| News about digital retail commerce |  |
- The evolution of eBay
EBay's power to extend the life of fast-fashion exclusive lines hit its peak in fall 2011, when designer collections that sold out in hours at Target and H&M stores showed up with significant markup on eBay the same day. Retailers reacted by increasing production of exclusive lines. These days, products from designer collections, such as this holiday season's Target-Neiman Marcus partnership, are selling for less on eBay than their retail price. New York magazine
(12/6)     
 | Why Your CRM Needs to go Social.
In this free report, SmartBrief explores how social data provides unparalleled insights into consumer interests and behavior. This data helps brands learn who their customers really are, and how to engage and convert them like never before. Offerpop is happy to present this incisive new study. Download it free! |
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- Study: Social media drives "always on" shopping
Brands' presence on social media, constant updates from social networks and the Internet's ability to provide a rich cache of product information has changed consumers' shopping mindset, according to a study from the Advertising Research Foundation. “There’s so much information that the big challenge is making sense of it," said executive vice president Todd Powers. MediaPost Communications/Marketing Daily
(12/6)
- How the evolving role of social media is changing retail
Social media marketing has become an important tool for building brand awareness, with the potential to drive more immediate sales down the road, according to a new survey of 175 retailers that sell online. The lion's share of respondents have a Facebook page, 75% are on Twitter and slightly more than half are using Pinterest, the survey found. Internet Retailer
(12/5)
- Survey: Shoppers say slow sites drive basket abandonment
Some 67% of U.K. consumers surveyed said slow-loading websites are the main reason they abandon online shopping baskets before checkout, according to Brand Perfect. Some other frequently cited reasons for cart abandonment include difficult navigation, problems finding products and too many steps to purchase. eConsultancy.com
(12/6)
 | IBM Video: Predictive Analytics for Retail
View this video now and in less than five minutes you will find out how to grow with the market, keep up with technology and increase your retail sales. See how. |
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| New Media & Technology |  |  |
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- How to calm a disgruntled customer online
A disgruntled customer can do serious damage to a brand, Jennifer MacDonald writes. To de-escalate a situation, respond quickly, apologize whole-heartedly and do your best to engage the angry customer by e-mail or by phone. "Try to get the conversation offline as quickly as possible," MacDonald writes. SmartBrief/SmartBlog on Social Media
(12/6)
- Google+ announces new features, growing user base
Google+ has unveiled a new Communities feature to let users create interest-focused groups and an Instagram-style photo tool for mobile users. The social network also announced that it now has 135 million active monthly users, up from 100 million in September. "If you run the math, that means Google+ is now growing at the same pace as Facebook when it was similarly sized," notes Ryan Tate. Adweek
(12/6), Wired.com
(12/6)
| Companies in the News | | |
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- Target.com becomes valuable real estate for ad targeting
Target is running ads for its merchants on its website, allowing brands that sell at Target stores to target online shoppers as they browse. "This fall, we began piloting a program that we believe will help Target deliver more relevant ads on Target.com to help us better serve both our guests and advertising partners," the retailer explains. Adweek
(12/6)
| Shop.org Spotlight | | |
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- Joining the retail technology dots to become the "connected store"
To fully roll out connected store capabilities across a large network requires the right infrastructure across technology, process and people. As Jim Okamura explains in a recent interview on the Shop.org blog, the four types of emerging connected store concepts are slowly becoming more commonplace across the world, and the benefits for digitally integrated retail operations and associates add a tremendous advantage to combat showrooming and enhance the in-store customer experience. Read more. Shop.org Blog
(12/7)
- Why Canada is hot spot for growth in 2012 and beyond
Canada has just over half the number of retail square feet of selling space per person of the U.S. -- and with total online Internet sales projected to double by 2015, the opportunities for expansion in the country are compelling. In a white paper posted in the Shop.org library, SCI Logistics explains the business and economic factors that make the Canadian market a prime area for digital and bricks-and-mortar businesses to grow during lean economic times. Download the white paper.
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Global smartphone sales are expected to increase 25% in 2012, from 472 million to 630 million. Source: 
