Insight</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>With the majority of shops in the UK opening at some stage in April 2021 (and English stores next Monday) Underlines takes a look at consumer expectations of both small and large shopping outlets. Will we see an initial rush to shops followed by flat-lining after summer 2021? or will we experience the Roaring 20’s Part Two*? Last century we saw the end of World War I followed by the Spanish Flu of 1918, then the 1920’s saw not just a new normality but an upsurge of hedonism and a boom economy. Consumerism reached new heights and the mindset of society changed from one of fear and deprivation to one of seemingly endless possibilities – whilst this deprivation cannot be compared to 2020-2021, there are parallels to be drawn when assessing consumer behaviour.</em></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The pandemic of 2020 bears many similarities to that of over a century ago…consumers becoming more careful with/saving more money (becoming risk averse while the threat to life and livelihood are most apparent). However just as the 1920s saw the wider access to telephone, radio, cinema, r-to-w clothing as well as more assembly line production (a series of firsts that completely changed the way people lived and worked), we are experiencing seismic and swift changes to the way we work, live and shop in 2021 and beyond.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">As we ‘emerge’ from our socially deprived and distanced bubbles it is pretty certain that consumers will spend more freely and indulgently not just this year but at least for the next 2-3 years especially when allowed to travel more freely. Generations of consumers who have taken regular foreign holidays absolutely for granted, city break weekends to virtually anywhere they like have been under ‘house arrest’ for over 12 months and will continue to have limited options to at least the end of this year. And for those workers who have been furloughed or WFH many are richer cash-wise with little access to travel, eating out, health & beauty treatments, hair and nail salons… The signs are already apparent that we will be stay-cationing with sales of camper vans outstripping supply and bookings of holiday caravans throughout the UK already at capacity.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Consumers are craving exciting, in ‘real life’ experiences due to a dearth of stimuli and the eagerness to return to ‘normality’ (any with surplus of savings literally burning a hole in their pockets) reveals tangible opportunities for both brands and retailers in the retail industry. And other key prospects come from sustainability and recyclability of clothing and intimate apparel – consumers have had time to look at the fashion industry much more analytically than ever before so premium priced products with a good providence and little carbon footprint have much to gain going ahead. Whatever else is likely, 2021 will continue to be another milestone year for business, politics and society. The UK is on the verge of re-opening but meantime France, Germany and Italy have been forced into or have had to extend their lockdown periods for non-essential retailing.</p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-41916" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Underlines-shop-open.jpg?resize=500%2C473&ssl=1" alt="" width="500" height="473" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Underlines-shop-open.jpg?resize=780%2C738&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Underlines-shop-open.jpg?resize=350%2C331&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Underlines-shop-open.jpg?resize=170%2C161&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Underlines-shop-open.jpg?resize=768%2C727&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Underlines-shop-open.jpg?resize=585%2C554&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Underlines-shop-open.jpg?w=800&ssl=1 800w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Underlines was fortunate to get access to an illuminating report by UPS** which measures what consumers want from both bricks & mortar and e-commerce across the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium and Poland. Across all the countries common reasons for shopping at smaller or independent stores were cited: 50% want to help small business, 40% believe customer service is better and 37% think that they can offer a more personal experience. However this has to be balanced by the rise of online shopping which has now reached 25% of all purchasing in the UK (but the biggest move away from the physical was in household & electrical, cosmetics and grocery categories). Another important driver for consumers to shop in store was the perception that goods are easier to return in person (29%) alongside a more unique/innovative product offer (25%).</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">What is interesting here is that the desire to help small or local businesses was highest in the UK (62%) and Spain (61%). Align this with the real desire for shopping enjoyment and personal contact (and of course personal advice on fitting for intimate apparel specialists) with the shop-owner and prospects in the short term look auspicious. And of course it is those smaller retailers who have had an active online presence over the last 12 months (even if not selling online) in various social media who stand to gain the most. They have garnered new Facebook friends, Instagram followers and indeed opened up direct marketplaces on social media (with or without transactional websites) and in many cases have shared their emotional rollercoaster of being a small business owner with their sympathetic customers.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">These smaller retailers have another key advantage over pure play insomuch as many consumers believe local retailers and shopping locally is a much more sustainable and eco-friendly method of shopping. Perceptions of excess/unnecessary packaging and a large carbon footprint for deliveries mean sustainability has become a key topic for e-commerce operators. Level of returns is another issue doubling up on environmental concerns. This is felt most acutely by the active ‘digital natives’ who shop mostly if not completely online but are also environmentally more aware than previous generations (although the gap is closing as more generational awareness is growing).