Research Topic

Sunnyvale, Calif. – Application support and maintenance (ASM) may hold potential to deliver $6.8 billion in savings to Fortune 2000 organizations. According to a survey of 300 U.S. and U.K. CIOs released by IT services provider HCL Technologies Ltd., ASM now accounts for 38% of large organizations’ overall IT budget each year.

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.

The Nordstrom’s Customer Experience Center is a replica of a store where the department store operator can bring together salespeople, suppliers and customers to share feedback on new concepts before they are introduced to stores.

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.

Denver -- Consumers are increasingly frustrated with location search, with many losing trust in brands due to outdated and inaccurate data, and even turning to competitor businesses. According to a new research report from location data services provider Placeable, “Be Found: Location-Based Marketing Insights,” consumers are all too often given outdated and incorrect information from search engines, mobile apps, directories and even brand websites.

Beachwood, Ohio — DDR Corp. has announced that it sold 14 non-prime assets in the first quarter for gross proceeds of $198 million. The company’s share of the proceeds totaled $142 million. In addition, DDR currently counts 14 non-prime operating assets valued at $97 million and $36 million of non-income producing assets currently under contract. DDR expects its share of the proceeds from these transactions to come to $103.

Atlanta - With consumer confidence and the real estate market on the rise, many homeowners are ready to begin home remodeling or maintenance projects. According to an online survey conducted on behalf of SunTrust Banks Inc. by Harris Poll, 56% of homeowners plan to spend money on home improvement projects this year.

New York -- Just one-quarter (25%) of consumers consider loyalty programs important when choosing a restaurant. According to a new study from Deloitte, 50% of survey respondents said they belong to at least one restaurant program, a much lower rate compared with those of other sectors, such as airlines (78%) and hotels (70%).

North Bergen, N.J. -- The Vitamin Shoppe has been recognized as the top-rated vitamin store and top-rated vitamin store brand based on consumer satisfaction in ConsumerLab.com's 2014 survey of vitamin and supplement users. Each year, ConsumerLab.com, a provider of consumer information and independent evaluations of products that affect health and nutrition, surveys its subscribers about the vitamins and supplements they use.

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: