INTERNATIONAL. This instalment in the ‘All Eyes on…’ communication series, presented by the sunglasses suppliers behind the annual Sunglasses Workshop and Awards, recognises Dufry Group for its powerhouse performance in the sunglasses category.
The travel retailer won Sunglasses Retailer of the Year in the 2018 awards. (This is the fifth in a six-part review of 2018 winners.)
Dufry was recognised for expanding partnerships, listing new innovative brands, and improving its in-store environments. All of this resulted in an impressive performance of more than US$2 billion in sales.
Dufry scored highly for its ability to use innovative technology, stage interactive brand experiences, and create tailored in-store communications to captivate travelling customers, particularly in its Next Generation stores.
The Next Generation stores have contributed to making sunglasses the largest sub-category within Watches, Jewellery & Accessories for Dufry, with a 36% share. The sunglasses sub-category has also experienced the highest year-on-year sales growth within this category.
Dufry’s submission also stood out for its innovative e-Motion platform, which was launched in early 2018. It offers a 360 degree digital travel retail experience that greatly enhances the customer journey, according to the retailer. e-Motion links the digital and physical worlds through loyalty programmes, social media, staff engagement, and reserve and collect.
Dufry Group Global Head of Watches Jewellery and Sunglasses Beat Schärer said: “Dufry prides itself in putting the customer at the heart of everything we do. The way we have presented the sunglasses category in our Next Generation stores exemplifies our mission to create memorable shopping experiences, by constantly improving our shops and developing best-in-class retail formats, as well as implementing innovative cross-channel marketing initiatives. We are delighted to have been crowned Sunglasses Retailer of the Year as recognition of our efforts.”
De Rigo Travel Retail Manager Alessandra Piccin commented: “Dufry demonstrated extremely high standards across several key aspects of sunglasses retailing, including store environment, product variety, staff training and customer facing communications.
“With its Next Generation store concept, focused around the innovative e-Motion platform, Dufry has raised the bar and in the process established sunglasses as a core category within its estate.”
