Nobody Asked Me!

Does it Contain Nuts?

2010-12-21T02:17:00.001-05:00

Over the last few weeks I received about a half a dozen food gift baskets for the holidays. Many of the baskets included packaged chocolates, crackers and spreads manufactured by food companies and then marketed, assembled and shipped by gift basket specialty companies.

What I found very interesting is that many of the food packages were missing information on the ingredients. Many people today have food allergies and nuts in particular are commonly used in chocolate products. Without knowing the ingredients people with severe food allergies would not take a chance and eat the product.

What was also missing on the mixed boxes of chocolates was a description of what the various items were or contained.

The exception to what I received was a box of baked goods from Mrs. Fields. Each of the individual items had small labels on them describing the item. Also in the box was a nice clear sheet that provided the nutritional information detailed ingredients and Allergens. Everything was very clearly marked and the information right at hand.

What I also liked about the Mrs. Fields box is that it contained a small catalog sheet for gift tins, baskets and boxes that could be sent along with a 20% off coupon.

Nobody Asked Me! But…

I think that from a customer convenience standpoint the ingredients, nutritional information and Allergen information should be provided with each box or package. Mrs. Fields does it right. Why limit your audience to only the people without food allergies?

Secondly, avoid the mystery. For mixed boxes of chocolates the manufacturer should provide a key explaining what each chocolate contains. Jelly Belly does a good job of this; they include a small poster inside the box with pictures and names for each flavor.

Gift baskets from vertical operations like Mrs. Fields or Godiva, etc are only going to have a single brand of product included in them. Many other gift baskets are assembled and sold by companies that buy packaged products that they assemble and market. For these companies, once the cellophane is removed from the basket itself, they have lost all branding for their companies.

From a marking vantage point, most of the gift basket companies are missing a huge opportunity to use the baskets as vehicles to acquire new customers. Here are some quick ideas:

1. They should attach a small label to each individual package with a message: “Enjoying this product? To order more go to (web address) and type in product no. xxxx”. Here they could direct customers to the gift basket company site.

2. Like Mrs. Fields, they should include a small catalog. Here I would promote sending a gift basket for a birthday or other special occasion as it would probably be too late to send for the holiday at hand.

3. Include a discount coupon for a future order.

4. Include a message “To send a Thank You eCard to the sender of this basket, go to www.xxxxx” . Here you are providing a quick and easy way for the recipient to say thanks and you can capture their email address for future solicitation.

5. Include a message encouraging the recipient to go online and fill out a survey of what they liked and did not care for in the package. Give them and incentive to do so with a discount, free gift, etc. Maybe it’s as simple as a coupon for a free coffee at Starbucks. This would be a great way to get feedback at the individual item level and again you capture their email address. As baskets sent to offices are often shared, I would encourage more than one person to complete the survey but limit at two to four depending on the incentive.

Providing the ingredients is a customer convenience, using the gift basket to build brand awareness, feedback and as a customer acquisition vehicle is a smart marketing.

2011-12-26 Update

This year I received a gift basket of English Muffins and jams from Harry & David's http://www.wolfermans.com/ . What I liked about it was the basket included a coupon for 20% my next purchase.

Would You Like Fries With That?

2010-12-19T23:15:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago I celebrated my wedding anniversary. On my way home from work I picked up a few things for my wife. I started at the florist where I had a bouquet of flowers put together. I then headed to the drug store where I picked up a card and a box of chocolate. My next stop was Radio Shack where I purchased an Apple iPod and an iTunes gift card. I then ended off a yet another drug store to buy a gift bag.

All off this crisscrossing the streets back and forth got me thinking.

Nobody Asked Me! But ....

I think that some of the merchants that I visited were leaving money on the table.

Florist

This is easy. Instead of just offering those small blank business card size notes for free, they should carry one small line of greeting cards. I would suggest a serious line with two or three cards per occasion on good quality paper stock that sell for $3.00 to $5.00 a card. If I am spending $40 or more on flowers another $5.00 for a nice card is easy.

In addition I would carry a premium brand of chocolates like Godiva that come pre-wrapped and with beautiful ribbon all ready to gift. Here all that they would need to offer would be a selection of two to three sizes ranging in price from $15 to $40 dollars.

Another easy addition would be to sell a small selection of gift cards for department stores, clothing stores, iTunes, Amazon etc.

Between the cards, chocolate and gift cards the merchant would not have to worry about anything going out of style, etc. as they are all basic items. A deep inventory would not be needed as they can all be easily replenished.

Having just these few line extensions could easily add another 25% to 100% to the sale. In addition it would make it incredibly convenient for customers like me that failed to adequately plan to play catch up and walk in the house looking like a hero.

Radio Shack

They already have many items that could be used as gifts. They should add greeting cards and gift bags in various sizes.

I am not suggesting that every store should be a department store and carry everything but rather by tweaking assortments with “related” products some retailers may be able to increase sales while providing a more convenient experience for their customers.

BP Should Run A $10 Million Contest For Ideas To Stop The Spill

2010-06-04T00:55:00.001-04:00

On Wednesday June 2nd The NY Post ran an article about Alia Sabur, she is a 21 year old Ph.D. student in engineering at Drexel University. She discussed with the NY Post an idea she has for stopping the BP oil spill in the Gulf.

It got me thinking about the contest that Netflix ran in 2006. They awarded $1 million to a team that was able to improve their movie recommendation program by over 10%.

Nobody Asked Me!

Here is an idea for BP. They should offer a $10 million dollar prize to anyone who comes up with an idea that is attempted and ultimately used to stop the spill.

They can put up on their website the specifics of the spill that people can use e.g. depth, size or equipment, water pressure, etc. They can even post ideas that were thought of but not executed and the reasons.

An impartial third party accounting firm can be used to run the contest so that nobody feels like their idea will be ripped off.

It will get a lot of people thinking about solving the problem.

Thank You // Steven N Levy

New York Times: Technology: Cellphone in New Role: Loyalty Card

2010-06-01T23:48:00.001-04:00

New York Times: Technology: Cellphone in New Role: Loyalty Card

By CLAIRE CAIN MILLER

Published: May 31, 2010

Using their cellphones, consumers can track their visits and purchases and earn rewards.

