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Amazon has quietly launched a new augmented reality application that works with QR codes on the company’s shipping boxes to create “interactive, shareable” AR experiences. Called simply “Amazon Augmented Reality,” the retailer describes the app as a “fun way to reuse your Amazon boxes until you’re ready to drop them in the recycling bin.” 
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Learn what circular impact means and how you can measure it for your business! It's important to translate your strategy into tangible KPIs and measurable targets.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: a beautiful illustration of the circular economy and the multiple options to consider before the landfill.
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Ecommerce returns can make or break your business. See the latest stats on ecommerce returns, return policy examples, and a return policy template.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: returned products are a big deal for retailers because they a financial and logistical nightmare. As reported in a previous post, some retailers don't bother restocking and send returned products to the landfill, creating a real ecological issue. But there are ways to reduce returns. This post provides some of them.
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Estonia has digitized 99 percent of its public services and persistently achieves one of the highest ratings of trust in government in the EU.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: the article summarizes quite well what is possible when a whole country commits to a digital transformation. Note they've been at it since 1997, almost 30 years and they've had to make hard choices (not use a free analog phone system). Can covid crisis provide us with an incentive to do the same on healthcare, retail and government?
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It’s safe to say that online shoppers like the promise of easy — and even better, free — returns. But it may surprise consumers to learn what can actually happen to all those unwanted items.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: think about it before you make holiday purchase on Amazon or elsewhere: if you return the product it may find its way in the landfill (some 30-40% of all clothing is returned). Just so you know...
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Help your small business prepare for the holiday season with tools from Google.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: Google has a number of tools and solutions to help small retailers appear in google maps, google search, google shopping and other areas where customers go when they search for products. Direct link to the solution: smallbusiness.withgoogle.com/holiday
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Recent retail insights on the Canadian consumer journey shows Canadian consumers are thinking about efficient ways to shop and plan their purchases.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: Google research shows that customers go online to plan their in-store trips as covid wave#2 is among us. The need for omnichannel strategy and execution is more important than ever.
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In some cases, the technological changes inspired by Covid-19 will come in the form of an acceleration of existing trends — for example, industrial automation and contactless payments. In other cases, like virtual reality, 3D printing, or telehealth, the crisis may change the course of the industry, enabling companies to demonstrate value that, until now, consumers have been unable or unwilling to see. In this report, we’ll explore some of the trends created or accelerated by the onset of Covid-19 that are likely to change the way we live, work, learn, and relax long after the pandemic is over — and how the future of those innovations is likely to unfold.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: a great overview of the long lasting impacts of COVID in our lives.
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Online grocery shopping surged since the pandemic kept Americans at home. The CEO of Whole Foods says as people start to feel more safe going out, that trend will fade.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: we've seen an acceleration of eCommerce adoption during covid lockdown worldwide. McKinsey says 10 years in 3 months. Shopify stock has surged, instacart orders have grown 250x, mirakl has raised 300M$ in funding, all based on this recent trend. But guys that have been doing retail for a long time are skeptical - like WholeFoods CEO (now Amazon). When everyone is FORCED to stay home, then of course eCommerce and home delivery will explode they. When things go back to normal, then retail will go back to normal is their belief. Who's right? If you know me, you know where I stand on this. Going digital is like being an alcoholic: the first thing you must do on the road to recovery is recognize you have a problem... ;-)
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At an early stage, apparel was identified as the starting point for Xunxi – a sector in which the lengthy production cycles and high inventory levels have long been a problem for small and large players alike. Powered by new technologies such as real-time resourcing, process and cost planning, automated in-house logistics and Xunxi’s manufacturing operating system, the factory is able to produce small-batch orders at reasonable costs and with shorter delivery times, consequently increasing manufacturing efficiency from 25% to an average of 55%.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: this is a huge step forward and a sign of the times: manufacturing automation. Fueled by digital, automation, and robots, this enables production of smaller batches economically. When this is rolled out at full scale - I assume it still requires development and lots of tweaking - we can expect retailers to shorten the time from idea to production. with eCommerce, it enables the make-to-order that was made popular by Dell computers in the late 1990s: onl;y build the computer when an order has been placed. Expand this idea to t-shirts and you can see why this new Alibaba production facility is so important...
Joanna Joy Fieldings's curator insight,
October 3, 4:21 PM
I think that new technologies are what can propel businesses to more successful odds.
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The rise in ecommerce caused an unprecedented surge in Amazon's volume, but it came with fulfillment challenges. The coronavirus pandemic bolstered ecommerce growth—sales grew 44.4% annually in Q2—as consumers turned to online shopping instead of brick-and-mortar amid store closures. But the milestone came with challenges in handling the surge, including delivery delays and slowed shipping speeds. Other competitors, like Walmart, were able to more effectively weather the storm because of their massive store network, so replicating competitors' strategies could help Amazon recoup lost market share and extend growth during the busy holiday season.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: Amazon will use failing and bankrupt stores and shopping malls to build warehouses so close to consumers that 1-2hr delivery becomes possible - the last hurdle in making eCommerce viable in many product categories (grocery, food, meals, and other high volume / low margin categories come to mind first of course).
