| News about digital retail commerce |  |
- Dick's Sporting Goods, Kenneth Cole partner with Zmags
Zmags has teamed with several retailers including Dick's Sporting Goods and Kenneth Cole to launch Zmags Convergence, a digital shopping platform designed to make it easier for consumers to navigate retail sites via their tablets and smartphones. "It will be important to design natural shopping experiences that mirror the way consumers like to browse and shop rather than forcing them down non-intuitive paths," said Gartner executive Van Baker. Mashable (2/28)       | 3 Ways to Drive Sales Using Competitor Content Monitoring
Consistent competitor content monitoring can help you create a superior shopping experience while providing you with insights to competitors' strategies. Providing better online product content than your competitors' drives more website visitors, increases sales… Learn more now. | - Shoppers go mobile before opening their wallets, studies find
Mobile is emerging as a key part of consumers' purchase path, even when shoppers don't use mobile devices to actually buy products, according to studies by Google, ForeSee Results and Nielsen. Almost half of smartphone users research products on their devices before buying them in-store, and 38% used their mobile devices for in-store price comparisons, researchers found. eMarketer (2/29)  | A large men’s apparel retailer has found the key to loyalty success with an initiative that allows customers to engage with the brand on their terms, not based on a time sensitive promotion. Download A Cross-Channel Loyalty Case Study to learn how this retailer has ensured that its brand is aligned across channels for a cohesive loyalty program. |
 | New Media & Technology |  |  | | - PayPal is skeptical about NFC-driven payment systems
Several banks and mobile companies are touting their efforts to create mobile-payment systems using near-field technology, but PayPal said the complex alliance among all players and a significant investment in equipment could make the systems obsolete by the time they're up and running. The Guardian (London) (2/28) - Small-business mobile websites generate high call rate
One-fifth of visits to a small business' mobile-optimized website end in a phone call to that business, according to a report by DudaMobile in partnership with the Google-led GoMo initiative. Among business segments, websites in transportation generated a 44% call rate, followed by pizzerias with 32%. Fast load times and simply, logically arranged content are key to maximizing responses, Dudamobile advises. MediaPost Communications/Mobile Marketing Daily (2/27)  | See how Cardmembers use American Express OPEN Cards to help run their business:
“I use my Business Card on all of my company’s shipping costs because it helps us save more money for the business.” -Anis Lacerte, Anais Corp
With The Business Gold Rewards Card, you can earn 2X points on your shipping purchases.
LEARN MORE & APPLY |
  | Companies in the News | | | | - Apple readies media event, most likely to introduce next iPad
Apple has issued invitations for a March 7 media event in which the company is expected to introduce the iPad 3, a tablet that is expected to be faster and to feature a sharper display and support for 4G networks. Apple, which sold 15.4 million iPads in the fourth quarter, has come under some pressure from Amazon's Kindle Fire tablet, which is priced at less than half of the iPad 2's $499 tag. Reuters (2/28), The Wall Street Journal (2/29) - EBay CEO: "Consumers are now in charge"
 Digital technology and Apple's iPad have revolutionized the way people shop, and eBay aims to be at the forefront of helping online retailers and brick-and-mortar stores work together, CEO John Donahoe said. EBay aims to take the lead with applications that integrate online and local pricing and let consumers pick the shopping experience that works best for them. The Wall Street Journal/Tech Europe blog (2/29) - Lake Champlain Chocolates revamps e-commerce site
Vermont-based Lake Champlain Chocolates hired Grand River to revamp its website so it has more navigation options and tells more of the company's story. E-commerce manager Greg Tickle credits the change with a 20% increase in the average size of holiday orders over the previous year. InternetRetailer.com (2/28)
| Legislative & Regulatory | | | | - Sales tax collection lags as online shopping increases
Consumer spending rose 4.7% last year, but sales tax collection increased only 1.2%, as more people opted for shopping websites that don't collect sales tax and consumers shifted spending from taxable goods to tax-exempt services, according to a USA TODAY analysis. USA TODAY (2/28) | Shop.org Spotlight | | | | - 12 factors that influence online buying decisions
Human beings in effect have three brains that collaborate when it comes to decision making -- one evaluates facts and figures, the second processes emotions and gut reactions, and the third is the tie-breaker between the two, Eight by Eight's Amy Africa told attendees at Retail's BIG Show. She shares a list of 12 factors retailers can use to tailor their websites to the way our brains make buying decisions. Read more. Shop.org Blog (1/18) - Get the inside scoop of Retail Horizons survey results
Retail Horizons, NRF's most illustrious industry benchmarking report, collects data on retailers' intentions in nine areas of operations including customer insight, e-commerce, supply chain and marketing. In a NRF Foundation webinar on March 23, KPMG Global Head of Retail Mark Larson will discuss the results of the 10th annual Retail Horizons survey and give takeaways that will help retailers position themselves for success. Learn more and register.
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