Welcome to Carnaby.co.uk for an online experience of London’s West End..

Fashionistas and foodaholics alike will be excited to know that they can now experience the vibe of London’s Carnaby Street online! Shopper Discounts & Rewards explores..

Fashion & Lifestyle, Food & Drink

On the new site, shoppers can find all their favourite retailers and restaurants, and see links to all their websites in one place. The new Carnaby Street website has brought all the businesses together, and created a hub to which shoppers will flock.

Promotions & Competitions

Its social element will be fundamental to those contributing to the online community, whether it is a retail store or a customer wanting more information, as users of the site will be able to follow news and information as well as any on-the-day promotional offers. Carnaby Street is getting social, with shops and restaurants getting involved with hashtags both on the website and on Twitter:

Reason No. 22 to be Cheerful is… Win an amazing £200 to spend at @DropDeadUK bit.ly/1eS5QsO #Carnaby #Win http://t.co/NgwlbfMVm5—
Carnaby London (@CarnabyLondon) January 22, 2014

What do the retailers think?

Matt Thompson, Store Manager at bakery Johnny Cupcakes says: “This is the perfect way to widen our reach… as we look to promote in-store events and new releases via the #carnaby social media hashtag”

What do you think of the new site? Will you be making the most of the promotions?

John Lewis Analyses Customer Behaviour | Amazon To Deliver On Sundays Too

Reasons men shop online: advice from friends, access from multiple devices & less pressure!

from the comfort of your own home

In the early days of online shopping, many of us were put off from buying clothing online by the difficulty of judging fit without trying items on first. With generous delivery and returns policies has come the ability to try on items at home and easily return them.

Related Post: Fashion for Men Booms Online

This is something which is appealing to men, who often feel in-store changing rooms manned by sales assistants add pressure to the shopping experience. The ability to see how items will look with existing outfits, consult a partner and get feedback from friends all in one go, has also grabbed men’s attention. 70% of affluent men now prefer to research items and buy online – with over a quarter buying something on the web every week.

checking the specs

Another benefit of shopping online is the amount of information which can be presented alongside each item. Many men like to know the exact specs of a piece of clothing, without the hassle of having to route around for labels or find a sales assistant. Shopping online also means that more often than not, men don’t have to content with limited size ranges – as items can be shipped from different warehouses globally.

Related Post: How To Create A Perfect Retail Product Page

access and availability

Finally, with more and more males owning both smartphones and tablets, mobile-friendly sites and online shopping apps are fulfilling our demand for browsing and shopping on the go. Frequently this means a day-long process of browsing on a smartphone, adding to a wish list or basket on a tablet, and then making the final decision to purchase on a desktop PC or Mac. What is more, the virtual world does not suffer from the physical constraints on space that real-world stores must work around. In physical stores not solely dedicated to menswear, this often translates to men’s sections with very limited stock; shopping online solves this problem.

Are you a man who prefers to shop online for clothing?

John Lewis’ Insight Into Customer Behaviour | Online Shopping to Explode in 2014

H&M uses YouTube to undress Beckham | What’s your vote? Retail News

make your vote for the superbowl advert

This week, the Shopper Discounts & Rewards team reports on the campaign launched by Swedish retailer H&M and British footballer David Beckham.

should Becks be #covered or #uncovered?

Launched this week on the H&M website and social channels, the Vote for Beckham campaign allows people to contribute to the ending of this TV advert featuring none other than Mr Beckham himself, wearing a pair of H&M boxer shorts. Those interacting with the website can choose to vote on whether the advert should end with Beckham either being #covered or #uncovered, i.e. wearing the H&M boxers, or not.

the power of the Superbowl

To add even more oomph to the campaign, the retailer will utilise the much coveted Superbowl advertising slots in the US this Sunday, to promote the activity and encourage viewers to interact directly, in real time. The campaign will be advertised during the Superbowl TV slots and encourage those with smart TVs to vote and also click on the underwear to purchase them direct from their TV. Offering this functionality will be a first of its kind, using T-commerce to encourage engagement and sales!

Sources:

The Telegraph: With any luck David Beckham’s briefs will never come off

Extra TV: Beckham Covered or Uncovered?

