As mobile registers become more and more the norm it comes as no surprise that  innovative means of payment will start popping up in retail stores.

Take the Square Stand for example, stylish and clutter-free new hardware for businesses that acts as an alternative to traditional cash registers. The countertop stand turns an iPad into a complete point-of-sale terminal and has a built-in credit card swipe machine.

It aims to give merchants a new way to manage and grow their business, for the same price as a cash register. It gives them access to real-time analytics, robust reporting, and a pleasant experience for customers.

It easily connects to a receipt printer, cash drawer and barcode scanner. The iPad can be locked in place and the stand secured to a countertop, making it easy to tilt and rotate in order to complete orders quickly. The Square Stand works with an iPad 2 or 3, and a version for iPads with Lightning connectors will be available later this year.

The Square Stand costs $299 and is available to pre-order online.

Via PFSK

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Littlewoods claims to have become the first retailer to monetise Facebook as it debuts a new interactive shopping tool.

The online retailer will be the first brand to use SeeItShopIt, a tool developed by digital agency Isobar, to showcase collections of products within a single post.

Facebook users will be able browse through brand collections, share individual items and directly purchase through SeeItShopIt.

Retailers have struggled to harness Facebook’s power and convert it into sales. Fashion retailers Oasis and Gap are amongst those which have launched then closed transactional sites on the social network.

Littlewoods, owned by Shop Direct, will initially use the tool on its Facebook page to launch Myleene Klass’s new swimwear collection. The retailer will bring 10 new collections to its 162,000 Facebook fans throughout May and June.

Littlewoods retail director Gary Kibble said: “Littlewoods always looks to be leading customer experiences, whether online or offline. The SeeItShopIt tool gives us the ability to deliver a new way for our Facebook fans to connect with our products.”

Isobar chief technology officer Rick Williams added: “We created SeeItShopIt to deliver an interactive shopping experience directly within Facebook’s news feed, where users spend most of their time.

“The tool will allow any brand with a broad product portfolio to monetise their Facebook fan base by providing a seamless shopping experience.”

Littlewoods has been a great advocate of trialling innovative ways to harness the power of Facebook. It has run a series of interactive Facebook TV programmes, hosted by its celebrity faces including Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen and Myleene Klass. The live lifestyle shows, which feature products from the retailer, has stimulate a sales jump.

Its debut show, which aired last June, drove a traffic surge to the homeware range launched on air, with views up almost 300% compared to the first week of similar ranges.

Check out the video below:

Via RetailWeek

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In an extension to its highly successful Tracker App, Domino’s Live is being trialled in Salt Lake City, Utah that shows live video of customer’s pizzas being made. With the philosophy that “when you make you great food, you have nothing to hide” this initiative shows true transparency to Domino’s customers and sets them apart from their competitors.

Check out the video below:

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Hointer is a new ‘microwarehouse’ concept store at the Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto that’s controlled entirely by customers’ mobile phones.

Created for the time-poor male who likes to shop for clothing (specifically jeans) quickly and efficiently it combines innovative in-store mobile applications and POS technology with traditional shopping. Hointer offers men and women a modern shopping experience that is as hassle free as buying online but allows customers to try on clothes before making a purchase.

You simply download a scanning app once in store, scan a style you like, choose your size and go to the changing room the app directs you to. Then in an ‘Argos’ style delivery system your item arrives down a shute for you to try on. Instant gratification.

Anything you don’t want you throw down a returns shute and items you want to buy can be done by swiping your credit card. Simple.

And the best thing about this model is it has a much smaller footprint than traditional bricks & mortar stores and takes less people to run. Compared to online retailers, Hointer is much closer to customers, making one hour delivery to the doorstep reality.

Check out the video below:

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Overview

Rebel wanted to position themselves as the specialists within the fitness category. Their previous campaigns had worked very well helping them achieve double digit growth within this category. However, to grow it further we really needed to make a shift change and re-position the brand as a provider of information and helpful advice in this field.

