News and Analysis
Holidays 2024 Installment 3: Mike Debnar Predicts the Spending Future
As we continue with our Holiday 2024 trends and forecast countdown, we asked Mike Debnar what stars will be shining bright this season. Debnar is the VP Retail Executive Advisor at Medallia. He focuses on creating innovative customer experience programs for brands utilizing his extensive background in CRM and CX. Mike holds a degree in management information […]
Will the Election Affect Holiday Shopping?
Presidential election years tend to boost holiday-season spending, regardless of who wins the most votes, according to Experian plc, a global data analytics and consumer credit reporting company. Experian has released its 2024 Holiday Spending Trends and Insights report, and with it, the launch of contextually-Indexed Audiences. Advertisers can use this new offering to blend […]
The MULO Dozen: October in Review
As is always the case in the MULO (multi-location) world, the ecosystem in October was a blend of tricks and treats. The big news for November is the re-launch of Street Fight LIVE, but here are some highlights from the past month that are almost as exciting. Chipotle opens in Dubai. It joins the many MULO […]
Latest Posts
Touchdown! How MULO Brands Score During Football Season
Many retailers and restaurants already have their eyes on the December holidays and are filling the shelves with pumpkin spice everything and costumes. We understand that huge MULO (multi-location) chains have planned their inventory and marketing campaigns months in advance. Advertising, licensing deals, and other NFL football properties add a whopping $5B to the U.S. […]
Generative AI is Revolutionizing SMB Marketing, But Creating New Data Privacy Challenges
The AI revolution has just begun, and small business owners are already reaping the rewards. Ninety-one percent of SMBs currently using AI say the technology has made their businesses more successful, but Scorpion Chief Data Scientist Matt Bentley believes the greatest benefit to generative AI is below the surface, and not yet realized by many […]
LOMA Wants to Fund Hyperlocal Marketing
Alex Nocifera is the founder and CEO of LOMA, which launched in market this past July. Backed by top Los Angeles-based venture funds, Wavemaker, Slauson, and Impulsum, LOMA stands for “local marketing” and is an always-on, data-driven platform that has raised more than $2 million in a pre-seed venture-capital round. LOMA’s equity dollars help businesses […]
Retail Media Networks – Opportunity vs. Reality
Retail media networks have grown in popularity amid the growing emphasis on ROI across today’s complex consumer purchase journeys and recent restrictions on third-party cookie usage. Many advertisers are eager to take advantage of retail media’s unique targeting opportunities. These include a blend of online and offline data gleaned from retailers themselves and available within […]
Retailers Revolutionize Store Location Selection with Geospatial Intelligence
It’s a tale as old as time. A retailer picks a storefront, leases a building, and renovates a space — only to discover that the location itself is a dud. Maybe there isn’t enough foot traffic, or parking is too difficult. Or maybe shoppers in the neighborhood just aren’t interested in buying whatever products the […]
StoreConnect, a Trailblazing Force in E-commerce, Raises $9 Million
E-commerce has come into focus as a critical solution — sometimes the only solution — for small and mid-size businesses that want to sell outside their physical stores and collect insights into consumer behavior. Given the important role that online sales now play in local commerce, it’s no surprise that firms focused on the e-commerce […]
Search Fails May Cost Retailers as Much as $13.8B in Sales This Holiday Season
MULO (multi-location) retailers struggle to compete with Amazon, the online giant. But they are never going to win that battle if they don’t focus on search for the holiday season. A new study by Nosto reveals that as much as $13.8B in sales may be lost on Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) because when consumers […]
Party On! Bankruptcy for Party City May Not Be the End
The media is filled with stories these days of MULO (multi-location) retailers closing stores and doors and declaring bankruptcy. Our BUST series covered Bed Bath & Beyond, Jenny Craig, Christmas Tree Shops, and others. But before you start ringing the death knell on one more MULO brick-and-mortar retailer or restaurant, be aware that the party […]
Mailchimp Launches GenAI-Powered Marketing Assistant for SMBs
The email marketing and newsletter giant Mailchimp is at it again. Earlier this week, the company launched its latest game-changing solution for SMBs — a marketing assistant powered by generative AI. Intuit Assist for Mailchimp is expected to help businesses generate content, personalize their marketing, and learn faster from their marketing mistakes. Rather than being […]
Streets Ahead: Google Chat, and Instagram Reels