Michelle Beeson

As consumers are are less restricted by channels, organisations must follow suit and create a hybrid customer experience.

Even before the pandemic, organizations across industries have been grappling with how to manage customer experiences across physical and digital touchpoints. But the context of the 2020 pandemic forced businesses — particularly nonessential retailers and brands — to completely rethink how they used their physical spaces and, in particular, the employees within them. More retailers […]

It’s impossible not to see how consumers have felt the pressure of the 2020 pandemic. People have faced job losses, extended furlough, or enforced remote work while also managing homeschooling and the social (and psychological) impact of lockdown. Then there were those on the front lines: key workers struggling to do their jobs while COVID-19 […]

All brands need to be selling to and engaging with consumers online. The experiences of the 2020 pandemic have only accelerated consumers’ shift to digital touchpoints. When it comes to brands’ digital commerce opportunity, it’s not “one size fits all.” So, where should brands focus their digital direct-to-consumer (DTC) efforts, and what will each yield […]

The availability and use of digital and contactless payments increased during the 2020 pandemic, driven by the need for more hygienic contactless payment options and a large proportion of retail being forced online amidst lockdowns. After reviewing 102 UK retailers across several product categories, we found that 92% of UK retailers offered at least one […]

The 2020 pandemic has forced consumers to digital touchpoints, accelerating the need for brands to up their game when it comes to digital commerce, engagement, and operations. Historically, most brands have sold through wholesale retail partner relationships and distributors. Now, they must own the customer relationship, as far as they are able. Forrester’s latest report, […]

2020 leaves another sting in its tail for UK retailers today, among them Currys PC World, John Lewis, and Very.com (even Amazon had some trouble). After navigating the unexpected (and unprecedented) peaks and troughs of digital demand during 2020 pandemic lockdowns, it’s the planned launch of the PlayStation 5 that has managed to crash the […]

Learn how leaders in the European banking and insurance industries can credibly connect the customer story to the money story.

From store closures forcing consumers online to shifts in consumer spending and purchasing habits, retailers continue to manage the impact of the pandemic. Yet when it comes to strategic objectives, COVID has only accelerated the need to execute what they had planned.

Back in the summer of 2017, we warned that luxury brands were out of time to improve their digital customer experiences. Since then, luxury brands have moved from relative inertia to a range of activities, from technology upgrades to partnerships and acquisitions. But the 2020 pandemic has shaken luxury brands to their core. Nonessential store […]

Brands have been reviewing and revamping their digital commerce strategies for some time. With consumers forced online during pandemic lockdowns across the globe, this focus on digital has only magnified. But digital commerce opportunities are not created equal for brands. Some brands are seeing significant growth in their direct-to-consumer (DTC) business and grappling with the […]

As lockdowns ease, retail stores traffic and sales will only increase gradually based on consumer comfort levels, bringing preexisting strategic objectives into sharper focus and accelerate the need to execute on them.

Results from the our Consumer Technographics® COVID-19 Survey show how UK consumers have adjusted their spending habits and digital behaviors during the pandemic.

Customers believe they are engaging with one unified brand or organization, regardless of the device or touchpoints that they use. Retailers must ensure the continuity of information and resources across digital and store touchpoints — or risk losing customers to competitors that do. A truly omnichannel operation that spans the customer lifecycle will optimize revenue, […]

All brands must rapidly upgrade legacy technology systems and processes. And that is regardless of whether or not they sell directly to customers! Brands are facing an onslaught of greater demands externally (consumers and retail partners) and internally (to execute successful digital marketing campaigns and digital commerce strategies). As a result, brands are evaluating the […]

LVMH Acquires Tiffany & Co.: Why It’s A Prudent Match LVMH (Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton SE) is acquiring Tiffany & Co. for approximately €14.7 billion (or $16.2 billion). For LVMH, this will strengthen its presence in the US market and position in the jewelry category. For Tiffany & Co., it presents an opportunity to […]

The largest-ever deal in the luxury sector will strengthen LVMH's position in the US and help revive the jeweler's flagging fortunes.

Retailers: Customers care about your commitment to social and environmental sustainability. This holiday season, be sure to weave your brand values into your messaging.

What should our omnichannel scorecard look like? What key metrics should be included? What metrics are we missing? These are some of the questions I often get from retailers. Retail performance dashboards will most certainly include touchpoint-focused, point-in-time metrics such as online conversion rates. These are valuable measures, but conversion rates alone do not give […]