Social media has changed the way private brands do business, agreed participants in a Wednesday panel discussion at the Private Brand Movement conference in Chicago.
“The current generation of consumers, especially Generation-Y, is information driven and demands transparency in their products,” explains Nancy Dumais, director of branding and design for private brands at Salisbury, N.C.-based retailer Delhaize America, Inc. this Wednesday “We must create a brand that communicates with them on a level they trust,” she says.
Retailers are aware of the power of social media but still remain cautious of the correct means of using the tool. “Retailers are way behind and we are still struggling to keep up with the different social media outlets like Facebook, Twitter and things like QR codes. The jury is still out on how this will play out. We need to get behind it or we will be left behind,” admits Susan Sanderson, director of corporate brand management for Cincinnati, Ohio-based retailer Kroger.
“Customer interaction means more focus on a value-added paradigm, you have to welcome customer interaction,” says Eli Getson, senior vice president for the Austin, Texas-based golf retailer Golfsmith.
