Social Media

By Paul Bridgewater, [email protected]

Consumers remain skittish. Despite recent positive economic signs, the latest Gallup U.S. consumer spending report shows that routine daily expenditures at restaurants, gas stations and online stores are still down from their 2008 highs, falling to $58 per day in January 2011, versus $97 for the same month three years earlier.

When it comes to shopping, Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon knows a thing or two about the subject, which is why it was fitting that he was the keynote speaker at Consumer Reports’ ShopSmart magazine summit on May 11. The founder of the leading online retailer offered insights on the consumer and the future of the industry.

New York City -- Americans are placing an even greater premium on quality customer service this year, with 70% willing to spend an average of 13% more with companies they believe provide excellent customer service, according to the American Express Global Customer Service Barometer. This is up from 2010, when 58% said they would spend an average of 9% more for great service.

New York City -- Express announced the enhanced option to shop and purchase its entire product line via the brand's Facebook page, which now includes over 837,000 friends. All inventory and pricing is consistent with web and mobile sites and updated seamlessly in real time. The page provides a new product zoom technology, secure check out and was developed internally by Express' e-commerce operations team lead by Jim Wright, senior VP CRM and e-commerce.

Some 115 Simon Property Group malls from coast to coast will celebrate Mother’s Day on May 6, when the nation’s largest mall owner hosts “National Mom's Nite Out.”

While the activities vary across the Simon portfolio of properties, the common theme is to indulge mothers with mini-massages, style presentations, food and beverage sampling, and other networking activities. The event is free for moms of all ages.

Troy, Mich. -- Oakland Mall is using social networking as a tool to get shoppers involved this Mother's Day to benefit Moms at Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM), a non-profit agency dedicated to assisting the homeless and getting them back on their feet.

New York City -- A recent survey by Deloitte found that the proliferation of smartphones – coupled with social network popularity -- has had a significant impact on what consumers expect from retailers and their in-store shopping experience.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores said Monday it is acquiring Mountain View, Calif.-based social media company Kosmix to help strengthen its social and mobile commerce.
 
Wal-Mart, which has not disclosed the terms of the transaction, said it is interested in a social media technology platform Kosmix has developed that filters and organizes content in social networks to connect people with information that may be of interest to them.