| News about digital retail commerce |  |
| Top Story |  |  | | - 4 ways to pitch your brand to bloggers
PR firms that reach out to bloggers need to take a different approach than they'd use to woo traditional journalists, writes Stephanie Schwab. Start by identifying a handful of bloggers likely to be responsive or interested in your brand, then focus on building relationships with that select list, Schwab writes. "If you take the time to craft a ... handful of well-researched, informed, and well-matched pitches, you will likely get a much, much higher return than if you sent out a boilerplate 'Dear Blogger' pitch to a list of 100 blogs," she writes. Social Media Explorer (1/27)       | Develop an Information Agenda for your retail company. The IBM Information Agenda Guide for Retail outlines a practical, proven approach for turning a client's Information On Demand vision and strategy into reality. Download the complimentary guide and learn how information management solutions help companies establish and leverage trusted information to optimize business performance. |
 - Retailers: Location-based mobile apps drive in-store traffic
Shopkick, which launched this past summer, has about 750,000 users for its location-based app, and about 10% use the app daily to access in-store promotions and deals at participating retailers including Target and Macy's. Merchants and marketers say early results show Shopkick, Foursquare and other location-based apps are succeeding in driving traffic to their stores. The Wall Street Journal (1/31)  | New 2010 Enterprise VoIP Buyer's Guide
This updated Buyer's Guide from Focus will help you fully understand both your business phone system needs as well as the purchase process. Compare features and read advice from other buyers.
Click Here to learn more. |
 | Hot Topics | | | | Top five news stories selected by Shop.org SmartBrief readers in the past week. - Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.
| Companies in the News | | | | - PayPal sets limits on payments to India's merchants
Merchants based in India won't be able to receive PayPal payments of more than $500 per transaction from out-of-country customers, a change the company says comes in reaction to new rules from the Reserve Bank of India. It's the latest in a series of changes that started a year ago, when banking regulators asked whether transactions on PayPal and other online-payment services should be subject to the same regulations as wire transfers of cash. Yahoo!/The Associated Press (1/28) - Groupon VP shares update on mobile efforts
 About 5 million Android and iPhone users have downloaded Groupon's mobile apps since they launched last spring, and the number of active users is on the rise, says Mihir Shah, Groupon's general manager of mobile. Location-based features provide traveling users with relevant deals when they arrive in a new city, a feature that's spurring growth, he says. MediaPost Communications/Online Media Daily (1/28) - Google to boost mobile-app development
Google reportedly wants experienced application developers and reassigned some employees to mobile-app development as part of a push to create Android apps. The Android app count for the Android lags behind Apple's, and new apps could spur sales of Android operating systems and devices. The Wall Street Journal (1/31)  | |  | | The Buzz(CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS)
Mobile barcodes make traditional media both interactive and measurable. When consumers scan these barcodes with their mobile devices, they are immediately connected to the web where they can view videos, coupons, and more. Want to learn more about mobile barcodes? Sign up for a FREE webinar today.
Interested in learning more about advertising in Shop.org SmartBrief? Contact Dena Malouf at (202) 737-5500 x282 or dmalouf@smartbrief.com.  | |  | |  |
| Interactive Advertising | | | | - Consumers want mobile ads with useful information
Mobile advertising is most useful to consumers when it contains informative content, according to a survey from Yahoo! and Nielsen. Respondents rated relevancy second, while downplaying cutting-edge graphics and multimedia components as important qualities. eMarketer (1/31) | Shop.org Spotlight | | | | - Location-based social marketing: Are retailers jumping in?
Facebook, Foursquare, Shopkick and Google are just a few location-based services that retailers are using to connect with customers and promote their brand. So which should you invest in? Shop.org's Artemis Berry recaps a recent webinar featuring American Eagle and 1-800-Flowers.com execs as they discuss current social monetization strategies, including location-based networks, and what the future holds for this trend. Read more. - Shop.org SmartStat: Jan. 31, 2011
 Nine out of 10 online shoppers plan to buy a Valentine's Day gift for his or her spouse or significant other. Source: NRF survey conducted by BIGresearch.  | - Shop.org now accepting white-paper submissions
Has your company recently published a white paper, case study, benchmarking report or other original document that serves to educate or support aspects of the e-commerce industry? Shop.org members can submit original materials for others in the industry to benefit from. Learn more. |
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