Social Media

It may only be mid-June, but retailers nationwide are already eyeing their share of almost $800 billion in estimated back-to-school sales.   Store shelves — both physical and virtual — are already being stocked with this year’s hottest apparel, school supplies, electronics and dorm essentials, all in hopes of luring early bird shoppers. However, beefing up inventory isn’t enough to guarantee a successful back-to-school shopping season.  

Reading business news and talking to retailers, I often hear about marketers’ disappointment in not reaching their email marketing goals. It’s become a real issue that they try to solve by sending more appealing emails with better offers more often. But still, it’s an uphill battle. Why? Because retailers aren’t really missing goals with email; the truth is that you can’t look at email as a stand-alone agent any longer.   Today’s Elusive Shopper

Social media may be a popular platform for ad delivery, but that doesn't mean it is a trusted one.   Despite listing social media as the source of the second-highest volume of ad messages they receive — behind only television — consumers ranked social media last among their most trusted channels, according to a study by the Chief Marketing Officer Council. Consumers ranked friends, television, search engines and newspapers as more trusted sources.  

McDonald’s is leveraging a hot app to encourage teens to join its workforce.   The fast food giant is embarking on an aggressive summer hiring spree that aims to employ 250,000 restaurant employees across more than 14,000 restaurants operating in the United States. Eager to get the attention of millennials — its sweet spot — McDonald’s is taking a new approach.  

Shoppers are demanding that retailers treat them as individuals, and eBay is listening.   eBay is launching an enhanced, more personalized eBay shopping experience through a new homepage that is responsive to its individual customers’ interests. Leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technology, eBay is tailoring recommendations across all categories during each shopper’s new site visit, and serving up an inventory mix that's unique only to them.    

In today’s digital world, creativity is just one skill needed for commercial success in the fashion industry. The art of design remains crucial, but leading designers are supplementing art with science – using digital technologies to connect with customers on both a hyper-local and hyper-personal level.  

RadioShack Corp. has entered into the newest chapter of its financial saga.   The company, which recently filed for bankruptcy protection, closed 1,000 stores over the Memorial Day weekend. This move leaves the chain with a mere 70 company-owned stores and 500 dealer stores in operation across the U.S., according to Fortune.  

Despite social media’s growing presence in many consumers’ lives, it is not the ideal platform for brand interaction.   That's according to the “2017 Generational Marketing Insights Survey,” from Campaigner, the email marketing brand of j2 Global. According to findings, less than a quarter (24%) of online shoppers use social media as one of their preferred channels for brand interaction. And it seems that not all social media channels are created equal.