Loyalty cards — those little paper cards that promise a free sandwich or coffee after 10 purchases, but instead get lost or forgotten — are going mobile. And merchants are looking for ways to marry the concept to games that customers can play to earn more free items and, it is hoped, spend more money.

Instead of collecting paper cards and fumbling through wallets at the cash register, customers are increasingly using their cellphones to track their visits and purchases, and receive rewards.

Some start-ups, like CardStar and CardBank, store existing loyalty cards on cellphones with scannable barcodes. And companies including Motorola and a start-up called mFoundry are providing retailers with the technology to build cellphone loyalty cards.

Loopt is one of several start-ups — including Foursquare, Shopkick and Gowalla — that are experimenting with ways to use cellphones to bridge the digital and physical worlds and turn the tasks of everyday life, like buying coffee and running errands, into a game.

On Tuesday, Loopt, one of the first services to let people use cellphones to share their location with friends, is taking its concept a step further by introducing Loopt Star, a mobile game that rewards people for frequently checking in to particular places. People will compete to earn “achievements” and become “boss” of certain locations, and Gap, Burger King and Universal Music plan to use Loopt Star to reward loyal customers.

For retailers, these games and apps offer a new form of mobile marketing that goes well beyond a minibanner ad by rewarding consumers, individually, for their loyalty. And unlike paper cards, stores can use the data they collect from people’s cellphones to learn more about who their customers are and how they behave.

No one in advertising has ever been able to figure out how to do “one-to-one, real-time marketing,” said Drew Sievers, a former advertising executive who is now co-founder and chief executive of mFoundry. “The mobile phone is where that will actually probably happen. It’s the only thing connected and always with you.”

Loopt has offered search or banner ads on its mobile apps, but advertisers told the company that instead, they wanted a mobile loyalty card, said Sam Altman, Loopt’s co-founder and chief executive.

“Instead of advertising with a banner, it’s offering users incentives for good behavior,” he said. “They’re trying to turn existing customers into better ones.”

Loopt Star is Loopt’s effort to play catch-up with some of these other services, particularly with Foursquare. Loopt, which started in 2005, was one of the first companies to popularize broadcasting one’s whereabouts to friends. But Foursquare, founded last year, is a popular newcomer. It turned location-sharing into a game with its badges, mayorships and rewards, and into a marketing tool for businesses, including Tasti D-lite and Pepsi, to track and reward loyal customers.

Loopt has 3.4 million registered users to Foursquare’s 1.4 million users. But Foursquare’s gaming elements are quickly attracting new users. Mr. Altman said Loopt built Loopt Star in response, and last year acquired a start-up called GraffitiGeo that builds similar games.

“We respectfully just sort of knocked off those gaming elements, but added new things,” he said.

People register for Loopt Star using their Facebook log-ins, so they can share their location and compete in the game with their Facebook friends and alert their friends about recent purchases and special deals.

Retailers can choose which actions they want to reward and what the prizes will be. Gap is sending customers a 25 percent discount coupon after they check in twice to a Gap store. Burger King is offering a soda with a sandwich or a coffee with a breakfast sandwich to people who check in three times. Universal Music will send five free songs to people who check into any bar along with two friends.

Stanford University is using Loopt Star over graduation weekend. When students check in to at least two of the official school events, they will get a prize. Once they have left Stanford, they will be able to use Loopt to find fellow alumni, said Ian Hsu, Stanford’s director of Internet media outreach.

Starbucks will use Loopt Star to give frequent customers an honorary barista badge, symbolized by a green apron. Starbucks also offers a barista badge on Foursquare, where people compete to become “mayors” of places, and the coffee chain is giving mayors $1 off Frappuccinos.

Starbucks has its own iPhone loyalty card, built by mFoundry. Customers collect stars in a cup on their phones every time they make a purchase and get a free drink every 15 visits.

Starbucks could use the data from the cellphones to send personalized offers, like a chai Frappuccino coupon in the afternoon to people who drink chai lattes in the morning, said Brady Brewer, vice president at Starbucks overseeing brand loyalty and the Starbucks card.

“We’ve tried to build a program around recognition — knowing who you are and what you like — and in some ways, that relevance comes from knowing about purchases from data” collected from the loyalty program, he said.

Shopkick is creating a program, expected to begin later this year, that will reward people for showing up and spending money at any of the partner stores, which include American Eagle Outfitters, Best Buy and Macy’s.

Cyriac Roeding, Shopkick’s co-founder and chief executive, says these types of mobile apps are a counterweight to comparison-shopping apps, like RedLaser, that drive people to other stores. “You have to find new ways to keep your customers engaged and bring them back, because you know there are apps that drive them out of the store instead of into it,” he said.

Another competitor, Gowalla, is getting traction. InterContinental Hotels Group is using Gowalla to give gift cards and airline miles to loyal customers of its hotels, and the New Jersey Nets gave prizes like jerseys and tickets to fans who checked into the arena or sports bars to watch games.

Tristan Walker, head of business development at Foursquare, said, “Everybody will be doing similar things in the future, but we hope to really build compelling solutions and innovate in ways that other people aren’t.” Businesses “see Foursquare as their new digital loyalty card of choice,” he added.

Most users will eventually choose one service, because they are unlikely to pull out their cellphones and check in using multiple services each time they arrive at a destination. And many other people are uncomfortable publicly sharing their location at all.

Mr. Altman is convinced that they will change their minds if they are rewarded for their patronage. “People are getting more comfortable so fast,” he said. “They see the upside is huge — run-ins with friends and cool specials.”

Turkish Airlines: Nice Advertisement

2010-05-29T23:28:00.001-04:00

I have seem this print advertisement for Turkish Airlines a few times, I think it's pretty cool.

Thanks // Steven N Levy

Kleenex Hand Towels: An Innovative Twist on Hand Towels

2010-05-24T00:04:00.002-04:00

I had read about Kleenex's new 'hand towels' and this week when I was at the supermarket I picked up a couple of boxes.

I put a box in the bathroom in my basement where I had been using a roll of paper towels to dry my hands.

The box is designed to fit upside down and wedge behind the towel bar so that the paper towels are dispensed from the bottom. Alternately you can set a box on the counter a pull up the towels as you would use a tissue box.

