Negócios do futuro

Há dias escrevi em "Tem um armazém?" sobre alguns negócios do futuro.

Entretanto, lembrei-me de um outro que já existe no país mais envelhecido do mundo, empresas que esvaziam as casas dos idosos falecidos sem família e promovem a economia circular dos seus bens.

Pois bem, ao ler "How e-commerce returns are killing the environment":

"In December, American consumers will return more than 1 million packages to e-commerce retailers each day. It’s a flood of unwanted stuff that’s expected to peak on Jan. 2, which UPS Inc. cheekily calls “National Returns Day.”
.
For UPS and other shippers, that’s reason for plenty of post-holiday cheer. For everyone else, those tens of millions of packages are a real problem.
...
The problem is that consumers are returning more and more every year. In 2018, Americans sent back 10% of their purchases, valued at $369 billion, according to data and software firm Appriss, up from 8% two years earlier.
.
Younger shoppers in particular are more inclined to treat online purchases as rentals, or to buy clothing to try on, then return what doesn’t fit or look good. It’s a global trend: In Sweden, return rates are as high as 60% for some products.
.
The logistical burden of these returns is so heavy it’s inspired an entire industry devoted to dealing with unwanted stuff. But the environmental toll may prove to be more significant.
.
In 2017, Optoro Inc., a company that helps retailers manage their returns, estimated that only 10% of the merchandise it handles ends up back on the shelves. Some is sold to discounters and recyclers, or routed to charities."

Encontrei outro, empresas que recebem as devoluções e as recuperam para voltarem a poder ser vendidas pelo vendedor original.

2009 versus 2019

"In 2009, I wrote: “Companies can no longer hide behind a veneer of a shiny branding campaign, because customers are one Google search away from the truth.”
.
It’s more true today.
...
In 2009, I wrote: “Trust agents have established themselves as being non-sales-oriented, non-high-pressure marketers. Instead, they are digital natives using the Web to be genuine and to humanize their business.”
.
I would change this a bit. Sales isn’t bad. Bad sales are bad. A trust agent sells you something they believe will help you win the game you’re trying to win.
...
In 2019, there’s something more. We are in an age of identity, where people want to be very specific about who they are, what matters to them, and they want to support only those companies that share their values. If you can buy the same kinds of products from multiple sources, why buy from a company you don’t respect? Or most importantly, who doesn’t see you?
...
In 2009, I wrote: “Gaining the trust of another requires you be competent and reliable. It also requires you to leave someone with a positive emotional impression, which is something the Web has the potential to do quickly and well.”
...
I think very few marketing departments held conversations about the trust equation (even though Maister and Green helped companies make millions on this detail alone). And I know that very few companies set about trying to humanize their brands to reach people.
...
In a 2017 study, Cone Communications found that 67% of people wanted to align with companies that shared their values, and that furthermore, most people wanted to align with companies who would move their values forward in some way.
.
Identity matters to individuals more than ever before."

Trechos retirados de "10 Years After Trust Agents"

Ainda mais temas para o futuro do retalho e da produção

Parte I e parte II.

"The decline of Payless can be attributed partly to broader trends in the market. The brand’s stores were largely located in malls, and there has a general decrease in the amount of foot traffic at large shopping centers over the last few years.
.
But there’s also an important shift happening in consumer behavior. People are moving away from poorly made, inexpensive fashion items. For decades fast fashion, epitomized by brands like H&M and Forever21, churned out cheap, fashionable clothes that customers could wear a few times before chucking out. But as I’ve reported before, many fast fashion brands are now on the decline.
.
Payless was the shoe equivalent of fast fashion. The brand was not known for the quality or durability of its product, but competed largely on price. As a result, customers could buy whatever boot or heel was in season, and expect to throw it away months later. Consumers appear to be tired of this approach, partly because it is so environmentally unsound. While Payless has spiraled downwards, a flock of brands making high-quality, eco-friendly, durable shoes like M.Gemi, Allbirds, and Rothy’s have been thriving."

O impacte desta evolução no retalho, nas marcas, na produção, nos materiais e design - pense nisso!

Trecho retirado de "What the Payless bloodbath says about the death of fast fashion"

Mais temas para o futuro do retalho

Parte I.

