VMSD - February 2014 - (Page 4)

fe from the editor 11262 Cornell Park drive Cincinnati, oh 45242 P: 513.421.2050 / f: 513.421.5144 vmsd@stmediagroup.com / vmsd.com Brave New World embrace technology. it may just save the brick-and-mortar store. I have a simple request: can we retire the term "omni-channel" to wherever overused business jargon goes to join annoying words like "enterprise," "scalable," "paradigm" and "leverage"? Having just returned from NRF's annual conference in New York, my head is still spinning with the ubiquitous term for multiple retail forms of engagement, not to mention Big Data, cloud-based apps and electronic information exchanges. I have plenty of company when it comes to omni-channel fatigue. In fact, at a conference session of retail cio's, lululemon Athletica's cvp and cio Allan Smith suggested the industry adopt "one-guest experience" to describe the integration of in-store, online and mobile shopping. Semantics aside, that one-guest experience drove the show's focus and content, with mobile declared the once and future king of consumer engagement. And here's a stat to support that claim to the retail realm: 75 percent of consumers now use a smartphone while shopping. "We will be a mobile-first world," declared Ginni Rometty, IBM's chairman, president and ceo, in a keynote address. "And those who tap into that world will determine the winners and losers." Ultimately, retailers, with the aid of IT professionals and, yes, designers, must create an intuitive, seamless journey from the initial contact to checkout. It's a handful. "We're still trying to figure out how to engage customers in digital and mobile," said Michael Kingston, svp and cio, Neiman Marcus. "The key is a well-rounded view of the customer based on how she interacts with all of her preferred touchpoints. Technology is just the enabler to deliver customer experience." So what does all this tech talk have to do with you, retail designer/ visual merchandiser? Plenty. And if you think you can avoid the conversation, you might just find yourself on the receiving end of a pink slip. The brick-and-mortar store is here to stay. As one designer said, "It's where technology and brand touch points come together." But technology will increasingly be integrated into every facet of in-store design, from lighting and displays to fixtures, finishes and wayfinding. The good news is the combination of your skills and creative spirit with technology's promise to improve and enhance the shopper experience portends exciting times ahead for this industry. As Square ceo and Twitter chairman Jack Dorsey told show attendees: "That's what great technology allows. It allows for experience. It allows for the mechanical aspects of what we do every day to completely disappear." 4 FEBRUARY 2014 | vmsd.com Editorial Editor-in-Chief Patricia Sheehan patricia.sheehan@stmediagroup.com Managing Editor Robin Donovan robin.donovan@stmediagroup.com Art Director Don Heyl don.heyl@stmediagroup.com Assistant Editor Carly Hagedon carly.hagedon@stmediagroup.com Editor-at-Large Steve Kaufman steve.kaufman@stmediagroup.com New York Editor Eric Feigenbaum European Editor John Ryan, London Contributing Photographer Richard Cadan BraNd & BusiNEss dEvElopmENt Senior VP/Group Publisher U.S. / Canada Murray Kasmenn murray.kasmenn@stmediagroup.com P: 770.578.2577 Senior Market Strategist Ben Skidmore ben.skidmore@stmediagroup.com P: 972.587.9064 International Market Strategist Patricia Iannelli patricia.iannelli@stmediagroup.com Via G. Rossini 16, 21100 Varese, Italy P: +39.0332.240285 Integrated Marketing Specialist Brittany Lucero brittany.lucero@stmediagroup.com P: 770.545.3667 Publishing & Brand Services Coordinator Christine Lewis christine.lewis@stmediagroup.com P: 770.874.7834 c o r p o r at E President Tedd Swormstedt Senior VP Content Steve Duccilli Audience Development Director Christine Baloga Production Coordinator Mark Kissling Book Division Director Mark Kissling Reprint Information 717-632-3535, ext. 8265 suBscriptioN sErvicEs P.O. Box 1060, Skokie, IL 60076 P: (847) 763-4938 / F: (847) 763-9030 VMSD@halldata.com http://www.VMSD.com http://www.stmediagroup.com/marketing/images/VMSDStatement1211.pdf http://www.vmsd.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of VMSD - February 2014

VMSD - February 2014
CONTENTS
FROM THE EDITOR
VMSD EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
THE GOODS
DESERT OASIS
MIXED MESSAGES
IT’S A WRAP
YOUNG, QUIRKY AND COLORFUL
HUNTING FOR THE PERFECT EXPERIENCE
SHOWROOM
AD INDEX
CHECKING OUT

VMSD - February 2014