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1/ Baby Box - a jam-packed box of baby essentials to help new parents at the start of a child's life.2/ Childcare - 800 hours of early learning and childcare, saving families up to £2,500 per child per year @theSNP3/ Free Tuition - students in England face tuition fees up to £27,750 - Scottish students receive university tuition free4/ Period Poverty - Scotland is the first in the world to make sanitary products available free to all pupils and students5/ Prescriptions - prescription charges abolished in Scotland - now £9 per item south of the border6/ Cheaper Council Tax - every Scottish household benefits from cheaper tax bills - on average £500 less than England7/ Care For All - Free personal and nursing care extended to everyone who needs it, regardless of age8/ Free Bus Travel - Over one million Scots now enjoy free travel, including over-60s and disabled people9/ Record Health funding - over £13.9 billion in 2019/20, £4 billion more than when we took office10/ 13,600 more staff in Scotland's NHS, that's over 10% more since 200711/ Health spending in Scotland is £185 per person higher than in England12/ Patient satisfaction is at a five-year high in Scotland, with 86% of patients rating their inpatient experience positively13/ Scotland's A&E services are the best performing in the UK - for almost four years running14/ We are investing £110 million to support implementation of a new GP contract to support wider primary care reform15/ We are investing £200 million in a network of elective and diagnostic treatment centres across the country, as well as expanding the Golden Jubilee, to help meet the needs of an ageing population16/ Over £5 billion has been invested in Scotland's health infrastructure since 2007, includingScotland's superhospital in Glasgow, Dumfries Infirmary, Orkney Hospital & Aberdeen's Emergency Care Centre17/ Most nurses in Scotland are better paid than anywhere else in the UK, and none are paid less than their counterparts in NHS England18/ We've committed £40 million for 2,600 extra nursing and midwifery training places over this Parliament, & are investing £3 million more to train 500 advanced nurse practitioners19/ Scotland has the highest number of GP's per head of population in the UK.20/ We're training more paramedics, with a commitment to train 1,000 more by 202121/ We've expanded IVF to more families - making access in Scotland the fairest and most generous in the UK.22/ Scotland is leading the world on alcohol pricing, being the first country to implement minimum unit pricing23/ Our patient safety record is amongst the best in the world, infection from C.Diff and MRSA has dramatically reduced in over 65's by 88% and 94% under our government24/ We are implementing our new Cancer Strategy, investing £100 million to improve the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of cancer.25/ The risk from cervical cancer for the next generation of young women has been cut by providing the HPV vaccine for girls in second year of secondary school26/ Parking charges at all NHS-run hospitals scrapped - saving patients and staff around £27 million.27/ Scotland led the UK by introducing a mental health waiting times target, and our spending on mental health services exceeded £1 billion in 2018.28/ 94% of the Scottish population are now registered with an NHS dentist - double what it was when we took office in 200729/ Free tuition and bursaries for student nurses have been scrapped in England.In Scotland, we've protected free tuition and the nursing and midwifery bursary rises to £8,100 for 2019 and £10,000 for 2020.30/ Irresponsible alcohol discounts in supermarkets and off-licences are now banned, and we've raised the legal age for buying tobacco to 18.31/ We've made it illegal to smoke in a car with anyone under the age of 18.32/ Everyone who uses social care services can now control their individual care budget through the Self-directed Support Act.33/ We've provided extra funding for Scotland's veteran charities, and ensured our ex-service men & women receive priority treatment in the NHS and other services.34/ We are investing record amounts in schools to close the attainment gap - £120 million going direct to schools in 2019 alone.35/ All 135,000 pupils in primaries 1 to 3 now benefit from free school meals, saving families around £380 per child per year.36/ We've launched the Scottish Attainment Challenge, with investment of £750 million over the life of this parliament.37/ We've provided extra resources to local councils, allowing spending on education to increase in real terms for the past three years, up by £189 million in 2018/19.38/ 847 schools upgraded since 2007, providing well-designed, accessible and inclusive learning environments for pupils.39/ Record number of Scots are being accepted to study at university with record numbers from our most deprived communities too.40/ We've launched the First Minister's Reading Challenge to encourage all children to read for pleasure.41/ We've introduced a national £100 school clothing grant to help relieve family pressure.42/ Since 2012, we have invested over £1 billion per year in Scotland's universities.43/ We have protected the Disabled Students Allowance and bursaries for students, both abolished elsewhere in the UK.44/ We've expanded the Education Maintenance Allowance in Scotland- now scrapped south of the border - to support even more school pupils and college students from low income families.45/ We maintain the funding for at least 116,000 full-time college places.46/ We're providing our further education students with record levels of support. £111 million in 2018/19 - up 33% under the SNP.47/ We are supporting the college sector to maintain colleges and to deliver new campuses, including investment of over £228 million in