"Payless ShoeSource this week filed for Chapter 11 protection and said it would be closing all 2,500 store locations across North America as well as its e-commerce operations. With over 16,000 jobs lost, it is one of the largest retailer liquidation to date, according to the Wall Street Journal.
...
 we need see these closings as a sign of change and heed the lessons wisely, because what "killed" all three [Moi ici: Payless, Toys R Us e a Sears] is not just Amazon or the internet, but a new business paradigm."

Ontem vi este video sobre o Revolut e N26 e é o mesmo fenómeno: "a new business paradigm". Ter especial atenção às palavras do economista Vinay Pranjivam e os trechos que se seguem, retirados de “Unlocking the Customer Value Chain” de Thales S. Teixeira.

Ontem de manhã li estes trechos:

"The Concept of Decoupling
...
Wondering precisely how disruptors were unsettling small parts of incumbents’ businesses, I turned to a basic framework that my colleagues and I teach our students: the customer’s value chain, or CVC. A CVC is composed of the discrete steps a typical customer follows in order to select, buy, and consume a product or service. CVCs vary according to the specifics of a business, industry, or product.

Traditionally, consumers completed all these activities with the same company in a joint or coupled manner.
...
What I realized, as I thought about these examples, was that disruptors had posed a threat by breaking the links between some of the stages of the CVC and then “stealing” one or a few stages for themselves to fulfill.”

Trechos iniciais retirados de "Valuable Lessons Learned From the Closing of Payless Shoes"

Temas para o futuro do retalho

• Portugueses entre os europeus que mais fazem compras em sites estrangeiros
• Ecommerce France was worth €92.6 billion in 2018
• JCPenney is quitting the appliance business as it weathers an identity crisis
• How the Apple store lost its ‘wow factor’
• Experience Will Be Everything in 2019 — Starting with Your Customer
• Why Private Label Products Will Be the Savior of Retail - importante para empresários de PMEs portuguesas
• Brick-And-Mortar Retail Is Not Dead, But Department Stores Like Macy's Sure Are
• Retailers Are Squandering Their Most Potent Weapons
• Why Retail Is Getting 'Experience' Wrong  - importante para empresários de PMEs portuguesas

Tracção para a loja online

"What do 93 percent of the largest online retailers in Germany have in common? They all have a digital corporate magazine. In Germany, 28 of the 30 biggest online stores have at least one company magazine.
...
The German digital marketing agency Seokratie looked at the 30 most successful online shops in Germany to determine how many of them runs a company magazine, which it described as something that’s digitally available, with regular editorial content that’s separated from the home page, no PR messages and written in German.
...
Seokratie found out that if an online shop has several magazines, these are also aimed at different target groups."

E a sua empresa, como cria tracção para a loja online?

Trechos retirados de "Most online shops in Germany have a digital magazine"

"the primary role of the store will not be to sell product"

Um texto excelente em "The Store Is Media And Media Is The Store" a merecer a reflexão por quem é responsável por uma loja física:

"There’s a dramatic and strangely under-editorialized reality taking shape in retail.  One that seems to be eluding even some of the industry’s most sophisticated retailers and brands.
.
It’s that until very recently the primary function, form and purpose of retail stores was to distribute products. Stores were the principle and in many cases the only means of availing distribution of products to a given market.
.
Consequently, the entire retail industry framework has been based on product sales from the store to the consumer, and the revenue it generates.
...
It’s all about the sale of product.
...
In a post-Internet, post-mobile world of one click access, the distribution of products has all but ceased to be the issue. When one of something can be efficiently shipped to anyone, anywhere, the question of where the sale takes place is rapidly becoming moot.  In other words, in the long-term, sales of product simply can’t be the primary strategic purpose or metric for the store.
.
Some of the world’s largest retailers are struggling with this jarring reality already. “Stack it high and watch it fly” has abruptly turned into “stack it low and hope it goes” as big box stores scramble to lower inventories in the face of flat or declining sales.  The knee-jerk reaction among some is to simply downsize and marginalize the role of the store.  Others are adopting the buzzword of omni-channel – resigning to the idea that all channels now act as one – which I would argue risks oversimplifying what’s really happening.
...
What used to be a distribution channel is becoming a media channel and likewise, media channels (television, magazines, radio, print advertising, social media etc.) are increasingly becoming the “store”.  Virtual storefronts are cropping up in all forms of media.
...
So increasingly, the primary role of the store will not be to sell product but rather to deliver the most powerful, and emotionally galvanizing experience possible, to create an essential level brand affinity, trust and allegiance – none of which necessarily results in immediate, or location-specific revenue recognition.
...
Of course, many will.  But unlike today, where retail is a product-first, experience-second business, the reverse will increasingly be true.  Product sales will simply ride on the back of remarkable experiences.  Consequently, sales in general will steadily become a less meaningful or accurate measure of true store contribution and productivity."

