How Bob’s Discount Furniture Avoided The Retail Apocalypse

By Kathleen Wiersch, SAP Customer Experience Marketing

Once a great retail disrupter in the 19^th century and the world’s largest retailer in the 20^th century, Sears filed for bankruptcy in 2018. What happened?

Sears didn’t address the needs of the “omnichannel” consumer, a term coined in the mobile internet age. An omnichannel approach allows consumers to buy using the devices and locations in any combination they prefer. While digital natives might take the flexibility of an omnichannel retail world for granted, traditional retailers like Sears who did not embrace it have faltered. One recent survey found that millennials (consumers ages 22-37) make 60% of their purchases online.  But for older shoppers especially for large ticket items, a trip to the store to get the feel of an item is still important. How can a retailer know where to invest?

There are a lot of stories out there about a “retail apocalypse” brought on by changing buyer behavior including the advent of eCommerce and in particular with the success of Amazon.  But there are retailers that are thriving as well.  Bob’s Discount Furniture headquartered in Manchester, Connecticut is one of them. (READ MORE)