Tech Tuesdays: Clarks Levels Up + JCPenney Leverages User-generated Content
Clarks Steps Into the Future with New Tech
Clarks footwear can be found in more than 100 markets via retail, wholesale, franchise and online too. The company also runs more than 500 full-price and outlet stores in Europe, the U.K. and across North America. But the heritage brand (it’s been making shoes for close to 200 years) realized its worn-out tech stack needed an upgrade.
“In 2022, the brand embarked on a company-wide digital transformation, anchored in MACH (Microservices, API-first, Cloud-native, and Headless) principles and a strategic shift from on-premises to cloud-based infrastructure,” NewStore said in a case study. “A key challenge during this transformation was the outdated point-of-sale (POS) systems, some of which were over 20 years old, severely limiting the brand’s ability to compete in the modern retail environment.”
After an evaluation, Clarks teamed up with NewStore.
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In the case study, NewStore said its SaaS solution and microservices-driven architecture, “aligned perfectly with Clarks’ vision for a modernized, future-proof technology stack. Moreover, NewStore’s implementation timeline was specifically tailored to meet Clarks’ aggressive schedule, ensuring a seamless and timely rollout across all channels.” NewStore said it also delivered exceptional value “in terms of total cost of ownership, providing a comprehensive solution that met Clarks’ needs while staying within budget.”
As part of the upgrade, NewStore worked with systems integrator AbsoluteLabs. “With a proven track record of implementing retail technology solutions, AbsoluteLabs played a crucial role in seamlessly connecting the NewStore platform with Clarks’ existing systems,” the company said, noting that the tech provider had “deep expertise in the platform’s capabilities [that] enabled Clarks to establish NewStore as the central source of truth for its retail operations.”
The result now allows Clarks to fully take advantage of omnichannel capabilities, “including store fulfillment, mixed cart processing, endless aisle, buy online pickup in-store (BOPIS) and buy online return in-store (BORIS). This integration has empowered Clarks to offer a unified and efficient shopping experience across all channels, reinforcing its position as a leader in innovative retail,” NewStore said.
“NewStore has been a key partner in our digital transformation journey,” said Simon Clarke, chief information officer at the brand. “The flexibility and interoperability of the platform were major selling points for us because we needed a solution that could modernize our technology and seamlessly connect our systems across all channels. This upgrade has allowed us to provide a consistent and high-quality shopping experience at every touchpoint, and we’re already seeing the added value it brings to our operations.”
Leveraging User-Generated Content
JCPenney is now on Bazaarvoice’s Visual Syndication Network. “The retailer has partnered with Bazaarvoice to collect and distribute visual UGC [user-generated content], including customer photos and videos, on their website’s product display pages,” the tech company said in a statement. “JCPenney is already accepting visual content from 64 brands to drive higher conversions, more time on site, and larger basket sizes.”
Joining the network, extends the retailer’s reach to their target customer. “JCPenney is looking forward to reaching our customers through this extended partnership with the Bazaarvoice Visual Syndication Network. Partnerships like these allow us to reach our customers in more relevant ways and help us connect more authentically with America’s diverse working families,” said Ann Eisenberg, JCPenney’s vice president of e-commerce.
Bazaarvoice said the network allows brands and retailers to seamlessly find visual UGC of their products “on social media, tag products, and request rights to use the photos and videos on their site and at retailers where they sell their products.” The company said the network also allows end-to-end management “of every aspect of content acquisition at scale — , request rights, syndication, and reporting — all within the platform.” All of which results in eye-popping conversion rates.
Doug Straton, chief customer evangelist and retail growth officer at Bazaarvoice, said the platform sees conversion rates “increase by up to 150 percent when shoppers interact with product page images. Seeing how other people just like themselves are using or wearing products helps shoppers more easily visualize the product in their own lives.”
