MARKETING/SOCIAL MEDIA

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

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.  

Despite the many sales that showrooming has afforded Amazon over the years, the retailer surely doesn't want to become a victim going forward.  

Amazon is giving shoppers another reason to sign up for Prime—and a reason not to use credit cards.   The online giant is launching a new program, called Amazon Prime Reload, that allows Prime members to earn 2% bonus every time they reload their Amazon gift card balance with cash from their checking account and debit card. The bonus is given in the form of rewards that can be used to make purchases on Amazon.   

Consumers are very excited about shopping at German discount grocer Lidl — even though they have never set foot inside one of the company's stores before.    Lidl's upcoming entry into North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia could remove $1 billion in local sales in the medium term, according to a report by global consulting firm Oliver Wyman which surveyed consumers in the three states cited above. It reveals that consumers are overwhelmingly excited about trying Lidl.   

Social media may be a popular platform for ad delivery, but that doesn't mean it is a trusted one.   Despite listing social media as the source of the second-highest volume of ad messages they receive — behind only television — consumers ranked social media last among their most trusted channels, according to a study by the Chief Marketing Officer Council. Consumers ranked friends, television, search engines and newspapers as more trusted sources.  

There is good news for retailers in a just-released 2017 back-to-school spending forecast.     Retail sales during the back-to-school shopping season of July and August 2017 will grow 4.0% over 2016, according to eMarketer’s forecast. Retail sales in the U.S. during those core months will reach an estimated $857.18 billion, accounting for 17.0% of total retail sales for the year.  

McDonald’s is leveraging a hot app to encourage teens to join its workforce.   The fast food giant is embarking on an aggressive summer hiring spree that aims to employ 250,000 restaurant employees across more than 14,000 restaurants operating in the United States. Eager to get the attention of millennials — its sweet spot — McDonald’s is taking a new approach.