IMHO, parece-me que a Farfetch está a apontar ao lado "Farfetch: da compra à sua porta em 90 minutos" ao concentrar-se demasiado na tecnologia como a salvação da loja física.

"Complements are not substitutes"

"Business models and competitive advantages are complex systems. This means that they consist of multiple elements – some of them tangible; some intangible – which interact with one another, meaning that it is their combination that makes it work. In many markets, digital will just add one new factor to the mix or replace one element, but not often all of them. This means that in many businesses, digital technology will complement and alter the incumbents’ existing resources and capabilities, but it certainly won’t always entirely replace them altogether. Therefore, when making strategy, the focus should be on identifying complements, rather than assuming complete substitution."

Um trecho que faz pensar no impacte do online no retalho físico. Ontem numa empresa um empresário usou o termo: "lojas cansadas". Entretanto, outro empresário recordava que a Amazon está a entrar no retalho físico.

Quando os centros comerciais chegaram não trouxeram necessariamente o fim do comércio de rua. Obrigaram o comércio de rua a renovar-se... ou não.

Trecho retirado de "What So Many Strategists Get Wrong About Digital Disruption"

Dúvida (parte II)

Parte I.

Acredito que vamos começar a ver com mais frequência notícias deste tipo, pelo menos em certos países.

What ails retAIL? The number of stores that have shut this year. The #DigitalTsunami in Retail. https://t.co/WJcSfzevlZ pic.twitter.com/CXXB7NzokI

— Abhijit Bhaduri (@AbhijitBhaduri) April 8, 2017

"the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics job market report released on Friday showed it was an even bigger disaster than expected, with 30,700 jobs lost. Combined with similar job losses in February, the retail industry had its worse two-month job creation period since the depths of the Great Recession. And retail, which employs nearly 16 million Americans, was one of the very few industries to ditch jobs last month and certainly cut the most jobs by far of any industry."

E sempre a mesma resposta instintiva e errada, tal como nos media:

"Under enormous pressure from investors, retailers are cutting costs, including personnel, in a bid to hit earnings per share targets despite soft sales, thereby meeting projections and mollifying investors. The irony of course is that leaner store staffs will likely compromise store service and give shoppers more reason to go online. And many of them have made it clear, when they go online, they go to Amazon. Hello, vicious cycle."

Quando um disruptor oferece uma proposta de valor superior aos clientes os incumbentes só sabem responder com os custos...

Trechos retirados de "Bankruptcies and Amazon Impact on Retail Hiring"

Dúvida

E conjugar "Luxury retailers beat a retreat from ‘vanity’ real estate" com "Amazon Discovers the High Cost of Being Poor"?

Será que há aqui algo a investigar?

Será que quanto mais elevado o preço unitário mais fácil será a transição para o online, se os retalhistas não fizerem nada para justificar a sua existência?

Online conjugado com a economia das experiências (parte V)

Parte II, parte III e parte IV.

