Tag: online

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Week in Review

Week 27… 2021!

Can you believe – England are in the finals of Euro 2020! (Being played in 2021 – because Covid 19 disrupted a few things last year).

Tonight – 8pm GB time – against Italy.

But first – let me share my Top Two Tech Stories from the week…

  1. First up, we have Facebook Market place!

That’s right – Facebook market place has grown to 1 billion users!

Whilst I personally have used it occasionally and quickly realised a) there’s a few people that can waste your time and b) then there’s an influx of folk if something is for free – and how to manage that (usually whoever responds first works) – but overall, great place to sell items.

Facebook does not release standalone financial details for Marketplace. It is in fact free for non-business users to put up a simple sales listing, as the firm makes it money from users simply being on its ecosystem and seeing all the advertisements on the site.

However, Marketplace’s user numbers have soared during the pandemic. Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg recently revealed that Marketplace now has more than one billion global users. This is up from a reported 800 million in 2018, for a service that was only launched in 2016.

There are others out there that folk use, like depop and Vinted…

In fact, depop was recently sold for $1.62bn.

2. Next up, new motorway service stations are coming!

So recently, I’ve blogged about electric cars – and even shared a story about the East London service station that can hold over 30 cars all able to charge at the same time.

Well, it’s spreading. Rugby has something similar. And there’s more and more popping up!

Gridserve has also outlined plans to install at least 50 ‘electric hubs’ at motorway service stations with each of them including anywhere between six to twelve ultra-rapid chargers. 

The 350kW devices mean the most advanced electric cars should be able to add 100 miles of range in a matter of minutes, depending upon the car.

Other providers including, Tesla and Ionity, already have ultra-rapid chargers on, or close to, the motorway network. 

Elsewhere, Gridserve has trademarked the name ‘Electric Forecourts’ and plans to open more than 100 of those charging hubs in towns and cities within the next five years. 

Each forecourt will include shops, cafes, toilets and even showrooms where people can learn about electric cars. 

Gridserve says all of its chargers are supported by solar farms, meaning that every unit of electricity taken from the grid is matched by an equivalent amount of solar energy going back into it.

So there you go – my Top Two Tech Stories for the week, all about selling on line via facebook and depop is big, about a billion big! And what’s even bigger is the number of charging stations for electric cars you are going to see soon!

Categories
Shopping

In-Store or To Your Door!

Times have changed. I’m not going to talk about how this pandemic has changed our shopping habits – how we have been ‘forced’ to shop online – as shops are closed… but I did want to talk about how companies have adapted. Quickly. And some who have not.

The latest phrase I saw was… In-Store or To Your Door! – which I thought was great. Simple. Catchy and more importantly a very simple approach to how you can get your goods.

But as a company, how quick can you move?

Very quick. All depends on you. Are you ready to change? Are you ready to adapt?

Heinz to Home. Heinz being able to deliver to your home what you want from their product range. Yes there’s limits and restrictions but the key thing is – you can still get your baked beans…. essentials are important, right?

There’s a few companies who have upped their online presence and upped their game to sell online. But then there’s a few who haven’t.

Take Primark for example. £650m a month to zero. Their business model is all in-store. Nothing online. They don’t offer you an opportunity to purchase anything online.

How to buy Primark online by using eBay, ASOS and Amazon ...

Now – this was tweeted earlier in the week.

Primark has it’s own website. They have all the clothes listed with information etc… How hard is it to built a payment mechanism so people can add garments to a ‘trolley’, ‘checkout’ and then ‘pay’…?

Ok… Primark don’t want to do that. What’s stopping me?

Well, Bal… you don’t have the Primark website!

No. But www. primarkonline.store is available to buy. I can ‘ask’ to copy the images. And if I could get an agreement to buy bulk clothes from Primark, in a matter of no time…. I could be selling Primark clothes online!