the new City of Glasgow College super campus.48/ The number of higher education qualifiers from college is at an all-time high.49/ Graduates from Scottish universities are earning more than their counterparts in the rest of the UK.50/ Full-time college students in Scotland can now benefit from the highest bursary of anywhere in the UK.51/ Scotland provides the best package of support for university students in the UK - with free tuition, low interest rates for student loan repayments, and a minimum income guarantee of £7,625.52/ We've introduced a £20,000 bursary for career changers aiming to become teachers in priority science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) subjects, with home-economics included for the first time last year.53/ Scotland's unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest rate on record, under the SNP.54/ Scotland is the top destination in the UK, outside of London, for foreign direct investment.55/ We have delivered a new progressive tax system, supporting additional investment in our public services while safeguarding those on lower incomes.56/Scotland has the most generous business rates relief package in the UK - worth more than £750 million.57/ Scotland's international exports are up 57.2% under the SNP - valued at £32.4 billion in 2017.58/ We're leading the way on fair pay. Over 1,300 organisations are now accredited Living Wage employers - over one quarter of the total across the UK.59/ We've met our target to reduce youth unemployment by 40% - four years early.60/ Business research and development spend in Scotland increased by 13.9% in 2017 to reach a record £1.25 billion, compared to a UK increase of just 2.9%.61/ To help protect jobs and businesses through the recession, we've slashed or abolished business rates for over 100,000 premises - saving small businesses around £1.7 billion to date.62/ Scotland has the highest pay anywhere in the UK outside of London, the South East and East regions.63/ Scotland's productivity is outperforming the UK as a whole. Since 2007 productivity in Scotland has grown 10.3%, compared to growth of 2.9% in the UK.64/ Over 230,000 young people have had the opportunity to undertake a Modern Apprenticeship since 2007. And by 2020, a further 30,000 opportunities will be available every year.65/ We've made relentless efforts to protect manufacturing job, notably saving Scotland's remaining steel works from closure.66/ The number of private sector businesses in Scotland is at the highest level since records began.67/ £500 million to stimulate and support economic growth in Glasgow and the Clyde Valley.68/ £125 million to stimulate and support economic growth in the city as part of the Aberdeen City Region Deal, £254 million more for infrastructure projects across the north east of Scotland.69/ £135 million in the Inverness and Highland City Region Deal - two and a half times the UK government investment.70/ £300 million to deliver inclusive economic growth in Edinburgh and the south east of Scotland.71/ £200 million for the Tay Cities Region Deal, focusing on innovation, internationalisation, connectivity and empowerment.72/ £45 million for the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal to unlock investment, deliver new jobs and economic growth, alongside an additional £5 million for infrastructure projects in the region.73/ £85 million for the Borderlands Growth Deal - £20 million more than the UK government.74/ By the end of 2021 we will have committed £1 billion to tackling fuel poverty, and over one million energy efficiency measures have already been installed in almost one million households across Scotland.75/ Our reforms to Land and Buildings Transaction Tax mean that more than 80% of taxpayers either paid less tax compared to Stamp Duty Land Tax or no tax at all.76/ We are establishing a Scottish National Investment Bank, with funds for pre-cursor activities of £130 million.77/ Public sector procurement has been simplified, with more small and medium-sized enterprises now competing for and winning public sector contracts.78/ Scotland's tourism industry is going from strength to strength - spending by tourists in Scotland generates around £12 billion, and in 2015 the tourism industry accounted for around 8.5% of employment in Scotland.79/ We have established innovation and Investment Hubs in London, Brussels, Dublin, Berlin and Paris.80/ We have introduced a new £50 million fund for regenerating run down high streets.81/ We are providing support for our manufacturing sector - £48 million for the National Manufacturing Institute to deliver benefits for companies of all sizes in sectors across Scotland.82/ We are investing a further £60 million to deliver innovative low carbon energy solutions, such as electricity storage and sustainable heating systems - to improve energy efficiency as we look to a low carbon future.83/ We have begun delivering new and improved social security benefits through Social Security Scotland, the first new Scottish public service since devolution.Our mission is to bring a new culture of fairness, dignity and respect to Scottish social security.84/ £226 carers allowance paid twice yearly to over 77,000 carers.85/ Best Start baby grant paid to over 7,000 families - £600 on the birth of a first child, and £300 on the birth of any siblings. From 2019, low income families will get a further £250 when their child starts nursery, and the same again when their child starts school.86/ We have delivered more than 82,000 affordable homes since 2007, including 55,920 for social rent.87/ Scotland's same-sex marriage legislation is widely considered to be one of the most progressive equal marriage laws in the world.88/ Scotland is best in Europe, second only to Malta ???? for LGBTI ?????? equality and human rights.89/ We introduced the first