Traditional retailing has had a tough time lately, and it seems everywhere you turn you get reminded of this. You’ve read the sky is falling headlines and have seen firsthand the incredible change digital technology has brought to the retail industry. “Retail Apocalypse” even has its own Wikipedia entry and RetailDive keeps a running list of ‘retail apocalypse’ victims.
While there is no shortage of stories detailing iconic retail industry failures such as “The death of Alfred Angelo Bridal: It clung to old ways in a fast-changing world”. It’s not all doom and gloom for brick-and-mortar.
No matter how immersive they’ve become, online shopping experiences haven’t replaced the real thing yet. And it seems shoppers are happy to go from online to offline when they have to.
There is good news for companies that are taking steps to balance brick-and-mortar with digital technology, Just last week Macy’s Inc. posted a second straight quarter of sales gains and raised its full-year earnings outlook.
“The winning formula for Macy’s Inc. is a healthy brick-and-mortar business, robust e-commerce, and a great mobile experience,” Gennette said in a statement. “While we have more work to do, the continuing improvement in our stores is encouraging.”
Macy’s discovered that the right strategy is balancing and uniting customers offline experience with the online experience. Being able to quickly react and master both physical and online store activity is crucial to a retailer’s survival.
Ready to learn more about unifying your offline and online retail experience? Showroom Software has a deep knowledge of the to-the-trade industry and will be your partner in building and managing your digital strategy.