Yes… question could be, do people want to buy clothes online if they’re not going out… everything is on lockdown. Maybe… it could be people need more homewear… lounge wear… nightwear… etc…

The point is…. make your business model reflect the conditions. Put in place what you can, to ensure it’ll be in store…. or ensure, you can get it to their door!

I’m not offering any services to set organisations and/or businesses up to function online… but am offering a service where I can advise you, point you in the right direction to set it up yourself (because I’ll be honest – it’s really easy!) and I can guide you.. on how to adapt. The key thing is – where’s your customer… and how can you get your product to them.

Goes back to the basics of Lean Thinking (if you don’t know about Lean Thinking – you should go google it and research it!) – it’s all about the timeline from when a customer orders to the moment they receive the goods and you get the money.

That should be the shortest amount of time possible.

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Uncategorized

Jackie, how do you like to shop?

Another week, and another High Street name closing stores. 

This week, we have New Look. In a radical revamp – upto 100 stores will close. 

Why? Like I’ve mentioned before…. our shopping habits are changing. There’s so many uncertainties. Brexit. Etc…. 

So what next, Bal?

Great question! – I see the whole High Street changing. There’ll be more closures and more well known names disappearing from the High Street. 

When it comes to clothes – we’ve traditionally gone out to shop. Because we need to touch, feel and try. 

Comparing clothing to electrical – online sales are not has great. But that’ll fast change. How?…. let’s just look to Amazon and what they’re doing.

Yep, they’re offering a ‘try before you buy’ service. 

Select a number of clothes…. sizes, colours, etc… have them sent to your home. Try them… see how they feel – like them? Keep them (and obviously pay) don’t like them? – return them free of charge. 

Simple? Off course! That’s what makes it so easy. 

Jackie, a mum of 3 boys – who’s always running around and very busy, doesn’t have time to go into shops, try various clothes…. instead, would rather be able to try the clothes on – when she wants and where she wants (on the basis she knows where the kids are – on which some occasions is a challenge on its own).

Amazon started selling clothes 10 years ago and is only recently pushing more into this space. Without doing much, they have a 4.6% market share. Just behind M&S online clothing. 

Next is in the lead, with 12.5% of market share. You also then have John Lewis, ASOS and eBay. 

So can Amazon gain more market share?

I think Yes. They’ve got the power and the ability to make it a success. We’re ordering more and more varieties from Amazon, from baked beans (yes, you can buy them) to garden furniture. Why not throw a cardigan in the basket as well.

Reminds me of the time I went to Tesco to buy some milk and bought a TV. I did that in a physical store about 6 years ago. Looks like now is the time I would buy some socks with my books from Amazon. 

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Uncategorized

Debenhams – reporting biggest loss in its 200 year history!

Let’s not be surprised. I keep banging on about – how shopping habits are changing. How we, as individuals have more choice – more flexibility and more influences – that steer us to make certain choices.

So there shouldn’t be any surprise, when Debenhams will report an annual loss of almost £500m for the year to 1st September.

Along with the full year loss – there’ll be store closures – of around one third of it’s 165 stores, over the next five years.

There’ll also be job cuts. Yep – around 5,000 are to be affected with restructuring plans – over five years.

Shares have fallen by more than 80% over the last year.

Bal, that’s not good. Is it because we’re shopping on-line?

Partially, yes. Debenhams digital platforms are said to be trading strongly. So you have to ask the question – why isn’t there more investment in those platforms? – Why isn’t there more money in the ‘Bricks & Clicks’ model?

Bal, what’s the ‘Bricks and Clicks’ model?

It’s a model where you have a strong mix of actual stores – bricks… and a digital presence…clicks. Many stores are doing this very well. Take the retailer Next. They have a good ‘Bricks and Clicks’ model in place. In fact, they started off with the catalogue (back in the day!) – moved that quickly to an on-line platform, made ordering easier and fast forward to today… you can click and collect on the same day!

