In the mid-1980s, at a lecture in New York, author and counterculture visionary Robert Anton Wilson introduced his theory about the growth of information, called the "Jumping Jesus Phenomenon." In short, his theory was that it took until the time of Jesus (1 A.D. or thereabouts) for all the knowledge that was in the world in 1500 B.C. to double. It took 250 years for that body of knowledge to double again and then 150 years to double after that. By 1750, knowledge had increased by four times, or four Jesuses. By 1973, we had the equal to 128 …
Technology
The Quarantine Data Dearth
My shopping patterns have changed, have yours? Nozzle, a British consultancy that specializes in Amazon sales optimization released a report on recent Amazon search trend results. The insights reveal the top search terms. The lead searches for June in the U.S. were: Facemasks Lysol wipes Reusable facemasks Other popular items in the top ten include hand sanitizer and desk chairs. The July numbers were broken down differently, but the top two items were identical to June. Our consumer behavior has been flipped on its head. This …
Livestreaming: It’s Big in China, Is the US Next?
The future of livestreaming depends not just on who you are, but also where you are…and whether you understand exactly what livestreaming actually is. Livestreaming is a term being thrown around the retail world with increased frequency these days -- but describing it is not easy. Start with a TV shopping show like you might find on QVC or HSN. But put it on your mobile phone rather than your television. Then layer on social media functions, the ability to interact with what's on your screen in a way that's impossible on one-way electronics …
Don’t Be Fooled by Virtual Sizing Apps
Sizing and fit are top concerns for consumers shopping apparel. According to Shapeometry, in 2019 the apparel returns related to fit hit $60 billion, half of which were returns of online purchases. About 85 percent of apparel returns were due to fit issues. So, the premise of a digital personal avatar sounds great for shoppers, but the reality is that the supply chain cannot deliver to specific avatar sizes. Instead, brands match a personal avatar size to the closest size in the existing product range. Jason Wang, COO of Alvanon explains, …
Sex, China and Covid-19
Sex, China, and Covid-19. What sounds like an afternoon White House press briefing actually holds the key to understanding why virtual reality (aka VR) is one of the most overblown topics in retail right now. Social media has been a flutter with the usual geek speak on the topic since the outbreak began, and Retail Dive, just last month, also highlighted how the coronavirus pandemic could lead to higher VR adoption and a stronger consumer desire for things like “virtual try-ons” and “virtual malls.” But everyone needs to slow their roll just …
Tech Surprises You Don’t Want
The industry has paid a lot of attention to what stores need to do to reopen, and rightfully so. Big questions loom: how to arrange a store to enforce social distancing, how to provide PPE and sanitation to both employees and customers, new non-touch payment systems and how to provide a lot of plexiglass barriers at cash wraps. One area that has not received as much attention, though, is the technology. Not the registers and the payment devices - though this kind of tech poses its own problems (spraying down keypads can, in some instances, …
Facebook Shops Is a Winner – but for Whom?
In a recent Facebook live stream, Mark Zuckerberg announced Facebook’s latest foray into e-commerce retail. Zuckerberg described Shops as, “The biggest step we have taken yet [in social commerce].” This time Facebook is playing for keeps. Origin Story In August 2019, Facebook pulled rank on its two highly coveted holdings, Instagram and WhatsApp. The tech community howled about brand dilution of the wildly popular apps, and Instagram devotees held their collective noses when the titles of the apps were changed to Instagram from Facebook and …
The New Normal for Retail: Is It Time to Lean Toward Online?
Most people are wondering what life after this recent pandemic will look like. Will we commute back to work, or will working from home and meeting in virtual space become the new norm? Better yet, will we ever vacation away from home - even internationally? Similar questions are also being asked as communities begin to entertain the idea of reopening retail stores. A recent survey by Progressive Grocer already revealed a dramatic shift in the grocery sector, where 31 percent of U.S. households used e-commerce in the past month versus 13 …
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