"una tienda de cosméticos online española, ha convertido sus paquetes en una expresión más de sus valores de marca. La tienda vende cosméticos muy especiales, únicos, y lo hace de forma cuidada. Sus paquetes también lo son y los cosméticos no llegan simplemente empaquetados en una caja de cartón, sino que lo hacen en algo que apetece abrir.
...
Cuidar el modo en el que se envían los productos tiene un efecto directo sobre el consumidor. En primer lugar, está creando una experiencia, un elemento que es cada vez más importante en el mundo actual y que hace que las cosas funcionen mejor para las marcas. Los consumidores se han convertidos en unos obsesos de las experiencias y quieren que todo lo sea.
.
En segundo lugar, con un packaging llamativo y con una presentación vistosa, las marcas logran impulsar otros elementos y otros comportamientos. Los consumidores tienden a hablar de las experiencias que han sido llamativas o sorprendentes y, de hecho, los estudios demuestran que es más probable que un consumidor comparta su compra en redes sociales cuando esta llega en un envoltorio llamativo.
...
Según sus conclusiones, un 60% de los consumidores comparte en redes sociales la foto de lo comprado si su aspecto es bonito, lo que acaba teniendo un efecto llamada sobre los demás consumidores y hace que el packaging se convierta en un altavoz de la marca. Esos datos se cruzan con otros estudios que señalan que un tercio de los consumidores han descubierto marcas y productos por el empaquetado cool en el que eran servidos, lo que hace que el cómo se presenta sea más crucial que nunca."

Trechos retirados de Por qué el packaging es decisivo a la hora de triunfar en ecommerce

Online conjugado com a economia das experiências (parte IV)

Parte I e parte II e parte III.
.
Outro estudo a chamar a atenção para o impacte do online nas embalagens por causa das experiências. "Unwrapping the customer experience"

Online conjugado com a economia das experiências (parte III)

Parte I e parte II.

"Millennials prefer to spend their money on experiences, not the apparel that is Macy's bread and butter.
.
The younger generation does buy clothes, but when they do, it's often in the form of something quick, cheap, and fast.
.
And as Jason Dorsey, cofounder and millennials expert at The Center for Generational Kinetics, told Business Insider, they're so prone to spending money on experiences that they often rent clothes and jewelry, which is a death knell to apparel retailers.
...
Since experiences take a great share of young people's finite wallets, someone has to lose out.
...
" From a retailer perspective, the entire shopping experience literally needs to be an experience, not a commodity," Dorsey said. "This may seem obvious, but in practice it’s much harder to do, especially for department stores. For retailers integrating things like live music, exclusive events, digital gaming, and the unexpected — such as an impromptu fashion show — is what transforms retail shopping into an experience."
...
These experiences could be gourmet-food tastings on Saturday, film a YouTube TV show on-site and invite shoppers to participate, and even bring samples of brands or designs that they’re considering bringing in and let customers vote," Dorsey said.
,
"The key is to be unexpected and involve millennial shoppers — and the best part is it doesn’t even have to do with clothes, jewelry, cosmetics, housewares, or perfume. You could literally have a day where you’re showcasing local artisans in a common area and asking them to invite all their friends and vote for the winner. Getting department stores integrated into the community is what makes experiences take root and become something people look forward to and want to visit."
...
In February, retail expert Warren Shoulberg posited that putting restaurants in stores — a strategy that's older than 100 years — could potentially save the ailing American retail industry.
.
"Those first merchants of retailing knew what today’s generation is having to relearn: that retail stores are more than a place to buy stuff,"[Moi ici: Recordar "O poder do contexto" aqui é pôr a loja no contexto da sua utilização]
...
"There is no reason, however, they could not integrate more experience like beauty services, dining, fashion shows, etc. John Lewis department stores in the UK are model for this: they’ve teamed up with third party dining brands, invested in new in-store services and experiences and have thrived as a result," Saunders wrote. "What’s lacking from mainstream US department stores is any sense of imagination – and it shows on the shop floor!""

Trechos retirados de "Millennials only want to spend money on one thing — and it's killing Macy's"

Online conjugado com a economia das experiências (parte II)

Há dias escrevi aqui no blogue este postal, "Online conjugado com a economia das experiências", acerca do efeito conjunto da evolução das vendas online e da procura de experiências na população de lojas dos centros comerciais.
.
Entretanto, um outro artigo desperta-me para uma outra evolução em curso, "When Did Shipping Boxes Get Pretty?". A embalagem que envolve a oferta torna-se mais do que um item com uma finalidade tangível e racional e converte-se num componente da experiência:

"Stylized shipping boxes are designed to stand out, while ironically becoming the new norm. Aritzia, Birchbox, Matchesfashion, Urban Outfitters, and countless more have equally trumpeting e-comm deliveries, with custom colored boxes, oversized brand logos, and interior surprises (if you look closely, there is a tiny swimmer at the bottom of Warby Parker's pool-inspired Home Try-On box). Net-a-Porter's black box, tied with a grosgrain ribbon, is so indicative of the luxe goods inside that it offers a downgraded option at checkout, a discreet brown box that doesn't exclaim "Miu Miu platforms enclosed!" Even Amazon has a signature black tape distinguishing its shipments.
...
Voicey cardboard boxes, custom-color bubble wrap, and printed packing tape are the online answer to the status-symbol shopping bag, elevated in-store gift wrapping, and iconic product boxes à la Hermès (dating back to the 1950s) and Tiffany & Co. (1837). As much as ever before, customers feel good, affirmed, and proud of a purchase that comes in a vessel that feels special.
...
The stakes are even higher, and the reward even greater, for an online-only company like Glossier, where the shipping box is a customer's first physical contact with the brand. Before a shopper can get to the actual thing they paid for — and likely have never seen in the flesh — they'll work through tape, tissue, bubble wrap, an itemized receipt, and protective sleeves. These prosaic necessities ensure the purchase arrives in fine condition, but they can also be a vehicle for the brand to express its identity."

 Este ano tive oportunidade de trabalhar com a empresa de caixas relatada no final de "Acerca da subida na escala de valor em negócios B2B". Pode ser uma oportunidade interessante, para subir na escala de valor

Online conjugado com a economia das experiências

Pode não ser à velocidade do Pokemon Go mas um dia também veremos esta evolução nos centros comerciais em Portugal:

"At the Florida Mall in Orlando, Nordstrom was torn down and replaced with a Dick’s Sporting Goods store and a crayon-based family attraction called the Crayola Experience.
...
Once the linchpin of American shopping malls, department stores are being displaced by newer types of retailers that do a better job of driving shoppers to the centers and lifting overall mall sales.[Moi ici: Atenção PME exportadoras, cuidado com os vossos clientes B2B. Eles podem até gostar de vocês e muito mas ... eles podem simplesmente desaparecer, comidos pelo online. E quanto maiores e mais famosos maior o perigo]
.
Landlords are nudging out the once-coveted big box chains in favor of sporting-goods retailers, fast-fashion chains, supermarkets, gyms, restaurants, movies theaters and other types of entertainment as they seek to keep their properties relevant in an age increasingly dominated by online shopping.[Moi ici: A conjugação de duas correntes, a evolução do online e a ascensão da economia das experiências]
.
“The definition of an anchor has changed,”
...
“The dependence of malls on department stores isn’t what it was 25 years ago,” said Sandeep Mathrani, CEO of another big mall owner General Growth Properties Inc.
Since 2011, General Growth has taken back space from 65 department stores, or about 15% of its anchors, and filled the locations with new occupants that include H&M Hennes & Mauritz AB, 24 Hour Fitness, Wegmans Food Markets Inc., Dave & Buster’s and other restaurants.
...
Fast-fashion chains, restaurants, specialty stores do a better job of driving mall sales and drawing shoppers"

Trechos retirados de "Mall Owners Push Out Department Stores"

Tantas lições para quem quer criar uma comunidade

Um pequeno artigo "One unlikely sporting goods store is thriving as retailers implode everywhere" mas cheio de lições para quem não quer perder o pé no retalho tradicional:

"there are four other distinct reasons why REI is thriving when other retailers aren't:
.
1. These products contribute to an experienceThis has been said over and over again: millennials love experiences.[Moi ici: Produtos desenhados para um contexto]
...
Camping and hiking are experience. (And highly Instagrammable ones, too.) In order to complete those tasks, you need the equipment...which in turn, makes it a necessary purchase. This isn't typical of apparel companies.
.
2. People will be willing to pay a premium for a high quality productMost people don't want to shell out lots of money for apparel; they've been conditioned to never shop at a premium. ... Even though some consumers cannot grasp that concept — you'd be hard pressed to find someone who'd disagree with the fact that it's worth it to buy a quality backpack or hiking boots if he or she going for a walk in the woods.
.
3. It doesn't sell brands you can get anywhere...
4. It has created a community — which is marketing gold"[Moi ici: Basta visitar o sítio para perceber tantas e tantas pistas para criar uma comunidade a partir da interacção que co-cria valor: a partilha das fotos; a partilha de know-how "We asked: What are your must-haves on every car camping trip? And you gave us a ton of answers! Check out these crowdsourced responses that complete the car camp experience."; a distribuição dos lucros, os projectos verdes "REI Funds Construction of the First Relief Center in Nepal’s Namche Bazaar and Green Energy Project in a Remote Community; Year-long Effort Supports Sustainable Living and Tourism"; animação de eventos "REI Outessa Summit Launches Weekend Getaways of Outdoor Adventure for Women" ou "Enjoy the best of what our National Parks have to offer without all the prep work and planning. Campsites at REI Signature Camping Trips include all amenities and expert guides who take care of itineraries and mouthwatering meals." Este último fez-me recordar "Mais uma sugestão de modelo de negócio"]