gender-balanced Cabinet in the UK, one of only a handful of gender parity cabinets around the world.90/ In 2011, we became the first government in the UK to pay the real Living Wage to our staff, including all NHS workers.We have now extended the real Living Wage to all adult social care workers.91/ We have mitigated the Bedroom Tax, protecting over 70,000 Scottish households from the charge.92/ We have introduced a Fair Work Action Plan to support employers to embed fairer working practices.93/ Over 316,000 low income households in crisis have been helped to buy essentials such as nappies, food and cookers through our Scottish Welfare Fund since it was established in 2013.94/ We are investing £50 million to support the delivery of our Ending Homelessness Together action plan.95/ We have passed a Child Poverty Act that set targets to end child poverty by 2030, and introduced a new £50 million fund to tackle poverty at a grassroots level.96/ We've kept Scottish Water in public hands.Customers pay less for a better service in Scotland - saving £46 on average compared to the privatised services in England and Wales.97/ We have introduced the Scottish Government's first Gender Pay Gap Action Plan, with steps to tackle gender discrimination and inequalities in the workplace.98/ We are investing an extra £5 million over the next three years to support around 2,000 women to return to work after career breaks.99/ Almost 600 companies have signed the Scottish Business Pledge - a voluntary code for companies to commit to policies that boost productivity, recognise fairness and increase diversity.100/ A 300,000 Sports Equality Fund has benefited 14 projects with the aim of increasing women's engagement in sport.101/ Councils have been enabled to build new homes for the first time in years - with 10,943 council homes delivered since 2007.102/ We have passed a new law requiring public bodies to work towards gender balance on their boards - the only part of the UK with such a statutory objective.103/ 15,500 social houses for rent have been safeguarded by ending Right to Buy.104/ Last year, almost half a million households were supported by Scotland's Council Tax Reduction scheme.105/ We have safeguarded the rights of 2,600 of the most severely disabled by establishing the Scottish Independent Living Fund.106/ Since 2007, more than 28,000 households have been supported into affordable home ownership through our help to buy scheme.107/ We are helping first-time buyers get on the property ladder by lending them a chunk of their deposit. The new £150 million scheme provides loans of up to £25,000 to those who have managed to save up to 5% of the value of their first home.108/ Since taking office, recorded crime is down 42% in Scotland - this is the lowest level ever estimated by the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey.109/ We are protecting the police revenue budget in real terms - delivering an additional £100 million of investment over the course of this parliament.110/ Police forces in England and Wales have lost more than 20,000 officers over the last decade.In Scotland, officer numbers have increased significantly since the SNP came into power.111/ We have invested more than £17 million in violence prevention since 2007.112/ Violent crime is down by 46%, and property crime by 41% since we took office.113/ The Scottish Crime Campus provides a focal point for excellence in intelligence-sharing, evidence gathering and forensic science to tackle serious organised crime.114/ Automatic early release has been ended, meaning that long-term prisoners who pose an unacceptable risk to public safety will serve their sentence in full115/ The reconviction rate has been reduced to its lowest level in 19 years, thanks to tough community sentences116/ Since 2008, £92 million has been seized from criminals and has been reinvested in community projects for young people across Scotland117/ We've introduced the world leading Domestic Abuse Act that makes psychological domestic abuse and controlling behaviour a crime118/ HMP Low Moss opened in March 2012 & HMP Grampian opened in March 2014, two major parts of our prison building programme.119/ Since 2012, we've invested record funding of £13.5 million to support anti-sectarian education in schools, prisons, workplaces & communities120/ The new Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has been created.121/ We have made the sharing of so-called 'revenge porn' a specific criminal offence, carrying a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment.122/ Scotland has the UK's first national action plan on human rights, showing our ambition to be an example of how to realise human rights and tackle injustice at home and abroad.123/ We have introduced a Bill to the Scottish Parliament to raise the minimum age a child can be held criminally responsible from eight to 12, keeping children out of the court system and reinforcing Scotland's commitment to international human rights standards.124/ We have doubled the walking and cycling budget to £80 million per year.125/ We delivered the £1.35 billion marvel on the Forth - the Queensferry Crossing.126/ We've connected Glasgow to Edinburgh with continuous motorway for the first time.127/ We scrapped bridge tolls on the Forth and Tay crossings - saving individual commuters around £2,280 to date.128/ £8 billion has been invested in our rail infrastructure since 2007.129/ We delivered the Borders Railway, the longest new domestic railway to be built in Britain in over 100 years. 