H&M #covered or #uncovered video campaign shares extra footage of Becks

Yesterday the Shopper Discounts & Rewards blog shared the new H&M campaign for the David Beckham underwear collection – a campaign which will reach its peak at the Superbowl this weekend. Here you can view behind the scenes footage of the ad campaign..

behind the scenes – #covered or #uncovered

“Obviously going it on the rooftop for three days kind of almost naked was a little bit cold but a lot of fun” ~ David Beckham

On The Red Carpet reports: The commercial was directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, who helmed the 2011 film “Drive,” and sees Beckham wearing his signature briefs and performing stunts, such as ziplining across rooftops and scaling buildings.

David Beckham for H&M

Beckham has been a brand promoter for H&M since 2012, and has clearly had fun with this latest campaign. When talking about the #covered or #uncovered advert, Beckham says “I think I know what one is gonna end up being shown, which is even more nerve-wracking.” Related articles: David Beckham talks about the American Superbowl Daily Mail: David Beckham leaves little to the imagination

Shopper Discounts & Rewards: what impact has Facebook had on retail?

unprecedented levels of engagement

With 1.23bn monthly active users, the opportunities for engagement with customers and potential customers that Facebook has opened up for retailers have been phenomenal.

Retailers can have more intimate and more informal conversations with their audiences and bring their brands to life in a way that was not possible before. Certain businesses have been particularly inventive in the way they carry out this engagement: Tesco, for example, developed a Delivery Dash game on Facebook and employed virtual fitting room technology for its F&F clothing brand.

Retail Week’s Timeline History of Facebook

driving traffic

Facebook has also provided the opportunity for retailers to direct online traffic towards their own websites. Over Christmas 2013, Facebook was responsible for 5.32% of the traffic in the US to the top 500 retailer websites. Social media as a whole is now the third biggest source of traffic to retail websites, and Facebook is definitely leading the charge here.

retail insights from Facebook users – Video

So, Facebook has not only changed the way we interact socially but the way we shop. How do you think Facebook has shaped the world of retail? What other exciting things do you think Facebook has to bring? Tell Shopper Discounts and Rewards what you think!

More Men Turn To Online Shopping | #Carnaby Street London Launches Online Hub

Shopper Discounts & Rewards | shopperdisc.co.uk programme

If you’re looking for more information about the Shopper Discounts & Rewards programme, look no further! Watch this short video to see the member benefits:

Benefits of being a Shopper Discounts & Rewards member:

Contacting Shopper Discounts & Rewards:

Ann Summers targets rivals in unusual campaign for Valentine’s Day 2014

Happy Ann Summers Day

Lingerie retailer Ann Summers has made a bold move this Valentine’s Day, and has made its rivals the targets of projected marketing messages. This week the Shopper Discounts & Rewards blog looks at how they targeted London’s Liberty’s, with the message “nice cards are for mantlepieces”:

They have even reclaimed the romantic holiday, dubbing it Ann Summers Day:

chocolates are for hospitals

Ann Summers is rallying consumers against buying traditional gifts associated with Valentine’s Day, pushing people to their store for interesting underwear instead. They even went so far as to use this slogan on the chocolate retailer Thorntons:

roses belong in the eighties

The Drum has a full collection of the projected slogans Ann Summers has put out there for their Valentine’s 2014 campaign, and you can view them here.

What do you think of this campaign? Do you think it creatively pushes the boundaries of advertising, or do you disagree with their approach?

How Has Facebook Influenced Retail? | More Men Shopping Online – Forbes Report

As Londoners spend at average of £61 on Valentine’s Day, singles boost the economy

money can buy you love

Retail Bulletin reported this week that people who live in London spend an average of £61 on their partners on Valentine’s Day – this compares to those in Wales who spend £9.60. According to research by Mintel, it has been shown that those considered as ‘wealthy’ are more likely to find love, with 7% of the UK claiming they have never been in love, rising to 17% for those with an income under £9,500.

Richard Cope, from Mintel:

People with a higher income have more opportunities in life. They make more connections, whether that’s through jobs, whether from places, at home or abroad.

people will pay to search for a partner

In just one year, there has been a 20% rise in the number of people willing to pay for a dating website (Telegraph). Mr Cope said there’s now less stigma around using a dating site to meet partners and people were now willing to invest.

singles boost the economy in their search for love

In their search for a partner, singles apparently boost the economy! By going out more, buying clothes and putting more money into health and beauty, singles do help our economy. This is a great reason to get out shopping!

