E-Reader Mania Hits Barnes

The mad rush for e-readers this holiday season has led Barnes & Noble to offer in-store certificates worth $100 to customers who won't get its device, called the "Nook," by Christmas Eve as promised. B&N has said that demand is so strong it can't keep up with the orders.

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More People Dropping Landlines for Cell Phones

The latest government research shows that more people are dropping landlines for cell phones across all demographics, rich or poor. The proportion of wireless only homes continues to grow even during this recession. In fact, the poor are more likely to have one cell phone per household rather than a landline. For more interesting data on this issue click here: http://tinyurl.com/yje4r6l

US Online Ad Spend Turns the Corner

US Online Ad Spend Turns the Corner - eMarketer

"The economic cycle has reached bottom—at least for the online ad industry,” said David Hallerman, eMarketer senior analyst and author of the new report, “US Ad Spending.”

Why Should Online Retailers Consider Bricks-and-Mortar Stores?

We all know how successful Amazon has been in carving out a substantial online business. So why consider a bricks and mortar presence when you have the most successful online business in the world?

It is rumored that Amazon is searching real estate in the U.K. While other stores are shutting down, Amazon is looking ahead. Consider for a moment that traditional retail presence like Walmart, BestBuy and others have had to incorporate an online business to stay competitive. What they offer that Amazon cannot offer is the ability to shop online, order and have it delivered to the nearest store for pick-up at a convenient time. It's also a faster service with no shipping costs. And this is exactly what Amazon is rumored to be doing in the U.K. Who knows, maybe we will see this strategy roll out in the U.S. in the not too distant future.

Social Media Should Be Part of Your Online Marketing Strategy

Brands and advertisers are relying more and more on social media and online video streaming as a means of marketing their businesses. A new survey by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) in conjunction with BtoB Magazine and marketing services firm MKTG, shows 66% of marketers now use social media to enhance their online PR, compared to 20% in 2007.

The most prominent sites featured in the survey are Facebook (used by 74%), YouTube (65%), Twitter (63%) and LinkedIn (60%).

In fact, social media marketing should be an integral part of your SEO/Internet Marketing Strategy. A corporate profile on Twitter for example, makes the company more approachable by consumers. But you have to be able to take the good with the bad. Not all comments can possibly be good, so be sure to monitor what people say and deal with the complaints as expeditiously as possible to turn that customer's experience around. How you respond or not, will influence new consumers considering doing business with you.

Dell for example uses Twitter to post daily news, special offers as well as respond to online comments. Word of mouth comments can be very powerful in stimulating sales.

No company can really afford not to engage in the social discussion.

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Cyber Monday - Internet Shopping Beats Bricks and Mortar

Cyber Monday beat Black Friday sales, meaning online retail is winning over in-store purchases. Dow Jones and Comscore predict this holiday season may exceed $900 Million in sales, making it the biggest day for online retailers ever! Sales rose 14% this year over last and the actual orders were about 30% more items. A truly good sign that the economy may just be improving slightly.

Is it convenience or better deals?

It is likely that people have less to spend (with all the cuts in salaries), and are therefore looking for the best deals with a few quick clicks rather than feet on the street. With taxes so high in most States, it's another incentive to shop from the biggest online retailer, Amazon.com and Overstock. But convenience does play an important factor when you consider that a significant amount of people are currently doing two to three jobs. PriceGrabber.com has seen increased traffic and provides an easy way to find the lowest prices on most items.

What motivates you to shop online?