4 million passengers have used the service to date.130/ Our £5 billion investment programme in Scotland's railways will deliver longer, greener trains, new stations, new track upgrades, more seats, and more services.131/ The first section - between Kincraig and Dalraddy - of our £3 billion project to dual the A9 from Perth to Inverness has been completed.132/ The £745 million Aberdeen By-pass opened in February 2019, cutting the 36-mile journey time by half.133/ In the South of Scotland we're taking forward the construction of the Maybole bypass on the A77, making further improvements to the A75 and exploring how to better connect Dumfries and the M74.134/ Scotland has now achieved 95% fibre broadband coverage - and we'll reach 100% superfast coverage by 2021.135/We have demonstrated global leadership on climate change, and were the first part of the UK to declare a 'climate emergency'136/ Scotland is to target net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045, by far the toughest statutory target in the world.137/ Scotland outperforms the UK as a whole in cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Only Sweden ???? has achieved greater reduction in Western Europe.138/ Renewable energy generation in Scotland reached record levels in 2018, providing the equivalent of 75% of gross electricity consumption.139/ In 2016, our low carbon and renewable energy sector supported 49,000 jobs and generated £11 billion in turnover.140/ No fracking and other unconventional oil and gas activity can take place in Scotland.141/ We are on track to achieve our target of recycling 70% of all waste by 2025.142/ Scotland was one of the first countries to commit to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.143/ Carrier bag use was reduced by 80% - the equivalent of 650 million bags - in the first year of the carrier bag charge.144/ We have passed a law to ban the use of wild animals in travelling circuses in Scotland.145/ We've helped make our communities safer from flooding with investment in flood defences and new measures in the Flooding Act.Since 2008, we have made £42 million available each year to help local authorities invest in flood protection measures.146/ By 2021, £21 million will have been distributed through the world-leading Climate Justice Fund, which is now supporting projects in Malawi ???? Zambia ???? and Rwanda ????147/ We are ensuring the clean, green status of our valuable food and drink sector is protected by opting out of the cultivation of genetically modified crops.148/ We passed a law to fully devolve forestry to Scotland, helping us make more effective use of Scotland's land.149/ We are introducing Low Emissions Zones in our four largest cities by 2020 to improve urban air quality.150/ We invest £20 million per year in support of animal health and welfare.151/ In 2017/18, Scotland created 78% of all new woodland in the UK, and we are on track to meet our target of creating 15,000 hectares per year from 2024/25.152/ Scotland's Natural Capital Accounts estimate that Scotland's natural capital is valued at over £273 billion - 34% of the UK figure.153/ Scotland's independence referendum was the biggest democratic exercise in Scotland's history - with a turnout of 85% of all electors.154/ 16 and 17 year olds now have the right to vote in Scottish Parliament and local government elections.155/ We launched a £200,000 Access to Politics Fund to help disabled people stand for the 2017 local government elections - continuing the fund for the Scottish Parliament elections in 2021.156/ Local communities have been given a voice in the planning and delivery of local services - backed up by an annual £20 million of funding - through the Community Empowerment Act.157/ The Scottish Land Fund has already helped over 100 communities across the country to purchase land.158/ The radical and ambitious Land Reform Act has been passed to transform rules around the ownership, accessibility and benefits of land in Scotland.159/ A record £1 billion has been invested in vessels, ports and ferry services since 2007 as part of our commitment to our islands and remote communities.160/ We introduced and are implementing Scotland's first ever Islands Act to help our island communities thrive.161/ Road Equivalent Tariff has been rolled out to all ferry routes in the Clyde and Hebrides network, delivering significantly reduced ferry fares and the highest passenger numbers since 1997.162/ Residents of Caithness and north-west Sutherland, Colonsay, Islay, Jura, Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles are eligible for a 50% discount on air fares.163/ With produce output worth around £2.3 billion a year and around 65,000 people directly employed, we work tirelessly to get the best deal for Scotland's farmers, crofters and growers.164/ We are legislating to create a new South of Scotland Enterprise Agency to support businesses, jobs, economic growth and skills in the region.165/ With food and drink worth almost £6 billion in 2017 and 14,000 new jobs estimated to be created in the sector by 2020, we strive to promote Scotland's top quality produce.166/ Through funding from the EU and the Scottish Government, we are investing over £92 million in our fisheries fleet, in harbours, equipment and facilities.167/ The clean, green status of our valuable food and drink sector has been protected by opting out of the cultivation of genetically modified crops in Scotland.168/ Scotland's first National Marine Plan aims to achieve the sustainable development of our seas.169/ We are investing £6 million in a Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund to help ensure the services and facilities tourists and communities need are provided.170/ To support the building of new affordable housing in island communities, we are investing £5 million in an Islands Housing Fund.171/ We have published a new National Forestry Strategy and invested over £20 million to plant trees on Scotland's national forests.172/ In 2018/19, we invested nearly £118 million to help grow Scotland's food and drink sector - supporting production, marketing, promotion, collaboration, research