News and Analysis

Retail Bankruptcies: Life in the 'Express' Lane: Street Fight

Retail Bankruptcies: Life in the ‘Express’ Lane

Business and retail media are filled with stories of companies that are in the express lane towards restructuring and holding huge sales on their way toward bankruptcy. It has become such a popular topic of speculation that one online source even gives odds of bankruptcy filing. Over the past week, the media was placing odds […]

BOOM or BUST? Will the Mega MULO Crafts Store Survive?

As tech-centric as the world has become, handcrafts are still alive and well! Just look at Etsy, which has been steadily growing. Although the MULO (multi-location) crafts industry is not unraveling like an unfortunate knitting project, online competition has put a pin prick into big box store revenues. The pandemic also eliminated many in-store events. Just […]

Opterus Puts the ‘Opps’ in Franchise Operations

If you are a pet owner who resides in California, your pet’s needs will differ to some degree compared to those of a pet owner in the Northeast. For example, the fundamental level of care can change based on local weather differences, explained Gary Stonell, SVP Sales & Operations at Opterus, a SaaS-based company that […]

Commentary

Tips for Black Friday and Cyber Monday Discounting

To meet the moment, retailers should be paying attention to the macro-factors impacting the current retail environment, ever-changing customer preferences (even so much as the final days before BFCM), and the nuances of the company’s own assortment and capabilities.

LBMA: Google Enters OEM Vehicle Navigation Space

In this episode of Location Weekly, the Location-Based Marketing Association covers Google getting into the OEM vehicle navigation space, Giant Food piloting mobile deals on perishable foods, Lowe’s launching a “room scanning tool” using LIDAR in their app, and Amazon’s Alexa coming to hospitals and assisted living homes.

Snap Doubles Down on Immersive Ads

Snap has been doubling down on AR — mostly seen through updates to its Lens Studio AR development platform and the evolving formats it offers to brand marketers. This recently culminated in two new programs to further stimulate AR marketing: Snap’s AR Lab and its Arcadia creative studio.

Latest Posts

Location-Based Marketing Association: Indoor Maps as a Service

In this episode of Location Weekly, the Location-Based Marketing Association discusses Catalina partnering with Place IQ, Japanese dating agency Matching Advisor Press using vending machines to find matches, Seattle launching an NFT Museum, and Here Technologies launching Indoor Map as a service.

TV Advertising Versus Social and Search

TV ads are delivered to consumers in a clutter-free environment, where the consumer is usually in a “leaned back,” focused state of being. TV ads are often delivered via 60″+ TV screens with full surround-sound audio, creating an immersive “sight, sound, motion” impact like no other medium. Of course TV drives better recall! And if TV ads drive better recall, basic logic would conclude that TV ads also drive better consumer response.

6 Contactless Shopping Solutions for In-Store Retail

The retail industry took notice when Merkle debuted its newest contactless shopping solution at CES 2022 this month, but the company’s Scan & Know product isn’t the only touchless retail solution on the market. Thanks to the continued adoption of augmented reality and virtual reality among consumers, more technology providers are developing in-store retail experiences that keep physical contact to a minimum.

Catalina Partners with PlaceIQ to Connect Omnichannel with OOH

A new partnership between the shopper intelligence provider Catalina and the data provider PlaceIQ could have a major impact on the way multi-location brands run optimized OOH campaigns in the coming years.

6 Contextual Video Advertising Platforms

Advertisers are leaning into contextual targeting as a way to connect with consumers in brand-suitable environments. They’re also investing more heavily in video advertising, upping ad spend on video by 12% in 2021 to a record $81.9 billion for the year. As we move further into 2022, the real magic looks to be in the combination of contextual advertising with video advertising, as more brands discover the power that comes with being able to reach audiences interested in their messages with video content that’s designed to engage.

2021 Lessons That Should Inform Your 2022 E-Commerce Marketplace Strategy

This digital-first mindset applies more pressure than ever on brands to create a holistic online experience in 2022, one that combines tried and true business strategies with creative new methods for enhanced visibility and customer experience. Success will come down to three critical elements in the year ahead: brand discoverability, compelling offers, and seamless customer experiences.

customer experience retail

Real-Time Data Will Enhance the Customer Experience in 2022

Digital intelligence platforms like Scuba Analytics and FullStory are expanding rapidly — with funding rounds led by some of the biggest names in Silicon Valley. Big data analytics is expected to grow to $100 billion in the next five years, driven in large part by demand from retail brands for real-time insights and accurate customer engagement data.

5 Ways Data Privacy Will Evolve in 2022

But the glut of new solutions does not mean that martech, much less the private sector as a whole, has figured out how to prepare for the future of data privacy. Here are five privacy predictions to keep an eye on in 2022. It would be in your best interest to determine how you and your company are affected.

virtual reality metaverse

Street Fight’s January Theme: Multilocation Metaverse

Beyond the hype, multilocation brands and retailers are embracing the metaverse. This month, Street Fight will dive further into the way consumer-facing companies are experimenting with AR and VR to enhance the customer experience, boost their brands, and drive sales.

The Growing Importance of Retail and Second-Party Data

Heading into the New Year, there are many moving pieces for both marketers and publishers to consider. Navigating 2022 requires focusing on first- and second-party data, building symbiotic relationships, and thinking strategically about how best to capture audiences. As always, we’ll stay on our toes. Happy New Year!