It just doesn’t seem that young people have the time, to spend in large retail stores… walking around, looking around… when it can be done quickly, easily and efficiently from home…. via the phone or tablet. However, there will be times, maybe around Christmas (seasonal) or Birthdays (occasions) when some ‘retail therapy’ of walking around a stores is needed.

It’s all about using your data. Understanding how your customers are buying. How their habits are changing. Making it easier for them. And then implementing….

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Uncategorized

Let yourself in… make a cup of tea

End of last week… Waitrose announced that they will have an option – where delivery drivers come into your home, unpack your shopping… and then leave.

Now, the thought of someone else in my house… does not fill me with confidence.

But let’s look into this in a bit more detail.

Firstly…. Waitrose (may have.. not sure, can’t confirm) read my blog post about Smart Doors. And that Smart Locks you can buy these days.

So, part of this option/trial/experiment… Waitrose will provide you with a Yale Smart Lock (worth £200!)

The lock itself… needs a code to be inputted… and then you can enter.

The code is sent to the delivery driver at the time he needs to enter… it’s a one time code… and can’t be used again.

Now… that is a little better for me.

Also.. the driver will be wearing a camera. So all footbage from the moment the code is entered, to the moment he leaves… is all captured on camera.

The delivery driver will store everything where it needs to do. Fridge items in the fridge. Freezer items in the freezer…..

Now this is only available in South London. And it’s an experiment.

Personally, I think it’s a great idea…. it’s through these experiments and pilots, that ideas can really grow. The great thing here is the time that’s saved for the customer…. Firstly, they don’t even have to be at home!

Looks like we’re moving closer to the automated smart re-filling home.

Want to try it out?

Sure… go to https://www.wya.waitrose.com and apply now!

 

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Uncategorized

Is this the Start of the End of the High Street?

We’ve seen Toys’R’Us announce they’re closing stores.

We’ve seen it with Maplins… they’re also closing shop.

I’ll be honest – I’m surprised Maplins kept on going so long with their physical stores. Most of the ‘tech’ items you can buy in there… you can probably buy at a lower cost, online.

I remember, a few months ago – I went in there. Can’t remember what it was that I wanted, but the staff were really helpful, and they said – we’ve not got it in store, but it’s available online.

I left, went to my computer – had a look – and he was right, there it was online. But then, I thought, how much is it with Amazon (other online retailers are available). And you probably guessed it – yes, it was a little cheaper with Amazon, and being a Prime customer, I also had the option of free next day delivery.

Yesterday, in the news – it was announced that shares in Carpet Right and Mothercare fell – concerns that they’ll follow the same path as those mentioned above.

Mothercare is in the midst of a store closure programme. Their shares fell 12%. 140 down to 80 stores they have proposed… now that’s a lot of store closures.

Then there’s Carpet Right. They have 409 stores across the UK – and have been struggling and under-performing.

So the question is… Is this the Start to the End of the High Street?

Well… it’s all about change. As Darwin said, it’s not the strongest that survive.. but those who are most adaptable to change. Now admittedly, he was talking about species… but you can apply the same thinking to businesses.

Have any of the above evolved over time? Have they introduced or used, new technology to help their customers?

I feel, there’ll always be a need for a physical presence of a store – depending on what they’re selling – and a great example of this is Amazon and their new physical store they are trialing out.

It’s a shame to see these great big stores close. But if you can buy it easier, cheaper and with less hassle… elsewhere (be it online or in other stores) then why not?

All businesses should be thinking – what do I need to do, to ‘future-proof’ myself?

What technology can we use to make the life of our customers easier? – Look at Ikea and how they’ve evolved… now using Augmented Reality… or should I say, are offering within an app, Augmented Reality, so you can see what furniture looks like, in your home…

What is the overall process our customers have to go through – that we can understand better, and help them to make their decisions quicker and ensure we offer everything to them…. because it’s all about the customer.

High street shops & companies must adapt.

Otherwise – this is the start, of the end… of the High Street.