How can retailers use location to drive Christmas sales?

Consumers now have a plethora of channels to shop through, prompting some brands to question the relevancy of the high street.

However, a recent survey by xAd, looking at Christmas shopping intentions among 2,000 people, found that 67% of UK shoppers will use the high street or department stores as their primary channel to purchase gifts this year.

But with shoppers visiting both a brand’s online and offline stores, they expect a seamless experience across both and retailers are looking to location intelligence to achieve this.

XAd’s EMEA managing director Theo Theodorou says: “Competition at Christmas is fierce so retailers must differentiate themselves by communicating with existing and potential customers in a smarter way.”

“Accurate location targeting, and the data derived from location intelligence, allows retailers to break down the barriers between online and offline by delivering experiences based on specific moments.

“Being able to understand whether someone is in the market for specific items through visitation history enables relevant communications for retailers, and is far more likely to result in a store visit”

Theo Theodorou, xAd

”This means that every brand experience is contextual and consistent.”

Being able to deliver communications based on where people are and their context is valuable. But it’s not just about offers.

“Being able to understand whether someone is in the market for specific items through visitation history enables relevant communications for retailers, and is far more likely to result in a store visit,” says Theodorou.

By lifting the lid of real world behaviour, brands can uncover huge sales opportunities at Christmas time and learn from location insights to implement smarter campaign strategies in 2017.