</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Much has been written on how that larger retailers operating in bricks and mortar must bring the so-called ‘shopping experience’ with the public relations emphasis on experience rather than shopping. In the short-term this is not a major issue as consumers will have the pent-up desire to shop, shop and shop again but in the medium to long term, this ‘experience’ will become more essential to gain and retain consumer interest and loyalty.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">It is impossible to ‘turn back the clock’ in terms of heightened purchases online but the smaller, independent retailers now have the opportunity to truly shine on re-opening. Most consumers have had a great deal of screen time, be that for work, keeping in touch with family or indeed shopping. The one great advantage of e-commerce (convenience) can be over shadowed in clothing/footwear and intimate apparel by personal service, personal advice and the actual desire of consumers to spend their money with smaller retailers to whom their purchases make a real difference in a competitive marketplace. Individual, personalised fitting and attention will be in huge demand and the widely adopted and safe appointments system only adds to that very special customer experience. I for one can’t wait!</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">*The Green Room Design<br /> **UPS Smart E-commerce Report 2021 (10,699 adults interviewed across 7 countries)</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/04/09/friday-insight/">Friday Insight</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">41915</post-id> </item> <item> <title>Friday Insight – Coming out of lockdown</title> <link>https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/03/26/friday-insight-coming-out-of-lockdown/</link> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Underlines]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 26 Mar 2021 03:00:37 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Surveys]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Friday Insight]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">http://underlinesmagazine.com/?p=41754</guid> <description><![CDATA[<p>Coming out of lockdown on 12th April… Underlines speaks to 50 independent retailers in England to find out their hopes, challenges and lessons learned over the past 12 months. What…</p> <p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/03/26/friday-insight-coming-out-of-lockdown/">Friday Insight – Coming out of lockdown</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Coming out of lockdown on 12th April… Underlines speaks to 50 independent retailers in England to find out their hopes, challenges and lessons learned over the past 12 months. What changes will they make to their day-to-day business operations and what products will they lead with to attract consumers back to bricks and mortar? Only last week the Office of National Statistics updated their ‘basket of goods’ for measuring inflation to include hand sanitiser, smart watches, exercise equipment for home use and… loungewear!</em></p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Over the last year the underwear sector has been more resilient to the overall drop-off in sales than the rest of the fashion sector but estimates* still reveal that that decrease for the year is between 12-15% (and between March-June 2020 a dramatic fall of nearly 50%!). Where demand for items such as loungewear, sports bras and comfy bras increased there was also sales decreases in those lingerie items which might be considered ‘non-essential’. There has been a shift to buying more underwear online and this is a main concern for most of the retailers we spoke to. Likewise cash flow is a major worry to independent retailers as most (two-thirds) <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/02/23/12th-april-is-new-red-letter-day/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">will open on 12th April</a> on an appointments only basis and were vocal about the problems with VAT and levies for imports from Europe. Notwithstanding although many have been cautious and limited their forward ordering, there is still a build-up of stock, even when running their own transactional websites to service their customers (all interviewed had websites for their businesses and two-thirds now had fully transactional sites).</p> <h5 style="text-align: justify;">So what do these retailers feel are their biggest challenges when they re-open their doors?</h5> <p style="text-align: justify;">Time and time again, the message emerged that they were concerned how to actually get consumers to come back to bricks and mortar on a sustainable and commercially viable level: attraction/convenience of buying online and sometimes cheaper, the ‘fear’ of shopping that will still be experienced by some consumers and indeed the ‘gloomy’ ambience of their local high streets which have been decimated by closure of non-apparel chains and department stores. But not all is doom and gloom – most reported that they had experienced great loyalty from their customers and a definite desire to shop local once allowed more social freedoms. This loyalty has been fully earned with almost all outlets keeping in touch on a consistent basis via Facebook, Instagram, Zoom and phone calls (Facebook being the most popular of social media) and practically all of those interviewed said they were much more active on social media than ever before.