News and Analysis

Amazon Rolls Out Free Whole Foods Deliveries for Prime Members in San Francisco & Atlanta

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Further encroaching on one of hyperlocal’s oldest verticals, Amazon sent shivers down the spines of grocers in San Francisco and Atlanta on Tuesday, announcing it would begin delivering Whole Foods orders for free to Prime members in those cities.

SMB Index: Local Stocks Take a Hit in February

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In a turbulent February, which saw stocks give back gains from January over 2 days (Feb 7–9), the SCP SMB Index retreated 2% during the month.

SMB OS Operators, Part I: Upserve

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The first in our series of interviews on SMB OS is Upserve founder and CEO Angus Davis. Formerly Swipely, UpServe had been living out the principles of SMB OS long before we started calling it that.

Commentary

Why Don Draper Would Hate Hyperlocal

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Many brands are still stuck in the days of Don Draper, failing to see that the potential for a lasting bond is even greater with hyperlocal (and delivers better ROI). Campaigns on services like LevelUp, LivingSocial or Tackable have more resonance precisely because they are tied to where you are. They tap into your good feelings around, say, your favorite pizza place, a connection that doesn’t require the same kind of shaping by big media or advertising mavens.

Unpacking the Twisted Thinking of Small Business Self-Service Online

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Feeling “in control” is the most central need with merchant behavior. How can they feel in control of how they drive results with technology; how do they know if they are out-performing competition; and how do they know if customers are satisfied?

When Credit Card Companies Can’t Process Hyperlocal Risk

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If you are working with merchants in any capacity and processing payments for them, then you can probably expect credit card processors to give you a hard time. They might accept your account and then shut you down, or charge you prohibitive fees and cap the amount you can process, stifling growth…

Latest Posts

Street Fight Staff and Friends Predict 2014’s Top Stories

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As 2013 winds down, it’s clear that the landscape in hyperlocal business has shifted significantly. Looking ahead, we’ve asked Street Fight staffers and a few friends who regularly contribute to the site to submit their prognostications for what’s to come in the next 12 months…

What We Learned About Local Merchants in 2013

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In Street Fight’s “2013 Report on the State of the Local Merchant,” merchants discussed what they’re looking for from hyperlocal vendors, and outlined the factors they look at when deciding where to spend their local marketing dollars…

Street Fight Daily: Uber CEO Taunts Critics, RetailMeNot’s Simple Success

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology.Uber CEO Taunts Price Critics, Points to Airline “Surge Pricing” (GigaOm)… RetailMeNot Wins the Holidays by Not Overthinking It (PandoDaily)… Mobile: Preparing for the Third and Final Wave (Wired)…

Lessons Learned From the ‘Daily Deal’

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According to a study conducted by Street Fight, the two most important factors for merchants evaluating hyperlocal marketing campaigns are the ability to attract new customers and ensure the right people are being targeted. Since daily deals are falling short in accomplishing this, what hyperlocal marketing avenues should local merchants explore?

Case Study: Tennessee Cafe Fends Off Daily Pitches From Hyperlocal Marketers

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“You can buy ads and you can post things on Facebook all day long, but unless somebody actually understands your passion and understands what you’re trying to do for the community, they’re not going to tell their friends,” says Reveille Joe Coffee’s Matthew O’Dell.

Street Fight Daily: Apple Buys Hyperlocal Startups, Booze Brands Align With Taxi Apps

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology.Apple Acquired Mapping Firm BroadMap, Location-infused Evernote Competitor Catch (9to5 Mac)… Free Rides: Booze Brands Align With Transportation Apps (AdAge)… Foursquare’s New Money Means Facebook Isn’t Everything (Wired)…

When Will Big Retail Rethink Point-of-Sale? Sooner Than You Think

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Revel Systems wants to bring the tablet-based point-of-sale model upstream and disrupt the entrenched cadre of existing business software providers, which generated billions in revenue last year. Revel’s founder Lisa Falzone, a Stanford grad and one-time hedge funder, spun the company out of an online ordering app in 2010. Since then, Falzone and her team have raised over $14 million in venture funding, and have activated over 5,000 accounts…

5 Tools Local Retailers Can Use to Build Digital Storefronts

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The majority of local retailers — including those with basic websites that are optimized for mobile — still aren’t offering customers tools to browse listings and complete purchases with their smartphones. Here are five platforms that local businesses can use to quickly (and cheaply) set up digital storefronts where customers can purchase goods and services via mobile…

Street Fight Daily: Square CEO’s Gift, Groupon Expands Point-of-Sale

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A roundup of today’s big stories in hyperlocal publishing, marketing, commerce, and technology.Square’s Dorsey Returns 10% of his Shares (Fortune)… For Groupon, The iPad is its New Passport to Global Markets (Washington Business Journal)… UrbanSpoon Hires New Top Exec, Hopes to Emerge from Restaurant Discovery Pack (PandoDaily)…

DemandForce CMO: There’s No Limit to Where We Will Want to Go

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If Google’s acquisition of Waze was the biggest exit in local tech over the past few years, Intuit’s buy of Demandforce was arguably the most important. Since shelling out nearly half of a billion dollars for the retention marketing software provider, the company has quietly executed on a strategy to position itself an integrated solutions provider for small businesses…