Happy Valentine’s Day to all Shopper Discounts & Rewards readers!

Related: Guerrilla Marketing Tactics from Ann Summers this Valentine’s Day

Mulberry launches a one-minute film to promote new Delevigne bag collection

Cara Delevigne for Mulberry

the new collection

“The luxury brand has created a one minute film to announce the collaboration for the bag collection. It features Delevingne on the set of a moonlit forest, with haunting music playing in the background.” ~ Marketing Magazine

Prices of the new range, Mulberry’s first celebrity collaboration since it teamed up with U.S. singer Lana Del Rey in May 2012, will start at 890 pounds and go up to 2,500 pounds, the firm said. ~ Reuters.com

“I wanted something very functional” ~ Cara Delevigne

Guerrilla Marketing Tactics from Ann Summers | #Carnaby Street Launches Online Hub

EBay & Deloitte Research: ‘Super Shoppers’ responsible for 70% of retail spend

do your shopping habits make you a Super Shopper?

According to new research released this week from eBay and Deloitte, so called ‘Super Shopper’s are dominating our retail spend. This week, the Shopper Discounts and Rewards blog looks at this recent research in more detail.

who are the ‘Super Shoppers’?

A new study, Omnichannel Retailing: The Impact for UK Retailers, commissioned from Deloitte by eBay, has found that a small proportion of us (only 18%) are responsible for nearly three quarters of Britain’s retail spend. The so called ‘Super Shoppers’ account for 70% of all UK retail spending, worth £200bn in 2013.

research, research, research

However, Super Shoppers are hardly the only group to use the internet to guide their purchases. The study finds that two thirds of us rely on a variety of retail sources to help us decide when buying items worth more than £100. Three quarters of us use online marketplaces and price comparison sites to help us choose what we are buying.

Tanya Lawler, Vice President of eBay in the UK

“Customers are in the driving seat and pushing retailers for ever higher standards of service and greater convenience. Customers fully expect your store and online channels to be joined up and can have little patience if they aren’t. For example, they want to collect in store or return via the store, even if they bought online“

This is backed up by John Lewis. According to their Managing Director, Andy Street the media have always been keen to set online against the high street. He thinks it’s more complicated than that:

“It is not as simple as cannibalisation. Customers who shop on both channels spend far more.”

What do you think? Are your shopping habits similar on and offline?

Cara Delevigne Bag Collection for Mulberry | Guerrilla Marketing from Ann Summers

Shopper Discounts and Rewards: Adidas Unveils Immersive Shopping Experience

… starting in Bejing

Today it has been reported that Adidas has launched a new shopping experience for their customers. Starting with their store in Bejing, they have created an immersive and involved atmosphere for fans of the brand. This retail store concept will be rolled out to the UK and Rio de Janeiro, as well as 22 other locations worldwide in the year.

the brand focus for HomeCourt:

• Build Buzz
• Create Competition
• Immerse
• Impress

the launch of Adidas HomeCourt

Their launch involved a ‘Race to the Place’, where they rewarded winners who got to the shop first, as well as various fun and games around the store. The Bejing store includes an immersive 360 experience built inside shipping containers, so that fans can feel like sports stars out on the pitch. You can view their strategy for HomeCourt here:

The Adidas HomeCourt Strategy

“Experience HomeCourt” – a presentation on Prezi

Ted Mager from Adidas

“HomeCourt gives consumers the opportunity to experience the entire breadth and depth of the Adidas brand. We reference sport in every element in the store from the materials selected to the inspirations of the designs to the tools we use for storytelling.” ~ Retail Bulletin

Retail News: Cara Delevigne for Mulberry | Ann Summers Guerrilla Marketing Tactics

Shopper Discounts & Rewards: Survey reports strong rise in UK retail sales

the fastest growth since June 2012

Retail sales grew strongly in the year to February, beating expectations, and at the fastest pace since June 2012, according to the CBI’s latest quarterly Distributive Trades Survey.

