How do the cookies work and what is their role in Fashion Industry ?

What is a cookie? 

A cookie is a file placed on the user's computer by the Internet browser when he or she is browsing the Internet. This file is only composed of text and is therefore harmless.

This file is generated by the server of the site consulted and is sent to the user's Internet browser. It is the browser that saves the file on the hard disk, as the server does not have direct access to the computer. Cookies were developed to improve the user experience, to allow websites to remember when a particular person visited. Cookies have thus played an important role in the development of the internet as we know it today. Each cookie has an expiry date, which varies from site to site.

Cookies work within the framework of the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), which is a communication protocol between the client (the Internet user) and the server (the website). Cookies are inserted as code in every request that a site's server sends. Cookies are stored by the browser in a single file.

What are cookies used for? 

Cookies provide information about the preferences of the person visiting the site. The site is thus able to recognize:

• The proposal of a login and password
• The storage of a site's display settings
• The various entries made on a site (for example, for search engines, cookies will be able to contain the user's centres of interest, enabling the advertisements proposed to be targeted)
• Analysis of page views (site audience, user behaviour, page views, time spent on the page, has the user has already seen the page, etc.)
• Various information from social networks (when the user clicks on a link via his social networks for example)
• To retrieve different parameters about users (cookies will store information about user's behaviour on the internet) 

What is the legislation concerning cookies and how can I comply with it? 

In the European Union, since 1 April 2021, websites must inform Internet users about the purpose of cookies. Since the implementation of the European laws RGPD (General Data Protection Regulation) and ePrivacy, on the recommendations of the CNIL, websites have some obligations regarding cookies. Website owners must disclose through a visible banner all cookies and trackers operating on the website to the user, in plain language, so that the user can make an informed consent choice or revoke it. Rejecting the trackers should be as simple as accepting them. User consent should be given freely and never as a condition of service. Website owners are responsible for user data. (Article 5(3) of Directive 2002/58/EC amended in 2009)

Cookies in the fashion industry: 

Apart from retrieving user data and other website statistics, the fashion industry makes extensive use of cookies through the method of Retargeting.

Retargeting is an online marketing technique that targets website visitors with a display advertising campaign. Thus, consumers who have shown interest in a website's products will see the products they previously consulted appear in the advertisements of other websites they visit.

Retargeting, therefore, has the advantage of targeting prospects who have already shown interest in a brand. 

Retargeting has several objectives: 

• Increase brand awareness

            To increase brand awareness, simply launch a retargeting campaign targeting all site visitors.

            It is easier to convince a customer to buy if they have been familiar with a company.

            By re-exposing visitors to the brand name and visuals, the chances of converting them into customers are increased.

            Even those who might not be involved will be able to tell others about the brand!

• Nurture and qualify leads

            Retarget people who have consumed content by offering them new resources to increase their interest in a product or service.

            With retargeting, it is possible, for example, to retarget visitors to offer them to download a restricted resource.

            This lead nurturing strategy allows you to position yourself as a reference company in your field thanks to relevant and interesting content.

• Convert a potentially qualified visitor

            Retarget visitors who have spent a certain amount of time on a specific product page.

            To take advantage of high potential visitors, for example, can retarget those who have visited specific pages, such as certain product sheets.

            An interested visitor will tend to spend more time on the web page because they read it carefully instead of skimming it, so you can also choose to target only those who have spent a certain amount of time on your page.

• Reduce cart abandonment

            Retarget people who have abandoned their shopping cart to try and get them to come back and complete their order.

            Even if they haven't completed their order, customers who have put items in their shopping cart are just one click away from making a purchase. They need encouragement!

            By advertising to these users, the chances of converting the trial increase considerably! For more efficiency, the banners can even display the items that have been placed in the shopping cart.

• Encourage re-purchase

            Retargeting former customers who have already made a purchase on a site is an excellent way to generate new sales and increase their lifetime value.

            The relationship with customers doesn't end when they order! Products have a limited lifespan, so it is possible to estimate this lifespan and retarget customers once it is over.

To be effective, retargeting requires a good mastery of your marketing strategy and your customer journey! It represents a powerful acquisition lever for e-commerce, which makes it a major asset for brands in the fashion industry.

In conclusion, cookies allow the fashion industry to further personalize the online customer experience of its consumers, and to influence their consumption behaviour to lead them to purchase in an ever more efficient way.

Elise Pluquin

#marketing #webmarketing #fashionmarketing #digitalmarketing #cookieanalysis #fashionindustry #retargeting

References:

• Williams LLP: "Cookies - what do online fashion retailers have to do to comply? (and why your social media targeting may be unlawful)", 13th of January 2020, Lexology, Accessible here: https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=1a90b841-742d-4bb0-92a2-ac9164e0008c
• "Cookies sur Internet : définition technique, normes en cours et rôle", 16th of September 2019, Journal Du Net, Accessible here: https://www.journaldunet.fr/web-tech/dictionnaire-du-webmastering/1445194-cookies-sur-internet-definition-technique-normes-en-cours-et-role/