Forget the Future: Macy’s Shows That MCommerce Is Simple

October 28, 2014         By: Michael Foster

The future of mCommerce might hinge on mobile payments, but until retailers and tech companies stop fighting each other, the real future of mCommerce will depend on optimizing online campaigns to boost real-world transactions.
This is hard. So hard, in fact, that many companies have been working on it for years with little to show for it. Part of the problem is knowing who is carrying which device and where they are. Beacons are one tool, but their reliance on Bluetooth is a limitation. Other inferential techniques—or just slapping an ID on people’s phones without them knowing about it—can help, but they’re far from a silver bullet.
For a more holistic and far less creepy solution, look at Macy’s. The retail giant has been using an old standard of online advertising to make a campaign that not only moves people to buy things in-store, but is actually helpful for the consumer at the same time.
The idea is simple: someone searches Google for a product, and one of the results is a paid ad for Macy’s, which shows the product, its price, and where they can buy it online. On top of that, the ad will tell users that a nearby store also has the product in stock, while showing the address and directions to the store.
Customers can then go into the store, show the sales clerk the ad, and purchase the product.
As Macy’s VP of Digital Media Jennifer Kasper told AdAge, the retailer doesn’t care if customers buy online or in-store, as long as they shop with Macy’s. Their approach to mobile reflects that.
The way Macy’s is approaching the topic is an obvious no-brainer to most people with a pulse, but it’s a sharp contrast from most retailers’ approach to online. Best Buy and Radio Shack are great examples of retailers who suffered from showrooming thanks to a lethargic approach to online marketing. Macy’s, on the other hand, clearly knows how online is a net plus to their bottom line.