The survey of 120 firms showed that sales have grown for the ninth consecutive month, while retailers’ investment intentions for the year ahead were at their highest since November 2010.

key findings about UK retail sales

• 45% of respondents reported that sales volumes were up on a year ago
• Retailers expect sales volumes to grow at a robust pace next month (+28%)
• There was a broad-based increase in sales across many sub-sectors with grocers, clothing and furniture & carpets performing particularly strongly

IBTimes Video about British high street

The International Business Times reports that Britain’s retail scene is “a mixed bag”:

What do you think? Is this a come-back for the UK high street? Feel free to comment here on the Shopper Discounts & Rewards blog, or join the #thefutureofretail debate.

Retail News: Adidas launches HomeCourt | The New Cara Delevigne Mulberry Collection

Shopper Discounts & Rewards: a retail spotlight on… LookFantastic.com

This is the first in a new series of ‘retail views and reviews’, where the Shopper Discounts & Rewards blog takes a look at the marketing efforts of a collection of online retailers.

what is lookfantastic.com?

Look Fantastic is a beauty eCommerce website, offering good quality branded products to its customers. You can find brands such as Benefit, Murad, Kerastase and Radical Skincare. Often it is hard to find discounts for these high-end brands, so this website is very good news.

the lookfantastic.com website

The website is easy to navigate, and full of interesting things to look at and click on. There is always an offer on – this is shown as soon as you enter the site – and there is a rolling banner advertising beauty brands. ‘What People Are Buying Right Now’ is innovative:

the purchase process

The purchase process at lookfantastic.com is very straightforward, and like many eCommerce sites you can create a simple account so that you don’t always need to give your full details. There are different options for delivery, and they often offer free delivery on your order. Delivery is fairly quick, with items normally received within a few days.

the follow-up

What most impressed us about lookfantastic.com is their follow-up email marketing. They sometimes send an email a day, but these emails are usually relevant to the customer, and therefore do not create a bad image for the brand. When a customer hasn’t visited the site for a while, they may offer a special discount of up to 15% to entice them back. Again, with free delivery this can really make a big difference when buying beauty items.

what do their customers think?

According to the lookfantastic.com reviews on Feefo, service is awarded a whopping 94% satisfaction, and products 96%. This is a very good score, and here is a typical comment:

“lookfantastic.com is firmly established at the forefront of the professional hair care industry with a reputation for excellence built upon our traditional salon heritage and specialist training centres for hairdressers” ~ Feefo reviewer

“Competitive pricing, good range of products, love that the delivery is free” ~ Feefo reviewer

Let us know what you think of Look Fantastic by commenting below!

Strong Rise in Retail Sales on UK High Street | Adidas Launches ‘HomeCourt’ Retail

LookFantastic.com features on the Shopper Discounts & Rewards programme, where members can receive 10% cashback on top of any discounts the lookfantastic site offers.

Merchants on the Shopper Discounts & Rewards programme are subject to change.

John Lewis backs incubator JLAB to develop next big thing | Shopper Discounts & Rewards

digital workshop to be launched in June

Five start-up companies are going to be offered office space so that John Lewis can harness the power of digital entrepreneurs as they prepare their battleground with other retailers.

The retailer is looking for ways to better knit together the shopping experience in stores and online and for new ways to communicate with customers, and this investment in digital could pave the way to online retail domination.

About JLAB

“We have crafted something unique in the UK retail sector that will give businesses access to the best mentors and to an environment where they can develop their ideas, I’m certain that we will find a new and exciting technology.” ~ Technology entrepreneur Stewart Marks

The JLAB website says: “JLAB is a business incubator with a twist. At the end of JLAB, we’re going to select 1 winning business to receive an incredible prize. As a JLAB participant, you’ll get everything you need to take your business to the next level…“

The John Lewis competition

Adidas launches HomeCourt, a Digital Innovation | A Spotlight on LookFantastic.com

Record sales experienced by both, but John Lewis comes out on top | Retail News

John Lewis steals the high street crown

John Lewis has stolen the UK high street crown from Marks & Spencer after sales in Britain overtook the high street bellwether for the first time, the Guardian reports.