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62% of US adults have preferred to buy groceries in person since the beginning of the pandemic despite nearly a quarter of them using online delivery and pickup.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: amazon appears to be testing another method of grocery fulfillment that leverages dark stores that are close to households (with dedicated staff and soon micro-fulfillment automation) and a network of freelance drivers that delivers orders in a very small area in order to solve the last remaining problem of eCommerce: delivery cost and speed.
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E-commerce was already growing in Canada before the COVID-19 crisis, but circumstances created by the pandemic have quickened the pace significantly. A new Solutions Research Group (SRG) report, based on national interviews with 1,350 Canadians in both official languages in July 2020.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: No surprise, Amazon dominates eCommerce in Canada and Amazon PRIME appears to be a major reason why (if you have prime then you more inclined to spend on Amazon to recoup your investment). But online grocery is a tough nut to crack and traditional retailers lead in that category. I predict that in the future Amazon will give traditional grocers a run for their money if they do not invest in: 1) reducing cost of pick-pack-delivery via automation and robotics, 2) becoming marketplaces to attract consumers and deliver more than food products (think dry cleaning, meals, and other low margin / high volume products) and 3) converting their store real estate to improve service over merchandise (think Apple store more than Walmart). To do so this may mean that their shareholders will need to support this massive investments and tolerate lower benefits and EBITDA...
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This report highlights potential 5G use cases in retail and provides advice on how retail CIOs can explore the potential of 5G. Key Takeaways - 5G-enabled IoT Services will drive supply-chain optimization
- 5G enables many other technologies in the retail sector
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: 5G telecom network promises to revolutionize many industries including retail. This report from Forrester presents use cases for 5G may bring but also puts those in context of what exists today and how fast the transformation will be.
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U.S. grocery delivery and pickup sales for August 2020 totaled $5.7 billion, down from June’s peak, but other key performance indicators showed strength. Average order value increased to a record high of $95, and intent to make a repeat purchase in the next month reached 75% in a market that is nearly five times larger than it was just one year ago, according to the Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopping Survey fielded August 24-26, 2020.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: more insight that shows the possible long term impact of covid on the acceleration of eCommerce.
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The retailer’s 30% piece of the online grocery segment puts it ahead of Amazon, which saw its share slip to 27%, according to a survey by TABS Analytics.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: grocery is at the forefront of eCommerce battle. Delivery costs are high and at the center of the battle: where physical stores - if they are transformed - can become a strategic asset.
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Find out how the Amazon and Walmart marketplaces compare across key areas such as fulfillment, delivery, advertising, and more.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: this study highlights the areas where retail eCommerce leaders compete. The last problems to solve are with technology and logistics, especially delivery.
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Retailers must get creative with their real estate. Closing stores is certainly an option, but it shouldn’t be the first or only one that they consider. For starters, retailers must think ahead to the future needs of their online businesses; some store space could conceivably be reallocated to fulfilling online orders or providing other services. Retailers can address overcapacity in their portfolio in several ways (Exhibit 4). Options include reinvigorating core categories within a store, repurposing certain areas of the store, renting out space to other businesses, right-sizing the store, removing it from the network entirely, or redeveloping it as a mixed-use property, perhaps with residential space—an especially palatable solution in regions with housing shortages.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: physical stores often are a liability in an era of reduced store traffic due to coronavirus and eCommerce. This article suggests ways to repurpose store layout.
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Amazon’s business is delivering very rapid revenue growth but not accumulating any surplus cash or profits, because every penny of cash is being ploughed back into expanding the business further. But, this is not because any given business runs permanently at a loss - it is because the profits from what is already there are spent on making new businesses. In the past, that was mostly in operations, but in recent years the investment firehose has again been pointed at capex.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: this article dates back a few years but is very important to understand Amazon and why it is so disruptive to retail. Amazon invests most of its profits into developing solutions and infrastructure (via CAPEX or capital expenditure) in order to CAPTURE FUTURE ECOMMERCE SALES as the world moves from physical retail to digital. To compete, retailers must either 1) leverage Amazon infrastructure (via marketplace, FBA, AWS, etc.) 2) or, if they are big enough, invest massively their CAPEX to build competing infrastructure to Amazon. This is difficult because their shareholders are used to getting return on their investments (which CAPEX will reduce): that may need to change. Or get the customers to pay for it (ie. massive walmart investments in eCommerce that they have just passed over to their suppliers - effectively having customers pay for it). To maintain economic prosperity, governments should also invest in building shared infrastructure: large automated distribution centers, parcel delivery (canada post, USPS, etc.), digital payment processing, digital IDs, etc. This new infrastructure will benefit local retailers and local manufacturers, effectively financing their eCommerce competitiveness and ensuring survival of the economic fabric of their city / region / province / country.
