From Trend to the New Normal – Virtual Reality Taking Root in 2018 [5 Reading Tips] Posted on 18. December 201720. December 2017 | by Sara Herrera Source: pexels.com 2018 will be the year of excellent customer experiences. Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) will, through immersive and high-value shopping experiences, play a large role in this new chapter. According to Gartner, the focus in the next five years will be on a mixed reality. Since the physical world and online world are beginning to merge, not only in private but at work too, a bridge between them makes a lot of sense. Many products and services can only be, to a certain extent, translated into the digital world of the internet. Customers would like to touch, try on, smell, and feel before making a purchase decision. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality bring customers the shopping experience to their home, as well as in showrooms and physical stores. There are already many devices with VR and AR features built in like head mounted displays and the iPhone X. A prerequisite for more of such devices to be accepted on the market is having these features built in more new mobile devices, which is expected to occur in 2018. In this context, new apps are being developed. In fact, Ikea has already launched its augmented reality app Places for iOS in the US, and other companies are sure to join in with similar products. Continue (5 vote(s), average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading... Categories Reading Tips of the Week
The 4 Most Important Marketing Trends for 2018 [5 Reading Tips] Posted on 11. December 201712. December 2017 | by Sara Herrera Source: pexels.com December is synonymous with the closing of projects and company banquets, but also time to take stock of the financial year and prepare for the start of the new year. In the last two years, new and innovative technologies and intelligent devices have come to market: Virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence with its numerous applications, blockchain, the Internet of things, and all activities becoming increasingly automated. No new technologies are expected in the new year. Instead, existing technologies, devices, and software will evolve and establish themselves. At the same time, consumer behavior and needs are changing rapidly in the face of these upcoming developments. Businesses should understand that change is everywhere, and should, while watching the impact of these changes, act accordingly. Of course, this context affects the future of marketing too. We’ll give you a short guide to the four key marketing trends for the year 2018 that all marketers should keep in mind. Continue (4 vote(s), average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading... Categories Reading Tips of the Week
4 important European e-commerce trends [5 Reading Tips] Posted on 4. December 2017 | by Sara Herrera Source: freestocks.org – Pexels As already reported on Handelskraft, the German-language online market is in top form, is growing at double-digit rates, and is concentrating more and more. Sales of the top 1,000 online shops increased by 11 percent in 2016 compared to the previous year. Yet, the ten largest shops now account for almost 40 percent of total market revenue. A similar situation can also be seen in Alpine countries. Sales of the top 100 Swiss online shops increased by 12.8 percent to around CHF 5.5 billion, while in 2016 the top 100 online Austrian shops generated 2.1 billion euros in physical goods on the internet. But as we live in a globalised world and online commerce is increasingly important, German-speaking countries should not only look to themselves, but also to their immediate neighbours. Continue (4 vote(s), average: 4.75 out of 5)Loading... Categories Reading Tips of the Week
Where is Alibaba’s “New Retail” vision headed? [5 Reading Tips] Posted on 27. November 201729. November 2017 | by Sara Herrera Source: Alibaba Shopping behaviour is slowly changing with the application of new technologies and the growth of the internet. Products and services are always available, wherever the potential customers are, while the online and offline worlds are merging. This proves that today’s consumers are »omnichannel«. They surf the Internet on their cellphone, tablet, or laptop, on the road and at home. The final purchase (or click) then takes place in the store or on the go through mobile devices. The choice depends on the convenience. This reality is recognised by online giants and pure players. Lately, numerous pop-up stores, smart stores, and flagship stores equipped with the newest technologies have opened up. Some good examples of this are shops from Mymuesli, Mister Spex, Amazon, and Zalando. Traditional brands such as Adidas and Ikea are also reinforcing their physical presence as a strategy to provide customers with a comprehensive and enhanced shopping experience, while also expanding their digital business. Continue (2 vote(s), average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading... Categories Reading Tips of the Week