The success was two-fold as both parts of the staff-owned retailer, Waitrose and John Lewis, cemented their status as middle-England’s favourite shopping destination with record sales. This reflects a recent study by Webloyalty, which revealed John Lewis as the ‘nation’s favourite retailer’, closely followed by Primark.

what’s driving this change?

John Lewis has been a strong player in the multichannel market, and has embraced the need to attract online customers through different devices. Only this week it was announced that John Lewis has invested in digital development, whereas Marks & Spencer seems to be trailing behind in this regard, though M&S did release a new-look website.

Retail Analyst Neil Saunders

“John Lewis has definitely replaced M&S as the darling of the British high street. M&S is still the more predominant – it has more stores and more shoppers – but when you look at new routes to market like online and mobile John Lewis is light years ahead.”

could this be something to do with bear and hare?

The Christmas 2013 advert from John Lewis was a viral hit, and led to increased footfall in their stores as families wanted to meet the animals and buy the merchandise. Here you can view the John Lewis Christmas advert.

Which is your favourite? John Lewis or Marks & Spencer? Answers on a postcard!

Retailer John Lewis invests in digital development | Shopper spotlight on lookfantastic.com

Shopper Discounts and Rewards Retail Review: Spotlight on bunches.co.uk

how will you celebrate Mother’s Day?

Many of us in the UK still treat Mother’s Day as a special occasion, and travel to see family members to give gifts and spend time together. It’s not unusual for a husband to buy their wife a present either, so I hope you’re ready! Will you be buying your gift online this year? The National Retail Federation reported that $20billion was spent online in the run up to Mother’s Day last year. You can view the Mother’s Day infographic here.

florist Mother’s Day offers

The florist bunches.co.uk is helping you to mark Mother’s Day 2014 with a fantastic offer – a bunch of flowers for just £19.99 including delivery. The flowers also come with a box of chocolates, like all the flowers ordered over the bunches site.

customer reviews for bunches.co.uk

Chris B says: Fantastic value flowers from a fantastic company!

Bunches are the only florist I use. Their flowers last for ages and the prices and service are second to none. I recommend them to everyone.

bunches.co.uk gets social!

Enter the @JanaReinhardt Facebook #competion to #win a #necklace & @BunchesUK #flowers ow.ly/ufGzf http://t.co/xRHpdY3Urg—
Bunches.co.uk (@BunchesUK) March 05, 2014

discounts & deals on flowers

• If you are a student you get 10% off with your NUS card
• Members of Shopper Discounts and Rewards get 10% cashback
• You can earn ‘posy points’ if you’re a regular visitor

Major tube stations to house pop-up shops managed by Transport for London

Shopper Discounts & Rewards reports the latest retail news: April will see unused retail space on the underground used for retail space, as Transport for London recognises the benefit of pop-ups.

Piccadilly Circus to start the ball rolling

The four stations to launch this initiative are Old Street, Piccadilly Circus, St James’ Park and Baker Street (pictured above). Retail Gazette reports that the short-term letting deal, struck up with online property agency Appear Here, will begin with 15 spaces at pop-up capital Old Street and launches at the end of April.

Appear Here says annual footfall at Old Street is 23m a year, while Piccadilly station is an impressive 43m, so these shops should see some sales. The nature of pop-ups may suit the London underground, as regular commuters have something new to explore.

Nike special edition store

TFL previously used a vacant unit to sell Nike special edition trainers at pop-up store inside Piccadilly station in December last year. This may have been a trial for the real thing, and it must have been popular if it’s led to this new initiative from Transport for London.

Would you ever buy something from a pop-up? How about one in a station?

The Shopper Discounts & Rewards Blog

Will you be buying flowers on Mother’s Day? | John Lewis beats M&S for Popularity

Retail News: Topshop outshines John Lewis and House of Fraser in recent survey

results from the Kurt Salmon survey

Kurt Salmon, the global retailer and consumer goods consultancy, has today released the results of a survey conducted to find out how well businesses are performing across multiple channels. In the fashion sector, it has been revealed that Topshop comes out on top in terms of “mobile” and “in-store”, making them a stronger player than the likes of John Lewis, House of Fraser and Marks & Spencer.

the perfect omni-channel mix for fashion retailers

According to Kurt Salmon, fashion retailers need to offer the following elements:

• Online: virtual fitting rooms/outfit builders, wish lists, customer reviews, help via instant messaging and ability to pay using gift cards
• In-store: wifi, mobile ePos, staff equipped with tablets or terminals so that they can see what the customer sees, personal shopping service.
• Mobile: filter options when browsing, customer reviews, total spend visible and a GPS store locator – with geolocation the next big opportunity
• Social: A strong engagement with customers, with frequent updates, blogs and inspiration.
• Cross-channel/fulfillment: Free home delivery (or a threshold to activate this), next day click and collect, reserve and collect from store option, same day delivery and specified delivery slots.