Pois, recordar:

"The only way to hook customers into a store would be to make shopping there an 'experience' - but Saunders pointed out that Sports Authority isn't a "destination for consumers" and it's "cheaper and more convenient to shop online or at rivals.""

Pois... recuar a 1983 e à minha primeira ida ao Douro Internacional de mochila às costas nas férias da Páscoa. Logo, pensei na compra de saco-cama decente (pontos 1 e 2)

Internet e autenticidade (parte II)

Já o escrevi por aqui, tantas e tantas vezes, no meu trabalho, muitas vezes, acabo sendo quem abre porta para o primeiro contacto das empresas com o marketing.
.
Se uma empresa aposta na subida na escala de valor, descobre que tem de fazer algo mais do que produzir e vender. Tem de criar uma marca, tem de a comunicar, tem de lhe transmitir uma densidade e uma identidade própria.
.
Ontem, enquanto escrevia "Internet e autenticidade" recordei-me de um empresário do calçado que em 2010, apesar de ter uma empresa saudável a ganhar dinheiro, acreditava que o calçado em Portugal não tinha futuro, por causa da China. Como ele trabalhava no segmento do private label para marcas estrangeiras, tentei desafiá-lo a recomeçar uma marca que tinha existido nos anos sessenta do século passado. Recusava sempre com o argumento de que montar uma campanha de marketing ficava muito caro.
.
Já depois de "Internet e autenticidade" vi que o Miguel Barbot no FB me tinha enviado uma hiperligação para "Tracksmith, stories and experiences". Mais um exemplo da aposta na experiência, da aposta na autenticidade e, também, da aposta na escassez.
.
O artigo começa por referir este texto "The future of luxury - Experience counts" onde se pode ler:

"tilting a bit from having to being"

Onde se reforça o papel crescente da importância da experiência, Recordar "Experiência versus preço".
.
Depois, o texto começa a descrever como uma marca, sem loja física, está a criar a sua aura, está a desenhar a sua proposta de valor:

"With no physical stores yet, and a small collection of niche products, it is using story to create an experience for its customers – the story of running, style, culture and history.
...
Tracksmith is testing the market and tempting it – a steadily building collection, limited runs of products. [Moi ici: Em vez de começar com uma colecção inteira, começou com alguns produtos e com edições limitadas] I’ve bought a couple to try out – and I’ve had to wait a couple of months until the first t-shirt I wanted was back in stock."

Interessante, o uso de uma revista em papel, para a apresentação dos conteúdos que ajudam a situar a marca, a desenvolver a mística da marca. Interessante a comparação que o autor faz acerca da qualidade da revista, por comparação com revistas para corredores:

"As a runner, I’m used to technical, functional and often pretty unstylish clothing and – frankly – content. Runners World is the staple periodical for runners. It’s good for tips and motivation, but stylish and beautifully designed it is not – and its website is an embarrassment (I say that as a paying subscriber). It’s aspirational in a performance sense, but running as a culture and a lifestyle, not so much." 

