News and Analysis

Did the Music Die or Just Take a Beat as Sam Ash Closes Stores Street Fight

Did the Music Die or Just Take a Beat as Sam Ash Closes Stores?

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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!

BOOM: Shopping Malls are Back!

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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 Street Fight

The MULO Dozen: March Brands in Review

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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

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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

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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.

3 Debates Worth Having about Google’s Topics

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Google’s announcement set off a firestorm of debate over whether Topics goes far enough to secure user privacy, how effective Topics would be as an ad targeting methodology, and what the announcement portends for digital advertising as a whole. Here is a rundown of those three debates over Topics and the relevant perspectives adtech stakeholders should consider.

Latest Posts

GrabMaps Launches Local Mapping Tech

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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.

Simpli.fi Now Lets Brands Execute Google, YouTube Ad Buys Through Single Partner

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Simpli.fi’s decision to open up its solutions suite to include Google Ads and YouTube advertising is part of a broader push among adtech providers to become all-in-one platforms, rather than vertical-specific solutions.

ReviewTrackers Acquired By InMoment as Consolidation Sweeps MarTech

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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.

3 Myths About Contextual Advertising

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Here’s why three common myths about contextual advertising are worth challenging as advertisers reconsider their digital strategies for a privacy-adjusted era.

Invoca Raises $83M to Help B2C Businesses Offer Better Contact Centers

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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.

Contact Center Should Be the Marketing Engine

5 Retail Media Networks to Watch in 2022

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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.

The Value of Business Agility

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Business agility is not just a talking point; it’s a worldview that informs all of your organization’s decisions and allows the business to continue evolving amid unpredictability.

Brands Embrace Holistic Data to Improve CX

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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

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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.

dinosaur google

Where Are the Local Startups?

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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?