Boosting Consideration and Retail Presence

 

Microsoft needed help reimagining the way it merchandised its Office 365 product to drive more sales in Best Buy locations, so they called on Ignite for assistance.

Rethinking the Path to Purchase

The question wasn’t whether shoppers were going to purchase Office 365, it was really a matter of when, where, and which version they would buy. We saw the larger opportunity to create a win-win-win scenario that could lead to increased sales in-store and a stronger relationships between the brand, the retailer, and the customer.

Focusing on Customers’ Needs

We knew that 90% of Office 365 sales were tied to the purchase of a new laptop or Surface, so we needed to create a sense of urgency by educating consumers that their laptop or Surface didn’t come loaded with the Office software. We also needed to help them understand the features and benefits of the different versions of Office to ensure they selected the best version for the needs.

Everyone’s a Winner

We worked with Microsoft and Best Buy to establish a simplified aisle shipper to create a disruptive, modular solution that helped shoppers pick the right version, while saving Microsoft up to 50% on production costs.

We also humanized POP messaging hierarchy to create contextual urgency and reinforce an emotional connection to the product.

Microsoft built a stronger relationship with Best Buy through driving more in-store sales,
which created positive energy for the brand across all product lines, not just software. They
also empowered underutilized Best Buy blue shirts and leveraged the checkout real estate
to remind shoppers of the necessity of purchasing Office 365 in-store.

Best Buy gained incremental sales from people already buying a desktop
computer, laptop, or tablet. They also get extended customer engagement as
shoppers consider “what else do I need for my computer while I’m here?”

Customers get a simplified shopping experience that lets them handle their
hardware and software needs quickly and easily in one place from a trusted
retail destination.