Depois, descreve a embalagem e o reforço da ligação entre o cliente e a marca ainda antes de chegar à peça, com o número e a mensagem.
.
Este trecho:

"Since it started, earlier this year, Tracksmith has been selling a small but growing – one or two items at a time – collection of clothing" 

Merece ser sublinhado. Julgo que quem arranca com uma marca nova, porque tem de primeiro passar pelo filtro do dono da prateleira, tem de o seduzir com o aspecto do produto, com a qualidade do produto e com o potencial de ganho com o produto; por isso, tem de avançar com uma "colecção completa". No entanto, quem avança para uma loja online própria, não tem de passar por esse filtro, pode começar sem ter essa colecção "completa", pode começar com uma gama mais pequena e com uma forte identidade, para depois, crescer lentamente no número de SKU.
.
BTW, aquele "As a runner, I’m used to technical, functional and often pretty unstylish clothing" fez-me recordar este texto lido ontem de manhã "Cooler than Your Dad’s Sweatpants: Mr Porter Launches Athleisure"

O mundo a mudar

Dois textos com referências à revolução em curso no mundo do retalho, através do comércio electrónico:

• "The Future Of Amazon, Apple, Facebook And Google"

"“Uber will be the most disruptive force in American retail. Drivers from firms like Uber are going to disrupt Amazon.”
.
“Drive-through pickup points have exploded in France from 1,000 to 3,000 in just the last year.”"

• "Online shopping drives record van sales" 

"The rising popularity of online shopping has helped drive van sales in the UK to a record high.
.
Almost 100,000 vans were registered in the first three months of 2015 - 22.3% higher than the same period last year.
...
The move towards online shopping and home deliveries is an important contributor to this growth - particularly that of large vans.""

BTW, recordar o marcador "home delivery"

Acerca do futuro do retalho

Um texto "Making stores matter in a multichannel world" e dois temas.
.
Primeiro tema:

"But the world has changed. More than half of consumers now research their retail purchases online, making purely in-store purchase decisions the shrinking minority. In many categories, e-commerce has dramatically lessened the need for physical stores. “Virtual space”—which we define as the floor space that would be required to generate the sales volume that online retail now accounts for, at a sales density equivalent to the industry average—is expanding at a staggering rate.
...
The effects of online migration in the retail industry are evident in every category. In the United States, apparel retailer Gap closed more than 250 stores in 2013; department-store chain Sears closed almost 200. Walmart’s new stores are about a third smaller than they were five years ago.
.
In the United Kingdom, the number of vacant retail shops rose by 355 percent between 2008 and 2013,1 and in 2013 and 2014, three of the “big four” supermarkets took a combined write-down of £1.2 billion (approximately $2 billion) on the value of their undeveloped property. Perhaps the most affected category has been consumer electronics, where a 20 to 30 percent decline in physical retail space in the UK market between 2006 and 2012 was fully offset by the addition of an equivalent amount of virtual space."

O retalho a nível mundial, como o conhecemos, está a mudar. Lembram-se de como reagiu o comércio tradicional em Portugal à chegada dos centros comerciais?
.
Muito choradinho, muita pressão sobre as autarquias e outros reguladores da actividade. E pensamento estratégico? E olhar para o desafio, como Clausewitz?

"in the real world there were always at least two opposing or mutually exclusive ways of thinking about something"

 Porque foi mais atraente para os clientes comprar no centro comercial do que no comércio tradicional?
.
E se em vez do choradinho, o comércio tradicional, empresa a empresa, tivesse abandonado o paradigma anterior, onde muitos foram adormecendo até à morte, e tivesse repensado a sua função, a sua oferta, os seus clientes, o seu espaço, a sua proposta de valor?
.
O artigo referido lá em cima dá sugestões ao retalho físico, sobre como lidar com o avanço do retalho online:

"But let’s be clear: the brick-and-mortar store is not dead; it just plays a different role now."

Vou apenas referir os vectores de actuação propostos e, recomendo a leitura do sumo:

"Start by redefining the role of the store
...
Tailor categories and formats accordingly
...
Optimize the portfolio using forward-looking analytics
...
Reinvent the in-store shopping experience"

Plataformas de interacção

Nada que não tenha sido abordado e previsto aqui há muito tempo "Compras online vão continuar a crescer apesar da importância das lojas"
.
E qual o papel das lojas tradicionais?
.
Como podem sobreviver?
.
Um trecho retirado de "The Power of Co-Creation" começa a levantar o véu:

"retail stores can be more than places that sell products; they can become engagement platforms"

Recordar o exemplo da Retrosaria:

• Um mundo co-...
• Mongo em Portugal

Continua.