Forward-thinking Department Stores

Forward-thinking department stores

Broadcasting tactics to drive sales and engage pandemic-era consumers.

US chain Nordstrom is taking on live-stream e-commerce – a market already worth over $60bn in China (Forbes, 2020), while British group Selfridges is banking on the audio boom with a new nature-focused podcast series.

Nordstrom Live is a QVC-esque live shopping platform that allows fans to RSVP for events, and notifies them when they’re about to begin. Recent events include a styling live stream for Burberry's S/S 21 looks, and a conversation with British make-up artist Charlotte Tilbury. Viewers click shoppable links alongside the broadcasts to purchase products directly from Nordstrom’s e-commerce site and participate in live chat.

The interactive nature and additional context of these experiences hold increasing resonance – which extends to virtual consultations. In March, US/UK technologists Hero, whose app-based tech lets associates in physical spaces talk to consumers online, revealed that consumers routinely spend up to 70% more online via personalised, video-based shopping experiences.

Meanwhile, Selfridges is banking on audio to bolster its eco-ethical five-year initiative Project Earth. The store’s podcasting channel, Hot Air, has launched Good Nature – diving into biophilic-based pleasures. The first episode involves a patchwork of voices discussing simple pleasures, such as the sound of rainfall.

Whilst department-store-branded podcasts aren’t new – Harrods and Liberty also have ongoing series – they remain a powerful commercial opportunity. The most recent large-scale US survey found that 54% of podcast listeners are more likely to purchase from a brand after hearing it advertised on a podcast (Edison Research, 2019).

Here at Phoenix Wharf, our Fast Forward series looks at creative future approaches to retail. You can read our thoughts on the department store of the future here.