On LinkedIn we are privileged to be able to access all manner of people from the retail ecosystem industry around the world, many with different points of view.
We see the 'commentator' providing opinions on current news affairs, we also see 'experts' providing all manner of 'stats' in order to 'sell by stealth' the product suite that will solve all your growth problems - in reality the latter is just an advert dressed up as stats and content.
For the majority of consumers who regularly tune into their flavour of social media they are not only looking to be entertained but also are open to be informed as long as the content is reliable, relatable, immersive, and engaging.
There are several 'reliable' sources of research and intelligence that is saying Retail is in for another bumpy ride in 2023.
Behavioural change in consumers hit some retailers quicker than others.
Those that can spot the trending changes early and are agile enough to adapt changes to the operating model tend to stay the course during turbulent times.
An example of this change in behaviour was felt in many business sectors during the pandemic, the beauty sector being one of them.
When consumers went into their countries version of lockdown for the outbreak of COVID-19, we now know from research that they wore less make-up. And as a result they soon started to depend on e-commerce platforms for their beauty needs.
Today with the domestic and business fiscal purse strings being squeezed tighter than we've seen in decades we see supermarkets who are already operating on wafer thin margins leaning into 'value' ranges of product to ensure the fiscally strapped consumer come to them over a competitor.
The key point being raised here is that it's not necessarily about if the business/brand isn't still attractive - it's about working out if the operating model is agile enough to be responsive in time to meet those needs..
In today's socially savvy world consumers are looking for more help and advice on where to shop from those they trust the most, and that for many is friends and family.
So if the shift to providing content that 'helps' consumers whilst not directly 'selling' to consumers - what's your 2023 content strategy?
Personal care needs and perfume also ballooned among male users, growing by 95 percent and 70 percent, respectively. Content views for serum and facial cleansing-related products also increased compared to the same period last year.
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