Black Friday Madness: What do retailers need to look for? [5 Reading Tips] Posted on 20. November 201723. November 2017 | by Sara Herrera Source: Amazon.de It’s that time of the year, today officially starts Cyber Monday Week and all those great deals. But this week’s highlight will take place on Friday, November 24th, with the start of Black Friday. The end of November is synonymous with a strong Christmas spirit, uncontrollable shopping impulses, and “the best” offers. That‘s today’s normal in Germany, in Europe. Black Friday ushers in the beginning of the hotly contested Christmas business and has become the biggest discount campaign in online sales throughout Germany. Every year since 2012, the phenomenon breaks all online sales records and boosts e-commerce. In addition, the power and influence of the online giant Amazon, which has successfully introduced this habit in Europe, are likely to increase. But this stream can also be exploited for personal gain. What do online retailers have to pay attention to, to succeed, and what can they do to oppose Black Friday? Continue (4 vote(s), average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading... Categories Reading Tips of the Week
Customer loyalty and Blockchain: Björk’s latest experiment [5 reading tips] Posted on 13. November 201723. November 2017 | by Sara Herrera Source: http://www.bjork.fr/ The term Blockchain is on everyone’s minds this year and is being thought of as revolutionary. It’s clear that the technology has great potential, but so far the topic is surrounded by unrealistic promises, many speculations, and content that’s on shaky ground. Today we would like to refer to the latest innovation from the experimental singer Björk. It’s not just about bitcoin, but also about customer loyalty, reward, and music. Continue (2 vote(s), average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading... Categories Reading Tips of the Week
Real Sustainability in City Logistics? [5 Reading Tips] Posted on 6. November 201723. November 2017 | by Sara Herrera Alisa Anton – unsplash.com Thanks to the enormous growth of e-commerce, the amount of deliveries in the past few years has grown exponentially. In fact, a new parcel record is expected this holiday season. Additional new offers to speed up and simplify the last mile, like same-day delivery, delivery on the requested date or even one-hour delivery, coupled with the congestions of the roadways, are thus causing an alarmingly fast deterioration of air quality. Therefore, sustainable logistics are required. What solutions and initiatives have the top delivery services already come up with? Continue (4 vote(s), average: 4.75 out of 5)Loading... Categories Reading Tips of the Week
Digital skills: Where is the digital talent hidden? [5 Reading Tips] Posted on 30. October 201723. November 2017 | by Sara Herrera Photo by al ghazali on Unsplash In times of digital transformation, digital skills and new roles are needed. A rethinking of personnel policy and management has also become necessary. However, many companies only have a vague idea of what professional and personal qualifications applicants should be bringing. A joint study by the Bundesverband Deutscher Unternehmensberater (BDU) and the Bundesverbandes E-Commerce und Versandhandel Deutschland e.V. (BEVH) came to the previous conclusion, by interviewing specialized personnel consultants. Continue (3 vote(s), average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading... Categories Reading Tips of the Week
Thinking out loud: What the heck is up with the market? [5 Reading Tips] Posted on 23. October 201723. November 2017 | by Sara Herrera Source: Photo by Rob Schreckhise on Unsplash Recently, I read that Zalando wants to get into the cosmetics business and Apple wants to build a car. Expansion and development: These tech giants, who have continued to max out their own dynamics of globalization and have a strong winning mentality, are becoming tired of developing new business models. Their dominance continues to grow. The rules of the game are always changing. How will the whole thing develop? Who is the current competition? What does do future look like? Continue (2 vote(s), average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading... Categories Reading Tips of the Week
The German-speaking e-commerce area continues to grow [5 Reading Tips] Posted on 16. October 201723. November 2017 | by Sara Herrera Photo: Ervins Strauhmanis The German-speaking area e-commerce is in top form, growing at fast-pace, and concentrating even more strongly. The biggest players are keeping up a solid lead whereas the smaller can’t catch up. This is the result of the rankings of the 1,000 biggest online shops in Germany “E-Commerce-Markt Deutschland 2017” and the Top 100 onlineshops in Austria and Switzerland “E-Commerce-Markt Österreich/Schweiz 2017” from EHI and Statista. Continue (2 vote(s), average: 5.00 out of 5)Loading... Categories Reading Tips of the Week
