????這一趨勢的發(fā)展過程很有可能會引發(fā)傳統(tǒng)零售業(yè)中從未出現(xiàn)過的“變體”，比如“胡蘿卜暴民”。這個群體的宗旨是，通過有消費(fèi)能力的優(yōu)質(zhì)客戶獎勵良好的企業(yè)行為，進(jìn)而對企業(yè)施加影響，使其按照這一群體認(rèn)為符合職業(yè)道德的方式經(jīng)營。這種理念認(rèn)為，傳統(tǒng)的抵制商店的做法毫無效率，并且容易造成對抗。但如果對商店提供實(shí)際獎勵，則可以促使它們逐漸做出改變。

????將上面的所有案例串聯(lián)在一起可以看出，零售品牌所面臨的全新挑戰(zhàn)是：從優(yōu)質(zhì)商品或?qū)嵒輧r格的提供者，轉(zhuǎn)變成一系列獨(dú)特購物體驗(yàn)的策劃者。這些獨(dú)特購物體驗(yàn)將不同的消費(fèi)者聯(lián)系起來，同時，將消費(fèi)者與商品也連接到一起。沃爾瑪（Wal-Mart）的Shopycat便是很好的例子。Shopycat是沃爾瑪推出的一項(xiàng)禮品挑選服務(wù)，可以根據(jù)禮品收件人的“喜好”和在線行為為消費(fèi)者推薦禮品。

????這雖然也是一種品牌推廣的形式，但更多的是通過商品的實(shí)用性來推廣品牌，而不是簡單的品牌標(biāo)識和廣告宣傳；也不再是對商店品牌的定位，而是更注重投資于創(chuàng)新服務(wù)，隨時隨地為消費(fèi)者提供幫助。

????或許，零售業(yè)的未來需要零售商們轉(zhuǎn)變角色，變得像驢子一樣，始終得圍著消費(fèi)者團(tuán)團(tuán)轉(zhuǎn)，追逐消費(fèi)者吊在他們面前的胡蘿卜。聽起來似乎不錯，如果確實(shí)有利可圖，那自然再好不過了。

????譯者：阿龍/汪皓

????In a potentially powerful twist on this trend, there's carrotmob. This group was formed to influence corporations to behave in ways it thinks are ethical by rewarding good corporate behavior with good, money-spending customers. The idea is that the old technique of boycotting stores is negative, antagonistic, and ineffective. But rewarding them actually works to foster change.

????Linking all these examples is a new challenge for retail brands: shift from being the source of great goods or great prices, to being the curator of a unique set of experiences that connect people with each other as well as with products. A good example of this is Wal-Mart's (WMT) Shopycat, a gift-selecting service that recommends presents based on the recipients' "Likes" and online behavior.

????It's a form of branding that's a lot less about logos and advertising, and a lot more about storytelling through utility -- less about the "positioning" of a store brand, and more about investing in innovative services that help the customer wherever they are.

????So, maybe the future of retail will involve stores behaving like horses, chasing the carrots that consumers offer them. Sounds positive. And if it's lucrative, all the better.