I happen to like to product. I think it is innovative. It becomes another "consumable" that gets added to the weekly grocery list.

To lean more go to:

http://www.kleenex.com/handtowels/

Thanks // Steven N Levy

Dunkin' Donuts: Tell Them What You Think and Get A Free Donut

2010-05-16T23:30:00.001-04:00

I was in a Dunkin' Donuts on Friday for a cup off coffee. The line moved quick and I was on my way. The receipt offered a free donut with a coffee purchase for filling out an online survey.

Later that day, I went online and filled out the short survey. At the end I was given a code to write on the receipt and a request that I redeem the coupon at the same store that I made the initial purchase.

Nobody Asked Me!

I liked this promotion for several reasons;

The reward ties right back into the initial purchase. I purchased a coffee and they are encouraging me to make a repeat purchase and sample for free another product.
It got me engaged with the brand by having me go online and fill out the short survey.
I think feedback from real customers is better then feedback from secret shoppers and much cheaper.

I would encourage other businesses to run survey promotions like this.

To find a Dunkin' Donuts near you go to:

Store Finder

Thanks // Steven N Levy

Café Metro: Spelling it Out, One Tweet at a Time!

2010-05-07T01:07:00.007-04:00

Businesses have so many ways for customers to interact with them; in their physical place of business, on the phone, websites, blogs, twitter, facebook, email, etc. but it’s not always clear how utilizing each of the channels benefits the customer.

For some businesses no explanation is needed. If you see the web address http://www.toysrus.com/ you could safely assume that you can order online. Simple enough for Toys R Us, but what would you expect to find at http://www.coca-cola.com/ ? It’s not so intuitive.

If a newspaper or a blog promotes their twitter page you could assume that they are going to tweet headlines with links back to their website for the full stories. But if a retail store or restaurant promotes their twitter page it’s not so obvious what the compelling reasons are to follow them.

If a movie studio promotes a facebook page, choosing to “Like” the page, one could assume that they are going to be able to see movie trailers, share comments with other fans etc. But what is the compelling reason to “Like” a retailer’s facebook page?

Macy’s runs several online contests. As an example they have a monthly Fashion Director contest for which the prize is a $1,000 Macy’s gift card. They also run other online contests. They do a good job of using twitter and facebook to promote the contests and drive traffic to their website. The issue that I have with Macy’s is that I think that they could do a better job of using their print advertisements and circulars to promote the very same contests.

In their print advertisements and circulars they put the facebook and twitter logos without any explanation.

Nobody Asked Me!

In cases where it’s not so intuitive, I think business should spell out the benefits of subscribing to emails, following on twitter and liking on facebook.

Café Metro operates twelve gourmet fast food restaurants in New York City. They promote both their website and their twitter page. What I like is that they explain the benefits to the customer to both.

“Order online and save 15%”. This is a compelling reason to visit the website and place an order. This is promoted both on the website itself and in the restaurants.

“Follow Café Metro on twitter for twitter only discounts”. Again, here they are explaining the benefits for following them. This is promoted on signs at the cash register and on the website. It looks like from their twitter page that they have daily trivia contests with the winner getting lunch for free. With over 1,200 followers they have a great base of engaged customers that have a compelling reason to check their tweets and interact each day with the brand.

In the case of Macy’s in their print advertisements and circulars should explain:

““Like Us” on facebook and follow us on twitter for chances to win $1000 Macy’s gift cards”.

The same can be said for businesses that distributes an email newsletter. “Subscribe to our email newsletter and…receive tips and tricks…receive coupons…keep up with industry news…etc.” Spell it out and let your customers know they benefits. Businesses should not assume.

Café Metro

For a NYC Café Metro near you

Click Here!

http://cafemetrony.com/

To follow Café Metro on twitter for twitter only discounts:

Click Here!

Thanks // Steven N Levy

SMS Message Pros: Text Me

2010-04-25T13:47:00.005-04:00

Last week a friend of mine invited me to come as a guest to his weekly Business Networking International (BNI) meeting in Bay Ridge Brooklyn, NY.

BNI is a great organization; they facilitate business leads among members. This BNI chapter, the Morning Money Makers, was ahead of its goals in generating leads and revenue between members. I found the group leadership and members very welcoming and all had very positive and upbeat attitudes.

As it happens, another guest made a presentation for a service from SMS Message Pros. It’s a relatively simple way to build a text messaging mailing list. As a merchant, once you open an account, they provide you with a 5 digit SMS address and a keyword.

Let’s say that they assign you text number 12345 and the key word you chose is “join”. You can then a put a sign in your business or otherwise promote;

“Text ‘Join’ to 12345 and be added to our text message list to receive discounts, promotions, notices, etc…”

You can then text message broadcast out to your list promotions and other pertinent information in 140 characters of less.

I happen to like this idea. Almost everyone carries a cell phone and has a plan that allows them to send and receive text messaging. They can join in two seconds right when they read the sign. It doesn’t require them to go back home and sign up for a Twitter account, etc. They are there in your business and immediately added to your list.

In keeping with the theory that today’s consumers want to choose the way that they interact with businesses, this is one more way that business owners can provide them a way to reach them.

To learn more about BNI go to:

http://www.bni.com/

To learn more about SMS Message Pros go to:

http://www.smsmessagepros.com/

Thanks // Steven N Levy

Domain Names: What's Another Word For?

2010-04-25T12:27:00.007-04:00

Recently I wanted to register a new internet domain name. My first domain name choice was taken. I thought of a few others and tried them as well to see if they would be available. I ended up going back and forth between GoDaddy.com, Network Solutions and Register.com trying the various names. Each one these registers had different tools to assist finding alternate choices.

GoDaddy.com displays all of the standard top level domain names as well as country specific names. They will also suggest alternate domains that use key words from your desired name in different combinations. They have their own in house Domain Buy Service should you want to try to buy the domain name from the current owner.

Network Solutions displays all of the standard top level domain names as well as country specific names. They also have a link to NameJet that offers a “Back Order” service. If the domain that you want is registered, NameJet will take your order and will register the domain for you if the current owner does not renew the following year.

Register.com will suggest alternate domains that use key words from your desired name in different combinations. They also link to Name Media’s AfterNic Domian Listing Service should you want to make an offer to purchase the domain from the current owner.

