Gorilla Group and Young America co-presented at IRCE 2013

1. BORROW THIS,
LOSE THAT
Lessons From the Competition
Ethan Smith
Creative Director
Gorilla
David Petersen
V.P. Retail and Brand Development
Stanley Furniture Co., Inc.

2. What’s happening today?

3. What's Different About You?
Dyson
Tom’s Shoes

4. What's Your Story?
American Muscle
Lush Cosmetics

5. Set Purchase Expectations in Advance
Northern Tool

6. Engaging the Ever-Connected Consumer
gorillagroup.comConfidential Material | Brought to you by Gorilla
Active Evaluation
Loyalty Loop
Post-Purchase Experience
USE
TRUST
EVANGELIZE
FRIEND
GET HELP
SHARE
PERSONALIZE
SEARCH RESEARCH
COMPARE
DECIDE
PURCHASE
DISCOVER
Forrester

7. Creating a stronger digital presence and melting it into the
overall omnichannel experience are key components for
future retail growth, and the winners will be the ones that
focus more on customers and less on channels.
MIKI BERARDELLI, TORY BURCH CMO
NEW YORK FASHION WEEK 2013
“

8. gorillagroup.comConfidential Material | Brought to you by Gorilla
Design for Context | Common Business Model
PRODUCT
TAXONOMY
RETURNS
RETURNS
WEB STORE
MOBILE SITE
/ APP
RETAIL STORE
USERS

9. gorillagroup.comConfidential Material | Brought to you by Gorilla
Design for Context | Aligned Business Model
A B C
RESPONSIVE WEBSITE USER PERSONAS STORE LOCATOR RETAIL STORE
RETURNS
PRODUCT
TAXONOMY

10. Allow People to Purchase on Their Terms
Trek Bikes
Sonos

11. Conversion isn't always Add to Cart
Subzero/Wolf
Shure Axient

12. Conversion isn't always Add to Cart
The Federal Savings Bank Stihl

13. Facilitate Post Purchase Action Online
Britax Zappos

15. Background
• Young America needed web presence
to NOT sell online
• Independent retailers need online
presence to reach prospects
• Target consumer considers offer online,
concludes purchase in-store
• Independent retailers presume the
worst of a manufacturer’s website
• Retailers equate online retailing with
price competition

16. Background
• Very few retailer distributed brands in
home furnishings online
• No closely allied brand examples to
borrow from
• Principal competitors have vertical
models
• Verticals are more transactional with
broader merchandise assortment

17. Background
• Challenges to making the website
the center of the universe - from
scratch
• Furniture manufacturer established
in 1924
• Previously pure B-to-B marketing
– retailer responsible for consumer
engagement
• No organizational experience with
online marketing/ retailing
• Consumer brand story not previously
told – strong trade brand history
• Retailers and field sales organization
are very skeptical

18. Background
• Imagined a website as the principal brand
medium for Young America
• First consumer contact with brand online
through search/ referral
• Products intensively researched
• Relatively short purchase cycle for capital
• Extended family involvement in purchase
• Participate in event purchase – with retailer
acceptance

19. BORROW this

20. Involve the retailer
upfront in the website
centric strategy
• Get permission to take charge of front
end of purchase process
• Take responsibility for pain points -
building store traffic
• Leverage website to give retailer
access to online presence

21. Proactively manage
retailer concerns
of channel conflict
• Ask for permission and get involvement
of retailer
• Show them project in process – give them
a visual
• Create price incentives for consumers to
buy through retailers

22. Celebrate the retailer
through dealer locator
• Make the locator prominent
• Make locator decisions important – think about
the prospect
• Create over-the-top referrals to retailers

23. Involve the retailer
• Put the website in the retailer’s store
• Create co-operative web-based
marketing - online advertising
• Share creative content with retailer
for their banner campaigns and
website
• Build trust and commitment by
making the brand website invaluable
to them
• Encourage retailers to develop their
own website strategies

24. Look to Allied Industries for
Inspiration - Consumer Capital
• Companies face many of the same challenges
• Consumer behavior is similar
• Distribution issues are similar
• Allows for a sober appraisal of challenge and
opportunity

25. LOSE thAT

26. Emulate transactional
strategies of verticals
• Imagine Internet can’t support alternative strategies
• Chase typical website strategies
• Race into broader merchandise strategy
• Lose sight of supporting principal distribution
channel/revenue streams
• Resist temptation to ask consumer to order

27. Make big plans for immediate
direct-to-consumer revenues
• Opportunities to expand direct business will come
later
• Online retail takes time to develop
• Early traffic exists because of your retailer’s activities