Todd McCormickValentine says, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas — at least inside retail stores. Now it’s time to make sure your digital marketing is just as ready for the holiday shopping season. Gift-givers who aren’t already buying are at least making their shopping lists. If you can engage buyers with digital marketing during the pre-purchase research phase, you stand a greater chance of increasing conversion rates — both online and in-store. Just consider the following: 22 percent of consumers spend more money as a result of using digital, with just over... [...]

Monica Montesa says, “For some, baking cupcakes is simply a hobby. For others, it’s the foundation for a sweet business idea. At least that was the case for Joanne Jarin, founder of The Lucky Cupcake Company in Pipersville, Pennsylvania. “I started working for a local caterer under the wing of his pastry chef, [and] after a few years of learning and building my confidence, I left my job and started working on my business plan, selling cakes and cupcakes from my small home,” says Jarin. “That was almost 5 years ago, this May. I am now working on opening my second shop in Spring 2015 at... [...]

Arie Shpanya says, “Halloween is over, and you know what that means: Christmas carols, decorations, and holiday sales are now fair game. Sorry grinches, but shoppers and businesses are starting to get ready for the holiday season earlier and earlier, and there’s nothing that can be done about it. One thing that is in your control, however, is preparing for it. 2014 is expected to be the biggest holiday shopping season in years, so how can you get ready for it?”. Retail tech trends for the 2014 holiday season ‘Econsultancy’ Blog  [...]

Katie Oakes says, “The Internet of Things — everyday objects that connect to the internet and other smart devices — used to be reserved for ‘geeks’ and ‘techies.’ But as the holiday season approaches and more and more smart products are released into the market, interest in the Internet of Things is growing rapidly. In fact, since 2011, search activity for smart watches and fitness devices increased almost 80 fold, with a higher rate of peak during the 2013 holiday season.   But smart products aren’t just limited to wearables — interest is rapidly growing in home automation... [...]

Ayaz Nanji says, “More than half (53%) of US consumers say they will use a mobile device to research or purchase products this holiday season, according to a recent report from Burst Media. Among this group of active mobile researchers/shoppers, 59% say they will use their devices to assist in making holiday online purchases, and 46% say they will do so to help with offline purchases. Women are much more likely than men to say they will conduct product research on their mobile devices to assist in making an online purchase (63% versus 52%). One-third of consumers surveyed who research/shop... [...]

Danielle Forget says, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year, marketers. It’s shopping season! From the eager parents getting all their Christmas shopping done early, to the shopping enthusiasts counting down the days until those Black Friday promotions. People are gearing up to shop, and they’re gearing up to shop now. To help get you through marketing’s busiest time of the year, we put together five helpful tips… 1. Leave Enough Time Related Resources from B2C » Free Webcast: How to Create Killer Email Conversion Copy There is nothing worse than feeling rushed when setting up... [...]

Derek S. says, “As the holidy season quickly approaches, its important that companies understand what consumers of all ages are looking for in a website. AnswerDash, a provider of contextual FAQ technology for websites and Web applications, has announced the results of its first-ever website survey. Among the many findings from the survey include the most frustrating websites for consumer (Comcast.com, IRS.gov and CenturyLink.com) as well as the highest rated usability websites (Amazon.com, Facebook.com and Apple.com). The survey also found that 75 percent of 18 to 24 year olds and 57 percent... [...]

Pamella Neely says, “If you haven’t already planned your holiday marketing, you’re behind the curve: 40 percent of consumers started making Christmas buying decisions before Halloween. But don’t let that spoil your pre-holiday cheer. Even a few well-timed emails can bring in loads of Christmas orders. Holiday Marketing Calendar Marketers seem to add another semi-official holiday marketing day every year. While it’s good to know which days perform best, if you’re a small shop you may not be able to keep up with every new holiday, and you may not want to bury your clients or customers... [...]

Kim Stiglitz says, “The day after Halloween marked the official start of the holiday shopping season and since then, holiday-related emails have been arriving in our inboxes on a daily basis. Why are holiday emails seemingly being sent earlier and earlier each year? Christmas-themed and general winter holiday season emails have higher open rates when sent weeks or even months earlier than immediately before the target holiday, according to a recent article by Marketing Profs. To get you in the holiday swing of things, here are 25 examples of holiday email subject lines that stood out in our... [...]

Katie Oakes says, “Each week, we will provide you with real time insights and trends for the 2014 holiday season: how consumers are shopping, what they are searching for and how marketing campaigns can be optimized to maximize rewards for both consumers and brands. Sign up to receive the weekly #HolidayHotSheet in your inbox and stay tuned to the blog for highlights and additional holiday coverage. Now that Halloween is behind us, the focus on the upcoming holiday season is stronger than ever. Sure, we still have Thanksgiving to get through, but 45 percent of holiday email campaigns already... [...]