and innovation.173/ We are investing almost £270 million in Scotland's culture and heritage.174/ Free access has been maintained to our national museums and galleries, which now welcome over five million visitors every year.175/ We have provided £21 million investment in Edinburgh's major festivals since 2008, and have now opened up funding to Glasgow's Celtic Connections.176/ Following the success of the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup in 2014, we are ensuring Scotland is on the centre stage for major events, providing funding for the European Championships in 2018, the Solheim Cup 2019, and the UEFA Euro 2020.177/ We invested £38 million in the construction of the world-class V&A Museum of Design in Dundee which opened in 2018.We are investing an additional £1 million a year for the next 10 years to ensure it reaches its full potential.178/ Glasgow will host the inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships in 2023 - reaffirming Scotland's place as a world leader for major events.179/ Over 900 schools and nurseries take part in the 'Daily Mile' challenge.We want Scotland to become the first 'Daily Mile Nation', with all nurseries and schools plus colleges, universities and workplaces involved across the country.180/ 99% of primary and secondary schools across Scotland are now providing two hours of physical education a week - up from just 10% in 2005.181/ Since 2007 our screen sector has gone from strength to strength and production spend in Scotland has increased by 200%.182/ We have invested £20 million to support the establishment of Screen Scotland - a dedicated unit for film and television - and funded the establishment of a National Film & Television School for Scotland in Glasgow.183/ We have improved the supporting infrastructure for sport in Scotland, including investing £24 million in the National Sports Performance Centre, Oriam.184/ We are committed to supporting MG Alba, which operates BBC Alba and receives £12.8 million a year from the Scottish Government.2/ Childcare - 600* hours of early learning and childcare, saving families up to £2,500 per child per year.A Healthier ScotlandA Smarter ScotlandA Wealthier ScotlandA Fairer ScotlandA Safer ScotlandInvesting for the FutureA Greener ScotlandEmpowering CommunitiesSupporting Rural & Island CommunitiesEnabling Creativity & Sport'Stronger For Scotland'

Evolving technology and changing consumer behavior is creating pricing transparency that winning retailers must come to grips with to survive if not thrive in the near and long term. Executive Summary With the rapid adoption of smart phones and tablets and the growing use of mobile applications, consumers are more aware than ever of price differences, not only among retailers, but across their various channels. They know where the best deals are to be had and are armed with enough pricing particulars to force rivals to match them. Retailers can no longer set prices and price match policies for their brick-and-mortar and online channels in silos or with minimal regard for competitors. They must face this new era of price transparency head-on. In today’s boundaryless.Environment, retailers should anticipate that consumers have easy access to information and any discrepancies will be noticed and exploited. Retailers worldwide face the same challenge — staying competitive in a world of price transparency. In response, many are taking action, such as defining cross-channel pricing strategies, refining price matching and price adjustment policies and more explicitly articulating their customer value proposition to proactively respond to consumers’ increased awareness of price differences. Retailers are also focusing on creating differentiated and exclusive offerings to their customers,Enhancing their private label development activities and collaborating with well-known designers to offer exclusive merchandise. This can add to the uniqueness of the retailer’s value proposition, and make it harder for shoppers to make direct price comparisons. Yet at the same time, retailers must continue to offer the quality, features and value that their customers have come to expect. Given the languishing global economy, retailers need to understand that many of today’s shoppers are aggressively seeking the best price; therefore, price matching is becoming a consumer expectation — and a core customer service capability that retailers must embrace. They need to create a seamless and consistent experience for providing information on product, prices and services, and respond just in time to customers’ price challenges. They must develop new ways to offer unique/customized offers by leveraging ever-increasing amounts of customer data, so the shopping focus can shift from price to a value exchange equally important to both consumer and retailer. In today’s dynamic retail environment, one of the biggest challenges is to build and retain trust among customers.As a result, retailers must derive new ways to maintain the balance between maximizing profits and creating and retaining customer loyalty by rethinking traditional pricing strategies and enhancing their promotion capabilities. Price Transparency: Moment of Truth A typical shopping scenario sheds light on the growing challenges of price transparency. Jennifer scanned a product for a price in a leading retail store; it was $180 on the shelf. Checking the price of the same product on the retailer’s Web site using her smartphone, it was to her surprise only $115. So, she ordered it via smartphone for in-store pickup, saving $65 in the process! While this is a fabricated story, situations like this occur more often than you think. Thanks to the rapid adoption of smartphones and tablets, and the growth of mobile apps, shoppers today have access to price information anytime and anywhere in