Report


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Search W


Land Securities has begun trialling Google’s Product Search to explore how it can support multichannel shopping journeys, hears David Brooks


hile online sales continue to show strong growth, the majority of retail sales still involve a customer going into store. Research online, purchase offl ine


(ROPO) is a consumer behaviour trend that’s driving a signifi cant proportion of retail sales – four out of 10 European consumers prefer to ROPO, according to a Google study. Having already invested in initiatives to support multi-


channel shopping – such as free wi-fi in its centres and the mobile optimisation of its websites – Land Securities has started testing Google Product Search functionality on the website of Leeds’ White Rose shopping centre. It’s part of the company’s strategy to ensure it continues to support its retailers in an environment where online is an increasingly important strategy. Google Product Search provides a function to search for retailers’ goods on the centre’s website, as it pulls together all the relevant products for participating stores that operate in that centre. Using Google’s comprehensive search capability to locate products, the service displays the results on the White Rose site. These results can then be fi ltered by relevancy, latest products and price. The search function covers goods from Warehouse, Oasis, Debenhams, Topshop, Schuh, Disney Store


20 autumn 2012


and, the most recent addition, Miss Selfridge. More retailers will be added as the service continues to gain traction in the marketplace. Consumers have the opportunity to continue browsing, comparing products, or transact online on the retailer’s website to click-and-collect or complete the purchase – it’s up to the consumer. Sean Curtis, head of business-to- business marketing, Retail at Land Securities, explains: “The marketing landscape has changed, the consumer wants access to information anywhere they go, anytime they want, and to be able to transact however they wish – digital enables this.” In this way Land Securities is keeping consumers happy,


but also supporting retailers too, acting as a conduit driving traffi c directly to the websites of participating retailers. If the trial is successful, the product search service will be rolled out to the websites of each centre in Land Securities’ portfolio. It may seem slightly counterintuitive for a shopping


centre to be encouraging consumers to look at products online, but the ROPO trend shows that the web supports offl ine transactions as well as being an alternative channel to market. Curtis says: “The key is using online to push customers


back into our centres, as part of a true multichannel focus and becoming part of a revolving loop – engage online, push in-centre, create value, push back offl ine.” ●


and selection IN NUMBERS


9 out of 10 purchases take place offl ine


4 out of 10 consumers prefer to research online, purchase offl ine (ROPO)


Source: Forrester and Consumer Commerce Barometer (TNS / Google / IAB)


£28.2bn Estimate of annual value of ROPO to the UK retail, technology, consumer packaged goods, entertainment and fi nance sectors


Source: Boston Consulting Group


54% of consumers do not buy online because they want to see the product before they purchase


Source: Google study


16% of consumers don’t buy online because they want to take away purchases immediately Source: Google study


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