Tag Archives: retailers

GoodGuide for Good Products for a more sustainable Retail

Yesterday I was reading a post concerning Levi Strauss & Co as the Top Jeans Brand, scoring a 7.4. The brand Prana was listed as the next highest, with a score of 6.3—followed by H&M (6.1), Banana Republic (6.1), and Old Navy (6.1).

I did not know what GoodGuide is – shame on me – so I checked out their very interesting website, which is said to be the world’s largest and most reliable source of information on the health, environmental and social impacts of consumer products. And I think it really is, rating over 95000 products, mainly available on the US market only: from food, toys, personal care to apparel, electronics and appliances. What is really striking is the scientific approach they have on their ratings, which are compiled from three sub-scores addressing Health, Environment and Society.


 Each of these sub-scores are based on an analysis of a set of indicators that GoodGuide has determined are the best-available measures of performance in these areas. Their methodology differs from the product belonging to different categories, each and every one having its own scoring methodology. Amazing. Let’s talk about apparel for example.

Quoting the Good Guide site: “Until (apparel) companies do a better job of providing transparency into their supply chain, our ability to accurately score brands based on their relative performance will be subject to significant uncertainties Environment scores are assigned to apparel brands by combining GoodGuide’s standard company indicators of environmental performance (weighted at 50%) with brand-level environmental indicators that address issues that are specific to the apparel sector (weighted at 50%).(….) Social scores are assigned to apparel brands by combining GoodGuide’s standard company indicators of social performance (50%) with brand-level social indicators that address issues that are specific to the apparel sector (weighted at 50%).(…) Health scores are not assigned to apparel brands because this product category does not generally pose health risks to consumers.”

The Good Guide website is also very good at using the Web 2.0 tools to “spread the word” and improve the accuracy of the product information thanks to a “support product info” page which enables visitors to add further details.

It would be also very interesting to test the effect of this kind of structured and scientific information directly at the point-of-sale, to see how the consumer react when discovering that his/her favourite brand of pasta is not that “good”. Because thanks to GoodGuide mobile App this is possible: consumers can scan the product, check the GoodGuide database and then purchase, or decide to choose another brand.

With this detailed level of “scientific” information, producers and retailers have nothing to hide and their achieving a high/low score can have a boomerang effect on brand reputation which must not be ignored and will not be ignored by consumers. Sustainability pays, and it will pay even more in the future.

Asia future retail landscape

Once upon a time, the customer experience depended largely upon luck: the mood of a shop assistant, the time spent waiting at the checkout, being able to find the right product. All of these could make a difference between a boycott or a customer for life. But with consumers more selective than ever about where to spend their hard earned cash, improving the customer experience has become even more critical. According to Ivano Ortis, International Director of leading analyst and trend forecasting agency IDC Retail Insights, customer service is only the latter part of the customer experience. “There is an increasing focus on ‘immersive shopping’ which is the next generation of shopping experience for the customer,” says Ortis. “This is not only about providing an inspirational range of products and displays but also about the instant and accurate delivery of information from the retailer.” It’s an experience that “can, and indeed must, be generated across any retail platform, be that in-store, online or even on a mobile device”. That means a strong multi-channel presence is essential for retailers looking to maximise profitability in the coming decade and that customers have the best experience within those platforms, he adds. One of the key challenges for retailers is to use IT in precision retailing strategies which target the marketing down to individual one-on-one customer communication and interaction. “The point is for retailers to change from a mass-market type of operating company to a very targeted operation, by analysing the intricate characteristics of their customers in order to ensure the customer is seeing the right product, with the right price at the right time to ensure a sale. In other words, that the customer is having the best possible experience,” says Ortis. As with any targeted marketing strategy, it doesn’t matter which platform the retailer is operating from. “It really depends on the customer you’re talking to, what time of the day it is, where the consumer is. I think the underlying technology infrastructure that needs to be put in place should be working regardless of the channels.” Ultimately, though, the key to success is for retailers to utilise technology to gather feedback and use that to develop a positive customer experience. “An immersed and interactive experience for the customer can only mean improved revenues for the retailer. Those retailers who use different platforms to support and enhance the customer experience will truly reap the benefits,” concludes Ortis. (Source: GDS International)

The retail business in year 2015? Just ask Nielsen!

Fresh Worldwide Press, retail food, , , , , , , , , , ,

Every now and then, I go back to the old the reports published by company leader in the market analysis and forecast, to see whether they did a good job – and it was worth buying thCPG Nielsen Reporte report – or it was just a "storytelling" exercise. When I read the Nielsen's report about the state of CPG (consumer packaged goods) industry in 2015 I just said: "Ok, I think there's something missing.." They wrote about mass supercenters and e-commerce experiencing the most dollar share gains through 2015. Drugstores, mass merchandisers and convenience stores will witness an increase in dollar sales, but will also experience share losses. Consumers will do their shopping via smartphones and digital and social marketing will be leading a company success and so on. But one thing was really missing, and this was sustainability. Wal-Mart is one of the leader in the retail business and they are taking big steps towards sustainability, do Nielsen think that they are wrong and by 2015 this issue will not be of much importance? Comments are welcomed! (Photo source: Flickr, Mazda6 (Tor)