MARKET WATCH
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Nearly 1 in 5 Shoppers Purchase Products after Scanning QR Code
Quick Response, or QR codes, are everywhere from print advertisements to websites to in-store signage and product packaging. While only 21% of shoppers know QR codes by name, nearly all respondents to a recent study reported having seen the ubiquitous black and white squares. The study of over 1,200 consumers was conducted by Chadwick Martin Bailey and iModerate Research Technologies.
How are shoppers using QR codes and what are they looking for when they scan?
For smartphone owners, whose devices are capable of scanning the code, QR codes are becoming a part of the purchase process. Half of smartphone owners surveyed had scanned a QR code, and nearly 20% of them made a purchase after scanning, indicating a willingness to make QR codes part of the purchase process for tech-savvy shoppers.
“Consumers are curious about QR codes and the information they can get,” said Jeff McKenna, Senior Consultant at Chadwick Martin Bailey. “But companies need to understand what consumers expect from a scan whether it’s more information, a coupon, or exclusive offer. Companies who use QR codes successfully to drive engagement or sales will be those who meet customer expectations and offer compelling reasons to scan.”
McKinsey & Company Acquires Henry Rak Consulting Partners
McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm, has announced the acquisition of Henry Rak Consulting Partners, a premier U.S.-based growth strategy and analytics consulting firm.
HRCP develops actionable growth strategies that identify where and how companies should compete profitably, based on an in-depth understanding of actual consumer behavior.
The 100% acquisition of HRCP further enhances McKinsey’s ability to provide clients with distinctive “end-to-end” organic growth solutions built on deep consumer insights. HRCP will continue to operate independently as a wholly owned subsidiary of McKinsey & Company.
Inmar Named Best Private Technology Company
Inmar, a leading provider of solutions that connect trading partners through consulting, software services and operations, was the recipient of the 2011 NCTA Award for Best Private Technology Company in the Excellence Category. The company was also a finalist for the Best Product or Service Technology Company and the Industry-driven Technology Company Awards.
The NCTA 21 Awards are recognized as North Carolina’s most prestigious awards, celebrating innovation and excellence in North Carolina. This annual showcase honors companies and individuals that represent the best and brightest in technology and business in 21 categories.
Inmar CIO Mark Wright, who accepted the award on behalf of the Inmar team, said, “Technology innovation is at the heart of Inmar’s value proposition to our clients. It is an honor to be recognized in our home state and to witness the truly exciting ways that companies in North Carolina are shaping business through technology.”
Demo of Customer Segment Solutions at NRF
KSS Retail a, dunnhumby company and global provider of price modeling, optimization and customer insights solutions for the retail industry, will showcase the use of Customer Segments within Price and Promotion Optimization at the 2012 National Retail Federation (NRF) Big Show in New York January
15-18.
Using customer segments within pricing and promotional decisions allows retailers to put shoppers at the center of merchandising decisions. KSS Retail has pioneered the usage of customer segments within price optimization. It will provide demos of the functionality in booth #119 at NRF, the largest gathering of retail and technology businesses & professionals in the world.
In a related development, Andy Kalamaras has joined KSS Retail as Senior Vice President, Sales and Professional Services. He has two decades of extensive experience working with leading technology providers including Accenture, Epicor, MicroStrategy and Guidance Software, and a proven track record in sales and negotiations with Fortune 500 companies.
Offering Secure Coupons on Facebook to Drive Sales
A new way for brands to offer secure, printable coupons directly on their Facebook Fan pages has been launched by Coupons.com Incorporated, a provider of digital coupons, including online printable, social, mobile and loyalty card promotions. With Brandcaster Social, marketers can implement digital coupon campaigns on Facebook Fan pages in 48 hours or less and get rich analytics and transparency on the campaign.
Brandcaster Social is designed to help brands:
- Easily integrate secure coupons into Facebook without programming knowledge
- Add text and graphics without design expertise
- Provide a seamless user experience that allows consumers to print coupons directly within Facebook
- Leverage the viral nature of a Facebook Like by allowing consumers to post to their news feed, alerting their friends of the availability of the coupon
- Intelligently message to consumers about the status of a coupon. When a coupon has reached its allotted print limit, the offer is automatically removed and consumers are alerted that the coupon has reached its print limit and they should check back later.