</p> <p><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-41755" src="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Friday-insight.jpeg?resize=780%2C780&ssl=1" alt="" width="780" height="780" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Friday-insight.jpeg?resize=780%2C780&ssl=1 780w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Friday-insight.jpeg?resize=350%2C350&ssl=1 350w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Friday-insight.jpeg?resize=170%2C170&ssl=1 170w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Friday-insight.jpeg?resize=768%2C768&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Friday-insight.jpeg?resize=585%2C585&ssl=1 585w, https://i0.wp.com/underlinesmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Friday-insight.jpeg?w=800&ssl=1 800w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px" /></p> <h5 style="text-align: justify;">What products will they lead with in their window displays?</h5> <p style="text-align: justify;">The majority will play to their strengths with spring fashion lingerie: encouraging consumers to come and get fitted and treat themselves to a fresh summer underwear wardrobe. Far fewer are taking a gamble on showing swimwear (although April in any normal year would be a peak time for showing swimwear). Perhaps this will change as the month progresses with the recent news that it is likely families will be spending their summer holidays at UK coastal resorts! The only good thing we can remember about the second three months of 2020 and the first lockdown was the absolutely glorious weather.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Retailers are aware that their high street or local area will have changed from March 2020, perhaps beyond recognition. And these changes represent opportunities as well as challenges. With the complete store closure of chains such as Debenhams and the <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/03/24/john-lewis-partnership-confirms-8-permanent-closures/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">partial store closure of John Lewis & Partners</a>, 50% of retailers felt that there was an argument to be made for sourcing more moderately priced lingerie collections (alongside their existing collections) to capture those consumers who previously only or mostly visited department stores. Others felt it was more important to differentiate themselves from a mainstream offer by presenting collections that could not be found everywhere.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">More pertinent is that 96% felt that they now had an opportunity to capture ‘new’ consumers who would not/could not go to department stores in their area for fittings – that their fitting expertise could be expanded to a wider consumer base than previously.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">One thing that clearly emerges is that the COVID crisis has ramped up the agility of retail at all levels. Even the smallest of the outlets we interviewed are moving towards more digital communication and having to make business decisions quickly (with maximum flexibility against a backdrop which no-one had a blueprint for). The most difficult task to tackle may be forecasting – all normal seasonal patterns have literally been tossed aside and no-one is even really sure if this will be our last national lockdown so retailers have the difficult task of planning for several different trading scenarios. Virtual fittings on a one to one basis were offered by some consultancies & stylists and specialists experienced with post breast surgery consumers but this has not developed into widespread adoption during the lockdowns.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/03/25/wacoal-europe-launches-virtual-fittings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Wacoal Europe is the first to offer free virtual bra fittings with its popular Fantasie brand</a>. The one-on-one virtual fittings will be available via a 3rd part booking platform, whereby the consumer will meet a Fantasie fit expert to aid with any bra fit advice, whether that’s to find out bra size or to help with finding the right bra style to suit the consumer’s shape. It is intended that the service will be rolled out right across the company’s portfolio of brands.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">On the subject of brands’ performance during the crisis opinion is split – some have been pleased with the level of support and understanding they have received during this extraordinary period and others not so much as one retailer commented: “Some manufacturers have treated me with kindness and we tackled this situation as a team. And some showed their dark side and after years of business treated me badly.” Another retailer felt “we need to support the suppliers that support us by being kind and understanding when dealing with stock payments and buying/cancellations.”</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">Certainly it will be those brands which have an open and frank communication with their stockists that will survive and even thrive throughout the rest of 2021. It also seems that the crisis has shown some retailers that there are business trading partners that are ‘fair weather friends’. 46% of those we interviewed were ready to try new products and put new brands into their mix if they could feel confident that they could keep their premises open. And there is a huge desire to meet up again face to face with their regular and new suppliers – 98% said they were happy and eager to attend a summer trade event in the UK by August 2021.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">After the initial ‘shop til you drop’ when stores reopen there will doubtless be a levelling off of consumer demand. Carol Segal (owner of Carols of Bishops Stortford) adds a note of caution: “We are all going to open with a smile on our faces and I’m sure take some money. But we have the Autumn/Winter to get through (Oct/Nov) which is always so quiet. That’s when I think you will see what’s truly happening. How strong different businesses really are!”</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">*<a href="https://www.mintel.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mintel</a> Market Report Underwear June 2020</p><p>The post <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com/2021/03/26/friday-insight-coming-out-of-lockdown/">Friday Insight – Coming out of lockdown</a> first appeared on <a href="https://underlinesmagazine.com">Underlines Magazine</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded> <post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">41754</post-id> </item> </channel> </rss>