the world.With a million smartphone Sold every month in the U.S. alone,1 shoppers are increasingly turning towards a growing number of mobile apps and price comparison services to find the best prices while they are shopping in-store and online. A recent study conducted by the marketing and public relations firm Walker Sands Communications confirms the growing usage of mobile technology: traffic stemming from mobile devices to various Web sites across industries, including retail, more than doubled, to 13% of total Web traffic in 2011 from 6% in 2010.2 Customer Shopping Behavior Shoppers are on a constant lookout for relevant information such as prices, product specifications, and user reviews to assist them in making informed decisions. According to the RIS/Cognizant 2012 Shopper Experience Study, competitive prices and promotions is the most important influencer in both in-store and online purchase decisions.How much do each of the following factors influence your in-store purchase decisions? How much do each of the following factors influence your online purchase decisions? cognizant 20-20 insights 3 In the current boundaryless shopping world, consumers are becoming increasingly pricesensitive and less loyal, continuously trolling for the best deals and more aggressive in seeking/ asking for a lower price. The shopping journey is becoming more omni-channel and nonlinear in nature. Shoppers may begin their journey at a store, use a smartphone/ tablet to check online prices and deals, read reviews and social “likes” on the product, go online again to make a purchase and then go back to the store to pick up the product. This growing trend is exposing the customer to different prices by geography and channel within a retailer’s chain and it colors their impressions and experiences with the retailer. The Norm, Not the Exception Numerous studies highlight the fact that shoppers are becoming increasingly active in comparing prices. Among them: • A study conducted by consultancy IDC Retail Insights reveals that roughly 45% of shoppers with smartphones used them to perform due diligence on a store’s prices.4 • “The 2011 Social Shopping Study” published by the e-tailing group notes that mobile phones are one of the most popular influencers in shoppers’ purchase decisions.Approximately 36% of respondents mentioned that when researching a product while in a physical store they look for competitive prices on Amazon. An equal number replied that they look for competitive pricing at online retailers other than Amazon.5 • A study by AlixPartners found that 37% of smartphone owners used a mobile price search app while in a store, and 25% of those that used an app then went on to purchase the item from a nearby store at a lower price.6 The use of price comparison tools/apps is also on the rise. A survey conducted by L.E.K found that a substantial number of consumers used a price comparison tool while standing in store aisles.7 Popular price comparison apps such as eBay Inc.’s RedLaser and TheFind had 16 million and 1.4 million downloads, respectively, in 2011. TheFind reports that its mobile app averaged 18 to 20 million price checks each month in 2011, up from 13 to 15 million checks per month in 2010.8 Retailers’ Challenges According to research conducted by RSR in 2011, retailers believe that “increased price transparency” is among the top business challenges driving pricing strategies. Moreover, its importance jumped markedly from 2010 to 2011 (see Figure 3).9 Retailers’ abilities to use price as a key differentiation and to price differently across channels is being seriously compromised. The Internet and mobile apps have conspired to break down the four walls of the retail store.Shoppers know what and where the lowest price is and are willing to ask for it with the expectation of receiving it. The ability for store associates to match prices is the second most desired area of store associate improvement, after “better customer service skills,” and far ahead of the third place choice (see Figure 4). Also, according to research conducted by the online review site Digital Trends in 2011, the search for better pricing is a major reason for online cart abandonment. The findings indicate that 27% of shoppers abandon their cart to compare prices on other sites and 25% abandon due to the price being too high.10 Today’s connected consumers know how to find the price they want to pay! Responding to Increasing Price Transparency Technology has proven to be both a curse and a blessing for retailers. For example, while social media assists retailers in reaching out to and connecting with their target customers in real-time and innovative ways, conventional Web and mobile apps are exposing price discrepancies within their own channels. In today’s multichannel retail world there are few places where traditional localized/zonal pricing can be camouflaged, reducing the effectiveness of these strategies. To keep their customer base intact and retain the pricing and services high ground, retailers are responding in the following ways: • Cross-channel pricing strategies: Retailers have begun to explicitly recognize the inter dependence of prices and policies in different channels and locales.Rather than just setting a chain price for all channels, or having each channel set its prices independently, retailers are taking a holistic view of pricing and policies across the enterprise, and are understanding what their competitors do in different channels, even though they may not directly compete in all channels. Pricing, price-match and return policies must be complementary across all channels, recognizing that from the customer’s standpoint it’s all one company. • Innovative pricing strategies: During the 2011 holiday season, several retailers offered innovative pricematching and price-adjustment