February 2008
Monthly Archive
Other Channels27 Feb 2008 11:40 am
Pressure is up on eBay, as Boycotters Zero in on Increased fees, Will it have an effect?
eBay listing totals watched for sign of seller boycott’s success
Angered over price and policy changes that took effect yesterday, some eBay sellers have been boycotting the auction marketplace this week. The boycotters are cheered by this week’s steady decline in eBay listings, but others note that it’s not clear the decline is related to the sellers’ strike. And eBay says the boycott has had no effect.
The decline was to be expected, because it followed a spike last week when eBay cut listing prices for a day, says Mike Medved, who tracks eBay listings on his web site. As items can be listed on eBay for 10 days, the impact of the boycott can’t be determined until Sunday, Feb. 24, 10 days after the eBay promotion began, he says.
Still, angry sellers are taking heart from Medved’s statistics which show that eBay’s listings have dropped from the Feb. 14 peak of around 15.9 million listings, to under 11.9 million today. That’s slightly below the 12.3 million listings on eBay on Feb. 13, the day before the promotion.
Link to complete article in Intermet Retailer
Contributed by Kim Sapienza http://www.coresense.com
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Building Your Brand25 Feb 2008 05:50 pm
Leap Year Day, Official Holiday? Not, but Maybe One day!
If you were born on February 29th, good for you! Congratulations, yeah! Yep this year you can have an actual official birthday party on the anniversary of the year and day you were born, multiple by 4 and we will all know how old you are, divide by 4 and you are just a fraction of your actual age. Just numbers right, hardly.
Less than a year ago you could have asked my Great Aunt how old she was on any given day, she would give you the year, number of days and hours. Not sure why,, just a memory game to her I believe. She was as sharp as a tack and real proud of it right up until her heart failed at 24 years, 26 days and 1 hour, give or take. Her obituary said she died at 95, I know better.
Now businesses and nonprofit organizations are using the day, Feb. 29, this Friday, as the occasion to make special proposals and pitches of their own.
Go ahead, make it special, advertise, celebrate, each day’s a gift to use as we please!
Link to Article by Joanne Kaufman, New York Times
Contributed by Kim Sapienza http://www.coresense.com
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Building Your Brand25 Feb 2008 04:53 pm
Use Merchandising to Build Brand and Attract Consumers
These days, management and boards of directors have widely acknowledged marketing as a substantial growth driver, be it nontraditional advertising, unique partnerships, influence marketing or digital communication. However, merchandising is one tool in the marketing arsenal that senior marketing executives sometimes overlook — which is unfortunate, given its high-value means of making an impact. Merchandising is no longer just about ads, logos and displaying your name on complementary products. When used successfully, merchandising can establish a powerful, personal and long-lasting experience between brand and consumer.
Link to complete Article in Advertising Age
Contributed by Kim Sapienza http://www.coresense.com
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Building Your Brand25 Feb 2008 04:30 pm
Sunday Night at the Oscar’s; For some it’s all about the SWAG!
Yes, ok, I admit it, I was one of the estimated 800 million viewers who tuned in to watch the 80th Anniversary of the Oscar Awards on Sunday evening.
Oh, I tell myself it’s not to see the stars all dressed up in the todays most glamourous garb, for me, I like to see just how many movies have once again passed me by.
As usual, the majority of entries I had never even heard of and being the “not so much of a movie buff” that I am, each year I sit back and make a mental list of all of my possible future rentals. I figure I don’t live in the northeast for nothing, I believe a cold snowy night, with an A Lister on my small screen, my finest slippers, eating a bowl of Or’ville Redenbacher beats a pair of 4 inch heels any day. But, what a girl wouldn’t do for a little Swag.
What I wouldn’t give to take a look at the dollars spent by some of the biggest brand names just for this one special event. Add to it, The Grammy’s, the Emmy’s and all the other famous events that we sit back and watch each year. Just to be able to mention that a product, your product, made it into the hands of one of Hollywood’s phenom’s means $$$ in the bank. The Hype, ..the Buzz.. the Wow Factor…think of the mileage, the press. Why.. make it into the Swag Bag and you’ve made it to the big time; it’s all about the brand baby!
