Toluu : Shopper Culture

Shopper Culture

A global discussion about the impact of shopping culture on brand strategy, led by the global strategic community of The Integer Group.

Even when air travel goes as planned, it seems inevitable that our laptop, cellphone or iPod will need a charge at some point during the trip. Seems like it shouldn’t be a problem right? You have your charger, appropriate adapters and now all you need is an outlet.

Easy enough, right?

Well, Not so fast.

As you take inventory of your charging/power opportunities in a gate designed to hold several hundred passengers, you realize there are only 3 plugs. All of which are either in use, under an occupied bench or on wall adjacent to a busy walkway. An easy charge has now turned into a painful journey that is sure to be inconvenient.

Luckily, Samsung has come to the rescue … at least in the Minneapolis/St. Paul International airport. In one gate area in the Minneapolis airport, there were several

Is Black Friday still a true indicator of retail health?Yesterday

Is Black Friday – that perenially fascinating shopping day/media spectacle after Thanksgiving – still a predictable indicator of year-end retail health? And American economic health in general?

The term Black Friday dates back to the 1960’s, originally describing a high-traffic day dreaded by employees; but in the 1980’s the term came to symbolize the day when a retailer’s sales would determine whether they would end the year positive (black) or negative (red), given the traditional (if antiquated) rule of thumb that January – November were considered break-even months for retailers.

But the American tradition of Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving goes back much longer, at least into the 1920’s. Three quarters of a century later, this retail tradition can faithfully call this ritual a part of the American fabric. If New Year’s Eve is the night we give ourselves permission to lose ourselves, Black Friday is surely the event Americans permit themselves to shop without restraint.

When will retailers let brands advertise on shopping bags?Yesterday

Where can in-store messaging go as retailers continue to move towards clean store policies? Some day it could be the shopping bag.

Retailers are letting other entities onto this prime out-of-store real estate. Pittsburgh-area Giant Eagle is now selling reusable bags for $2.99 sporting the logos of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, and Ohio State University. And on Oct 15, Whole Foods Market will sell a special-edition Sheryl Crow reusable shopping bag that will support the Natural Resources Defense Council's "Simple Steps" program (see below).

While not yet on the bag itself, manufacturers are also getting into the reusable bag game. For Earth Day, Stop & Shop gave away five reusable bags with the purchase of $15 in General Mills products. Meijer offered a free reusable shopping bag with a $10 purchase of Clorox Co.'s Burt's Bees stuff. Kmart gave away a reusable bag with the purchase of two Clorox Green Works SKUs. And A&P offered a reusable Elizabeth Haub Foundation shopping bag with the purchase of two SKUs from Frito-Lay's Flat Earth brand.

Shopping bags have always helped retailers extend their brand outside the store. And for some stores, the bag also helps shopper

Loyalty Cards Make you Healthier at SafewayDecember 3

Early this year, Safeway took its loyalty card to a whole new level of value for the consumer with its FoodFlex program. Not only does a swipe of a shopper’s loyalty card save them money at the checkout stand, but that same card now tracks purchase history to generate nutritional reports and health-conscious alternatives. By registering on the FoodFlex website, shoppers can search for healthier options of their favorite foods based on criteria they determine, such as calories, sodium, total fat, and so on. Once a shopper has decided what substitute they want to purchase, they can add that product to their printable shopping list. Furthermore, FoodFlex users can check out the gaps and excesses in their household’s diet by tracking the nutritional trend chart

Retailers Offer Tech Savvy Gift CardsDecember 2

With the combination of a slowing economy and stiffening competition for the growing gift card market, Target and Best Buy are hoping their tech savvy gift cards will catch the attention of consumers. The new Best Buy card has a built-in speaker with a mini headphone jack which can play music from MP3 players, iPods or your computer. Target's card doubles as a 1.2 megapixel digital camera, about the quality of the one on your cellphone, with memory for 50 pictures.

Both are promoting th