Second Biggest Shopping Season Is Around The Corner

Cleveland, Ohio, Jul 11, 2007— Retailers are preparing for the second biggest shopping event of the year – “Back to School/College” – according to Datavantage/CommercialWare, a leading provider of technology solutions for the specialty and general merchandise retail industry.

 

The National Retail Federation (NRF) ranks “Back to School/College” as the second largest shopping season of the year (after the winter holidays) with an estimated $54.2 billion spent in 2006, heavily focused on electronics and apparel.

 

As with the winter holidays the convergence of all shopping channels will play a crucial role in the way consumers interact with retail brands, with online shopping in particular creating and influencing more consumer demands. With an expectation of 24x7x365 access to pricing, availability and selections – instant gratification is a top priority.

 

Consumers expect seamless customer service whether purchasing, exchanging or returning merchandise online, in store, by mail, call center or kiosk. Today’s savvy shopper expects that merchandise is available when and where they want to acquire it and if not that a retailer should immediately be able to tell them if it’s on hand in the warehouse or at another store, and offer them options to hold items or have merchandise shipped directly to them.

 

Bottom line: lack of a seamless experience across all channels results in frustration for consumers who expect retailers to have transparent operations. With the rapid rise of bloggers and web sites where consumers post reviews and opinions, a negative interaction with a major retailer or brand can quickly become a liability.

 

“To meet the demands of today’s shopper, companies must offer superior service across all channels. A poor experience in one means a lost customer in all,” said Jane Cannon, Chief Operating Officer, Datavantage/CommercialWare. “Retailers who recognize this and deliver a top notch shopping experience in every aspect of its business will be the most successful.”

 

How can retailers help give consumers a happy shopping season?

 

Consistent Experience

The customer experience needs to be superior – and the same – whether via web, in-store, catalog, call center or kiosk. Shoppers expect that their favorite retailers “have their acts together” when it comes to purchases, pick ups, returns and exchanges. Whether buying a gift card online then using it in a store or ordering from the catalog, but returning to the store, consumers expect to be able to interact with retailers whenever and wherever it’s most convenient for them.

 

Purchase Recommendations

Only half of consumers who shop online know what they want to purchase and have not yet settled on a brand, make or model. This presents a huge opportunity for retailers to help make buying decisions. With immediate access to loyalty programs and customer history, retailers can make online shopping consumer friendly and interactive. Current orders can automatically apply loyalty program qualification or allow customer service associates to suggest additional items for cross-sell and up-sell opportunities.

 

Safeguard Personal Information

With fines reaching $100,000 per month for non-compliance of credit card security measures and best practices, consumers do not want to hear that their retailer is being fined because their personal data has been compromised. Consumers expect retailers to safe guard their personal data when transacting with a merchant whether at the point of sale, over the Internet, on the phone or sending information through the mail.

 

Jane Cannon available for interview.

 

About Datavantage/CommercialWare

Datavantage/CommercialWare provides best in class retail solutions worldwide, enabling retailers and direct marketers to deliver an exceptional customer experience. From any transaction point, merchants can easily provide superior customer service while optimizing operational efficiency across all channels. Working with over 450 brands, and leveraging open standards and Java powered technology, Datavantage/CommercialWare retailers can employ cutting-edge analytics, reduce shrink, eliminate bottlenecks, manage data, and maximize customer value. Datavantage/CommercialWare is wholly owned subsidiary of MICROS Systems, Inc.. For more information visit www.datavantagecorp.com or www.commercialware.com.

 

The Datavantage and CommercialWare logos are a registered trademark of MICROS Systems, Inc. All other product and brand names are the property of their respective owners.