Read on find out some of the advantages and pitfalls facing this type of marketing.See how to get your brand into the hands of trendsetters.
Link to today’s article in Marketing Sherpa .
Contributed by Kim Sapienza http://www.coresense.com
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Uncategorized12 Feb 2008 06:04 pm
One Size Doesn’t Really Fit All; New Method for PCI Compliance Helps the Small Retailer
Today’s retailer knows more about how the customer shops than ever before. Small and mid-sized retailers, in particular, are aggressive users of customer data, utilizing this information to create compelling value for products, marketing and promotions that help differentiate themselves from larger competitors. Yet securing this personal information is no easy task
Last week, the Payment Card Industry’s Standards Security Council (PCI SSC) released a highly revised process for small and mid-sized retailers to self-certify their PCI Compliance.
I had the opportunity to interview Bob Russo, the General Manager of the PCI SSC, to find out a bit more of why this change was implemented, and what it really means for small and mid-size retailers.
“We had a tremendous amount of success in 2007,” says Bob, “Electing a board of advisors, training 1500 assessors, introducing the PED (Pin Entry Device) Standard and launching a special interest group program that already has tremendous outreach. What this means for 2008 is a heightened focus on operational issues and efficiency – This year, we’re not just going to train assessors, but merchants as well.”
Bob continues by explaining how the old self assessment questionnaire (SAQ) was overwhelming to some retailers. “For Level 1 merchants, an onsite assessment was – and still is – required. Yet for Level 2 and 3 merchants, the old process for self-assessment was an 11 page document containing some 200 questions. It didn’t really align with the PCI DSS, and had an awful lot of merchants scratching their heads saying, ‘we can’t answer these questions.’ So we took that feedback and completely revised the process.” He states, “Now, instead of grappling with an 11 page document, the new streamlined process allows merchants to select in advance a questionnaire that best fits their business. Most importantly, we made it flexible for different merchant types – this is not dumbing it down, but listening to merchants and accommodating their individual needs.”
The new SAQ has 4 different options, and works as follows. For those retailers who outsource all of their credit card transactions, they must complete a 20 question SAQ. For those who take imprint only, do not conduct online sales, and who store no card data, a 21 question SAQ must be completed. For merchants who have payment applications connected directly to the internet, the SAQ process includes 38 questions. Finally, the fourth SAQ option is a catch-all for everyone else, and includes a full-blown questionnaire.
Bob also goes on to describe another important feature of the new process: a ride-along guide for “why and how” to help smaller retailers understand why PCI Compliance is so important. “The updated SAQ’s represent a major initiative by the Council to help merchants secure their credit card transactions,” says Russo.
To learn more about the PCI SCC and its revisions to PCI Compliance assessment, RPW readers are invited to attend a free webinar on February 21: Navigating and Understanding the PCI SSC Self Assessment Questionnaire. Additional information and sign-up details are available here.
Article dated 2/12/2008, by Steve Rowen, Partner, Retail Systems Research
Contributed by Kim Sapienza http://www.coresense.com
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eCommerce11 Feb 2008 02:44 pm
Time and Money- Internet Retailers Survey Reveals More of Each for Smart Web Retailers
Web retailers are keeping their fulfillment costs down and profits up with more operating efficiency and cost control
By Mark Brohan Time is money, especially in fulfillment where retailers face tight deadlines and cost pressure to get orders out the door on time. But having made the time and committed the money to build automated and complex order processing systems, retailers no longer see their fulfillment hub as just overhead. Instead, thanks to highly integrated systems, better logistics planning and stricter cost control, many merchants now view fulfillment and shipping as a profit center, according to Internet Retailer’s latest monthly survey.
Time is money, especially in fulfillment where retailers face tight deadlines and cost pressure to get orders out the door on time. But having made the time and committed the money to build automated and complex order processing systems, retailers no longer see their fulfillment hub as just overhead. Instead, thanks to highly integrated systems, better logistics planning and stricter cost control, many merchants now view fulfillment and shipping as a profit center, according to Internet Retailer’s latest monthly survey.Link to Complete Article
Contributed by Kim Sapienza http://www.coresense.com
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