tactics. For example, Walmart launched a special time-based price adjustment program in advance of the 2011 holiday shopping season and Amazon generated interest for its “Price Check” application by offering shoppers a 5% discount (up to $5) on up to three items purchased. Most of these solutions are only temporary however, as price-matching and price-adjustment tactics are in most cases easily copied. • Targeted marketing: With the advent of social media, retailers have additional opportunities to conduct targeted marketing initiatives on their core customers. In a recent RSR study surveying 65 retailers, 75% of the respondentsAgreed that targeted promotions offer an opportunity to overcome the challenge of price transparency.11 • Offering exclusive products: Retailers are investing heavily in offering exclusive products to consumers, as these can be less vulnerable to price comparison. Branded items that have been slightly modified in features or packaging make it more difficult for customers to conduct an exact feature-to-feature assessment when comparing prices. Many department stores and specialty retailers have been private labeling exclusive products for years. Price transparency increases the potential value of these types of items and programs. • Advanced price optimization solutions: With the explosion of channels, competitors and information, and the speed of change, retailers need better tools to make timely decisions. The value of advanced price optimization solutions, for initial pricing as well as markdowns, is increasing. These tools provide fact-based analyses of customers and competitors, sifting through vast amounts of data quickly, helping retailers balance customer loyalty and satisfaction with maximized profits. It is becoming increasingly important that retailers anticipate, not just react to pricing trends and market changes. However, only retailers with strong fundamentals will be able to survive today’s cutthroat marketplace. Apart from competitive pricing, the growing number of well-informed, tech-savvy and bargain-hungry customers are perpetually seeking the right product, right price, knowledgeable sales associates, comfortable store ambience and an overall pleasant shopping experience. JCPenney’s recent launch of its three-tier “Fair and Square”12 pricing strategy is no doubt in part a reaction to growing price transparency. In a heavily promotional environment, having the lowest — or at least a “competitive” — price that can be viewed by the shopper or comparison apps at any point in time is hit or miss. This is especially true for occasional shoppers. The new strategy may give the company a higher position on price rankings, but it remains to be seen if its traditional customer base can be retrained toRespond to the new strategy. Sears Holdings has vastly increased its online offerings in recent years and presents competitive prices, yet has under-invested in its brickand-mortar stores and has reported year-overyear declining sales.13 The company recently announced plans to close 100-plus stores in a bid to revitalize its business and reduce expenses. The Sears experience suggests that to play in multiple channels retailers can’t lag in any single channel. Not having a compelling shopping experience in one channel — whether it is product-, price-, service- or ambiance-oriented — extends to all channels. In a nutshell, retailers must develop proactive solutions that can help them to create and maintain the balance between maximizing profits and creating and retaining customer loyalty. Our Point of View We believe there are a few key concepts that retailers must embrace if they wish to continue to succeed in a price-transparent world. • Increase your price intelligence: Price intelligence can give retailers a strategic competitive advantage through insight-driven pricing decisions and an optimized product mix across channels, which ultimately helps increase conversions, sales and customer acquisition and retention. A robust price intelligence solution should integrate market, channel and competitive data with internal data in a near real-time environment. It allows retail management to gain a deeper understanding of what each competitor price change means for margin and market share, and how to formulate meaningful responses. • Rethink traditional pricing strategies: In a price-transparent world, retailers cannot afford to follow their competition blindly or let pricing strategies be solely driven by margin goals. Rather, they must create pricing policies which are in alignment with their brand image and business goals and allow them to respond to competition. Traditional pricing strategies such as HiLo, EDLP, Loss Leader, etc. will continue to attract a certain segment of customers and cannot be ignored – retraining customers typically takes time. Retailers should meld their existing strategies with new cross-channel strategies to ensure they do not negatively impact existing customers’ expectations and perceptions.Train and equip store associates: When customers go to a store, they still expect to find informed and accessible store associates. At the same time, they find it hard to understand why associates do not have the same technology and access to the same information they have. As noted in our white paper “Building the Intelligent Store,” retailers need to rethink the concepts of selling and customer service.14 Retail associates need to be equipped with technology that is on par with the customer’s. Associates need to be trained to articulate the store’s value proposition and the pricing it drives, and policies/procedures need to be streamlined to allow easy price matching while at the same time having proper controls and monitoring. • Target promotions by customer rather than channel: Retailers must avoid creating