Social Media

Jeffersonville, Ind. - The key to repeat customers is personalized communication from brands after purchases. According to a new survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers from multichannel customer engagement solutions provider Accent Marketing Services LLC, 86% of consumers say it’s important to have a positive experience after making a purchase.

Key findings in the report also include:

• Nearly half of consumers interact with brands after a purchase.

After receiving more than 16,000 entries online and via Facebook, Staples has opened its “Make Your Idea Happen,” contest to the public to determine the $25,000 grand prize winner.

Columbus, Ohio – DSW Inc. is opening three new stores on April 10. The stores will be located in Tempe, Ariz., DeKalb, Ill., and Washington, D.C.

DSW Rewards is a free loyalty program in which customers earn certificates toward future DSW purchases and receive special member-only offers. Customers can also participate in a Shoe Lover community on Facebook to receive exclusive offers and giveaways.

When brand marketers and agency executives gathered in Chicago recently for the annual Shopper Marketing Summit there was plenty of talk about mobile, social and digital, but there was one thing no one talked about.

Mobile is the hottest thing going right now so hardly surprising there was plenty of discussion about myriad ways apps can be used to engage, influence and activate shoppers on the path to purchase. Mobile continues to transform the path to purchase, overlooked in discussions of the shoppers’ evolving journey was the role of packaging.

St. Louis -- Whether shopping alone or in a group, Millennials remain digitally connected contacting friends and family for advice or opinions via text, phone call or social media, according to a survey conducted by Mooslyvania, an independent digital advertising agency. While 57% surveyed said they tell their friends about their purchases, 44% prefer to "show off" their purchases, even if it's in subtle ways.

Mia Goldwyn was named chief content officer at StyleHaul, a company that describes itself as the leading multi-platform marketing solution for fashion and beauty brands with scale.

Goldwyn joins StyleHaul, a platform with 138 million YouTube subscribers with 53 million unique monthly visitors, from Paramount Pictures. She spent 13 years with the studio and most recently served as vp of business development, digital and insurge. In her new role she will report to StyleHaul president and CEO Stephanie Horbaczewski.

New York -- Pinterest, more than Facebook or YouTube, is supplying the greatest percentage of downstream traffic to retail sites, according to new research from Experian Marketing Services. The company’s 2014 “Digital Marketer: Benchmark and Trend Report” also reveals that after visiting Facebook, YouTube or Pinterest, consumers go to Amazon.com more frequently than any other retailer website.

Here’s how the downstream traffic from social media sites to retail sites shapes up in the Experian report:

Oak Brook, Ill. – McDonald’s is offering free McCafe coffee is available during breakfast hours starting March 31 through April 13 in participating restaurants. To kick off the two-week campaign, McDonald's will host "Make Friends with McCafe" sampling events at high traffic locations and transportation hubs in multiple cities across the country.