La Terra Fina
855.655.6418
www.laterrafina.com
« September 2012 | Main | November 2012 »
Posted at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
A chasm is developing between retailers and cash conscious consumers, as Americans turn to smartphones for coupons and product information only to
find many leading retailers have yet to integrate mobile into their shopping experience.
A report from global interactive marketing provider ExactTarget found more than half of America’s fastest growing retailers have yet to fully connect online and offline shopping experiences, leaving shoppers unsatisfied.
“As we prepare for this holiday season, marketers must consider how consumers use their mobile phones while shopping,” said Jeff Rohrs, ExactTarget’s Vice President of Marketing Research and Education. “Shoppers are turning to their phones for coupons, promotions and discounts, and marketers have a never-before-seen opportunity to transform these interactions into ongoing conversations that drive sales and repeat purchases.”
The use of mobile is on the rise, according to a report from independent research firm Forrester Research. Twice as many consumers compared to last year are researching products for purchase using their mobile device. The report also found more U.S. mobile phone owners are downloading applications and receiving SMS/text alerts compared to last year.
To help marketers bridge the mobile chasm ahead of the holiday shopping season, ExactTarget released its Retail Touchpoints Exposed report, providing practical tips and technical advice to integrate mobility into existing marketing efforts across email, social media and the web. The report includes several key tips.
First, it is important for retailers to be bold and strategic. Use calls-to-action signage that conveys how to engage with the company via email, SMS and social media. Second, get creative. For example, implement SMS calls-to-action that encourage customers to try new products. Next, educate and incentivize sales associates on how to encourage customers to engage via social media, review sites and SMS. Offer digital copies of receipts via email, promoting channels for online feedback and social engagement. Embrace cross-channel promotion, giving customers the ability to connect through multiple channels by promoting other channels using social networks. And implement a cart abandonment program for shoppers who fail to complete their online transactions.
ExactTarget is a leading global provider of email marketing and cross-channel interactive marketing software-as-a-service solutions that empower organizations of all sizes to communicate with their customers through email, mobile, social media and websites. This new research follows the launch of ExactTarget MobileConnect. Available as a standalone application or fully integrated into the ExactTarget Interactive Marketing Hub, MobileConnect provides a powerful and intuitive cloud-based application to power SMS alerts and mobile marketing messaging worldwide. To learn more, visit www.ExactTarget.com/Mobile.
Posted at 09:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
Posted at 03:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)
Following a better-than-expected back-to-school season, retailers are optimistic for year-end retail sales. According to a new survey from BDO USA, LLP, retail experts predict a 4.5 percent increase in total 2012 sales. Experts are also growing more confident in the overall economic picture. While a majority (57 percent) expect to see a continuation of stagnant economic conditions in the near future, the number forecasting an ongoing economic turnaround (32 percent) nearly tripled this year, up from just 11 percent in 2011.
“Consumers proved resilient through back-to-school season, and that is fueling greater optimism for holiday sales results,” said Doug Hart, partner in the Retail and Consumer Product Practice at BDO USA. “But retailers aren’t counting their dollars just yet. Forecasts are cautious as retailers closely watch unemployment, election results and inventory levels, any of which could throw a wrench in holiday results.”
These findings are from the sixth-annual BDO Retail Compass Survey of CFOs, which examined the opinions of 100 chief financial officers at leading retailers located throughout the country. The retailers in the study were among the largest in the country, including 11 of the top 100 companies with the highest annual sales revenue in the nation. The survey was conducted in August and September.
According to the survey, a majority of CFOs (55 percent) stated they have maintained their inventory levels for the 2012 holiday season comparable to last year. While one-in-four say they increased their inventory, overall, CFOs project only a slight increase of 1.1 percent over 2011 levels. Retailers remain divided about whether too much or insufficient inventory is the bigger risk to their holiday sales. Amid pressures to avoid heavy discounting and preserve margins, 58 percent of retailers say too much inventory is the greatest risk. This is a change from 2011 when a majority (53 percent) cited insufficient inventory as the bigger risk.
Inventory levels, however, are not the greatest threat to margins for most retailers. Instead, the cost of products tops the list, with 40 percent of retail CFOs noting cost as their primary threat. Those surveyed also cited logistics and transportation (18 percent) and store operating costs (17 percent) as risks, in addition to inventory levels and markdowns (17 percent).
When asked which economic challenge has had the greatest impact on consumer confidence so far this year, 60 percent of those surveyed said unemployment. Amid fluctuating jobless claims and an unemployment rate still above 8 percent, it is no surprise that 41 percent of retailers say unemployment will have the most impact on consumer confidence during the remainder of 2012. As political tensions mount and Election Day draws near, another 29 percent point to the presidential race and its outcome as a major challenge. Retailers also point out financial market volatility (15 percent), personal credit availability and debt levels (7 percent), a weak housing market (6 percent) and fuel prices (2 percent) as major influencers of consumer confidence in the remainder of the year.
For more information on BDO USA and the Retail Compass Survey, please visit www.bdo.com.
