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What\u2019s powering next-gen commerce experiences?<\/em><\/p>\n It\u2019s a profound and weighty question to ask, especially with so many technologies evolving so quickly. During the Retail Innovation Conference & Expo, executives from ShopSimon<\/strong> (formerly Shop Premium Outlets), Rebag<\/strong> and Sune<\/strong> shared their answers by delving into the technologies and strategies driving their companies\u2019 priorities.<\/p>\n Over the years, ecommerce capabilities have become more advanced, making it \u201csuch a boon for the speed and transactional side\u201d of shopping, according to Brian Beitler, Founder of Sune. In fact, that was the value prop for sites like Amazon<\/strong>: shoppers could find exactly what they wanted, quickly and easily. But there is still so much to be desired on the entertainment side, which is where brick-and-mortar continues to shine.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, we all love [ecommerce], because there are times when I just need an item now, but it loses a little bit of humanity,\u201d Beitler explained. He started Sune to close this humanity gap and create a personal experience through live shopping: \u201cOur whole goal was to make it more personal. If you think about Instagram, it sometimes isolates us, but it also brings us together in a new way, and it makes everything personal.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Sune not only taps into the digital scale of platforms like Instagram, but also the human touch of shopping-centric TV networks like QVC<\/strong>. \u201cOur goal is to reinvent that [QVC experience] right on small screens and in different places, where you can bring the personal side and the human side together,\u201d Beitler said.<\/p>\n The Sune app provides a video-driven, mobile-first shopping experience where shoppers can discover, browse and buy items from artisans who offer everything from home d\u00e9cor to jewelry and skincare. \u201cAn app is a very difficult way to launch a commerce business, by the way,\u201d Beitler admitted. \u201cYou have to convince people to not only download, but also use <\/em>the app. But the good thing about this platform environment is you have all of this first-party data on everybody visiting the app over time, which enables us to make our case sooner.\u201d Like Sune, ShopSimon relies on personalization to create an online shopping experience that simultaneously surprises, delights and serves customers based on their distinct needs. And with such a vast target audience that spans 14 to 65 years old<\/strong>, the ShopSimon team needs to \u201cnail that person down,\u201d according to Kelly Cahill, VP of Marketing for ShopSimon.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re a younger company, about five<\/strong> years old, but we do go kind of old school, collecting the data right from our consumers,\u201d Cahill said. \u201cWe use our Rewards program profile to see what people are interested in. We also use AI to do a style quiz and collect information about that consumer.\u201d<\/p>\n These insights are especially helpful because ShopSimon has such a diverse range of brands. \u201cWe have more than a million <\/strong>products on our site, so you can imagine what a diverse cart could look like from a typical consumer,\u201d Cahill said. \u201cUsing data and even lookalikes to understand and show things consumers could be interested in is a big opportunity. We want to show what they already know they want, as well as what they don\u2019t <\/em>know they want.<\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n Gen Z is an especially critical target for ShopSimon, so the company has made several investments to ensure the digital experience aligns with their wants, needs and expectations. \u201cWe\u2019re a part of Simon Malls, so we also wanted to know how that physical mall experience looks and how it has been connected to their [mobile] devices,\u201d Cahill said. \u201cThe mall isn\u2019t dead, but technology is shaping and influencing their purchase decisions.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we learned is that [these consumers] are in a constant state of evaluation. In fact, I think we all are,\u201d Cahill added. \u201cHow many shopping carts do we have with five<\/strong> or 10<\/strong> items? And then you remember how many tabs are open [on your device]. What will make them pull the trigger and not forget about you?\u201d<\/p>\n To remain top-of-mind throughout this incredibly scattered and sporadic buying journey, ShopSimon is looking at technologies to remind consumers and activate engagement. While SMS is a tried-and-true way to \u201ctrigger\u201d a reminder about items in a shopping cart, the company is aiming to diversify this outreach so that it\u2019s more tied to productive habits and proactive engagement, not push <\/em>messaging. \u00a0<\/p>\n Another way ShopSimon creates a more personal and streamlined experience is offering different payment options. \u201cA lot of that generation doesn\u2019t have credit cards, and they\u2019re looking at different ways to use debit cards,\u201d Cahill explained. \u201cWe now use a cash, debit and rewards point vendor to try and attract more Gen Z and encourage them at that pivotal moment to purchase and get rewarded in a different way \u2014 through cash back or points that they can use on our site.\u201d<\/p>\n Physical Retail Brings Rebag Digital Innovation to the Next Level<\/strong><\/p>\n Rebag <\/strong>is a digital business by design \u2014 and it has invested heavily in digital tools and innovations to differentiate itself from other luxury recommerce players. But as the company has grown and matured, physical environments have helped bring the browsing and buying experience to the next level.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re entering a world where the store is becoming a place where people still want to interact in a unique way that is separate from digital,\u201d said Geronimo Chala, Chief Client Officer at Rebag. \u201cAnd I think the world of physical retail is going to be faced with challenges if retailers don\u2019t start to think of innovative ways that consumers can shop the product.\u201d<\/p>\n By that, Chala means offering distinct services and experiences that consumers can\u2019t <\/em>find online, like Lululemon<\/strong>\u2019s in-store trade-in program or Coach<\/strong>\u2019s accessory customization services. Or retailers can incorporate hospitality or wellness services that complement the shopping experience, but don\u2019t enforce a purchase<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have a lot of people, like big hotel chains, coming to us and saying they want to sell vintage products there because customers are on a vacation, they\u2019re hanging out, relaxing and want to do a little bit of shopping,\u201d Chala said. \u201cHow do you take that into more traditional malls, so it\u2019s not just about going from shop to shop?\u201d<\/p>\n Recently, Rebag announced a partnership with Bloomingdale\u2019s that would bring 3,000+<\/strong> luxury items from the company online and into stores. Although this \u201ccurated experience\u201d is in only five<\/strong> Bloomingdale\u2019s stores nationwide, it\u2019s a central component of the partnership, because Bloomingdale\u2019s customers can not only browse a curated assortment of fine luxury goods but also bring in their own pre-loved products to be assessed. Associates can use Rebag\u2019s proprietary AI tool, CLAIR, to make offers and guide customers through the journey so they can find a new luxury item to take home.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nVideo Commerce Finds its Place in the Shopping Journey<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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A powerful combination of high-impact content, video and personalization, Sune \u201cbrings the craft fair to your pocket,\u201d Beitler said. \u201cIt\u2019s that experience of wandering and serendipitously discovering, but it\u2019s all in your pocket.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\nPersonalization Takes the Pain Out of Bargain Shopping<\/strong><\/h3>\n