THE independent study TRUTH

http://peasisill.tumblr.com/post/3009429504

Korean Grocery - brilliant use of Cross Channel retail

Do you ever get that feeling of absolute inspiration and then jealousy at the same time? I do. Its not healthy, but admitting that I have a problem is the first step to recovery, right?

This casestudy is freaking awesome and so smart. This grocer set out to become the biggest grocery retailer, but the brief was how to do it without new bricks and mortar locations. The obvious (or not so obvious) is to build the on-line channel. But what is so special about this is that they perfectly combined their need to grow business with a need of the people... to avoid the pain, strain and time of grocery shopping, with an inspired experience. They found the 'white space' in people's day, like waiting for a subway, and made this space engaging, fun and with a meaningful transaction. Its genius.

As part of my study I have been looking at the role of 'staples' in the BXM and online world. When you know what you need and you are just refilling, what's the rolle of the retailer. How can you meet your needs most efficiently without compromising on the positive aspects of the experience.

I love this idea. It has set the bar so high for me that I want to scream. But its exciting... now... how to disruptively innovate this badboy.


The question I have now

My 100 Questions about the future of BXM Retail

Here they are. My 100 questions about Bricks and Mortar retail - how, where and when we will be buying.

As previously mentioned, it was a grind getting these all done. But honestly, since pumping them out and crossing that first finish line, the questions keep coming. I had a whole new batch of questions about the role of peer to peer relationships and where and how that will impact buying.

What now?

Since posting these 100 questions the exercise has been to identify my top 10 questions. For me, I picked the juiciest ones that integuied me most. Questions that felt like they weren't quite easy to answer, and felt like there would be some depth in their exploration.

I have done that exercise, but more about that in another post.

For now... here are the questions. BTW -I'd love feedback and additional questions.

Retail Infographic - 3 of 3

Well, here in lies the rub of data. Who's data to believe? Data and info-graphics while gorgeous, beautiful and much easier to digest that decks of powerpoints are to always be digitently questioned.

Here is an infographic, based on Canadian sensus data from 2009 to tell a story in 2011. Compared to the global chart that demarks how many nations are spending, this one breaks down the catagories into more detail, but the total amount of dollars, compared to the GOOD, this one in the Mint.com version are greater. Ah... finally my out of control spending on clothing has finally been noticed by Census Canada!!

I think its a jounty little diagram, it helps to see where the spend takes place. I am not sure how I would use this data yet in my study. But it is interesting to note that the education and the healthcare spends stand out to me as likely the more conservative in relation to our neighbours to the South. I would also be interested to know where the groceries/the booze and the clothes are being bought... its one thing to buy, its another to know where and how they got it.

Retail Infographic - 2 of 3

This one just makes me feel like a bit of a jerk and that all of my problems are a bit, how do you say...um, 'First World'.

For every dollar spent in Pakistan on 'recreation', I am spending $2,238 (as a Canadian...and we all know that for me, that number is several fold).

This is literally showing me who is working so hard just to put a shirt on their back and shoes on their kids feet. Dare, I say its also telling me who is making and who is buying what's being made?

Just wondering, again, what is the time continuum? Has the spending declined? which categories are on the rise? What will this look like for manufacturing nations in the future, what will the role of brands in the 'have not' nations' look like. How is the amount determined - is it taken based on individual census information, then applied?

Where I think this information is valuable is from a birds eye view. Pakistan, China, Thailand, India are poor and populous nations. The priority is not on life-style its actually surviving life. Paying for clothes, eating and household goods - its about getting by. Even technologies, in which I will wrap in mobile usage, is low and according to alot of articles I've read lately, mobile adoption in these countries is climbing 10x (I will find the source). So for a brand like Nokia, who has may or may not have eyes on these countries for growth and market penetration through Dumb Phones, or a brand like Starbucks or McDonald who is interested in quenching and feeding the local markets, it will be a challenge. While everyone needs to eat, is there even an opportunity to be relevant in these markets, and if you are, to even make money and survive as a company. How will brands need to zig in order to win in these markets? Or, flip the relationship inside out - are there brands in China, or ways of life that the consumer-crazy 1st world can adopt that help curb our enthusiasm for entertainment/clothing etc.? For instance, how are household items shared in these nations? how can we reduce consumerism?

Global brands need global perspectives. And I am a bit fearful that sometimes the perspective is... where there are people, they will buy. This can't always be the case....

Retail Infographic - 1 of 3

I can across 3 infographics that I think are worth discussing. This one I found on GOOD. Good is a well, great resource for emerging innovations and discussions.

There are 2 graphs here... both tell essentially the same story, just a different way to present the information.

Graphs like this are important because they show what industries are over indexing, which are under and in there lies the potential for uncovering opportunities for innovation to tip the engagement in one direction or another.

I was shocked at how much clothing is being purchased on-line. As such a finicky personalized service I was convinced that it would be lower... this begs the question, who is doing it well. and to dig deeper, which markets are more interested in spending online.

I also slightly obsessed with how under indexed the BILLION dollar industry of pharmaceuticals appears to be. And why. I have big Muaah-haaa-haaa laugh in my head... someone, somewhere is clamping that opportunity down and I want to crack it wide open. More to come on how I would like to do that (that's a whole other independant study).

This is a great introductory image. It demonstrates opportunities... What would help flesh this out is data for Canada (oui!), a time continuum. I'd like to see how this fairs from 2-3 years ago, and I'd like a geographic overlay. Too much to ask??

100 Questions. Future of BXM retail - How, When and Where we'll buy.

Good morning. It has been a while since I have written. Between the exciting Stanley Cup run to Vancouver's gruesome loss of its cool, a big TV campaign at work, a weed-loving garden, two trips home to Vancouver, for a wedding and for my Dad's 60th... I have been trying to work on my independant study for my Masters of Design in Strategic Foresight and Innovation, at OCADU.

So... what is my independant study and how do I play on tackling it?

Here it is 'Elevator going up', now pitch!!

I am studying the future of Bricks and Mortar (BXM) retail. How, when and where we'll buy.

This ranges from the relationships between dedicated BXM, on-line, to various distributor models. It also emcompasses the role of the transaction through credit, cash, debit paypal, emerging NFC and mobile-wallet technologies. The landscape is changing... and I am interested in looking at emerging relationships, exploring what hurts and what helps retailers.

How do I start to unravel this big freakin' web of stuff to untangle. Right now I am in a big freaking web of stuff... so to start I have asked 100 questions. (I am not sure how to post them in ... so stay tuned). The purpose of the 100 questions exercise is to essentially brain dump all of the questions/topics/thinking I might have on the subject... and from there start honing. For me the exercise was a breeze until I got to around #35... then I had to push. It took me another 2 hours (of procrastination, emptying the dishwasher, changing the music, making coffee) to really pump out the rest. And since then, I have crafted another 20 or so that I need to document. Once you've untapped it... away it goes :)