Posted at 09:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
The growing demand for LED lighting solutions combined with increasingly stringent energy and building codes require new advancements in technology. A leader in lighting design, Cree, Inc. recently announced the introduction of a variety of innovations in the field of energy-efficient lighting.
First, Cree is partnering with Lutron Electronics Co., Inc. to embed Lutron EcoSystem® technology on a chip in Cree® luminaires, in order to accelerate LED adoption and increase energy efficiency for building designers, contractors and owners. The combination of industry-leading LED technology from Cree with proven energy control strategies from Lutron promises to yield the world’s most energy-efficient commercial lighting control and delivery system. “With this alliance, we set out to fix a problem. It breaks new ground for LED fixtures and control systems, turning compatibility into a feature, not a challenge,” said Gary Trott, Vice President of Market Development for Cree. “An integrated system can increase performance across the board—efficiency, lifetime and payback. It just works.”
Cree is also introducing a new four-inch CR4™ LED downlight, as well as a higher lumen output six-inch downlight. Relentless innovation has enabled Cree to attack cost barriers to LED adoption, while exceeding the industry’s highest standards for performance, color quality and ease of use. The new six-inch CR6™ downlight uses 87 percent less energy than comparable incandescent lighting and, in many commercial installations, delivers payback in less than one year.
Both new downlights are powered by Cree TrueWhite® Technology. Cree TrueWhite Technology delivers beautiful light and maintains color consistency over the rated lifetime of the product, all while maintaining high luminous efficacy. The new downlights easily install into most standard four-inch and six-inch recessed housings, making the Cree® CR Series LED downlights ideal for use in both residential and commercial applications.
“You’ll never need to install an outdated incandescent or fluorescent downlight again,” said Rick Helsel, Senior Account Manager, Rexel USA. “We continue to see high-demand for Cree’s original CR6-575 lumen LED downlight, but with the introduction of the CR4 LED downlight and the new high lumen output CR6 downlight, Cree now addresses even more applications, providing a remarkable price-point and meets the needs of our residential and commercial spaces.”
Finally, Cree is also attempting to reach a new performance benchmark with the release of a 170 lumens-per-watt prototype LED light bulb. The high-performance 170 LPW LED bulb enables significantly higher efficacy at a much lower cost. This demonstrates Cree’s continued commitment to accelerate the adoption of LED lighting by addressing the key barriers to widespread LED lighting adoption, initial cost and payback.
“Optimizing each LED design element was critical in achieving the performance reached by Cree’s new prototype LED bulb,” said Nick Medendorp, Vice President of Research and Development for Cree. “The technology embodied in the new 170 LPW concept LED bulb is enabling us to develop higher-performance and lower-cost Cree LED luminaires. By pushing the limits of what is possible, Cree continues to strive to develop new technology that uses less energy and provides unmatched light quality and value to our customers.”
For additional product and company information, please refer to www.CreeLEDLighting.com.
Posted at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Established in 1999, Colorado-based Burrito Kitchens™ is a manufacturer of premium, all-natural frozen burritos, which are sold primarily through major distributors to convenience stores, cafes, restaurants and many other establishments. As convenience stores work towards capturing a greater share of grab-and-go food sales in their communities, consumer demand for healthy alternatives to “roller-cooked” items loaded with artificial preservatives has helped fuel the success of companies like Burrito Kitchens. The all-natural ingredients Burrito Kitchens uses, combined with the consistently good flavor profiles of the company’s burritos grabs the attention of today’s consumers and keeps them coming back for more. As proof of the growing demand for healthier, all-natural grab-and-go items, Burrito Kitchens’ sales have nearly doubled in the last year, while many of the company’s competitors have consolidated or shuttered operations altogether. This fall, Burrito Kitchens is expanding its product portfolio to include baninis, unique, savory, filled breakfast pastries available in four delicious flavors. Visit the company’s website for more information, to make a purchase or to request a sample.
Posted at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Posted at 10:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Campbell Soup Company is expanding its line of V8® 100 percent vegetable juices with the addition of two new varieties: V8 Hint of Lime and V8 Hint of Black Pepper. The first new flavors added since 2003, these new juices offer twists to the classic savory taste of V8, fulfilling people’s growing desire for more bold flavors. “Our fans have told us how passionate they are about the big, bright flavor of V8 100 percent vegetable juice,” said Mike Barkley, Vice President of V8 Beverages. “With new ‘Hint Of’ varieties, we’re giving people even more reasons to love their favorite juice by building on what makes V8 special with accents of black pepper and lime.” Both of the new V8 varieties provide two full servings of vegetables in each 8-ounce glass, just like all V8 100 percent vegetable juices. New V8 Hint of Lime and Hint of Black Pepper are available in grocery and convenience stores for a suggested retail price of $2.99 for a 46-ounce bottle.
Campbell Soup Company
800.257.8443
www.v8juice.com
Posted at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Posted at 03:10 PM in Food and Drink | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)
Recent Comments