Each time I came up empty it took me a few minutes to think of another name. Having the option of using another top level domain name like .biz, .info, .net, etc. was interesting however I really wanted a .com address. I also entertained using some of the alternate suggestions parsing my original choice but they did not quite hit what I wanted.

Nobody Asked Me!

My suggestion to the domain registrar services would be to provide the following alternatives; synonyms, homonyms, quotes and phrases. What might also be interesting would be to translate the requested domain into foreign language alternatives like Latin and French etc.

Thanks // Steven N Levy

UA Sheepshead Bay: "Regal" Treatment

2010-04-07T23:54:00.012-04:00

Last Sunday I took my kids and some of their friends to the UA Sheepshead Bay Stadium 14 & IMAX Cinema in Brooklyn. We went to see the 12:20 PM matinee of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”. There was no line, I walked right up to the ticket counter and requested one adult ticket and four children’s tickets. The cashier said that he was only going to charge me for the one adult and two of the kids and gave me a “Regal Crown Club” card. All he needed from me was my zip code for the card.

Wow! Boy, was I happy.

First, I was happy that there was no line. Second, I was really happy that I saved on two of tickets. This was totally unexpected.

The theater was clean, pleasant and parking was easy. I understand that I was going to the first show of the day and it was not a busy time for the theater but still it was a great experience.

I really liked the fact that I was handed the “Regal Crown Club” card with only having to give up my zip code. This made it really easy and fast and hard to refuse. I give them a lot of credit on this.

Three days after I went to the movies I went online to the web address printed on the back of the card http://www.regmovies.com/ to try to register the card. Online they match the card number embossed on the card and the zip code that you provided at the theater when getting the card. I filled in the name and address information and added the card number but I got an error on the zip code. I am assuming that the theater did not have a chance to upload the zip code yet. There was no telephone number to call or email address to email. Back on the main website, I found a Comment page http://www.regmovies.com/comment.aspx so I filled in a comment and submitted it.

Nobody Asked Me!

I give the theater a great amount of credit for the discounting of the two tickets. I don’t know if that is their standard matinee deal or not but I was not expecting it and it impressed me and gave me a good feeling about the theater.

I really liked the easy way which I was able to get the “Regal Crown Club” card. Only having to supply my zip code made it was a no brainer.

Here are some suggestions to improve the Royal Crown Club program:

* I would require that the participating theaters upload the zip code and matching card data hourly. Here I am three days later and they still didn’t upload the data. People may actually sit down in the theater and try to register using their smart phones. Therefore they should have a mobile version of the site as well. This needs to be done quick otherwise people will get turned off and abandon the cards.

*They need to make it easier for people to contact them if they have a problem registering the card. They should post their toll free number and email address right on the error page.

*They should do a better job explaining the benefits of the program. All the website says is “Join Regal Crown Club and earn rewards for going to the movies. Free movies, popcorn, soft drinks and more!” How many movies? How does the program work? Explain how many movies I need to go to earn the rewards. Otherwise what am I working towards?

I am a huge fan of loyalty and rewards cards. I think that companies in general need to be better in promoting and explaining their programs. Here are some ways that Regal can better promote their cards:

*Attach to the card that is given out a small paper explaining how the program works and why it is important to register.

*Use “in theater” signs to promote and explain the program and direct people to the ticket counters or snack stands to pick up cards.

*Run a commercial before the movie trailers promoting the program directing people to the ticket counters or snack stands to pick up cards.

*Be clear how the program works and explain how quickly rewards can be earned and redeemed.

The UA Sheepshead Bay Stadium 14 & IMAX is located at:

3907 Shore Pkwy

Brooklyn NY 11235

718-615-1053

The Regal Crown Club

Thanks / Steven N Levy

Follow Up: 04/18/2010

I called the "Regal Crown" customer service department (877-835-5734) on 04/14/2010 to try to register my "Regal Crown Club" card. The operator was very nice and advised me that she would send a message to her IT department and I should try to register online again in a few days. I was able to go on today and register the card. I am happy that this worked out.

On a side note, I never received a reply to my comment submitted through the website.

Thanks // Steven N Levy

Ikea: A Clearer Return Policy Would be More Helpful

2010-04-04T01:24:00.014-04:00

I was first exposed to Ikea when they opened their first stores in the New York City area about twenty years ago. When they opened in Elizabeth, New Jersey I went about a half a dozen times buying some items for my apartment and for my office. A few years ago they opened a store in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn. I have been to this Ikea more than a dozen times.

Its self service and build it yourself affordable modern furniture.

I picked up what I thought was a coffee table at the end of January. When I got it home and assembled it, I realized that I bought the TV stand in error. I immediately took it apart and put it back in the box. I put everything back neatly and re-taped the box. I got busy and did not get a chance to take it back until today.

The back of the receipt says "If you are not entirely satisfied with your purchase, simply return the unused item in its original packaging within 90 days unless noted below." Below they single out mattresses, bedding and cut fabric for a different policy.

I arrived at the store at 8:45 PM. This was fifteen minutes before the store's 9:00 PM closing. There were four cashiers processing returns and about six customers ahead of me. At 9:30 PM (after 45 minutes waiting) it was my turn.

The cashier asked me if I had assembled the stand. I said yes but I advised her that I quickly realized that I bought the wrong product and immediacy put it back in box. She explained to me that since I "used" the product she would have to charge me a 30% restocking fee and would only issue to me a store credit and not a refund. I looked at the back of the receipt again and looked at the signs in the return department and said to her that I did not see it written anywhere about the restocking fee or the store credit. I asked her if it was on signs at the checkout line. She said no, this was "their" (meaning Ikea's) policy. I offered that since she worked for Ikea didn’t she mean to say it was "our" policy. She said, no not hers, “theirs”. I asked to speak to a supervisor.

The supervisor came over and told me that since the product was "used" the cashier really didn't have to take it back at all and that she was doing me "a solid" (a favor) by offering me the 30% restocking fee and store credit. He explained to me that “nobody would want to buy a product if the screws had been used".

Since the difference was all of $16.00 and I already invested an hour my time I decided to go along and accept the reduced store credit. On top of that I was starting to get the feeling that the cashier was having second thoughts to "doing me the solid" and might refuse to take the product back at all.

