Commerce at Coachella — Amazon’s purposeful promotion of last-mile dominance.
Over the last few years, Amazon has introduced over 900 “lockers” around the US giving their customers an alternative point of delivery, beyond their front doorstep, to receive Amazon products.
Often located in grocery stores, banks or other public locations, the lockers have become a staple of safe and effective delivery, especially in urban areas where final shipping destinations often prove to be unreliable or even, inaccessible.
This year, Amazon is looking beyond the inner-cities for their next locker location as they have set their sights on a more unique location — The Coachella Music and Arts Festival.
The Festival, as many know, attracts hundreds of thousands of music and art enthusiasts from around the world who come together for the multi-weekend event in April. This year, as usual, the line up is PACKED with some of the biggest names in music as record-setting crowds are again expected.
But why Coachella? Why install lockers in the middle of a field in the Valley of California? In my opinion, Coachella + Amazon bring two incredible business moves into the picture.
The first is simple, exposure. Why not place an incredible, value adding, brand-fueled experience right in the middle of some of the most influential and wealthy young people on the planet. (Note both the demographics of the Coachella audience combined with assumed income based on the ticket price.)
The second reason is a bit more complex as it gives brands of all types something to think about — An incredible customer experience (CX). As anyone who has been to a festival knows, packing the exact right amount of gear to have both an enjoyable experience and not have to carry around a backpack all day is incredibly difficult. Amazon recognized both the marketing opportunity of Coachella and the dire need-state that they could quickly alleviate.
Sunscreen, delivered to a custom locker, within an hour, with your prime account, for under $5, unlocked in less than 1-tap on your smartphone… It does not get much better than that… And Amazon knows it as they use activations like the Coachella locker stunt to flex the experiences only they can deliver.
“Bringing the convenience of Amazon Lockers to Coachella will help customers focus on their experience instead of worrying about forgetting something at home or having to carry it in with them,” Amazon Worldwide Director of Lockers and Pickup, Patrick Supanc, said in a statement to RetailDive.
The logistical details of this activation include a dedicated microsite for festival attendees along with a team of branded staff on the ground to help with any confusion the lockers may bring. These logistics, along with the inherent simplicity of the locker system, ensure that Amazon customers encounter the same, seamless shopping experience they have come to expect from the retail giant.
As holistic consumer experiences become more vital to stand out in the crowded, consumer-driven world of today, brands must look to flex their most valuable mussel when looking to bring and grow new customer bases.
How can physical experiences, like Amazon’s, showcase points in the customer journey that an online ad or commercial cannot? How do you find a way to position these services and traits to add value to consumers?
A banner ad, social post or TV commercial is easy to skip and scroll past. A physical experience that adds direct value in a time… Not so much.
More about Latitude
At Latitude, we love taking incredible brands of all sizes and elevating them through tech-fueled experiences that add true value. From pop-up retail to permanent build-outs, our team brings brand stories and modern-day commerce together to truly stand out. Want to learn more? See our case studies. Give us a shout.
Resources and original reporting of the above points covered by the following publications — TechCrunch, EDM Word, Amazon
Additional Resources
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