News and Analysis
MULO Brands Launch Their Own Media
You’ve most likely heard of Netflix, CNBC, and Sirius. Now, welcome to the Walmart network! MULO (multi-location) retailers are entering the broadcast and digital content arena with the launch and ongoing production of their own retail media channels. A retail media network is “a retailer-owned advertising service that allows marketers to purchase advertising space across […]
The New $20/Hour Minimum Wage in CA (and How MULO Brands are Coping)
As if fast-casual restaurants didn’t have enough labor challenges lately, the latest sting for them is the boost to $20/hour as the minimum wage in California. These MULO (multi-location) brands have had to deal with the pandemic, supply chain and labor shortages, lack of brand loyalty, food safety and health, the impact of technology on […]
Did the Music Die or Just Take a Beat as Sam Ash Closes Stores?
Music stores used to be wildly popular. Although many still exist and vinyl records have made a comeback, the MULO (multi-location) music store category is struggling. Sam Ash recently announced that it’s closing 18 of its 45 stores throughout the U.S. The first music store opened in the U.S. in 1759. Sam Ash sells instruments […]
Commentary
Third-Party Delivery Apps Are Stealing Your Customers. Here’s How to Regain Control
Think grocery’s biggest problem is inflation? It used to be. These days, it’s third-party vendors like Instacart who impact your results in an already margin-thin business. Add in retail giants like Walmart, who are rolling out their own grocery delivery services as new services continue to pop up, and that impact becomes even greater.
Location-Based Marketing Association: Pinterest’s AR Home Decor Tool
In this episode of Location Weekly, the Location-Based Marketing Association discusses Cross River Bank and PayTile teaming up on location-based payments, GeoBroadcast Solutions targeting iHeart in radio, Pinterest releasing an AR home decor tool, and PAR Technology integrating Radius Network’s Flybuy SaaS platform.
Online Reviews and the Problem of Authenticity
Recent developments from the FTC mark a significant moment in the history of online review management. Practices such as review gating have been relatively widespread in the industry for years, despite warnings such as this Help Center update published by Google in 2018: “Don’t discourage or prohibit negative reviews or selectively solicit positive reviews from customers.”
Latest Posts
The Challenge of Brand Alignment with Social Issues
Increasingly, brands with high public visibility must articulate their positions on issues the public cares about while avoiding the appearance of exploiting public sentiment for purposes of self-promotion. And whether or not a formal statement makes sense on every issue, companies should be prepared for the day when a consumer comes to them to ask a question or offer feedback about a brand’s actions or values, perhaps in the form of a social post that is there for all to see.
GumGum Helps Marketers Reach Gamers with Intrinsic In-Game Ads
A new partnership between the contextual-first digital ad platform GumGum and Frameplay, a company that enables intrinsic in-game advertising, could give multi-location brands a way to reach gamers in select markets while also enhancing the playing experience for those seeking more in-game rewards.
Three Best Practices to Reduce Acquisition Costs and Increase Lifetime Value
Retail media networks have a significant role to play in helping DTC brands engage with their audiences while bringing down customer acquisition costs. To reduce user acquisition costs while driving lifetime value, brands also need to figure out exactly what to measure and how to understand target customers.
3 Recession Priorities for Multi-Location Marketers
What brands, and multi-location brands in particular, cannot ignore is showing up for their customers. Even during a recession, marketers will spend to ensure that the customers searching for them find them, that they have a positive experience, and that they can easily find whatever they need to convert. This is what marketers will need to zero in on amid a possible market contraction.
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