Street Fight Daily: SoLoMo Hype Wanes, Groupon Makes Another Goods Buy
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal content, commerce, and technology.
Startups Adjust to Web’s Down Cycle (Wall Street Journal)
Prominent venture capitalist John Doerr coined the phrase “SoLoMo” in 2010 to describe how three technology trends—social, local and mobile—were fueling a new Internet boom. But now that Facebook, Zynga and Groupon have fizzled in their first year on the stock market — even though they were considered on the cutting edge of some of those tech trends — the hype over “SoLoMo” has subsided.
Hyperlocal Execs’ 2013 Predictions: Goodman, Tolles, Kucharz, and More… (Street Fight)
As 2012 wraps up, it’s clear we’ve had a ton of action and evolution in the world of hyperlocal this year. Looking toward next year, Street Fight asked 12 hyperlocal luminaries to share their predictions for where local is headed.
Groupon Buys CommerceInterface To Improve How Vendors Sell On Groupon Goods (TechCrunch)
Groupon wants to be the king of local commerce, but with Groupon Goods it has a platform for online sales that compete with the likes of Amazon to sell goods from everyone everywhere. The company put another link into the second of these strategies with the acquisition of CommerceInterface, a channel management technology used in e-commerce operations that aggregate goods from multiple vendors.
Is Facebook Local’s Waking Giant? (Street Fight)
Michael Boland: “Google is the best advertising product in the history of the world… because it’s like advertising at a store,” Business Insider CEO Henry Blodget said recently. “Facebook, meanwhile, is like advertising at a party.” But despite Google’s user-side advantages here, Facebook could have an edge in SMB engagement.
Why Malls Are Getting Mauled (AllThingsD)
Online retailers are relentlessly gaining share in many retail categories, and offline players are fighting for progressively smaller pieces of the retail pie. Malls and shopping center stalwarts are closing stores by the thousands, and there are few large physical chains opening stores to take their place.
6 Tips for Increasing User Engagement On Mobile Apps (Street Fight)
More and more businesses are developing branded apps as part of their mobile marketing programs, integrating location-based technology with product reviews, deal information, and even gaming elements to reach consumers. Here are six tips from experts on what brands of all sizes should consider when building their own custom apps.
Websites Vary Prices, Deals Based on Users’ Information (The Wall Street Journal)
A Wall Street Journal investigation found that the Staples website displays different prices to people after estimating their locations. Staples appeared to consider the person’s distance from a rival brick-and-mortar store, either OfficeMax or Office Depot.
The 7 Technology Trends That Will Matter Most To Small Business in 2013 (ReadWrite)
If 2012 was a year of “wait and see,” for small business technology, 2013 will be a year to “go for it.” One key reason is that small business optimism is already rising.
The Learning Curve of Smart Parking (The New York Times)
“Smart parking” refers to a beguiling technology, now being tested in several cities, that uses sensors to determine whether a particular spot on the street or in a parking garage is occupied or vacant. Drivers are encouraged to use mobile apps to check parking availability and pricing, though coverage is not universal.
NYC e-Taxi Wars Heat Up: Uber Rival Hailo Reportedly Raising $30M Round (GigaOm)
Preparing to compete with on-demand car service Uber, London-based Hailo is reportedly raising $30 million in a round of venture financing that could value the startup at $140 million.
No, Google Maps Not Responsible For iOS 6 Upgrades (Search Engine Land)
Greg Sterling: The notion that Google Maps drove a rash of iOS 6 upgrades turns out to be wrong according to ad network Chitika. As several people have already argued, iOS 6 traffic growth more likely came from the release of the iPhone 5 in China.
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