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High tech drones or UAVs are tackling everything from disease control to vacuuming up ocean waste to delivering pizza, and more.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: when Amazon receives FAA clearance for drone delivery, I take notice. After all, delivery is the final frontier for profitable ecommerce. So maybe drone delivery is the solution - especially for Canada and its wide empty territory? Not sure that drones will solve delivery issues but sure it is fun to think that it may provide a low-cost option in certain areas.
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Exclusive look inside Amazon's new grocery store from one of the few customers allowed inside until the location opens to the public.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: Amazon must crack grocery shopping to grow into a Walmart competitor. And weekly grocery trips mean customer loyalty, and reasons to use Amazon as the "one stop shop". As I've said before, if you can manage to deliver weekly groceries to the home and be *profitable*, then you've solved the last remaining eCommerce hurdle: delivery costs (now accounting for 15% of Amazon costs - HUGE). So read this story of the new Amazon store but don't get stuck on the technologies (they are great and have plenty of limitations - especially the grocery cart called DASH) and focus on the transformational impact that grocery shopping will have for Amazon AS A WHOLE. This is a small step with huge implications for eCommerce + retail in general.
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I thought I’d begin September by reaching out and sharing a piece of thought-leadership presented at Kantar’s ‘The retail realities of COVID-19’ event held in early August. I’ve linked the presentation for your review and in it you can expect: - A review of the short, medium, and long-term effects of COVID-19 on retail - How shopper expectations continue to evolve, and how brands can continue to connect effectively with shoppers/consumers - The evolving roles of the brick-and-mortar store and ecommerce/omnichannel tech
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: I thought this illustration is bang on to explain what retailers should do in their store renovations as they undergo their digital transformation and move to omni channel. Most organizations think eCommerce is all about selecting the right software: it is not. It is about reallocating space in your stores and in warehouses to reflect the new reality that orders will flow mostly from online - with customers walking in stores to "touch" products and talk to people. Not sure what I mean, go in an Apple store: entrance is a showroom, middle is service, back is troubleshooting, sides are for quick buys (like cell phone charger or laptop cover) and periodically the store transforms into a event location for product launches and classes. Inventory is in the back room but the real place to buy is online. The original link to the slides is here: https://app.hubspot.com/documents/3788602/view/85773854?accessId=81df58
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More important than ever to build the organizational resilience (ie. have the proper solutions/tools/processes in place) to be prepared for whatever this pandemic will bring next. ie. Stay focused, lean, efficient & effective to best serve your customers in whichever market condition
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: great insights from StatsCan data but the analysis of Carl Boutet is spot on: retailers need to be careful and continue to learn from the shutdown to invest in digital technologies to prepare for whatever will come in the next few months (and years).
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Live streaming platform comparison of the top 10 solutions in 2020. A complete guide including key features, pros, cons, and pricing for business.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: a review of 10 live streaming technologies - basically video conferencing for shopping. As we move into maturity of eCommerce solutions beyond the simple catalog-search-filter need to be considered. And in a world of massive store closure and covid fears, this may be an attractive solution for retailers. Also this report on the 62B$ market in China: www.therobinreport.com/livestreaming-its-big-in-china-is-the-us-next
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The challenge of search and recommending products online is increasingly being solved with data science as e-tailers compete on personalisation. New e-commerce platform Psykhe makes recommendations based on personality traits by identifying both the user and the products; its models can assign products a “personality profile”, informed by traits such as openness or neuroticism, in addition to traditional details, without human input. Resale platform Rebag has developed a universal taxonomy for designer handbags to better appraise products. And Facebook recently unveiled GrokNet, a tool that automatically identifies and describes items in pictures to help people sell items on its marketplace.
Farid Mheirs insight:
WHY IT MATTERS: an essential part of shopping is product search and discovery. Easy to do in stores: just walk around, look at products on racks. More difficult to do in eCommerce websites. Technology, and especially AI, is being pulled to help identify product characteristics automatically so that searching for a "confortable summer dress with flower patterns" becomes possible.
pokolom8@gmail.com's curator insight,
August 31, 1:14 PM
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Curated by Farid Mheir
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WHY IT MATTERS: 2 elements we can highlight from this announcement.
1- AR is often a marketing gimmick with no real purpose. Why would you download install and use this app? Same goes for most AR apps out there...
2- eCommerce has a major downside from a sustainability standpoint because of transport, returns, over packaging, plastics, etc. As volume grows this must be addressed. This AR app will not help in any way. Unfortunately...