Tag: retailer

Vodafone becomes Ireland’s first JAM Card friendly mobile retailer in new partnership with NOW Group

Vodafone has announced a new partnership with JAM Card and NOW Group, becoming Ireland’s first JAM Card friendly mobile retailer. This partnership enables customers with hidden disabilities or communication barriers to tell staff in Vodafone 86 stores nationwide that they need extra time and understanding in a private and easy manner.

The JAM Card (Just A Minute) allows people with invisible disabilities to discreetly request patience during daily interactions—whether in stores, on public transport, or elsewhere. More than 1 in 5 potential consumers have a disability, and it is estimated that almost 1 in 5 people of working age has a disability.

As a JAM Card partner, Vodafone will provide tailored eLearning training for all retail teams, equipping staff with the skills required to support people with visible and invisible disabilities. Vodafone retail staff will be trained to recognise and respond to the JAM Card, enhancing customer service in 86 stores, making in-store experience less daunting and more efficient for shoppers with non-visible disabilities, whilst fostering a culture of understanding and neurodiversity across Vodafone.

Welcoming the partnership, Jenny Hayes, Head of Consumer Sales at Vodafone, said: “At Vodafone, we want to make sure no one is left behind. Over the coming weeks, we will work closely with our retail teams and JAM to make sure our staff are equipped with the correct training to recognise JAM Card users nationwide, providing them with support they need. Uplifting our ‘Inclusion for All in the Digital World’ initiative, this partnership is a meaningful step towards breaking down barriers, ensuring that everyone who enters a Vodafone store feels welcomed and supported.”

Aligning with Vodafone’s Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) policies, the partnership complements initiatives already in place, such as the retail stores’ sensory hours , which are from 9-11 am every Wednesday. All Vodafone retail stores will feature JAM Card signage to highlight this service, setting it apart from competitors who do not currently offer this support.

JAM has seen significant growth, with 123,000 JAM Card users and 10,000 JAM Card app users since it first launched in 2012. Leading global brands are choosing JAM Card to make their workplaces more inclusive, efficient, and happier. Developed for and by people with disabilities, the JAM Card is easy to use and discreet, making it the go-to choice for thousands of businesses.

TCS to Fashion New Partner Landscape for Primark to Transform and Grow its Operations

(TCS), a global leader in IT services, consulting, and business solutions, has extended its partnership with Primark, a leading international fashion retailer across 17 countries in Europe and the US. Over the next five years, TCS will help transform Primark’s technology operations to support the retailer’s ambitious plans for global growth.

TCS has been working with Primark since 2016, establishing itself as a trusted partner to the retailer. As well as driving business-critical integration programmes and stabilising core platforms for the retailer, TCS has also improved cybersecurity capabilities, improving stability and reliability of processes and systems.

As part of this expanded partnership, TCS will help transform Primark’s technology operating environment to make it more resilient, reliable, and efficient. By supporting Primark’s transformation journey, TCS will help reduce time-to-market for the retailer, aligning with its strategies for future growth. TCS will help Primark adopt a more agile and product-based operating model by enabling automation through intelligent automation and DevOps technologies. This new operating model will integrate and optimise application development, testing and maintenance processes.

Andrew Brothers, Chief Information Officer, Primark, said, “To help support our ambitious growth plans we’re expanding our partnership with TCS to build a robust, resilient, and reliable IT operating environment to become a more efficient, technology-led global organization with the agility to quickly adapt to changing demands and requirements in a fast-paced industry. Working with TCS will provide us with the ongoing operational stability and accountability needed to support our business to scale. This will allow us to respond to market trends and customer preferences in a timely manner, ensuring that we continue to deliver quality products at the best value for our customers.”

Primark’s new operating model will also be aligned to business functions and driven by their priorities, providing Primark with a comprehensive, real-time view of its technology, business systems and processes to enhance overall performance and enable the agile ecosystem required to support the organisation’s rapid growth plans.

Shekar Krishnan, Vice President & Head of Retail – UK and Europe, TCS, said, “The fashion industry is continually modernising its entire value chain—from conceptualisation, to design, to production and retailing – with innovation-led initiatives to achieve environmental, social, and governance goals. We’re thrilled to support Primark’s mission to offer affordable fashion for everyone and its global vision for growth.” 

TCS works with 200 of the region’s best-known and most-loved businesses, including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Sainsbury’s, Nationwide, M&S, Asda and Boots. With its deep industry expertise and an employee strength of 23,000 people in the UK and Ireland, TCS holds a leadership position in software and IT services in the UK and Ireland market. Operating in Ireland since 2001, TCS services over 28 global and local clients from its Dublin headquarters and Global Delivery Centre based in Letterkenny, Co. Donegal.

How to Monitor Retailer Pricing?

In highly competitive retail industries with numerous participants, finding an edge can be challenging. This emphasizes the importance of gathering ample information, especially regarding the prices of your products and those offered by your competitors. In such cases, there is no such thing as having too much information.

