what’s retail for?
Just a quick, one-question, pop quiz.
What are retailers for?
a) to sell products, or
b) to satisfy demand
Do retailers get rid of inventory, or do they serve the needs of shoppers who come in looking for product(s)? Push supply or fill demand?
The fastest growing marketing practice right now isnt SEO or ecommerce, it’s ’shopper marketing’. Shopper marketing is basically ‘making it happen at retail’ – selling stuff and building brand equity in stores, at the same time.
And there is much confusion about the role of shopper marketing in organizations, especially as it sits in between Sales and Marketing. Is shopper marketing work that the sales organization is supposed to do? Or is it the providence of the marketing department?
I think you have to begin with your view of retail in general – sell what they have, or meet the needs?
There are all kinds of consultants and agencies and advisors out there that are experts at shopper marketing – some more than others, for sure. Here are a few to consider:
- 10Red
- The RetailNet Group
- Mars Advertising
- Saatchi X
- RetailForward
- The In-Store Marketing Institute