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Ted Baker focusses on online blogging content as it shies away from ‘alien’ beacon technology

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By Natalie Mortimer, N/A

August 18, 2014 | 3 min read

Fashion retailer Ted Baker is looking to ramp up the blogging content on its e-commerce site to create deeper engagement with its consumers following its recent international expansion.

The launch of a new US e-commerce site earlier this month comes after the success of its overhauled UK website, and the brand will now begin to roll out “suitable enhancements and new developments” for its content over the next 12 months, according to brand communications director Craig Smith.

Smith told The Drum that despite the brand talking to “a whole host of technology partners and providers” to explore new advancements in its physical stores, it is currently focusing its efforts online to engage shoppers, who he says would consider innovations such as iBeacons “a little alien” in the current environment.

“It’s really about bringing more things into one place, in terms of blog integrations into the site… we want to ensure that we get customers in the right places and give them stuff they want to see when they get there.

“Having a standalone blog at the moment is not necessarily the best approach for us…we want to make sure we are giving a more rounded experience to whoever is looking for us.”

Smith said that while it’s “ok doing trials” retailers should consider putting technology such as beacons “on the backburner” until they are ready to adopt them across their business.

“I can’t speak for other businesses; we can see where some stuff fits in, but other stuff feels a little alien to our customers at the moment in terms of what they expect from our environments.”

Smith revealed that as part of Ted Baker's international expansion the brand is looking at opening an e-commerce business in China and exploring opportunities to create an additional standalone e-commerce business in Australia.

Local language iterations of its main site in Continental Europe are set to go live later this year.

Earlier this week House of Fraser and Hawes & Curtis introduced VM Beacon-enabled mannequins in select store window fronts.

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