View the 30s TVC

View the 15s TVC

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Following Selfridges theme of old school cocktail bars, Harrods has just unveiled its Gatsby inspired pop-up cocktail bar.

Taking inspiration from Baz Lurhmann’s adaption of the classic novel The Great Gatsby Harrods will be opening a 1920s jazz-themed cocktail bar to celebrate the release of movie.

Art-deco is the theme of the store’s underground tasting room and wine shop, with cocktail making performances happening throughout the day to entertain guests. Custom cocktails will also be provided courtesy of Courvoisier, Hendrick’s and Johnnie Walker.

The roaring 20s themed bar will be open from May 9th to the 20th and as a one-time special on May 10, the bar will be hosting a jazz band trio, canapés and cocktail-making masterclass. For those who have always loved the work of F. Scott Fitzgerald, this may be the perfect way to experience what life was like during the time of The Great Gatsby.

Via PFSK

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Selfridges is to open a drive-thru click-and-collect service at its London flagship as it gears up to launch overseas delivery.

The retailer will convert forecourt space off the side of its Oxford Street store so that customers can collect products ordered online without having to leave their cars.

The service will launch early next year and, while Selfridges multichannel director Simon Forster said the details are being ironed out, he added: “It’s a great opportunity for us.”

Selfridges launched its in-store click-and-collect service at Oxford Street this week and will roll it out to its three remaining stores on May 9.

Forster, who joined from Debenhams late last year, said orders made online before 4pm will be available for collection as soon as the store opens the next day.

The service allows shoppers to pick which day, within seven days of ordering, they would like to collect their orders on.

The London store will offer 30 minutes of free parking for shoppers collecting orders and the collection point in London has direct access to the car park.

Forster said: “We wanted to launch the best in class click-and-collect service.”

Selfridges is also launching international delivery of online orders to 54 countries, starting with Europe in August and eventually rolling out to other territories including China.

Forster said that despite the fact it does not deliver overseas at present, one in five visitors to its website are from outside the UK. Overseas shoppers account for a quarter of sales made at its London store.

In June, the retailer is launching an improved home delivery service, which will give couriers the ability to text customers and arrange delivery times.

He said the focus for Selfridges’ multichannel offer is to extend its strong customer service to the online channel and added he expects click-and-collect orders to make up at least 25% of online orders.

Selfridges aims to increase online sales to around 20% of total sales over the next three to five years. “We would want click-and-collect sales to be as high as possible, because it’s giving the customer convenience and allows them to engage with the store,” Forster said.

Once this year’s plans are complete, Forster said the focus will shift to bringing online into the store with technology such as mobile devices and in-store kiosks.

Shoppers will also be allowed to try fashion and accessories on before deciding whether or not they want to complete their order and take them away. There will also be iPads at collection points to allow shoppers to continue browsing online.

Via Retail Week

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Via PFSK

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With the popularity of British Period Dramas such as Downton Abbey comes one of the most compelling stories of global retail. Selfridges.

‘Mr Selfridge’ charts the life of American entrepreneur, Harry Gordon Selfridge and his vision to make “shopping as thrilling as sex”.

The drama is set in 1909 London, at a time when wealthy women were enjoying a new sense of freedom and modernity. Selfridge wanted to indulge, empower and celebrate these women.

Executive producer Kate Lewis said: “It’s impossible to read about the real Harry Selfridge and not be enthralled. Here’s a man that had it all and lost it all in the most spectacular fashion. His life and the extraordinary legacy he left behind are dripping with drama.”

Featuring Jeremy Piven as Harry Selfridge, the series has been well-received, averaging 8.5 million viewers per episode and a second series has been commissioned.

The drama’s budget is estimated to be roughly in line with that of Downton’s, which costs around £1m an episode to produce.

Following the success of the series, the iconic department store has opened a bar dedicated to its founder Harry Gordon Selfridge.

The Harry Gordon’s cocktail bar will sell the 1909 Smash cocktail and 1909 IPA, to commemorate the year Selfridges opened. The bar will also exclusively stock Craft London beers on tap.

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