News and Analysis
June Retail Sales See Moderate Growth Amid Solid Economy
Retail sales in June demonstrated moderate growth, reflecting the stability of the current economy and near-zero inflation for retail goods, according to the latest CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions. This report, by the National Retail Federation (NRF), provides a detailed overview of retail sales trends and consumer spending behaviors. Economic Overview Despite facing […]
“Coupon Clippers” are Now “Coupon Clickers and Viewers”
The concept of discount coupons for grocery items originated in the 1800’s. After all, who doesn’t want a deal? But we’ve come a long way from paper envelopes filled with individual pieces of paper. Although local “circulars” still fill our mailboxes, automation and precise consumer targeting have taken the concept to a whole new level. […]
Big MULO Moments: Amazon Day 2024 Recap & Insights
Amazon Prime Day has passed. In the MULO (multi-location) retail and restaurant worlds, analysts and the media use certain major moments to” temperature-check” consumer spending behavior, marketing tactics, and economic trends. Super Bowl Christmas Back-to-School (which we’ll soon be covering) Valentine’s Day Mother’s and Father’s Days Wedding season (which seems to be year-round these days) […]
Commentary
Location-Based Marketing Association: Why Starbucks is Adding EV Charging Stations
In this episode of Location Weekly, the Location-Based Marketing Association talks about Volvo installing EV charging stations at Starbucks stores, Tim Hortons doing the same in Canada, ParkBee raising $33M, Prose partnering with BreezoMeter on local pollution-based hair care, and CrownTV releasing a digital signage app to display NFTs at retailers.
Let’s Stay Together: Retaining Customers in a Post-Pandemic E-Commerce World
Brands can maximize customer retention through integrated subscription experiences, exclusive content, and technology that prioritizes customer behavior.
Ranking Correlations with Other Reputation and Search Metrics Are Not Linear
Google appears to think of ranking in terms of zones, where the first zone features the best possible mix of proximity, relevance, and prominence, and the second zone begins to sacrifice either proximity, or relevance, or both, but is less likely to sacrifice prominence. In more human terms, this means that Google wants to show us the best options for a query, and when it runs of inventory, it brings in results that are farther away or that might offer a reasonable alternative.
Latest Posts
The Customer Journey Isn’t Linear Anymore: How Marketers Can Adapt
Brands that previously were able to define a customer journey and maybe even map it out in a linear fashion face a new reality. They no longer possess the means to dictate how a consumer interacts with them. Here are three tips on how marketers can adapt their strategies for the new customer journey.
Why Brands and Retailers Should Upgrade the Post-Purchase Experience
Most sellers focus on what it takes to get a shopper to make a purchase. Fewer have dedicated ample resources to determining how to ensure satisfaction after the fact.
New Hires at GroundTruth, Mobivity, Uberall, and Choozle
The Street Fight new hires roundup features movers and shakers in adtech, martech, e-commerce, localized marketing, location intelligence, and more. This month’s roundup features new hires at GroundTruth, Mobivity, Uberall, and Choozle.
Google Elevates Mapping and Visual Search
Google’s annual Search On event was held this week, including several updates to core search and orbiting products like Maps. Given the prominence and centrality of mapping to local commerce, we’ll start there.
How Retailers are Using AI to Create Dynamic Return Policies
Return policies that are frictionless, transparent, and consumer-friendly have been shown to lead to dramatic increases in profitability and brand loyalty, but bridging the gap between online and offline product returns has been a longstanding challenge for multi-location retailers.
How AI Can Help Retailers Deal with Major Disruption from Hurricanes
AI is emerging as an indispensable tool in helping retail shippers better navigate periods of disruption like hurricane season. Here are a few key ways how.
How to Organize and Maximize the Value of Customer Data
We often hear that data is the oil of the digital economy. Very well — but how do companies acquire that resource sustainably and marshal it to reach new prospects and better serve existing customers?
Debunking 5 OOH Advertising Myths
A 2022 report based on a survey of more than 100 advertisers in the U.S. highlighted the top five misconceptions facing advertisers considering OOH. Fortunately, each of these myths is ripe for rebutting with statistics that support the facts.
Retailers Tackle Excess Inventory with Demand Planning Tools
The scramble to move excess summer inventory ahead of the holiday shopping season is forcing retailers to take a second look at new technology designed to help companies determine how much to discount or raise pricing to maximize profitability. At o9 Solutions, an enterprise AI software platform provider, retail clients are increasingly seeking out demand planning tools to help with demand sensing and inventory visibility.
What Retailers Can Learn from Spotify and Netflix
Peter Messana, CEO of Searchspring, believes retailers have a lot to learn from their counterparts in entertainment. And, he argues, consumers already expect the same level of convenience in retail.
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Meta Is Automating Ads, But Brands Still Face a Bigger Problem