M&S And Paths to Purchase

Although M&S sells about one in three dresses and one in five of its suits online, school-wear has become one of the company’s most popular smartphone products with families looking to avoid the stressful “back to school” shopping trip.

Question is..was this smartphone helping with a customer pain point by design or just a lucky coincidence?

Understanding the salescycle or as we often refer to it these days Path to Purchase is key to understanding how we can help customers overcome those barriers to purchase.

There are many ways of depicting these journeys or paths, here is one I have come across. Figure 1 taken from an ATG webinar shows the path from Search to Purchase

Figure 1 Search to Purchase

This search to purchase journey depicts a customer journey that involves both the digital aspects of searching and researching a product as well as purchasing . Of course, in reality there is often, as depicted here, a physical element where customers want to view , touch and perhaps get more information by visiting the physical store before buying on-line. I've previously talked about combating this 'showrooming' by possibly encouraging in store purchase with an amazing experience or encouraging on going engagement once out of the store. ( See 'Combating Showrooming ,  Personalisation In-store )

M&S is trying to achieve both of these with some key projects.

Their stores are getting wi-fi that will be free for customers possibly as a way of allowing them to find out more about products as well purchasing from their wider range on line. to aid this QR codes are being used in-store

Figure 2 M&S App Screenshot

And of course their App will aid in this ( see Figure 2)

Also, some store assistants ill be getting iPads to help customers in the same way.

Figure 3 - Contactless Payment

Not forgeting the quick, small purchase ( the M&S .....), they are also adopting faster ways to pay with contactless options - Figure 3








You may have even seen the oversized smartphones in their stores

The one in figure 4 is actually in their store in Paris where customers are again able to purchase from the extended range on line - or even buy while on day trip to Paris and get it delivered back in the UK?

Figure 4 - Oversized Smartphones in Paris

And of course they are addressing the delivery element by allowing customers to have items delivered to their home or most convenient store. This option incorporating that crucial free delivery tag so many consumers want ( see Amazon Set to Deliver Via Newsagents )



Sources

Marks and Spencer data sourced from their 2012 Corporate Report

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/marks-spencer-installs-wi-fi-163808550.html

Print Still Has Its Place ( Funny)

Favourite Subject Line of the Week

To be honest I'd actually forgotten that I had a review on there, so I was intrigued by how many people had seen my review.

So of course it came as a surprise when I saw that over 40 people had read my review of this pub out n the middle of nowhere.

Funnily enough this email then came up in conversation with my wife on our way back from eating some pretty average food at Hotel du Vin.

Even she admitted that these days news of the poor food was sure to be spread quickly with Social Media - and this from someone who believes Facebook, Twitter etc are tools of Satan.

Mobile Consumers Want Local Information and Fast!

Figure 1

Mobile Consumers wanting Local Information and Fast are some of the key take outs from the Keynote Systems 2012 Mobile User Survey

The report is interesting in that it highlights the top activities that smartphone users undertake on their phones.

The Top 5 include ( see Figure 1)

1. Access local information
2. Search for information
3. Participate in social media/networking sites
4. Read news and entertainment
5. Find local services

 Surprisingly according to this survey, playing games and checking emails is down in the other section.

The main difference between Smartphone users and Tablet users was that the former were more likely to want to access local information ( probably as they carry their phones out and about more often), while Tablet users were more likely to use it for entertainment ,eg watching videos.

Whatever information they are trying to access, one key factor is load time for the website. Slow response time is a key frustration. This is the case for both users who are mobile or who are sat at their desks using a PC.

After all, there is nothing worse when having a conversation than waiting and age for a response!

The report pdf is available here

Elements of Relevancy

What kind of reaction do you want when you send an email or other message to your customers?

The reactions are likely to fall into 1 of 3 categories in the customer's mind

Delete - Why?...because based on the last few messages you've sent me I have no time now nor later to open it. ..even to un-subscribe

Later - Why?..because you generally send me good content that I like, but I haven't got time right now to give you my full attention while perhaps I'm mobile

Now - Why..because it's Timely, has the right content, recognises the device I'm using and as a result is  Relevant and hence is of Value to me