The NET-A-PORTER Group increases engagement with customers through use of mapping technology
The NET-A-PORTER Group increases engagement with customers through use of mapping technology
A survey of retail professionals has revealed that the retail industry lags behind many other sectors in its adoption of mapping technology.
The research, carried out by Vanson Bourne on behalf of Google, found that less than half (46%) of retailers were currently using mapping technology, despite it bringing dramatic benefits to those that have already embraced it.
The benefits seen included: improved customer engagement, experienced by 67% of retailers, increased sales (50%), increased efficiency (48%) and increased web traffic (41%). Other advantages cited by retailers using the technology included: “Better information regarding location of new stores and possible impact of closures,” “It has provided customers with detailed information regarding the status and whereabouts of their orders, reducing calls into our main call centre by around 15%” and “It has allowed us to map out the time flow of our orders and also analyse trends such as product selection and customer location”.
Giving data contextual meaning
Mapping technology is designed to offer an effective way of making data more accessible and easy to understand. For instance, showing the location of customers can identify regional sales trends. Geographically displaying delivery routes can lead to greater efficiency and comparing store performance across regions can drive business development. Nearly half (45%) of those retailers using it stated that mapping technology has led them to reconsider their overall product strategy. Over half (54%) said they planned to increase their use of the technology in the next year.
Among those who considered mapping technology but decided not to use it, cost was cited the main barrier to adoption by 71%. Concern over complexity (29%) was another key issue. However, 73% of retailers not currently using mapping technology were interested in doing so in the future, suggesting they were aware of the potential benefits it can bring to their businesses.
One retailer successfully making use of mapping technology is The NET-A-PORTER Group. The premier online luxury fashion retailer has integrated a fully interactive Google Map into its website. Known as NET-A-PORTER Live, the service displays a shopping bag icon on a Google Earth Map, wherever a product is added to a customer’s wish list or their basket.
Sharing trends to drive brand loyalty
“This geographical visualisation of the products customers are looking at has created an innovative way to discover the latest trends and styles from across the world and has provided us with some fantastic publicity. By sharing real-time information via Google Maps we are helping to encourage engagement with our brand,” explained James Christian, The NET-A-PORTER Group head of innovation.
Sanjay Patel, head of Google Enterprise GEO in Europe, Middle East and Africa, commented: “As this example demonstrates, mapping technology is being used for far more than just showing your customers where you’re located. Organisations in all sectors are harnessing its power to get a better view of their customers, improve business processes, and drive sales. Those businesses not yet using the technology are missing out, particularly in the retail sector, where there is great potential to develop business insight and increase customer engagement through making greater use of mapping technology.”
Clive Longbottom, service director at analyst house Quocirca, added: “Data visualisation speaks volumes, and enables end users to reach valuable decisions far more rapidly than wading through tables and written reports. Visualisations of data across easily recognised environments – such as maps – makes this a very powerful tool for users across an organisation, not just data analysts. The easy accessibility and usability of public cloud-based mapping systems now puts this power into everyone’s hands – and should be embraced and used by any organisation where geo mapping could offer greater insights.”
