Now that 2019 is in full swing, what changes do you plan to make this year? Is this the year you update your branding or redesign your website? Perhaps you’re hiring a consultant to take a global look at your organization? Or maybe you have your head down and you’re just trying to get through each day’s agenda. Whatever state your business is in, one thing is for certain: you could use more e-commerce sales. We’ve talked a lot about the state of e-commerce across all types of industries (you can find those blogs here). This year, we’re focusing on successful e-commerce strategies. Marketing has a lot to do with the success of an e-commerce business, but there’s also much more to consider. Here are a few areas we plan to cover:

• Social media marketing
• Delivery & logistics
• Return policies
• Customer loyalty
• Channel conflict

We’ll do a deep dive into every facet of a successful e-commerce strategy. Along the way, we’ll spotlight companies that have excelled and find out what propelled them to the top. Plus, we’ll offer up concrete ways you can use your company’s data to improve each aspect of your business. What areas of your business need improvement? Which aspects of e-commerce trip you up? Let us know in the comments and we may dive into your suggestions in a future blog post. Written by Kim Kelly Consulting

The beginning of a new year is about reform, rejuvenation and, sometimes, reduction. We’re not talking about reducing waistlines, but rather store closings. Last year saw another record number of store closings. Sears Holding Company filed for bankruptcy and retailers such as Lowe’s, Macy’s and Victoria’s Secret all closed locations. Retail continues to fall on hard times. Whether traditional retailers are competing with Amazon and e-commerce in general or the rise of online direct-to-consumer companies, they’re struggling. But private equity continues to plague the retail landscape. One example of this formula for destruction is the closing of Shopko stores in 2018. Shopko is a rural retailer based in Wisconsin. In addition to its online presence, Shopko has 363 stores in 24 states, located in the Central, Western and Pacific Northwest regions of the U.S. Its regional influence makes it an interesting case, especially considering its niche customer base. Shopko is owned by the private equity firm Sun Capital and its story is all too similar to the demise of beloved toy retailer Toys ‘R’ Us. The company is drowning in debt and has done everything from selling pharmacy customer lists to competitors like Hyvee and Kroger to taking new loans in an effort to recover. Closing 39 stores in 2018 was also a large part of this effort. In an article for RetailDive, analyst Nick Egelanian said that e-commerce had little to do with the store closings, adding “Being on a short leash by [Sun Capital], there is little investment in stores. They are a wreck.” Much like Toys ‘R’ Us, Shopko was unable to keep stores updated and relevant due to the cost of servicing so much debt. Today’s retail landscape is so cutthroat that consumers expect a slick in-store experience and all the ease of Amazon on a retailer’s website. When retailers, like Shopko, take on too much debt and can no longer invest in their stores, it’s a recipe for disaster. Brand consultant Brian Kelly told RetailDive that Shopko is just “another retailer broken by debt and a PE firm, caught in the death spiral of blindly trying to goose sales and [ending] up flogging the brand.” What makes Shopko interesting is not only that it’s a regional retailer, but also rural. One of Shopko’s largest competitors is Tractor Supply, which scored a customer loyalty score higher than even Amazon this past year (the retailer was only beat out by Costco’s net promoter score). Culture and brand loyalty are key and possibly even more important than ever before. E-commerce has made the locations of physical stores less relevant than they were 20 years ago. This means that retailers have to invest in their stores and keep customers coming back for a brand experience. Shopko hasn’t shuttered completely, but we’ve seen this formula before. Let’s not dwell on the store closings of last year, but rather learn from them this year. To read more about Toys ‘R’ Us, click here. To catch up on what IBSW has to say on e-commerce, click here. If you’re looking to invest in your business this year and finally understand your customer insights, let Ironbridge help you make sense of all that data.Click here to request a demo. Written by Kim Kelly Consulting **This story is still developing**

We know you’re busy. But we also know that you like to stay up-to-date on what’s hot in the CPG industry. As the holiday cheer rises and emails slow, take a few moments to check out all the articles we’ve published this year and beyond. E-commerce trends by category In 2017, we focused on e-commerce trends and how selling online has impacted nearly every sector of retail. We even compiled our findings into a matrix with predicted growth and insights based on extensive research. If you missed it, you can find all the blog posts here and the matrix here. Direct-to-consumer trends Have you noticed a spike in D2C companies? Startups are selling everything from mattresses to prescription eyeglasses to makeup to razors directly to the consumer. We wanted to know more about this model and analyze the pros and cons of a manufacturer selling this way. Here are some of our findings:

• Direct-to-consumer is on the rise: Here’s why
• All the channels a brand can use to sell directly to the consumer
• How this company sells produce D2C and combats food waste at the same time
• How subscription boxes are winning the D2C retail game

More industry insights This past year saw more store closings. We looked into the real reason so many brick-and-mortar stores have shuttered and we specifically focused on the closing of Toys “R” Us. Finally, we know that everyone is trying to compete with Amazon. It may seem like a lost cause, but check out this post before you give up. It’s the story of how QVC is putting up a fight to compete with the shopping giant. What do you want to read in 2019? We’ve enjoyed digging into e-commerce and D2C to bring you relevant industry insights. What do you want to know more about? What information would help you grow in 2019? Drop us a line and let us know. Your idea may just show up in a future blog post! Written by Kim Kelly Consulting