Data & Analytics

Not only is user-generated content (UCG) the go-to source for 90% of shoppers making a purchase — it outranks all other forms of marketing.   This is according to “Hearing the Voice of the Consumer: UCG and the Commerce Experience,” a report from TurnTo and executed by Ipsos. the report represents responses from more than 1,000 U.S. shoppers who made an online purchase in the past 12 months.  

No visit to the University of Oregon is complete without a stop at The Duck Store.    The Duck Store opened its doors on the University of Oregon campus in 1920. (The Oregon Duck is the mascot of the University of Oregon's Ducks athletic program). It has since grown into a 13-store fleet, with outposts at sporting venues and malls. It also operates an online store that can be accessed via laptop or mobile devices. In fact, half of its Web traf-fic comes from smartphones and tablets.   

Fast-growing mattress retailer Casper has closed on a new round of funding — with help from Target Corp.   

Sidewalk delivery robots are revving their engines for their July 1 debut in Virginia and Idaho, but there is an even bigger launch planned.   The delivery bots will soon be commonplace across the country of Estonia. Based on a vote of 86 to 0 in the country's parliament last week, Estonia is the first country in Europe that allows these food-carrying robots to roam sidewalks, according to Engadget.  

Retailers are thrilled with their surging online sales, however the same can’t be said for associated fulfillment operations.    Business is booming online as sales across 82% of e-commerce and multichannel businesses increased in 2016. Only 6% reported a decrease in orders. While many voiced concerns over increasing competition, Brexit and currency fluctuations, the majority of companies (88%) expected a further increase in e-commerce orders during 2017.  

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

Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods Market is sending shock waves through the world of grocery retail. This striking move introduces more disruption into the grocery wars. As the c-suites form their war rooms and build their responses, the industry faces an array of significant challenges.   1. Food retailers must think bigger and faster