Is internet killing the traditional store?

[flower-child]

Originally Posted by JohnW

It helps to be armed with some research when deciding on your retail strategy. I came across this article today. I hope you find it interesting:

Shopping Behavior 2010: Phoning It In
http://www.mediapost.com/publication...142&nid=121176

"In just about any aisle in a major retailer you will see people peering into their phones at something, and according to new research on mobile's influence on shopping behavior these folks aren't checking email. The Yahoo Mobile Framework Study performed with Nielsen shows that 9 out of 10 mobile users access the mobile Web in a store. And about half of all mobile Web activity in a store is related to shopping. In fact, mobile users are demonstrating behaviors that are already far ahead of the mobile ecosystem. Almost half of all of those using mobile phones in-store have sent phone camera images of a product to someone."

If you're a bricks and mortar retailer, don't be afraid - work out how you can use this activity to your advantage.

Regs,

JohnW

I do wonder if Australia has a big enough market for this to catch on. I remember when I got my new smartphone I was so excited to be able to scan groceries I wanted to add to my shopping list, only to find the programs only work in the US and Europe. Ours is such a small population, and the US in particular just can't comprehend there is another world out there apart from America (or we just aren't viable $$ wise).

is that a bit OT - sorry if it is.

[King]

Originally Posted by flower-child

I do wonder if Australia has a big enough market for this to catch on. I remember when I got my new smartphone I was so excited to be able to scan groceries I wanted to add to my shopping list, only to find the programs only work in the US and Europe. Ours is such a small population, and the US in particular just can't comprehend there is another world out there apart from America (or we just aren't viable $$ wise).

is that a bit OT - sorry if it is.

I think you are correct in that Australia is a long way behind on many aspects, despite Australians being famous as early adopters of new technology.

For instance, we have had SMS here for well over a decade. The USA really only got their act together four years ago but already have evolved many ideas in the SMS sphere (don't get me started on QR codes, I banged my head against walls for a year trying to get Telstra and Nokia to look at it. Only after it took off in the USA did it gain acceptance here, and even now, Telstra, who pretty much run the technology here, have no real clue on how to take it to market properly.

But I digress.

Yes, our smaller population does cause delays, until we can piggyback on the innovations overseas.

[SuzsSpace]

Oh yes, you definitely need a big inventory with books. I'm still working on it.

There's an interesting thing they do in America with pre-loved books. Book sellers go to book sales armed to the teeth with scanners. They scan the isbn and check prices on Amazon and only buy the ones that have good prices. It's a big pity that some books are published too early for isbns and they just leave them be for someone with actual knowledge to buy.

[JohnW]

"Get it wild and uncensored!" - See uncensored link below...

With the digital world, we are seeing a constantly expanding range of communications options and that makes life difficult for marketers.

I think the main reason Australia is lagging behind the world is a factor of the high cost of our phone and web access but changes may be afoot.

"Telstra sparks price war in smartphones" (Oct 10)
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/aust...-1225934040363
Is Telstra waking up?

Reading these numbers, it looks like smart phones are likely to represent 30% of all mobile phones by the end of 2011. This has been a limiting factor to date.

Another issue is that many people do not understand the complexity of creating effective QR code campaigns. (Sorry if I get you started on this topic.)

If you think QR campaigns don't work, try this Greenpeace campaign...

Get it wild and uncensored! [Dont view at work warning - Ed]
http://osocio.org/message/get_it_wild_and_uncensored/
“Want to see the new campaign from Greenpeace Netherlands and have the possibility to scan a QR Code? “

King, I'm ready to wager that the above link to the video will bring more people to your post than most other Flying Solo forum posts. :-)

PS. There were 468 views of this post before the raunchy Greenpeace video link.

Regs,
JohnW

[King]

QRcodes are dead simple to create, but yet it is getting them (readers) onto phones and effective use that is the challenge.

I was just talking to an industry colleague this afternoon, (after making my rant post) about this style of code.

We can up with a healthy list of applications that could be rolled out tomorrow - like a code at a bus stop that allows you to see the current timetable, or scan a code at a taxi rank to initiate a taxi to come when the rank is empty, to a code that would give you the history of the prawns that you buy for your Christmas lunch.

Sooo many ideas, but sadly sooo few businesses willing to uptake.

But back to how the internet is affecting BM stores....

[JohnW]

With the greatest respect...

Every man/woman and his/her dog can create a QR code.

That is the equivalent of saying that everyone can turn on a radio or TV set.

I can see no correlation between creating a QR code and how many people will scan/use it.

Regs,
JohnW

[King]

Originally Posted by JohnW

With the greatest respect...

Every man/woman and his/her dog can create a QR code.

That is the equivalent of saying that everyone can turn on a radio or TV set.

I can see no correlation between creating a QR code and how many people will scan/use it.

Regs,
JohnW

Sorry I don't understand - a question or a statement?

[4x4 DIRECT]

In terms of the actual business model, my business (selling four wheel drive parts online) began online only.... first from home then from a small warehouse and now a larger warehouse.

While the business has grown, I have had to shift focus from online only to incorporates a physical store based purely on customer trends. I have found that increasingly customers use the internet to research, price compare and learn about our product and service offer and then shop in person. While the online orders remain the focus, ignoring the store front would be a big step backwards.

For me, the shift in focus (to maintaining a physical store) has only meant minor and easy changes. I painted a grubby warehouse floor, and reorganised a chaotic warehouse to now enable a customer to wander through and browse.

That along with obtaining (from suppliers) some display stands and POS promotional material has enabled us to shift from a pure warehousing approach to a customer friendly space. It gives us the feel of being "warehouse direct" which has a huge perception advantage (in my industry) to an air-conditioned, carpeted and well lit retail store.

So essentially the online wave your hear about so predominantly in the media, for us has began to push back the other way slightly and the reason is purely to meet customer demands, and not based on my preference for running an online or off-line business.

The footnote to all that is the obvious specificity to 4-wheel drive parts and accessories.

[King]

Fantastic 4x4 - great to hear that the physical side of things was such an easy transition. I guess the only downside is the need to be there during normal business hours = loss of the flexibility offered by online only.

[JohnW]

Originally Posted by King

Sorry I don't understand - a question or a statement?

Sorry for the slow reply King, I've been busy.

I was trying to make the point that there has to be a real need satisfied by a QR code or people won't bother scanning it and it will need to be implemented correctly or the exercise will also be heading for failure.

If you ferret around in the blogs and read what most people are considering doing with them, you quickly arrive at a conclusion that they will be a waste of time as there is no value/reason for the code viewer to scan them.

On the second issue, there are many examples of QR code campaigns where the implementation was poor. People are jumping into creating QR codes without any knowledge of their limitations or thinking through what they are doing. There are heaps of QR reader apps around, some better than others. What your smartphone can do with a QR code will depend on the app you have installed.

Here are 3 QR code campaigns that pop up in a search for "bad qr code campaigns".

Washington Redskins QR Code Fail
http://2d-code.co.uk/washington-redskins-qr-code/

HBO is using a QR code in GQ Magazine
http://qranywhere.blogspot.com/2010/...ire-using.html

Italian Clothes Designer uses QR Code
http://www.2dbarcodestrategy.com/201...s-qr-code.html

I can imagine many situations where the technology could be very valuable to a bricks and mortar retailer but if people expect a code to be scanned just because it's there - forget it.

Regs,

JohnW