It seems that every new trend needs to have a new word or catchphrase and while we can have bets on which ones are likely to survive the test of time we thought we should look at some of them.
- “Bricks & Mortar” – physical shops rather than online.
- “Mashops” – a mash-up of bricks & mortar and interactivity.
- “Digitail” – the convergence of digital and retail.
- “Click ‘n’ Collect” – click online but collect in-store.
- “So/Lo/Mo” – mobile services that connect shoppers socially and locally.
- “One Line Strategy” – rather than online v offline, integrate the two.
- “SEO” – search engine optimisation.
- “Showrooming” – viewing goods in store but then going online to buy.
- “Gamification” – the idea that you can engage shoppers better by introducing elements of healthy competition.
- “Omnichannel” – directing your retail message through all available methods.
And finally, here is one that caught our eye – “Ramen Profitable” - A business that makes just enough money to cover basic living expenses, such as toilet paper, running water and instant ramen. Sound familiar?