How Home Depot And The Fragrance Outlet Drive In-Store Sales With Mobile Ads

What Happened
Both Home Depot and The Fragrance Outlet are seeing positive results using mobile ads to drive in-store purchases, but their specific approaches differ. Home Depot leverages Google’s location-based search ads to target online shoppers that are interested in gardening tools. The ads suggest the nearest Home Depot locations based on where customers are. Home Depot reported that 36% of their in-store revenue during peak hours was driven by mobile, resulting in an eight-times increase in ROI from mobile display ads in the past year.

The Fragrance Outlet, on the other hand, is using in-store beacons to attract customers to try perfume samples and drive sales. Working with Shopkick, the retail chain is installing beacons at some of its 100 locations to push its rewards program by offering free samples to Shopkick users.

What Retailers Should Do
Despite their different approaches, both retailers are leveraging mobile technologies to successfully target shoppers on a hyperlocal level. A recent survey by SessionM revealed that 90% of retail shoppers today are using their smartphones in stores. Therefore, it would be a huge missed opportunity if retailers are not using location-based ads or proximity-triggered offers to reach shoppers and drive sales.  

 


Sources: Think With Google & GeoMarketing

Brands: Don’t Ignore Data Security Concerns

In our recent POV on the “data dilemma” that most brands face regarding data collection, one crucial point we highlighted was security. If a brand can’t ensure data security, consumers will be reluctant to do business with the company.

As recent news reports indicate, however, brands aren’t clueless about the need for data security so much as willfully ignoring it until it’s too late. News of the massive credit card breach at Home Depot earlier this month marked the biggest consumer data breach in recent history, yet the retailer was reportedly aware of the security problem as far back as 2008 and did nothing about it. Similarly, Apple is now also accused of willfully ignoring the iCloud security issues long before the celebrity photo breach happened.

As both companies scramble to deal with the aftermath of losing consumer trust, this should serve as a lesson to all brands: collected consumer data must be managed with proper encryption and other up-to-date security measures. Otherwise, ignore early concerns about data security at your own risks.

For more actionable insights on how to keep data secure and consumer trust in tact, download our newest POV here.

What makes a great marketer?

IPG Emerging Media Lab President John RossMy answer to the question of what makes a great marketer is simple: Being a great listener. Yeah, that’s right, listening.

The answer is simple because marketing is simple. If you know what your customers really want and give it to them, magic happens. Easy, right?

Most businesses start off as great listeners. Bernie and Arthur, two leaders I was fortunate to work for when I first joined Home Depot knew how to listen to customers. Their entire business was built around listening. Continue reading “What makes a great marketer?”