Nobody Asked Me!

Since the 30% restocking fee and store credit only policy is not posted on any in store signage or on the receipts, I have a strong feeling that this was arbitrary. As a matter of fact there are several signs that that restate the return policy as written on the receipt about wanting “you to be satisfied”. One sign even has a picture of heart above the policy.

The return policy even goes out of the way to say that used mattresses can be exchanged but not refunded and that used bedding or cut fabric cannot be returned. So for a business that sells “ready to assemble furniture” as close to 90% of its offering I would think that that would be able to incorporate the phrase “assembled and then disassembled or used furniture” into the return policy if that was really the policy.

My suggestions:

*If the company policy is to accept back assembled and then disassembled furniture in the original packaging, as mine was, then they should do a better job of training their staff.

*If the policy is not to accept assembled and then disassembled furniture, then they should amend their policy to include the phrase “assembled and then disassembled or used furniture”.

*If their policy is to accept “assembled and then disassembled” furniture back at the discretion of the cashier at a 30% restocking fee and store credit only, than this also should be documented and incorporated into the return policy written on the receipts and displayed in the in store signage.

In terms of training the cashier saying “it’s their policy” showed a total lack of connection with the company that employs her. In addition the manager kept talking over me instead of listening me. Ikea should invest more in training their front line people.

Lastly, the long lines at check out and the close to one hour wait on line to return something is really crazy. This can be fixed by training and deploying more people out front when the lines get long. Another option would be to allow customers to shop the store after they check in at the return desk and page them when it's their turn. (See http://tinyurl.com/ygyofs8 for details).

They have a great business model that can be improved with a better documented return policy and better training.

The find an Ikea near you Click Here!

The Ikea I visited is located at:

Ikea Brooklyn 931

One Beard Street

Brooklyn NY 11231

Tel: 718-246-4532

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/store/brooklyn

Thanks // Steven N Levy

Macy's: 15 Years and $3 Billion Later, Does Macy's "Get the Net"?

2010-03-21T03:42:00.010-04:00

Back in the late 1990’s as the commercial internet and ecommerce went mainstream people used to talk about the death of “brick and mortar” retailers. How these old dinosaurs just didn’t “get it” and that the Amazons and eBays were going to put them out of business. At the time I remember looking at the Macy’s circulars that I would receive in the mail. They always had a telephone number to call in case you wanted to place your order by phone. At the time I thought it would only be a matter of weeks before Macy’s added to the circulars their web address and started to offer the then fast emerging “Phone / Click / or Come In” options that brick and mortar retailers that already “got it” were starting to use. It didn’t happen so fast.

In 1999 Federated (Macys’ old name) bought Fingerhut for $1.7 billion and the assumption of $250 in debt. Fingerhut was a powerhouse direct marketer that was fast exploiting ecommerce. The marriage didn’t last and Federated divested most assets from this acquisition three years later after haveing lost over $700 million with the unit.

So here we are fifteen years later and I open up the mail today and I have not one but two circulars from Macy’s, “Beauty Scene” from Macy’s Beauty team and “impulse” from Macy’s apparel team. I am happy to say that the Beauty people at Macy’s somewhat “get it” but the apparel people still don’t “get it”.

Here is what the Macy’s Beauty people did right.

* Out of 50 products listed in detail in circular, 46 of them have WebID’s, codes that can be used easily on the Macys.com website to search for the products. The search box is positioned prominently on each page of the website in the upper left hand corner. I have a strong feeling that for the products that were missing WebID’s it was an oversight because all of those products were available on the website.

* All “gift with purchase” offers listed in the circular were also easily available online.

* Out of the 27 pages, the web address is mentioned on 8 pages including the front and back covers.

* They offered up an 800 telephone number to order 24/7. It was printed once on the back of the circular.

*They offered a free shipping promotion for online orders over $50.00, no code required. It was printed once on the back of the circular.

*They promoted their twitter and facebook pages. This promotion was printed once on the back of the circular.

The Macy’s Apparel team still don't "get it"

In Macy’s “impulse” circular only 4 of the 50 products had the WebID’s codes. The funny thing is that they promoted searching and buying online just as much as the Beauty people. Without the codes it is much more difficult.

Nobody Asked Me!

Study after study has shown that a retailer's multi channel consumers purchase more than their single channel consumers. So at this point in the game if I were Macy’s I would have no fears that by sending a customer online or to a call center I would be cannibalizing my in-store sales. Quite the contrary consumers today want to be able to reach and conclude purchases with a retailer through multiple touch points depending on where they are at the time and what is convenient for them. It is also very important for each channel to cross promote each other. In addition sharing and asking friends opinions of products before purchasing, the “social aspect”, is increasing gaining importance.

I would treat the Macy's circulars like catalogs and do the following:

*I would be sure that every product in the circular had the brand name and a WebID. I would make sure that every product's WebID worked. (From the Beauty Scene circular, the "Very Irresitable Givenchy" code 451075 comes up as an error on the website.)

*If there was a product that was only available in the store and not online or through the call center, I would indicate “In Store Only”. Likewise if they had a product in the circular that was only available online of through the call center and not in the stores I could say “Online or By Phone Only”. This is something multi channel retailers have been doing for years.

*I would promote on the cover and at the bottom of every page the “Phone / Click / or Come In” information. “Shop Online at http://www.macys.com/ , call 24/7 1-800-45-MACYS, or Come In.”

*Then I would give them an easy way to find a store, repeat the 800 number with an option, to find a store near them, e.g. call 1-800-45-MACYS option 2. For the online store locator, the current web address is http://www1.macys.com/store/index.ognc?cm_sp=global_nav_reg-_-stores-_-n not so easy to type or put in the circular. In about 2 seconds I made a TinyURL for it: http://tinyurl.com/yl9e4ec . Macy’s should create a shorter url by using their domain e.g. www.Macys.com/stores

*The free shipping promotion should not be hiden once on the back cover in standard size font. I would put that on the front cover and repeat it throughout the circular. It’s a great promotion. In the Beauty circular, more than half of the products cost more the $50.00 so if purchased alone, they would qualify for free shipping. Next to each item $50 or over Macy’s could can say “Ships Free”. Amazon does this with their Amazon Super Saver Shipping right next to eligible item. “This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.”

