Focus Groups
New Key to Success in Online Retail: Geography
by Paul Sloan
Plenty of marketers pull mountains of data from the Web, such as search habits and online surveys, to figure out how to reach new customers. The assumption is that many of the retail rules that apply to physical stores don’t apply to Internet commerce, or at least not in the same way. David Bell, an associate professor of marketing at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, says that’s not so. In fact, his research shows that any Internet retailer looking for customers would be wise to use some pre-Web methods.
To read more visit the link or download the PDF 351380-New Key to Success in Online Retail Geography
In August 2008 we enlisted the services of Axiom Consulting to undertake focus groups with both
parents and teachers so we could gain valuable insight into what the schools' community wants.s
Click here for a copy of the report.
Please click HERE to download the Pilot Study Information Pack.
Local ads pull in the punters
A new study suggests, ads placed in local online media are more likely to evoke a consumer response than those conveyed through more generalised formats such as search or city-wide classifieds.
Clickz reports that in a survey of more than 2000 consumers by the Online Publishers Association, over 42% were prompted to act (either making a purchase or visiting a store) after viewing an ad on the website of a local newspaper, TV station or magazine.
Generalised search portals such as Yahoo and Google generated a lower 37% call to action rate, while classified sites triggered consumer action in only 35% of cases.
The higher response rate may have something to do with the additional trust many people have in brands they feel are tied to their local communities. Ads on local newspapers were ranked the most trustworthy by 56% of respondents, with local stations second on 55%, ahead of the generalised media channels.
The survey also provides a pointer to those businesses that might make best use of local online ads. The most commonly searched-for items were restaurants and cafes (38%), grocery stores (28%) and banks or financial services (25%).
63% of companies to increase digital spending
In a recent survey carried out in the US, 175 CMOs were asked about their marketing spend intentions in the coming months. 59% of those surveyed stated they intended to decrease their traditional media spends, with 29% remaining the same and only 23% increasing their budgets. Whilst 63% of those surveyed stated they intended to increase their interactive/digital marketing budgets, with 23% remaining the same and only 14% decreasing their spend.
