On April 1, Retailer Web Services released WebFronts Level 4, billed as the first industry-specific marketing automation software. Designed exclusively for independent furniture, mattress and appliance retailers, WebFront Level 4 contains proprietary tools that enable stores to identify consumers while they’re researching online, track their interactions and then automatically re-market to these prospects based on purchase intent. The program integrates with RWS’ existing WebFronts system.
“Up until now, this type of technology has been too expensive and too technical for all but the largest national retailers to implement,”” says Jennie Gilbert, chief operating officer of the Scottsdale, Arizona-based technology provider. “It’s a huge game-changer to make this accessible to the independent channel. They know have a two-way mirror that allows them to better understand exactly who is visiting their site and what they’re looking for.”
The unprecedented rise of the digital consumer has changed the game for independent retailers, Gilbert says.
“The ‘purchase journey’ is completely different now, since consumers now do the bulk of their research on products they plan to buy long before they walk in a store.”
As a result, retailers need to know who their customer is and what their preferences are earlier in the buying cycle than ever before. “With WebFronts 4, they have a powerful tool that enables them to easily reach out to the right prospect at the right time with relevant, compelling offers that result in more sales,” she says. While much of the activity can be completely automated, the program also provides a rich source of sales leads for RSAs to tap as time allows.
According to Gilbert, 281 of RWS’ retailer customers across North America have already subscribed to WebFronts Level 4. Prior to release, the program was beta tested with a group of 200 retailers from different durable goods industries (appliances, furniture and mattresses) and buying groups, including a number of Tempur Sealy retailers.
The new program includes progressive profiling and session analytics; pre-made promotions; automated Facebook posts; email re-marketing tools; and end-to-end security with the latest privacy and compliance features.