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Back-to-School, Halloween…Christmas: I miss Thanksgiving

Posted by Dan Roche on November 15th, 2012 at 12:47 pm

It’s become the standard, yearly routine. Summer ends, children go back to school and we buy costumes and carve pumpkins for Halloween. Then it’s on to Christmas, decorating the tree and lots of holiday shopping. But wait – What happened to Thanksgiving?
It seems like any Thanksgiving celebration is now overshadowed by radio stations beginning to play Christmas carols months in advance, Starbucks introducing red holiday cups on November 1 and stores decking the halls in October. And, if Black Friday wasn’t enough of a shopper’s paradise, the biggest shopping day of the year has been extended beyond just Cyber Monday and now includes deals and steals on Thanksgiving Day! Are people really enjoying the holidays anymore or are they already moving on to the next celebration? Do consumers want to forgo their Thanksgiving holiday to shop?
Many retailers seem to think (and hope) so. Stores that extended their hours last year saw an average increase in sales of 22 percent, according to chief retail analyst at NPD Group, Marshal Cohen. Therefore, Walmart, Sears and Toys “R” Us are all opening their doors on Thanksgiving Day at 8:00 p.m. to capture extra holiday sales, and Target will be opening at 9:00 p.m.
Personally... Read more

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Posted in Opinions, Targeting | 1 Comment »

‘Nonline’ Shopping: The Next Great Digital Marketing Opportunity

Posted by Keith Trivitt on November 12th, 2012 at 11:30 am

As the 2012 holiday shopping season heats up, one trend many marketers and analysts will closely monitor is the concept of “showrooming.” Showrooming occurs when consumers try out merchandise in stores then go online to buy them, often at a discounted price.
Fifty-six percent of American consumers are expected to participate in some aspect of showrooming this holiday season, according to Mobile Marketer.
Showrooming is driving many brick-and-mortar retailers crazy as they attempt to thwart the effects of Amazon and other online retailers on their bottom line. It’s also causing several well-known global retail giants, including Best Buy, to seriously rethink the physical size and make-up of their stores.
So what’s a savvy retailer marketer to do in the wake of showrooming’s rise and dominance of commerce?
The marketing geniuses at Google might just have the answer. After surveying 1,500 holiday consumers about their shopping habits, Google has found that the “lines between online and offline commerce are blurring,” according to Direct Marketing News. Google details these findings in its recently released Pre-Holiday 2012 Consumer Intentions study.
Despite dire predictions within marketing ranks that consumers would start to skip physical stores entirely in favor of online shopping, Google’s study finds that isn’t the case. In fact,... Read more

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Posted in Opinions, Search, Social Media | 1 Comment »