In part one of Brand Monitor's 'E-Commerce and the Social Consumer: Making Online Shopping Hassle-Free' series, we discussed two of the most common hurdles that online customers faced and what retailers can do to make online shopping an enjoyable and problem-free experience. While insufficient information on brands' websites, high shipping costs, along with the worry of the product being damaged, are among the biggest reasons that discouraged people from selecting the 'buy now' option, our research highlights two other factors that can deter prospective shoppers from making a purchase via digital and social media channels. In part two, we will focus on how brands can provide better after-sales support and service to customers and the importance of offers and ... Read more...

Keeping up with the Social-Savvy Consumer

The ever-changing taste of the social consumer, along with the dynamism of the social media space, sometimes makes it difficult for online retailers to keep up. The online buying process has undergone some radical changes over the last few years. The modern shopper a) is greatly influenced by recommendations, reviews and price-comparisons posted on social media sites b) uses location-based services to find brick-and-mortar stores c) is short on time and prefers the convenience of shopping online instead of spending hours in billing queues and d) favors the choice online stores have to offer as opposed to the limited variety of products in traditional stores. Going by eMarketer's 2011 study, ... Read more...

The debate over the SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) bill, introduced in the US House of Representatives on October 26, 2011, by Representative Lamar Smith, has, so far, drawn some interesting reactions. Although the House Judiciary Committee, which held hearings on SOPA on November 16 and December 15, 2011, will only meet on 24th January 2012 after the winter recess, the war of words over SOPA is far from over. Research by the Brand Monitor™ Team at Position² shows how the issue over the controversial act has played out so far:

• One of the earliest reactions came from hacktivist group 'Anonymous'. The ... Read more...

The Year That Was

As we bid adieu to 2011 and look forward to the year ahead, we know that this is a crucial time of the year when marketing budgets are planned, strategies are rolled-out and frameworks for future campaigns are created. While this may be one of the busiest times for marketers, it is also a time when brands look back at the year that was and wonder what they can do to make the coming year less stressful and more productive. From highly creative viral campaigns to complete social media gaffes, 2011 had more than its fair share of memorable moments that can teach brands a thing or two about marketing online. And it was not ... Read more...