Social Media & Mobile Tech

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Comment by Jim Browning on May 25, 2012 at 6:01am

Going Global Social World is a great article to read and consider for your social media activity especially

Comment by Joseph Tarnowski on May 5, 2011 at 8:48pm

Retailers Increasing Mobile And Social Efforts

In an effort to better serve multi-touchpoint, always-on, and empowered consumers, a growing number of retailers are experimenting with mobile and social initiatives — some that are paying immediate dividends and some that are still in the speculative phase, according to a new study by Forrfester Research for Shop.org.

According to “The State Of Retailing Online 2011: Marketing, Social, and Mobile” report, 91 percent of retailers currently have a mobile strategy in place or in development (up from 74 percent a year ago). Additionally, 72 percent of retailers say they will increase their spending on social networks this year over last year. “The State Of Retailing Online" research series, which provides e-business and channel strategy professionals with annual industry benchmarks of marketing and business investment and activities, surveyed 68 companies.

Retailers report that 21 percent of all mobile traffic is coming from tablets, a large number considering the iPad was launched barely a year ago. Still, the overall amount of mobile traffic and revenue has not increased dramatically, suggesting that investment levels in site optimization may still be inadequate. For example, 48 percent of retailers report having a mobile-optimized website; 35 percent have deployed an iPhone app; and 15 percent offer an Android app and an iPad app, respectively. Challenges for retailers include differentiating the consumer experience on a tablet versus a smartphone and figuring out features and functionality in dueling app/mobile Web ecosystems.

“After spending the last few years learning how to capitalize on social media and new mobile technologies, one of retailers’ main focuses right now seems to be leveraging the tremendous popularity of tablet devices, such as the iPad,” said Shop.org head of research Fiona Swerdlow. “As sales channels continue to blur in retail, companies are creating mobile apps that make their brands seem current, entertaining, or fun, while at the same time creating a unique opportunity to connect with more shoppers than ever before.”

Compared with past years, social networks surfaced higher as an investment area among retailers. Social networks ranked fourth on the list of successful customer acquisition sources, up significantly from last year. Yet the ROI associated with social is muddy: 62 percent of retailers said the returns on social marketing strategies are unclear, and nearly the same percentage said the primary ROI from social marketing is listening to — and gaining a better understanding of — customers.

“The data indicates that significant investments in social and mobile tactics will be in place this year,” said Sucharita Mulpuru, VP, principal analyst, Forrester Research. “Retail executives should have modest expectations for the benefits of social commerce. With regard to mobile, retailers should be working to increasingly integrate features and functionality into the physical store experience. While consumers may not be extensively exploring product information yet, basic store information, transparent pricing, and easy checkout capabilities are likely to be the most pressing opportunities for most sites in the near term.”

"The State Of Retailing Online 2011: Marketing, Social, and Mobile,” is available to Shop.org members and can also be purchased directly at www.shop.org/soro.

Shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation, is a membership community for digital retail. Its 600 members include the 10 largest retailers in the US and more than 60 percent of the Internet Retailer Top 100 E-Retailers. It's where the best retail minds come together to gain the insight, knowledge, and intelligence to make smarter, more informed decisions in the evolving world of the Internet and multichannel retailing. Shop.org programs and activities include benchmarking research, events, and networking communities.

Comment by Joseph Tarnowski on October 16, 2010 at 12:04am

Comment by Steve Hilton on May 3, 2010 at 5:46pm

We picked up a great award from Supermarket News. E. W. James has won the independent category of the 2010 Technology Awards for our inventory control programs and social media work. We're very proud of our work, and it's going great for our customers too!

Comment by Robert L Stockham on March 15, 2010 at 3:46pm

For those of you who are using social media for your retail location-check out Foursquare! Foursquare is the hottest new social media trend in the US. You can add your location and people check in when they are there. As a member, you add tips to locations, so when people check in they get a tip for something about the place. Retailers are starting to make use of Foursquare as a tool to market to their customers and build loyalty.

Comment by Steve Hilton on March 1, 2010 at 10:00am

Joseph,

Thank you for that great email on our social media efforts! I sent it throughout our company, and it has motivated us to do even better. It's nice to be recognized by your peers, and I appreciate it so much!

Comment by Steve Hilton on February 26, 2010 at 10:58pm

Let me do this easier:
Website
Twitter and Facebook

Comment by Joseph Tarnowski on February 26, 2010 at 8:25pm

Webtrends Launches Analytics for Facebook Marketers

Webtrends, a company that offers marketers detailed web analytics, has rolled out new measurement capabilities for Facebook, including the ability to view Facebook data alongside data for other channels.

Click here to read the article

Comment by Joseph Tarnowski on February 26, 2010 at 7:49pm

Here's an interesting article for small businesses:
Google Buzz: 5 Opportunities for Small Businesses