Archive for the ‘Research’ Category

Research Brief- Web Influences Trillion Dollar Retail Sales

Thursday, October 27th, 2011

New research from GroupM Search, with research partner Kantar Media Compete, reveals that 86% of buyers who purchase in-store use generic terms on search engines to inform their purchase decision. The study, featuring RadioShack, Audi, and a national entertainment brand, also shows that when a shopper conducts a search online and clicks on a link, 90% of those clicks are on the organic listings of a search engine results page.

Forrester Research projected online retail revenues to be $173 billion in 2010, growing over 40% to reach nearly $250 billion by 2014. Yet for all the projected growth, the online channel will account for just 8% of total retail sales revenue. A deeper look at the numbers confirms that this drastically undervalues the role of the Web in the retail industry, says the GroupM study. (more…)

That 6 hours a week you spend on social media? Where does that time come from?

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

58% of marketers are using social media for 6 hours or more each week and 34% for 11 or more hours weekly. My question is this– from where is that time coming? The days, even though they feel longer, didn’t really get any longer. And while 90% of marketers agree that social media is important to their businesses it’s still time that is coming from somewhere else. But where? Prospecting? Selling? Personal Development? Other business development activities? Here are the findings:

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Research Brief– People Now Expect Daily Deals

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

According to research from Yahoo! Mail and Ipsos OTX MediaCT, reported by EMarketer, consumers will not quickly tire of the daily deal websites and mailing offerings, nor the rush of established online companies like Google and Facebook to get into everyday promotions. In March, BIA/Kelsey predicted US daily deal site revenues would reach $1.25 billion this year.
The February 2011 survey found that US adult internet users subscribe to an average of almost three daily or weekly shopping emails or newsletters, and 56% of internet users subscribe to at least two of the emails.

Subscribers also say they regularly read the emails. Among those who subscribe to at least two, 61% said they read all of the messages. And most access the emails at least once a day. (more…)

“Like It” or Leave It

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

According to a 2011 National Online Consumer Behavior study by CityGrid Media and conducted by Harris Interactive, the Facebook “Like” button is the new consumer preference to show support online for local businesses. However, no single factor or source overwhelmingly influences the final choice, including highly-touted deals and discounts, according to the report. (more…)

What I Taught in College Last Week

Tuesday, October 26th, 2010

For those who didn’t know, I teach at the University of SC in the Journalism School; Mass Communications and Information Studies to be “proper.” But being a graduate of the “Journalism School,” back in the day when that word was still used in the name, it will always be the “J-School” to me.

I teach Advertising Campaign Strategy to graduating seniors. (at least they think they are graduating. They have to pass this class first.) And it’s the time in the course calendar where we discuss “communication tactics” as part of the strategy. In the lecture portion of my class last week here were a few general points I made about communication tactics that sometimes get overlooked: (more…)