*It’s nice that they promote the twitter and facebook pages. I would like to see them go further. Inside the circular they should have a small piece that gives a reason to fan Macy’s on facebook and a reason to follow Macy’s on twitter. “Fan us on facebook and …..” and then as an example “Follow us on twitter to …….”. Give me a reason to fan and follow. Maybe even reprint some recent updates and tweets. Also, the circular should mention the Macy's mobile app.

*In the same vein Macy’s should use their circular promote their email and text alert services with reasons why to subscribe and instructions how to subscribe. “To join our email mailing list and be notified of deals and promotions” send an email to ….@Macys.com with the word “subscribe” in the subject”. “To receive text messages with …., send a text from your phone to 123….” The same way they do online with their Macy's Mobile page.

*Increasingly people want to share and ask friends for opinions before they purchase. Although we may not always be near computers we seem to always have our phones. To make it easy for someone to send a link of a product features in the circular to a friend via email or a text message, if I were Macy’s I would create a web page for each product that was as simple as the Macy’s domain name plus the Macy’s WebID. Currently the url for Macy’s WebID 454599 is

http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=464908&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results

it’s much too long to put in the circular or to have someone forward in an email or text. However, if the url was as simple as www.Macys.com/454599 it would be much easier to print in the circular and for someone for forward.

*On the back page of the circular, which is addressed to me, and comes in the mail, not with the newspaper, doesn’t list the address and store hours of my local Macy’s. The technology to add at least one if not more local stores is used by almost every other multichannel retailer that sends me catalogs. Why doesn’t Macy’s use this?

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At the end of the day, although old “brick and mortar” operators like Macy’s have moved to embrace call centers, online sales, email marketing, text marketing, online contests, video, mobile apps and social media they have to do better to integrate all of these elements into a holistic marketing strategy. Each piece has to support the organization as a whole and facilitate making it easier for the customer to engage and complete a transaction.

When mailing a circular, it has to be used as a vehicle to drive sales in store, online or by phone. At the same time it can be used as a customer acquisition tool to drive potential and existing customers to join email and text messaging lists, to become facebook fans and twitter followers.

I am making these observations from the outside. I am sure that there are other vehicles and promotions like credit card statements, store fashion shows, celebrity appearances, exclusive launches, ect. that can be integrated into a comprehensive marketing strategy.

As the only traditional national department chain, it would be nice to see Macy’s become a leader in marketing integration and promotion.

To Shop Macy’s on line go to: http://www.macys.com/

To find a Macy’s store near you, click here!

To shop Macy’s by phone call: 1-800-456-2297

To follow Macy’s on twitter go to: http://twitter.com/MacysInc

To friend Macy’s on facebook go to: http://www.facebook.com/ and search for Macy’s

Thanks // Steven N Levy

Retailing Today: Not Hanging Up On Mobile Phone eMail Users!

2010-03-18T21:27:00.079-04:00

Like most people today I stay pretty connected to email and browsing the web throughout the day. I continually switch off between my Blackberry smart phone and my desktop computer.

Many web sites or html email that look good using a desktop monitor don't work at all using the small screen of mobile device.

Retailing Today sends out an html email newsletter which I usually read on my desktop. Today I happened to read it on my Blackberry. Right at the top of the email was a link that said "Click Here For Mobile Friendly NewsLetter" I clicked on the link and it took me to a version of the same newsletter that proportionally resized itself to sit the small screen on my Blackberry. I think that this is great. it was right at the top of page and made it very convenient for me to read. Had it not been there I would have deleted the email from my Blackberry without reading it.

Nobody Asked Me!

I think companies that don't take into consideration mobile access to their html email and websites are missing out. Until everyone has a mobile device that can re-size html email and web pages proportionally they should provide links to mobile versions.

What surprises me even more are companies that have mobile sites but fail to provide obvious links to them from their regular sites. A good example is a site visit daily, the Jerusalem Post. Their regular website has dozens of links on it but I could not find one to their mobile site. The way I found the mobile site it was by doing a Google search.

Why not follow the example of Retailing Today? Put a link to the mobile site in the upper left hand corner of every page. This way someone linking to the regular site form their mobile device could click over to the mobile site.

For companies sending out html email newsletters or promotional offers they should always create a mobile version. For companies that have mobile sites they should provide obvious links. For companies that don't have mobile versions, perhaps they should look into creating one.

Full Disclosure: I am working on finding a way to making this blog mobile freindly. Out of the box it is not.

Retailing Today can be reached at:

http://www.retailingtoday.com/

The Jerusalem Post regular site can be reached at:

http://www.jpost.com/

The Jerusalem Post mobile edition can be reached at:

http://mobile.jpost.com/

Thanks // Steven N Levy

Isaia and Barneys are No Dummies!

2010-03-06T19:39:00.011-05:00

I came across this small article in the March 1st print edition of Crain's New York Business.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

February 28, 2010 5:59 AM

Fashion Sales Suit Hotel

The Loews Regency greets guests with stylishly clad mannequins

Like most hotels in the city, the Loews Regency could use more guests in its posh rooms. So the Park Avenue property has come up with another way to earn money.

Since last month's Fashion Week, Regency guests have been greeted in the lobby by mannequins stylishly clad in suits from upscale Italian menswear line Isaia (pictured), which is paying a tidy sum to advertise its $3,000-plus duds.

Known for its power breakfasts at restaurant 540 Park, the Regency attracts the kind of clientele Isaia wants, and the hotel is happy for the extra cash.

“Everyone who walks in here for breakfast is high-powered,” says Stuart Schwartz, managing director of the hotel. “The men are walking up to suits and feeling the fabrics.”

Hotel guests and restaurant patrons receive a card that entitles them to a pair of free cufflinks if they purchase an Isaia suit or jacket at Barneys.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

This is the link to the article on the crainsnewyork.com web site:

Fashion sales suit hotel - Crain's New York Business

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Nobody Asked Me!

I like this unconventional promotion it is very creative. It targets Isaia's target audience in a place that they frequent and it incentivizes them to purchase with the free cuff link offer.

I would make a tweak to the promotion, I would offer an incentive just for coming into Barneys with the card.

