Multichannel Retail & Ecommerce

Inbox Insider: Love is in the inbox

Dianna Dilworth February 02, 2010

With Valentine's Day approaching, love is in the air — and in the inbox. Already this week, I've received a number of e-mails from marketers selling gifts for the lovers' holiday, including See's Candies, Victoria's Secret and 1-800-Flowers.
 

Benjamin Moore touches up its e-commerce presence

Nathan Golia February 01, 2010

Benjamin Moore launched an e-commerce site February 1 on which consumers can order custom paint products directly from the manufacturer. The portal features a product-finder, color samples, a blog and pages for architects and designers, as well as contractors.
 

JCPenney pioneers postal intelligence

Carol Krol February 01, 2010

JCPenney's postal affairs manager Ty Taylor discusses the retailer's catalog and mail strategy
 

Nailed It: DMNews talks with Alexandra Palau, e-marketing manager at Carnival

February 01, 2010

In July, Carnival began sending e-mails to customers who abandoned their shopping carts while booking online. Alexandra Palau, e-marketing manager at Carnival, discusses the effort
 

Marketers wary of NRF forecast's true meaning

Kevin McKeefery February 01, 2010

Retail sales will increase by 2.5% this year compared with 2009 due to positive signs in the housing and employment sectors, according to the National Retail Federation in its forecast released last week.
 

CMO hires show focus on direct, digital ROI

Nathan Golia February 01, 2010

A steady stream of CMO turnover stories is a long-established part of the marketing landscape. Yet an emphasis on customer retention and digital initiatives, as well as the stubborn economy, is resulting in more companies now filling the position with marketers with database and digital experience.
 

NRF predicts 2.5% rise in retail sales this year

Frank Washkuch January 26, 2010

The National Retail Federation predicted that retail industry sales will increase 2.5% this year over 2009. Last year, total retail sales declined 2.5% over the prior year. The increase in retail sales is attributed to factors such as the housing market and employment picture.
 

August named CMO of SharperImage.com

Kevin McKeefery January 22, 2010

Camelot Venture Group, a licensee of Sharper Image, has named former Brookstone executive Steve August SVP and CMO of the e-commerce Web site, SharperImage.com. August will oversee all direct marketing initiatives for the online part of the Sharper Image brand, including CRM, catalog and online efforts.
 

Goodbye 2009 and Lookout 2010...

Pat Duncan, associate partner, Rosetta January 22, 2010

2009 was not kind to most retailers and there were very few positive stories when it came to sales results. A rising unemployment rate and a drop in consumer confidence both weighed heavily on consumer spending the entire year, and with the unemployment rate still at 10% for December, we'll see this trend continue for at least the next few months. But the news is not all bad.
 

Can BT alone solve cart abandonment?

January 18, 2010

E-commerce pros are always looking for ways to get customers to click all the way through to checkout. Two experts discuss whether behavioral targeting is a panacea or just one part
 

Blue Shield of California debuts ratings, reviews on Web site

Dianna Dilworth January 15, 2010

Blue Shield of California has added ratings and reviews to its Web site through a partnership with social commerce firm Bazaarvoice.
 

Direct Brands fills CMO and EVP, business development positions

Kevin McKeefery January 14, 2010

Direct Brands, parent company of the Book-of-the-Month Club, Columbia House and Doubleday Book Club, has appointed two executives, including a CMO. The company named David Gitow CMO and appointed Alan Katz EVP of business development.
 

ATG acquires InstantService for $17M

Kevin McKeefery January 13, 2010

E-commerce firm ATG has acquired live chat software-as-a-service provider InstantService for $17 million in cash. InstantService's offerings and employees will be folded into the ATG portfolio.
 

Target names vendor partners for e-commerce platform relaunch

Mary Elizabeth Hurn January 12, 2010

National retailer Target has selected a number of vendor partners to help it build and manage a relaunched Target.com e-commerce platform, which is set to be completed in August of next year.
 

Lee hires Barkley, consolidates e-commerce with PR, cause marketing

Kevin McKeefery January 07, 2010

Lee Jeans has awarded its e-commerce business to independent agency Barkley, which also manages Merriam, KS-based Lee's PR and cause marketing. Barkley will handle online media buying, e-mail marketing and Lee's social media presence on Facebook, Twitter and blogs.
 

2010: The year of customer intelligence

Dave Frankland, principal analyst, Forrester Research January 06, 2010

2010 may finally be the year promises are kept. For years, we have been promised mainstream mobile marketing, addressable TV ads and social media ROI. This year just might be the year that the dreams become reality.
 

