Social Media

As we transition into fall, let’s bid a fond farewell to summer 2013 by looking at how Benson’s Homemade Ice Cream, an independent seasonal ice cream parlor in the idyllic community of Boxford, Mass., uses Facebook in ways that larger retailers may want to emulate.

Real information in real time

When it comes to buying online, customers have more choice than ever. The crowded space means that shoppers are being offered countless new ways to buy and utilizing new technology to make their purchases. More important, customers are altering how they shop and taking a closer look at who they’re buying from. Shopping experiences are less a cold cash transaction and more of a way to participate in an ethos or at the very least, to support a company that understands exactly what and how you like to purchase your items.

Retailers will be promoting early and often during the upcoming holiday season, especially with six fewer days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and mobile is sure to play an even greater role this year than it did in 2012.

The National Football League begins play soon and Procter & Gamble’s Tide brand is leveraging its relationship with all 32 teams with an innovative social media campaign.

San Francisco – Twitter has reportedly hired former Ticketmaster president Nathan Hubbard to take the new role of head of commerce. According to Bloomberg, the 38-year-old Hubbard will oversee an effort to enable direct shopping through postings within tweets.

Hubbard is quoted as saying he does not seek to directly compete with established e-commerce retailers and payment providers but instead hopes to collaborate with them, possibly through a revenue-sharing model. He will report to Adam Bain, head of global revenue at Twitter.

Stored value gift cards have become a staple item in many retailers' holiday assortments. Last year the NRF estimated U.S. consumers would spend close to $29 billion on gift cards during the holiday shopping season, and there is no reason to think the trend is slowing down.

Tools for engaging with holiday shoppers on the most popular social platforms

Social media platforms offer retailers a chance for direct engagement with consumers as well as access to highly personalized data, all in real or near-real time. During the holiday season, with its intensified levels of competition and customer distraction, having the type of direct promotional connection with customers that social media can offer is more crucial than ever.

Delivering a superior mobile experience is a top holiday priority

Retailers can expect mobile devices to impact sales and play a greater role in buying decisions this holiday than last. Mobile as a percentage of site traffic on Black Friday shot up to 24% in 2012 from 14.3% the previous year. Sales over smartphones and devices on Black Friday rose to 16% in 2012, up from 9.8% in 2011.

At a time of year when consumers are still caught up in end-of-summer barbecues and back-to-school shopping, retailers are getting caught up in the rush of holiday planning. Holiday sales can account for 20% to 40% of a retailer’s total annual sales, according to the National Retail Federation, and a successful holiday can turn around a bad year or make a good year even better.

But the holiday season presents challenges as well as opportunities.

LAS VEGAS — Online retailer 6pm.com has promoted Jay Alexander to the newly created position of senior style adviser. This role was created to reinforce the brand's growth through on-trend, in-season merchandise and respond to customers' requests for access to a style expert. 

In his new role, Alexander will leverage his designer relationships and knowledge of the latest runway and market trends to help customers score the best styles for their entire family — therein giving online consumers the in-store treatment.