News and Analysis
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 […]
BOOM: Shopping Malls are Back!
A new study by Placer.ai confirms that shoppers are returning to malls. That’s great news for legacy MULO (multi-location) brands and new concepts like pickleball, pop-ups, and eatertainment venues, which are filling spaces left vacant by department stores and other big-box retailers. The study reveals five key findings and trends: Visits to malls are getting […]
The MULO Dozen: March Brands in Review
Openings, closings, leadership changes…the MULO (multi-location) beat goes on! Here are some highlights related to the people, technologies, and brands in the MULO ecosystem. Have news? Please e-mail me. And save the date — Street Fight LIVE is coming to Chicago on November 7th! The convenience store (C-store) industry is going through a major transformation and […]
Commentary
Location-Based Marketing Association: Google’s Location Tracking Lawsuit
In this episode of Location Weekly, the Location-Based Marketing Association discusses Google getting sued over deceptive location tracking, Apple going head to head with Square by making iPhone payment terminals, SavageXFenty rolling out AR-powered FIT:MATCH tech in-store, and Placewise partnering with Bambuser to bring physical malls to customers via livestream.
Partnership Marketing is Set to Diversify and Go Global
This year, expect the partnership marketing industry to grow, become more sophisticated, and require more personnel and expertise. Brands will experiment with different payment models, diversify their mix of influencers and affiliates, and test the waters for global expansion. Not unsurprisingly, technology will play a significant role.
Latest Posts
GrabMaps Launches Local Mapping Tech
In this episode of Location Weekly, the Location-Based Marketing Association covers whether Apple & Google will get rid of IP address tracking, GrabMaps launching and licensing their own local mapping technology, Walmart partnering with senior care app Avanlee Care for grocery delivery, and NTT Data launching Mobicomma in Okinawa, Japan.
ReviewTrackers Acquired By InMoment as Consolidation Sweeps MarTech
ReviewTrackers is an important acquisition for InMoment. The company currently works with more than 175,000 business locations to manage customer reviews across hundreds of sites using its review management technology. With the acquisition of ReviewTrackers, InMoment becomes one of the first experience companies to extend customer insights, analytics, and action across the full customer lifecycle.
Invoca Raises $83M to Help B2C Businesses Offer Better Contact Centers
The conversation intelligence company Invoca is helping businesses solve customer service problems by building personalized contact center services in addition to offering phone call analytics. As a result, Invoca just raised $83 million in Series F funding at a $1.1 billion valuation, four times the valuation of its last round in 2019.
5 Retail Media Networks to Watch in 2022
Demand for first-party data, coupled with the looming disappearance of third-party cookies, has created a moment of opportunity for innovative multi-location brands and retailers. Retail media networks offer a way for brands across the spectrum of verticals to monetize the reams of personally identifiable information they’ve collected from their own digital properties, like apps and websites, and expand their global footprints.
Brands Embrace Holistic Data to Improve CX
Flawless experiences, complete personalization, and timely communication across multiple channels. Consumer expectations have never been higher. With the line between success and failure now razor thin, more brands are asking how they can use data to provide customized experiences that cater to each buyer’s wants and needs.
SPYR Technologies acquires GeoTraq from JanOne
In this episode of Location Weekly, the Location-Based Marketing Association covers Apiip expanding IP to Location API services to verify 1M+ requests, SPYR Technologies acquiring GeoTraq from JanOne, Google StreetView getting even better with a new camera, and Pacsun linking its physical and virtual metaverse stores.
Where Are the Local Startups?
Google was founded in 1998; Google Maps launched in 2005. Though the company has been at the bleeding edge of technological development ever since, still those dates are telling. In internet time, Google is a senior citizen, and it stands to reason that it must eventually let the new generation have a say. Where are the startups who will unveil for us a new paradigm for local?
Streets Ahead: ChatGPT, AI-Generated meta descriptions and AI Mode