News and Analysis
Innovation Pays Off for Nation’s Biggest Retailer
Walmart posted strong sales in Q3, suggesting that its determination to compete with Amazon by investing in cutting-edge, tech-driven approaches to retail is paying dividends. Read on for some of the top trends Walmart is capitalizing on.
The Secret to Alibaba’s Singles Day Success? Brick-and-Mortar
We’ve all heard by now that Alibaba’s Singles Day—think of it as the Chinese Prime Day—shattered sales volume records, recording over $30 billion in revenue for Jack Ma’s retail giant. What you haven’t heard is that brick-and-mortar retail played a key role in that windfall.
Infographic: Cyber Monday Goes Mobile
Smartphones are gaining momentum as the preferred platform for Cyber Monday shoppers. Consumers have their smartphones with them everywhere they go, including work, making it essential for retailers to have a winning mobile marketing strategy.
Commentary
The Future of Retail: ‘In-Store Mode’ and In-Aisle Payments
Wouldn’t it stand to reason that higher receptivity to promotional messaging comes when consumers are truly in buying mode. And wouldn’t the probability of that mode be greatest when someone is in-store, as opposed to browsing Instagram on their couch?
Why the Contractor-Employee Conundrum Isn’t a Fatal Liability for the On-Demand Economy
The recent California Labor Commission ruling, classifying one Uber driver as an employee has led to a lot of chatter about cracks in the business model underlying the “on-demand economy.”
So How Do We Define a ‘Small Business’ Anyway?
Small businesses pack a big punch when it comes to the economy. A working definition that most people and corporations can agree on would aid market interpretations, statistical analyses, and, of course, make it simpler for advertisers to reach the right audience.
Latest Posts
Street Fight Daily: Apple’s Mystery Mapping Vans, Google’s Other Payment Play
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Mystery Solved: Apple Vans gathering Next-Gen Maps Data, Grabbing Street View Storefronts and 3D images (9to5 Mac)… Google’s Other Mobile Payments Service: Hands Free at McDonald’s (Wall Street Journal)… Dave Morin Sells Path’s Social Networking And Messaging Services To Prevent The Rest Of The Path Ship From Sinking (Pando)…
Studies Find More SMBs Want to Manage Their Own Social Media
There is compelling evidence that SMBs’ understanding and aptitude for social media is growing. More importantly, it seems that a significant number of SMBs want and may be ready to take the reins of their social media marketing.
How Worldnow Plans to Rev Up Revenue for the Local Media Consortium
The newspapers and broadcasters in the Local Media Consortium are betting their digital future on a five-way ad strategy. A big part of the strategy is new LMC member Worldnow, which sells advertising across 450 media sites reaching 81% of U.S. households…
Street Fight Daily: Google Unveils New Ad Targeting Tools and Mobile Upgrades
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… Google Debuts New AdMob Tools For Ad Targeting, Native Ads, Scaling Apps And More (TechCrunch)… Here’s What Marketers Need to Know About Google’s Mobile Upgrades (AdWeek)… Are Wearables the Next In-Store Shopping Buddies? (eMarketer)…
Why We Still Search for ‘Starbucks’ on Google Maps
With calendar integration, a generalized understanding of me generated from analyzing my geographic movements over time, and (perhaps) biosensor feedback from wearables, a mobile app may be able to predict my actual need, and suggest places that may be closer, higher rated, or otherwise more convenient than the Starbucks I now search for.
Juice Mobile CEO: Beacons Will Make Location ‘Honest’
Neil Sweeney, chief executive of both Juice Mobile and the spin off, Freckle IOT, talks with us about how wearables will impact the mobile ad industry and why beacons will finally make mobile location data “honest.”
Street Fight Daily: Mary Meeker’s 2015 Internet Trends, Google and Apple Adjust Mobile Payments Strategies
A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology… KPCB’s Mary Meeker Points to Slowing Growth in Internet Trends Preso (Re/code)…
Google and Apple Adjust Strategies on Mobile Payments (New York Times)… Google Confirms That a ‘Buy’ Button Is Coming to Search Results (Business Insider)…
Exploits and Vulnerabilities Challenge the Integrity of Google Maps
The recent run of bad luck for Google doesn’t lend itself to a simple comprehensive explanation, but each of the company’s recent issues in its own way highlights a key problem for Google: how to build and maintain an accurate local dataset on a global scale…
7 On-Demand Liquor Delivery Services
As the on-demand economy matures, vendors are narrowing their focus with more niche products and services. One of the hottest subgroups of on-demand services right now involves liquor delivery…
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Meta Is Automating Ads, But Brands Still Face a Bigger Problem