The retail team at Apparatus will help you to discover why your customers behave as they do.   With this knowledge we then define how to stimulate them to spend more in store, online or using mail order.

Retail Marketing

Market research

Quantitative or qualitative, good retail market research relies on intelligent interpretation. Using the insight that is gained from customer focus, matched with our constant assessment of the changing consumer marketplace, we can provide directional, actionable feedback.

Strategy

Careful targeting should be followed with consistent communication.  We work with a consultative approach to devise a trackable retail marketing strategy that will stimulate consumer spending.  

Online

Do you monitor your customers' behaviour when they visit your website?  Do you understand not just what they are doing but why?  Working on both ecommerce sites and retail brochure sites, we assess web content, interpret analytics and test usability to  build a clear web strategy and define a plan for uplift.

Digital for Retail

Websites

Every retail website is built with your return on investment in mind.  Our Content Management System will be customised to the specific requirements of your business and your customer.  Completely scalable, new assets can be developed as you require them.  

E-commerce sites are built using Magento Open Source software.  This reduces the number of design templates that are needed which facilitates consistency, speedy development and cost control.

Analytics

Good web analytics will cover not only the 'what' on your website but also the 'why.'  Surveying, multi-variate testing and usability studies are just some of the ways to gain a better understanding of the data produced by visitors to your site. A regular analytics service will identify what further testing and adaptation can be done to keep your website leading the field.

Optimisation

Much more than just ranking highly on Google, increasing the number of the right visitors who come to retail websites via search engines is complex.  The key principles are:

Structure

Optimisation is an integral element of the structure of our platform - from the URL to the page tags, we make sure that the search engines will find your content and index it effectively.  

Content

Whilst still making sure that your copy is written for humans, we will work with you to ensure that you have the right level and relevant type of content for maximum keyword density.

Authority

Working within Web 2.0 and social media, we can advise you on how to find those external references that will build your authority.

Usability

Many sales on retail websites are lost because customers become frustrated before even reaching the checkout.  Watching real people interact with your website is illuminating.  Finding out how customers navigate intuitively can significantly improve conversion and 'stickiness'. We identify users that match your customer profile and observe them in action before making refinements to your site.

Multi-Variate Testing (MVT)

Testing different layouts and features can have a significant impact on consumer behaviour.  Lovefilm's MVT produced a 13% conversion uplift simply by testing the call to action.  Using tools such as hotmapping research findings and AB split testing, we can tweak until we find the optimum layout for your customers.

Multi-Channel Retailing

Improve your customers' shopping experience by integrating your shopping channels.  Click and collect in store, or order in store for home delivery.  Systems integration facilitates this approach and stimulates your internal team to take a cross channel approach to selling. 

Multi Fascia

Segment your customer groups and channel them to the appropriate retail experience.  A good medium for covert discounting or for selling distressed stock, one site can service a number of retail brand identities.  

Searchandising

Increase transaction values by making purchase suggestions to your customers. Our research shows that consumers are highly likely to reward themselves for finding what they want by adding to their purchase.  Devices such as "Other customers also bought..." "You may also like..." are especially effective.  This system can also be used to offer bundles such as the case, lens and battery pack to go with a camera.  

Personalisation

Ensure that your retail website recognises regular customers, greeting them by name and tailoring suggestions to their preferences.  Our systems can automatically build their profile based on either the history of their activity or the preference profile that they submit.

Email Marketing

Provoke repeat visits to your site with effective, attractive retail email campaigns.  Our system is supported by a campaign analytics tool which tells you in great detail which items triggered response so that each successive campaign is increasingly effective.

 Retail Branding

Corporate Identity

We are proud to have been part of the teams that created enduring retail brand identities for Selfridges, New Look, John Lewis and Marks & Spencer.  Proportion, impact and consistency are key.  Your logo needs to be prepared for the new world of digital media.  It must work well on screens and in pixels in varying formats.  Our branding team bridges the span of the entire branded environment from fascia to paper and onto the web.  

Print

Retail customer magazines, brochures, catalogues and direct mail solutions.  We don't just make them look great, we're interested in how they reflect the brand and how they trigger spend, provoking a journey into the store, an order by phone or a transaction online.

Brand Implementation

Bringing retail brands to life within the built environment involves working with architects and designers to transform 2 dimensional identities into physical 3D interactions on the exteriors and interiors of buildings.  

Signage, liveries, uniforms, merchandise and buildings all need to fulfill the brand identity consistently and accurately.  We assess every element, working from the bottom up, formulating a carefully costed schedule and itinerary for execution.

Signage & Wayfinding

Signage

Retail signage is an integral part of your brand identity.  We take on the creative concept behind your identity and apply technical expertise to create an impactful yet practical end product.  Logistical support covers delivery and installation to provide a full project management service.

Wayfinding

Too much signage can be counterproductive - confusing and frustrating your customer.  We work from a user perspective, creating intuitive retail navigation systems that enhance your physical environment, resulting in a rewarding shopping experience for the customer and increased sales.

Packaging

Good retail packaging is key to purchase pleasure, to influencing selection.  We take into account Visual Merchandising and environmental considerations as well as visual and tactile interaction with the customer.

Point Of Sale

Retail point of sale is a key element in convincing the customer to buy.  We create effective eye-catching point of sale campaigns at seasonal, product or category level. 

Visual Merchandising

With 67% of customers admitting that they regularly buy on impulse, Visual Merchandising plays an essential role in the retail store environment.  We create stimulating in store campaigns that signpost the customers' journey, teasing them towards target merchandise.

Verbal Branding

How many retailers devote large proportions of their budget making sure that their visual identity is exciting and consistent and yet completely neglect their tone of voice, even though this is an integral part of building a relationship with the customer.  Establishing the right voice not only lets your customer get to know you but it helps staff at every level to communicate well.  

We can help with a full range of services from punchy retail copywriting to setting a house style with verbal branding guidelines.