Multichannel Marketing

Video isn’t just for websites. A Multichannel Merchant staffer recently ordered a pocketbook from Brahmin Leather Works. When the order arrived, there was a giant red/orange sticker affixed to the box that said “WARNING: This carton was VIDEO TAPED during packing to record contents!” more

The fact that the U.S. Postal Service has to prepay retiree health benefits to the tune of about $5.5 billion per year has received a lot of ink since it was ordained by the 2006 Postal Reform legislation.

Today, Postmaster General Patrick R. Donahoe testified before a Senate subcommittee that despite significant cost cutting and revenue generation, the USPS won’t be able to make good on its $5.5 billion in healthcare retiree payment at the end of September unless Congress intercedes and refunds overpayments of pension funding or in some way eases the mandate to prefund retiree health benefits. more

I just published this article about prospecting with Facebook to the Multichannel Merchant site. When I was covering the session at the CognitiveData Summit on Friday, I was gung-ho, ready to try it out. Now I’m not so sure.

From a marketing point of view, using Facebook as a page and then finding prospects on your business rivals’ pages seems like a so-brainer. But as a consumer, I’d be creeped out if, say, McDonald’s liked a comment I made on Burger King’s Facebook page. more

There’s a privacy bill zooming around the California state legislature (SB 761) ostensibly designed to restrict Web site operators from making malicious changes to site visitors’ computer settings. The bill further prohibits site operators from collecting, storing and transferring information gathered surreptitiously online, such as through cookies, and requires opt-out mechanisms.

Got no problem with the first part, although it’s probably more toothless and feel-good than practical: Offshore miscreants aren’t going to give a damn about the state of California shaking its finger at them, and legitimate businesses walk the line when it comes to installing malwear or preventing software from being uninstalled.

But there are a few casual sentences and phrases in the bill which, due to their vagueness, could potentially be killers of the marketing data industry. more

I’ve been running since I was in high school, ran track in college and competed in tons of road races in the 1990s. My competitive road racing days are behind me, but I still enjoy running and have purchased items from the National Running Center in the past.

Recently, the National Running Center came up with its $10 Tuesday promotion, which lists 16 items each priced at $10 for a 24-hour period. It’s a great deal and one I took advantage of today.

Of the $10 items offered, I selected the Frank Shorter 1/2 Zip Dri-Run Jersey, with a six-inch mesh-backed front zipper in coal/black. I’ve worn Frank Shorter items in the past, and they’ve all been excellent. For those of you who don’t know who Frank Shorter is, he probably did more to impact running in the U.S. than anyone before him. more

Anyone who wanted to learn some vital tips for performing well in the annual MCM Awards would’ve found them during Wednesday’s session, “10 Things To Learn From This Year’s Print Catalog Winners,” at the MCM Live Conference in New York City.

Lois Brayfield, president of J. Schmid & Associates; Glenda Shasho Jones, president of Shasho Jones Direct; and Geoff Batrouney, executive vice president of Estee Marketing Group, spearheaded the informative session telling attendees what to do and what not to do.

Here are some of the points the group discussed:

Create authority: When you can tout a “Best In Class” accolade, use it. It certainly makes you an authority. Show real-life examples and provide useful product information like New Pig does in its catalog. Create a strong, differentiated positioning that is owned.

Marketing innovation: There were very few breakout ideas from this year’s print catalog entries. Entry forms were not complete and circulation plans were unremarkable and ordinary. Some entries offered imprecise and “fuzzy” numbers with little documentation regarding circulation strategies. more