Macy's 1999 Annual Report Download - page 10

8
W ith customer demographics and expectations changing so rapidly, Federated is
reaching out to today’s … and tomorrow’s … shoppers with new concepts and retailing
techniques. Bold new ideas are being tested across the country in a process of redefining
and reconfiguring the department store, even as we explore new avenues for enhancing
the online and catalog shopping experience.
Our goal is to reach existing and future customers most effectively. To do this, we will be
1) capitalizing on the strengths inherent in each of our “bricks-and-clicks” retail formats,
and 2) looking for innovative ways to integrate these formats in order to meet changing
customer needs and most effectively grow sales.
Some of the new concepts we’re testing are immediate hits with our customers. And
when we find ideas that work, we have the resources to roll out these “best practices”
quickly across the company. On the other hand, when ideas fall short of expecta-
tions we have the tenacity to tweak the concept and try again, or to learn from
our mistakes before we mercifully bury them.
Examples abound…
Interactive in-store computer kiosks, for instance, are being piloted in a
variety of circumstances – and have the potential to be a significant new
channel to fulfill customer needs for merchandise beyond what might be
available in a typical department store inventory. Kiosks, in fact, are a
microcosm of the “bricks-and-clicks” integration envisioned within Federated.
Case in point: A shopper at a smaller suburban department store wants
to purchase 12 place settings of fine china – a category that store displays,
but does not stock in depth. She can examine the merchandise on display,
then use a touchscreen computerized kiosk to order the merchandise with a
swipe of her credit card. The customer’s order is channeled to the nearest
Federated distribution center with the china in stock, and it is shipped directly
to her home within hours – freeing her to continue shopping the store.
Shoppers in many of our stores soon will be finding new conveniences to improve the
shopping experience. These may include additional sitting areas to relax within depart-
ments; roving food service carts selling coffee, juice and snacks; a service-laden lounge for
New Looks for a New Age
New Looks for a New Age