Seafood chain Captain D's taps Omnicom's Zimmerman

Kevin McKeefery January 05, 2010

Quick-service seafood restaurant chain Captain D's has named Omnicom agency Zimmerman its creative agency of record, replacing Goodness Manufacturing. Zimmerman beat out Mullen in the finals of an RFP process, according to a statement from the agency. The hire was effective January 1.
 

Editorial: Direct will be marketers' go-to strategy this year

Carol Krol January 04, 2010

When a company like PepsiCo breaks tradition, skipping $3 million Super Bowl ads for the first time in more than two decades in favor of a CRM program, you know it is a watershed moment. Direct marketing is now the centerpiece of all advertising. We saw other signs of this turning point in 2009, as blue-chip marketers that historically favored TV branding campaigns — such as Ford Motor Co. — embraced social media and online communities to sell products and engender loyalty.
 

PCH campaign highlights instant prize sweeps

Kevin McKeefery December 31, 2009

In a departure from its traditional approach, Publisher's Clearing House has launched a multichannel campaign for its annual January sweepstakes. The contest this year features "Instaprize" which offers a grand prize of $10 million to consumers, who find out whether they have won within 48 hours. Creative was handled in-house, with KSL Media assisting with television buying, and 360i handling online media buys.
 

Expedia addresses ambivalence with direct campaign

Kevin McKeefery December 30, 2009

Travel booking site Expedia has launched a direct marketing campaign to differentiate the brand from other travel search engines. The campaign highlights both Expedia's convenience of use and the value of booking hotel and flight plans together on the site.
 

Drugstore.com set to acquire Salu Inc.

Kevin McKeefery December 29, 2009

Online beauty and pharmacy retailer drugstore.com has agreed to acquire Salu Inc., parent company of SkinStore.com and spalook.com. The deal is expected to close during the first quarter of next year, said David Lonczak, CMO of drugstore.com.
 

Retailers rush to get ebook readers out by holiday

Dianna Dilworth December 21, 2009

Christmas is getting close and Barnes & Noble still doesn't know if people who preordered their new ebook reader Nook will get them in time.
 

Growing e-book industry discusses challenges at MediaBistro event

Dianna Dilworth December 16, 2009

The paradigm shift in digital reading is happening, according to Steve Haber, president of Sony's digital reading business division, on a panel at the MediaBistro eBook Reader conference in New York today. "We are looking at how to maximize the experience going from traditional to digital readers," he said. "Reading on an LCD screen is not cozy. The back light is challenging on the eyes. So we have focused on the black and white design for reading text, which is more enjoyable."
 

Marketers look forward after a difficult 2009

Carol Krol December 14, 2009

As we put this final issue issue of DMNews to bed and close out another year covering the direct marketing front, it is a natural time for reflection. However, it is a fleeting pause for so many people.
 

Lescoja debuts e-commerce site MatteForMen.com

Dianna Dilworth December 14, 2009

Lescoja, a men's skin-care company, launched an e-commerce site on December 7. The site, created in time for the holiday shopping season, has interactive elements and a CRM back-end built in, so that Lescoja can create customer profiles and remarket based on them. It was designed by Omnicom agency Unit 7.
 

The final week for free shipping is upon us..

Dianna Dilworth December 14, 2009

Today is officially Brown Monday, or the Monday in December before the final free shipping deadlines to get gifts in time for Christmas. While I am sure there will be some free shipping offers next week, this is really the last week to get this across the board.
 

Observations in Retail - Holiday Edition

Pat Duncan, associate partner in Rosetta’s Consumer Products & Retail vertical December 09, 2009

Several retailers have shown that they aren't going to let these tough economic times affect their creativity or dampen their results. Here some observations about the holiday selling season thus far that offer valuable lessons for retailers:
 

Cyber Monday 2009 sales up 5% over last year

Dianna Dilworth December 02, 2009

Consumers spent $887 million online on November 30, up 5% from 2008's Cyber Monday and matching the heaviest online spending day on record, December 9, 2008, according to comScore. Consumers spent $887 million online on November 30, up 5% from 2008's Cyber Monday and matching the heaviest online spending day on record, December 9, 2008, according to comScore.
 

Overstock.com launches "25 Days, 25 Deals" promotion

Mary Elizabeth Hurn December 02, 2009

Overstock.com launched its "25 Days, 25 Deals" holiday promotion this week. Each day from December 1 to Christmas, the site will post a new sale in an effort to retain existing customers and attract new ones.
 

Black Friday sees plenty of shoppers; spending up only slightly

Dianna Dilworth November 30, 2009

Despite a struggling economy, 195 million shoppers visited stores and e-commerce Web sites during the weekend after Thanksgiving, up from 172 million last year, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). Total retail spending for "Black Friday weekend" hit $41.2 billion - up only slightly from $41 billion spent last year. However, November 27 was the second-busiest online shopping day of 2009.
 

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