MARKET WATCH
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Lipari Foods Taps Gladson for Digital Product Content
Lipari Foods, a leading specialty food distributor based in Warren, Mich., will rely on Galdson for digital product content, digital image database and related services.
“At Lipari Foods, we have built our 2016 strategic goals around trusted accurate data, speed to market and product safety,” said Michael C. Hegarty, Lipari Foods’ Director of ERP | CRM Corporate Strategy. “When it comes to providing rich product content and digital imagery, Gladson is one of the most respected companies in the industry.”
With the use of the Gladson database, Lipari Foods will ensure the consistent use of product content across category management and online catalogue, which in turn helps their retailers sell more product through better optimized shelf space. Gladson’s product content database offers a complete digital representation of each product, including high-resolution images and over 200 product attributes, such as nutrition facts, ingredients, allergens, weights and dimensions, warnings and marketing claims.
“At Gladson, we understand the importance of our customers utilizing consistent, high-quality images and accurate product content across their business,” said Susan Sentell, president and CEO of Gladson.
Ace Hardware Loyalty Program Now in Grocery Stores
Ace Hardware Corp. is deploying its loyalty program in grocery stores that are also Ace outlets in a store-within-a-store configuration. The move is made possible via a collaboration between Ace Hardware and ProLogic Retail Services, the largest third-party provider of loyalty marketing solutions to independent grocers.
Using ProLogic’s technology, the Ace Rewards program can now deliver discounts on its hardware products to shoppers through the grocer's point-of-sale (POS) system.
The world’s largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative operates both store-within-a-store configurations and adjacent storefronts with participating retail grocers to provide one-stop shopping for consumers.
“ProLogic's long history in the grocery industry and deep expertise in grocery POS systems makes them a great collaborator for Ace Hardware in this market,” said Rick Williams, VP of IT for Ace Hardware.
Ross Ely, president and CEO of ProLogic Retail Services, said, “Enabling promotions and discounts on Ace Hardware products at the grocery checkout benefits both consumers and grocery retailers.”
Digital Convergence Forum on Tap Next Month
With consumer expectations driving significant changes in e-commerce, GS1 US and knowledge partner, McKinsey & Company, will host the Digital Convergence Forum, giving retail, consumer packaged goods and healthcare professionals an opportunity to learn best practices for growing their businesses online.
The one-day event, co-located with the GS1 US annual conference and exhibit, GS1 Connect, will take place June 2, 2016 at the Marriot Marquis in Washington, D.C. It will feature executive digital strategist speakers from leading corporations including Beats Electronics, Campbell Soup Company, eBay, Google Shopping, Kroger, Tesco, TUMI and others.
“With the monumental growth of online shopping, the retail industry is taking significant steps to improve search, discovery and the digital path-to-purchase,” said Bob Carpenter, president and CEO of GS1 US. “The Digital Convergence Forum will provide attendees with actionable tools and strategies that businesses can use to improve their customer experiences, win in today’s competitive online ecosystem, and attract loyal consumers.”
McKinsey’s top e-commerce experts and industry thought leaders will share digital breakthroughs for driving omni-channel performance through personalization, improving product search and leveraging data and predictive analytics to win within the digital journey. Additional topics to be discussed include the current state of digital, contextual curation, and measuring a company’s “Digital Quotient.”
The Digital Convergence Forum will also include a fireside chat with renowned futurist and global innovation advisor, Daniel Burrus. The author of best-selling books such as Flash Foresight and Technotrends, Burrus will discuss game-changing digital trends that will have a direct impact on the retail sector.
More information is available at http://digitalconvergenceforum.gs1us.org.
Half of US Online Grocery Trips Go to Amazon Today: New Report
A report on the competitive landscape for online grocery aims to help supermarket management successfully navigate the opportunities and challenges that confront them in this emerging channel.
The Supermarket Guide to Online Grocery Competition from consultant Brick Meets Click contends that the primary competitive threat grocers face online doesn’t come from the direct competitors like Peapod that are trying to win the customer away. The real threat comes from Amazon and other “Basket Bandit” sites that siphon off sales, generating a steady stream of sales leakage.
“Consumers have been spreading their online grocery shopping across more sites, and the increased availability of options is dramatically accelerating this trend,” says Bill Bishop, Chief Architect of Brick Meets Click and primary author of the report.
He said Basket Bandits dominate the landscape today. This group consists of Amazon, several other online-only retailers such as Blue Apron, Thrive.com, Drugstore.com, and Chewy.com, and the online “stores” of mass and club retailers.
According to the report:
- Basket Bandits capture 84% of online grocery trips, and take in 59% of all online grocery spending.
- Even with AmazonFresh in limited rollout, Amazon captures nearly half of all online grocery trips (48%), compared to 15% for mass and club retailer sites and 21% for non-Amazon sites.
- Since 2013, the percentage of shoppers that have bought groceries from Amazon in the past 30 days has increased 25%.
“We also found an Amazon multiplier effect,” said Bishop, “As online grocery trips per month increase, so does Amazon’s share of trips. They are continually working on making buying easier, and supermarkets need to respond.”
The good news for grocers is that one-stop shopping clearly has a role to play in the online grocery landscape. The study found that multichannel supermarkets win a significant share of the online business once they get established in a market, and the same is true for direct competitors.
By comparing shopper satisfaction scores, the report also identifies where multi-channel supermarkets are currently vulnerable, and it points to three important areas where supermarkets have an opportunity to improve:
- The ease of reviewing product information.
- The experience of receiving all the items ordered.
- The consistent notification of substitutions.
Shopper Engagement Platform Debuts at Coborn’s and Foodtown
Two regional grocery chains, Minnesota-based Coborn’s and New Jersey-based Foodtown, have selected Birdzi to provide personalized digital savings for their shoppers and increase customer engagement. The independent chains selected the platform for its unique ability to create personalized offers and drive loyalty at home, in store and on the go.
The platform allows retailers to target shoppers based on their personal preferences, purchase history and current location. Grocers using Birdzi technology have seen week-over-week growth in shopper engagement as they deliver targeted, relevant offers to their customers.
“Building a data-driven customer-centric marketing strategy has long been a goal of mine,” said Dennis Host, vice president of marketing who joined Coborn’s, Inc. in 2010. “Once our program is fully launched, with the help of Birdzi, we will be delivering a very advanced personalized loyalty program to our guests through an app, dedicated website and in-store beacon technology.”
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