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'It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.'
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Will Evian's Digi-Gizmo Spell the End for FMCG Retailers?

Bottom Line: In a move that could herald the beginning of the end for bricks and mortar retailers, a digital device developed by global foods giant Danone is bypassing retail outlets to sell its products online directly to consumers.


The web-connected smart device, predicted to become widely available by 2013, can be attached to a domestic fridge enabling home delivery of bottled Evian mineral water via the push of a button. Given that the device can be extended to all other Danone refrigerated products, it could prove to be the writing on the wall for retailers of fast moving consumer goods  products. Initially, however, the service ...

[Estimated timeframe: Q2 2012 -2013]

... is available only in Paris and its surrounding suburbs, the target being single-family homes and small businesses.  

The parent website, evianchezvous.com, also permits delivery of other water products in the Danone family, such as Badoit or Volvic water. There's also an introductory video.

Consumers are invited to to set their preferences on the website, choosing the frequency of shipments and number of bottles delivered based on the home or company's size. Delivery is free with a €15 purchase and the company will pick up empty bottles for recycling.

The device [left], temporarily branded Smart Drop, is a WiFi-enabled magnet about four inches long, with an LED screen; by the time it rolls out it is expected to also have a mobile app to run on smartphones. The device and the app will be introduced first in Paris and then will attempt to move into other global markets.

The faster it can do so the better; that's likely where much of the growth is. The International Bottled Water Association, in conjunction with Beverage Marketing Corp, recently released 2011 bottled-water statistics, which show the overall consumption of bottled water in the USA to have increased by 4.1%.

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Factual data only is sourced from the original attributed article. The data is then enhanced by additional research and comment.

Email this article Source: AdAge.com
MT article URL: http://www.marketingtomorrow.com/article.aspx?id=5861



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