Video Rewards to Bring Content and Savings to Consumers
CouponNetwork.com, a provider of digital and printable coupons powered by Catalina Marketing Corporation, is launching a new consumer savings solution called Video Rewards. The unique brand building and consumer rewards program allows companies to better engage and connect with customers through relevant, informational videos.
Video Rewards allows companies to leverage the power and reach of Coupon Network and other digital properties to increase brand engagement, customer interaction and coupon redemption rates. The network was designed to help savings-focused shoppers connect with their favorite brands and retailers, and Video Rewards aims to extend the power and value of that connection.
The program includes enhanced value coupons available to users who simply click on the “Coupon Details” tab and watch a short informational video from the brand. After watching the video, which plays within the Coupon Network site, users automatically receive a higher value on the brand’s digital or printable coupon offer. Brands build deeper relationships and recognition with consumers, who in turn receive bigger immediate savings and incentives.
“Video Rewards demonstrates the potential of online couponing to deliver significantly more consumer and brand engagement versus more traditional mass or paper couponing vehicles," said Susan Gear, General Manager of Coupon Network. "Our goal is to help consumers build deeper relationships with their favorite brands, as well as discover new products and brands.”
New App Delivers Promos to Smartphones
A new application aims to empower brands to become a dynamic part of the shopping process by delivering their influential offers to a consumer’s smartphone while he or she is standing in the store where 66% of purchase decisions are made.
mPromo from AisleBuyer leverages the merchandising rules engine in the company’s mobile commerce platform to generate recommendations and offers dynamically. The platform offers a full range of functionality to couple the right products with the right shoppers, including a dashboard for managing product catalogs, promotions and coupons. In addition, the application provides brands with full visibility into in-store shopping behavior through detailed analytics built to track the success of their campaigns through every stage of the customer lifecycle.
“With mPromo, brands have the opportunity to localize their marketing campaigns at the store level while utilizing data on shopping behavior to deliver targeted recommendations, promotions and coupons,” said Andrew Paradise, AisleBuyer CEO. “Not since the introduction of the endcap display have brands had this much influence over in-aisle purchasing decisions.”
Multi-Brand Organic Coupons Are Now Online
Responding to consumer demand, Mambo Sprouts Marketing has expanded its savings programs with printable, online coupons. Visitors to the company’s web site (www.mambosprouts.com) can print high-value coupons for natural and organic products.
The company already offers in-store coupons in partnership with a number of retailers like Whole Foods Markets and reaches more than 200,000 households with its regional, by-request direct mail coupon program.
The new coupon section on the company's website places Mambo Sprouts at the forefront in being one of the first online resources to offer multiple brand coupons exclusively for natural and organic producers. The new e-coupon function is powered by E-centives, a leader in secure print-controlled Internet coupons.
This new online program allows marketers to reach more households and further expand their coupon promotion offers on health and organic foods. “The whole idea behind Internet coupons is to create new ways to connect with consumers,” said Dadi Akhavan, president and co-founder of E-centives. “The web provides many more opportunities that better integrate into the brand experience online and allow marketers to use coupons in more effective ways throughout the marketing lifecycle.”
USDA Launches Online Nutrition SuperTracker
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) aims to help Americans keep their New Year’s resolutions to make healthy food and physical activity choices. Its new nutrition SuperTracker is a comprehensive, state-of-the-art resource available at ChooseMyPlate.gov. It is designed to assist individuals as they make changes in their life to reduce their risk of chronic disease and maintain a healthy weight.
Release of this new web tool comes as USDA highlights the second in a series of themed consumer messages supporting the MyPlate icon - Enjoy Your Food, But Eat Less - that USDA is promoting the next three months in conjunction with more than 5,000 organizations participating in the MyPlate Nutrition Communicators Network.
“This easy-to-use website will help Americans at all stages of life improve their overall health and well-being as they input dietary and physical activity choices into the tool. During the holiday season we are surrounded by good food and this is a perfect time to Enjoy Your Food, But Eat Less,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
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