Barneys on Madison Avenue in New York is located at:

Barneys New York

660 Madison Avenue

New York NY 10065

Tel: 212.826.8900

http://www.barneys.com/

For directions Click here!

Thanks // Steven N Levy

Recess Mobile: "Keep Dancing, We'll Text You When to Stop"

2010-03-04T02:00:00.006-05:00

A few nights ago my wife and I went to the wedding of a friend of ours son. Since we had to leave a little early there were not that many people waiting at the valet station for their cars. Even with short line, we still had to wait about twenty minutes for the car to be brought around. It was a cold night so I kept going in and out of the building to check to see if the car was up yet. Finally the car came and we left. We felt a little bad as we would have liked to have spent those twenty minutes still in the wedding party and not sitting in the lobby.

Nobody Asked Me!

I was thinking; why not give in your ticket to the valet and then have the valet text message you when the car is brought around?

I did a quick Google search and found Recess Mobile. They sell s software service that does just this. Prices start as low as $79 a month. They even have an iPhone App.

What a great idea. People can spend more time at the party while their cars are brought around.

Recess also promotes the use of this for restaurants, stores, salons and anywhere people are waiting to be served.

This is another inexpensive way to enhance the customer experience.

Thank you for reading / Steven

Follow Up: 03/23/2010

I just read an article in the March 22 & 29, 2010 issue of BussinesWeek about another company, Texturant, that is also offering a similar texting services to restaurants.

Thanks // Steven N Levy

High Design Jewelry: Weary Husbands, Please Have a Seat!

2010-03-03T23:04:00.006-05:00

My friend Meir Erani over at Design Tech sent me this photo today. He took it at High Design Jewelry on Sixth Avenue in Manhattan.

High Design Jewelry sells an assortment of costume jewelry and fashion accessories.

Apparently they must have a large numbers of couples that come into together. It looks like the wives do most of the shopping and the husbands do all of the waiting. So for the price of two $20.00 folding chairs they have created a “Husband’s Resting Area”.

Nobody Asked Me!

Sometimes you can enhance the customer experience with an old idea that is practically free to implement! The husbands have somewhere to sit so that they are not nagging their wives to leave and the wives without the pressure from their husbands have a clearer head and more time to shop.

The store is located at:

High Design Jewelry
1000 Sixth Avenue
(between 40th and 41st Streets)
New York NY 10018
Tel: 212.398.0595
http://highdesignjewelryny.com/

For directions Click Here!

Thanks / Stevie

Follow Up: 03/18/2010

Today my friend Mark Shalam and I were in Soho shopping and we came across several rows of chairs at Mango. They must have had close to 100 chairs. Bravo!

The store is located at:

Mango
Soho - Manhattan
561 Broadway
(Between Prince and Spring Streets)
NY, NEW YORK NY 100112
Tel: 212 343 7012
http://www.mango.com/

For directions Click Here!

Thanks // Steven N Levy

We Don't Watch Enough Commercials!

2010-02-25T02:04:00.015-05:00

In 1988 I visited Universal Studios Hollywood. In the area where I waited on line for the Studio Tour attraction they had a typical amusement park attraction set up where we waited in a open shed with the lines snaking back and forth. What I found very interesting was that attached to the ceiling they had several video monitors on which they were running loops of movie trailers for movies that Universal was distributing. I thought this was a great concept. It accomplished two things. First it made the time waiting online seem to pass much quicker because we were being entertained. Second it promoted additional products being sold by Universal, their movies, to a captive audience.

After seeing this in California at the time, I thought that I would start to see it all over. I didn’t. Over the years, I saw the same concept once being used at a Chase branch on 34th Street in Manhattan. They were running video loops of bank products. I also saw it being used at the JAMES A. FARLEY post office in Manhattan with a video loop discussing changes taking place in the postal service. I assume both were just tests as I only saw them once each and then the video monitors were removed.

About two years ago I visited by optometrist and he had a video monitor in the waiting room running a loop of informational segments on various eye care related procedures.

Just recently I noticed that the Bank of America in Greeley Square, Manhattan has a few monitors in the ATM vestibule running video loops promoting BOA bank products.

Nobody Asked Me!

I know this concept is out there, but not enough.

I love it. I am very, very surprised how underutilized it is. Especially now, with the cost of the monitors being so cheap. To me this is a no brainer for so many situations. As I noted above; your customers take their mind off of having to wait for your service and you promote your products.

There are so many applications. Here are a few.

For any attraction or amusement park where you have to wait in a line. The content of the video could be used to showcase other attractions that you should visit and restaurants and stores in the venue. At Disney Parks it can also be used to promote ABC programs or Disney movies like Universal was doing.

In there is a long line to check into a hotel they could run that in room video they usually have showing all of the features of the hotel.

At the airport instead of showing CNN, each airline could run programming promoting the various exciting vacation destinations they fly to, how to upgrade,how to fly stand buy and the benefits of joining their frequent flyer program.

At banks, where we are always waiting on line, it could be used like Chase did to promote the different products and services that the bank offers.

At the post office it can be used to explain how to fill out the various forms. Today, you wait on line for a half hour so that the postal clerk can tell you that you filled out the form wrong and have to go off the line to go fill it out and come back.

At Starbucks where you have to wait on line twice, they could use it to explain the benefits of their Reward Program and what the differences are between the various drinks.

Places like Best Buy and Staples could use it to promote their Reward Program, Credit Card, extended warranties, product information and the support available on their websites and tech support options. It is important to give your customers a way to purchase the warranties or sign up for any of the above at the cashier.

Noticed I did not say for the above ‘products in the store’. The reason for this is that people are already on line with the intention of paying. If they started to leave the line and go look for a product they may abandon their intended purchase if they come back and the line got much longer also it’s too disruptive. They are about to pay after all and that’s what it’s all about.

Doctor’s offices can use the videos to run infomercial type information about various procedures and services that the doctor provides as well as some tips on staying healthy etc.

Dentist can use it to promote tooth whitening, cosmetic dental surgery, etc and demonstrate the correct way to brush and floss.

Eye doctors that sell glasses could use it to promote various frames, sunglasses and contacts that they sell as well as the lasik surgery.

For restaurants that have long waits for people to be seated they could show a visual tour of various dishes on the menu.

