If you’re an online retailer, how excited should you be about today’s launch of Microsoft Windows 7? May I suggest you think of this latest version of Microsoft’s operating system as an exciting marketing opportunity, one that could extend beyond hardware and software sales.
As you probably know, your online store can detect the type of operating system that shoppers are using. With a major new operating system in the mix, why not leverage that data point in your merchandising? I think there are ways to leverage Microsoft Windows 7 even if you are not selling computers.
How might that work? Because it’s a more obvious application, let’s start with those retailers that do sell computer hardware and software. Such companies comprise a significant slice of the Internet Retailer Top 50, from the obvious manufacturer sites like Dell (#3) and Apple (#5) to office stores like Staples (#2), Office Depot (#4), and OfficeMax (#6). Then you have mass merchants and multi-channel retailers like Sears (#7) and QVC (#11) as well as digital specialists CDW (#8), NewEgg (#9), and BestBuy (#10).
Here are some of the ways retailers like this could leverage Windows 7:
1. If a visitor is using an earlier version of Windows: Pitch new computers that come with Windows 7 or offer a deal on upgrades to Windows 7, or hardware to run Windows 7 better.
David Brussin
Stephen Cobb
Blair Lyon
Tom Ellis