noticeable price conflicts. Loyalty-based pricing allows a retailer to differentiate prices between regular customers and occasional shoppers in an open, yet personal “my price” way. By using this technique, a retailer can differentiate between loyal and non-loyal customers and pass additional benefits to loyal ones. It also allows the retailer to deliver on the brand promise in the way that best resonates .Recognizes the price elasticity of each customer. • Increase private label or “customized” products/packaging: Price comparisons for private label or customized items have been difficult due to the lack of explicitly identical products. However, comparisons to similar products may become easier with the advent of image-based search launched by Google and Amazon. With this new technology, shoppers can submit a hosted or uploaded photo and the search will return images and text. Conclusion Price transparency is a hard reality for retailers to master. Today more than ever, “the customer is king.” New technologies and intermediaries have given them more control over the shopping journey; the ease of comparing prices plays a big part in that. But in the midst of this changing paradigm, retailers should not lose site of the fact that there is almost always something consumers value alongside price. The challenge is to find the right value exchange and imbed it in the company’s business objectives so that it flows within the organization and becomes a part of anything and everything which the retailer does.

Churn is typically an indicator that customers aren’t experiencing success using your product. Here’s how we reduced churn for our SaaS products:Analyze when someone quitsIs it before they activate, during the trial, within 30 days after signup, 60 days, 6 months or longer?This tells you if there’s a specific bottleneck at some point(s) in the buyer’s journey or if the issue is something bigger like missing features, poor user experience, or pricing.Find out why someone quitsWe added a tool to record user sessions of people signing up as well as using our service. Wow, were we surprised! Things that we thought were logical were actually confusing.As a result, we made many tweaks to reduce obstacles to client success. This included our user interface - we did lots of testing and research of other tools to see what the trends were. In addition, we modified our drip emails to focus on the issue at hand: increase activations, improve onboarding satisfaction, teach customers how to be successful using our product.Also, our exit surveys from those canceling indicated that we were missing some features that clients wanted. We’d get good reviews but people were leaving for a feature that a competitor had. So, we immediately started work on building those features to become more competitive.Increase frequency of initial contact for activation and onboardingWe revamped our entire process to provide more hand holding at each step of the journey. This included:Multiple confirmation messages as needed to increase activation. We were able to get our activation rates to about 98% for those who signed up for a free trial.Include a Quick Start video that’s no more than 10 minutes. New trial accounts usually don’t want to sit through a 1 hour full video tutorial. We created one of those long videos too, but our most popular one was the 10 minute Quick Start video that covered the nuts and bolts to make clients successful with our tool.Add a drip email series on “Here’s how to <do something useful with your service>” to show them how to do common tasks. You can usually pull this out of your support knowledgebase and tweak for email.Add case studies (and drip them out via email, post to your website) to show customers how others like them have solved similar problems using your SaaS product.This was our touch frequency: day 0 (signup day), 1, 4, 7, 14, 30 and then monthly (at least) after that.Keep in touch regularly - without failPost blogs and send newsletters on industry trends, product news, how-to info, anything that your clients will find useful.Host webinars on trending topics, case studies and new features. We regularly got great feedback on our webinars, which were so high value that people said they would have paid for the information.Provide ways for customers to share their happinessWe never had much luck with contests or promos. So, we simply asked clients to share a tweet about our educational material. They did so regularly and we built our follower base from 200 to 9,500 in two years.A competitor of ours offered a rewards program where clients earned points towards discounts based on how many referrals they sent. I’m not sure how successful that was, but it’s worth a try.Take great care of your best customersContact your best clients personally. Few companies with low cost SaaS products do this because it’s time consuming (and can’t be automated). Your clients will appreciate the outreach and will be more inclined to share thoughts about missing features or user experience concerns.Create a hotline just for them. We set up a Google Voice number that texted our support manager and two engineers whenever a top client called in after hours. They couldn’t get this white glove service anywhere else and stuck with us for many, many years just because of this option. They rarely used it, but loved having it.Quick note on other types of churnChurn is also caused by two other factors that you have less control over:People change jobs and the new person taking over the role is used to using a different product so they cancel yours, even if yours is better.A client gets acquired and the new owner uses a competing service and wants to consolidate into what they already use.It’s probably worth a call to these clients to see if you can salvage the account.Good luck with your business!