Good Delivery Options

Topshop definitely helps us spend more, by offering various methods of buying items. This in turn ties up their online and offline presence, and the brand is consistent throughout:

Interactive and Interesting Website Content

The Topshop website is full of interesting and interactive content, which in turns leads to people buying both online and also visiting the stores.

A Strong Presence on Social Channels

As well as having an interactive website, they encourage participation on social media:

Any thoughts about these floral plastic macs apart from: Awesome?! bit.ly/O7peLa http://t.co/lXNou58LsN—
  (@Topshop) March 13, 2014

On their YouTube channel, Topshop showcases their new campaigns and seasonal trends:

What do you think? Would vote for Topshop as best omni-channel fashion retailer?

Pop-Up Shops Appear in London Stations | Are you buying Flowers this Mother’s Day?

Shopper Discounts and Rewards: Ann Summers puts Knickerbox up for sale

Debenhams and Tesco may bid for the brand

Lingerie brand Ann Summers has confirmed it is putting Knickerbox up for sale, with the longer aim to revitalise the more risque part of the business.

Following an interesting Valentine’s Day campaign this year, this is another move from Ann Summers to increase footfall at their stores around the UK. They also sell online.

tax profits soar for Ann Summers

Apparently Fifty Shades of Grey not only captured the imagination of millions of readers across the world, but also saw a boost of sales for unusual lingerie items. As The Telegraph reports, “pre-tax profits rose by 43pc in 2012 to £4m on the back of increased sales, particularly in product lines mentioned in the Christian Grey novels.”

Jacqueline Gold, Chief Executive Officer:

“Knickerbox has been a very successful part of the Ann Summers brand for over 13 years and we have made this decision as part of a wider strategic plan that we believe will allow us to experience continued growth and brand development.”

Related News from Shopper Discounts and Rewards:

Ann Summers uses guerrilla tactics for Valentine’s Day campaign

Which big brand retailers will dominate the online market this year?

Shopper Discounts & Rewards looks at the big players

The world of eCommerce can be a difficult market, but there are some retailers who are doing a great job at making our shopping experiences easy. Here’s just a few of them!

Argos is great for click-and-collect

Argos reports that nearly 50% of all their sales are now online, and this is no surprise with its “click & reserve” option becoming so popular. Argos has a mobile-compatible, easy to use website, making it one of our top picks for shopping on the move. The flexibility offered by its “click & reserve option” is another great benefit.

Burberry has fantastic online design

Burberry offers one of the best eCommerce sites out there, and reported big rises in revenue in 2013. Net-a-Porter, the high-end online store, led the way by offering luxury goods online, but Burberry has taken it one step further by providing their customers with “click-and-collect”. Burberry experienced increased usage of this service in December 2013, and Burberry’s digital offering is now more successful than ever.

Amazon is always good for a bargain

One of the first success stories in the world of online shopping, Amazon started by offering us books, CDs and DVDs at reduced prices and with a number of delivery options, it transformed the retail market. This continued to be the case last Christmas, with Amazon starting its sales before Christmas. Offering up to 40% discount in the week before Christmas is nearly unheard of, as this is typically the strongest retail week of the year. However, Amazon won the hearts of Christmas shoppers everywhere!

Tesco leads the way in online food shopping

Leading the way in online food shopping, Tesco‘s eCommerce site may offer products that would be sold-out in store. Tesco’s online sales rose by 14% in 2013, and as they plan to open more dark stores, their offering will become more impressive and efficient. Tesco has fun features on the website too, including ‘Cooking with Kids’ (click on image).

What is your favourite online store? Which online destination do you most enjoy visiting? Let the Shopper Discounts & Rewards team know by commenting below.