What is Retailer Pricing Monitoring?

Retailer price monitoring involves the ongoing surveillance of third-party resellers who distribute your brand’s products. Its purpose is to verify that these resellers adhere to the pricing terms agreed upon in the contract. It is essential to note that while retailer price monitoring is crucial, it should be just one element of a comprehensive retailer monitoring strategy.

Other significant aspects, such as competitor promotion monitoring, personnel monitoring, and sales monitoring, should also be considered. By implementing intelligent price management systems, you can simplify the price management process and enhance your return on investment (ROI).

What Elements Should You Be Monitoring?

Implementing a strategy to maximize sales through reseller partnerships can be advantageous, but it comes with risks if proper monitoring is neglected. Resellers may easily deviate from agreed-upon rules, potentially harming your brand’s reputation. To mitigate such risks, it is crucial to establish a preemptive action plan to promptly respond to any misconduct.

Focusing on key elements of your resellers’ item listings allows you to allocate your time and resources effectively. Employing e-commerce monitoring tools proves particularly helpful in tracking these essential elements. Here are three critical factors to monitor:

Pricing Pages

Monitoring reseller pricing pages is paramount. Gaining an overview of the products offered by third-party sellers and their corresponding prices provides insight into compliance with contractual obligations. Tools like map monitoring can help assess adherence to minimum pricing standards. While manual checking may suffice for a few pages, larger agreements demand more efficient methods. 

Stock Levels

Monitoring resellers’ stock levels is essential to ensure the availability of a full range of inventory to meet customer demands. Swiftly identifying out-of-stock products enables you to take immediate action, whether by refreshing stock or resolving other related issues.

Reviews

Another effective method is analyzing consumer reviews to evaluate third-party sellers. Reviews offer valuable insights regarding customers’ opinions on pricing and overall satisfaction with purchases. Though reviewing product listings and customer feedback is useful, it is vital to exercise discretion when drawing conclusions, as subjective views may be present.

By diligently monitoring these crucial aspects, you can mitigate risks associated with working with resellers, maintain brand reputation, and drive business success.

Challenges of Third-Party Retailer Proliferation

When you partner with third-party marketplaces or retailers to sell your products, it’s important to acknowledge that there may be a loss of control over consistency. Here are some areas where inconsistency may arise:

Pricing: There is a risk of retailers selling your product at higher or lower prices than desired, potentially impacting customer perception and purchase behavior. Higher prices may drive customers away, while lower prices might divert sales from your own website.

Brand Assets: Ensuring that partner retailers maintain your brand’s assets, such as logos and packaging quality, is crucial. For instance, if your brand is known for its recyclable packaging, it’s important that third-party marketplaces also adhere to these standards. Failure to do so may lead customers to associate your brand with non-compliance and doubt your claims.

Social Media Content: Brands may lose control over the consistency of social media content published by their third-party marketplaces. These platforms will have their own strategies, layouts, and campaigns, potentially impacting the messaging and brand representation.

Item Listings: When third-party marketplaces or retailers list your items on their websites, it is vital to ensure that the displayed product images and item descriptions are accurate. Consistency in content presentation helps maintain a cohesive brand image and avoids confusion or misrepresentation.

While it may be challenging to maintain complete control over these aspects when partnering with other retailers, establishing clear communication channels and enforcing guidelines can help mitigate inconsistencies and protect your brand’s integrity.

How Can You Use Retailer Monitoring?

Retailer monitoring is a valuable tool that can help companies improve performance, enhance the customer experience, and generate revenue. Here are some ways you can effectively leverage eCommerce monitoring:

  1. Strengthen your brand identity: columnfivemedia.com says that the consistent pricing is crucial for a positive brand reputation. By monitoring prices across your retail partner brands, you can discover the optimal pricing strategy that satisfies both your customers and your profit goals. Striking the right balance ensures a stable brand image.
  2. Set unique triggers: Take advantage of online retailers’ ability to set specific triggers that notify you when competitors undertake certain actions. This enables you to stay informed about sales, initiatives, and collaborations. By monitoring competitors’ tactics, you can learn how they enhance sales and improve customer experiences, allowing you to adapt and maintain competitiveness in the industry, says sellbrite.com.
  3. Analyze historical pricing trends: Utilize retailer price monitoring to gain insights into customer pricing preferences. Historical pricing trends reveal what customers are willing to pay and what may be considered too expensive. Additionally, studying competitor pricing patterns for different times of the year or special occasions helps you align your pricing strategies accordingly. For example, understanding changes in competitor pricing during past holiday seasons can inform your pricing strategies for upcoming profitable seasons.
  4. Develop curated strategies and campaigns: Retailer price monitoring provides actionable insights that support scenario planning. Analyze your competitors’ product launch timing, sales periods, and discount extents to create effective campaigns and strategies. Utilizing data-driven information from competitors rather than relying on predictions helps optimize your marketing efforts.

By effectively employing eCommerce monitoring techniques, businesses can gain a competitive advantage.