In most cases the video should include information of the benefits to joining the businesses' email list, friending them on Facebook or following them on Twitter.

Depending on the size of the business would determine if it was affordable to produce the videos in house. National chains would be able to afford to produce something with high production values. For the doctors and smaller retailers I would think that they may be able to get some of the video from their suppliers. I would then run advertisements of Craig’s List for someone with the technical skills to come in and splice the footage together into a loop and maybe fill the custom segment about Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Bottom Line: There are a whole lot of more places we should be watching commercials!

Thanks // Steven N Levy

DMNews: Domino's Pizza Delivers with Centralized Database

2010-02-23T00:39:00.003-05:00

Domino's delivers with centralized database - DMNews

This is a very interesting article that discusses how Domino's is marketing to it's customers through multiple channels.

Thanks // Steven N Levy

Loyalty Programs: What's the Secret?

2010-02-21T22:31:00.007-05:00

I have been writing a lot about loyalty programs and cards, so far primarily the paper multi purchase cards that get punched or stamped ten times and you get the eleventh item free, etc. The funny thing that I have experienced about the programs that I have encountered is that although I believe them to be great vehicles, I find that the distribution of the cards is upon request.

What do I mean? I mean that the cards are right there by the register for everyone to see, but it is almost like an open secret, unless I have asked for the cards I have not been handed one. I have not seen any in store signs in any of the restaurants promoting the programs.

I don’t understand it. You go out, you print up the cards, you order a specially made hole puncher or rubber stamp with a unique shape and then you don’t promote the hell out of them?

To me these cards are an excellant vehicle for bringing back in your customers day after day. People develop routines almost ritualistic about buying their coffee in the morning at the same place. Wouldn’t you want every one of your customers to have your card in their wallet and come back in every day? I would.

Even Starbucks which has a loyalty program which I believe is far superior to the paper card type programs described above has no in store point of purchase signage explaining or promoting the program.

Here are some highlights of the Starbucks program:

• You have a credit card type card
• You put money on
• You set it up for auto refill / replenish so that you never run out of money

• You earn perks and rewards based on the amount of purchases like free customization of your drink (e.g.free soy milk, free flavor shots etc.) free coffee, free coffee on your birthday, and other rewards in a three tiered program.

Nobody Asked Me!

I would suggest that

1) When the artwork is taken to the printer to print up the cards, small 5x7 and 8x10 signs are also printed explaining and promoting the program. The signs should be placed throughout the store.

2) Cashiers should be trained to hand out new cards with each purchase.

3) Cashiers should also hand out unpunched /unstamped cards with each “free” redeemed purchase to get a new card back into the customer’s wallet.

Thanks // Steven N Levy

Hale and Hearty: Soups On! (With a Smile)

2010-02-21T21:44:00.002-05:00

There is a Hale and Hearty on Seventh Avenue at 35th Street in midtown Manhattan. They serve a very large variety of soups, tossed to order salads, sandwiches and wraps. The soups are clearly marked for vegetarian, low fat, and or dairy free ingredients. They offer samples of the soups for customers to try.

In the over six years that I have had the opportunity to visit this location, the staff has been consistently courteous, knowledgeable, friendly and efficient. I have been to a few other Hale and Hearty locations and my experience has been the same. Although I assume that the counter staff is paid minimum wage I am betting that Hale and Hearty has one hell of a training program.

They have two free product cards. The “Bean Card” for soups and a “Green Card” for salads. Buy ten and get one free. I like the fact that they promote it on the back of the menu.

A few years ago I was in for soup and they had run out of “Bean Cards”, the cashier took a “Green Card” and wrote “Bean” across it and gave it to me. The next time I went in for a soup, a different cashier saw that I had a sloppy card and changed it for a correct “Bean Card” and transferred the stamps. It may seem like something trivial but I look at these small things as an indication of attention to detail, orderliness and an appreciation for aesthetics.

The restaurant is located at:

462 Seventh Avenue

(Between 35th and 36th Street)

New York, NY 10018

(212) 971-0605

For directions click here!

Thanks // Steven N Levy

Macy's 34th Street: Missing an Opportunity

2010-02-20T23:42:00.009-05:00

The Macy’s flagship in Herald Square stretches almost the entire block from Broadway to Seventh Avenue and from 34th through to 35th Streets. They have the main entrance on Broadway, another entrance on Seventh Avenue and five on 34th Street. The 35th Street side has a loading dock and no store entrances. On the 34th Street side in addition to the entrances, they have some small display windows.

Within the Macy’s store itself it has dozens of “in store shops”. These are departments that have a single brand’s merchandise. They include: Louis Vuitton, Coach, Burberry, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Guess?, Ralph Lauren, Levi’s, Ecko and more.

It is my understanding that the suppliers of these "shops" cover some if not all of the construction costs and in some cases also pay for part of not all of the associates that staff these "shops".

In addition to the "in store shops" many of these retailers already operate their own free standing retail stores.

Nobody Asked Me!

For years I have thought that Macy’s totally underutilizes the 34th Street side of the store. This is especially true in the last few years as 34th between has seen its retail store composition turnover to mostly national chains.

My suggestion would be to identify a dozen of the top brands that Macy’s carries that have enough of a product assortment that would support a freestanding store and then open these stores up on 34th Street, each with an entrance at the back of the store into Macy’s. Each store would have signage for their band and would appear to be free standing stores.

Customers would walk into a "Guess?" store, with the full merchandise assortment, be able to pay with their Macy's Credit Card and then walk into the Macy's store itself. I am sure that just as the suppliers cover the costs associated with the "in store shops" they would agree to participate for these "shops" as well.

Macy's Beauty Arcade entrance on the 34th Street would be a good example of what the store's would look like.

This concept of store fronts would open up the entire block of 34th Street. I would assume that with stores like Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Guess? etc. opened to the street it would create more traffic and sales for Macy’s itself. In addition that could rotate store through the way that they are constantly building rebuilding departments within the store. One or two stores could be reserved for seasonal or trending merchandise. As an example if they had it today, one store could offer Olympic Merchandise. A few years ago when Crocs or UGG's were all the rage, they could have had a Croc or an UGG store.

Each time I visit the area I think of the missed opportunity for Macy’s.

The store is located at:
151 West 34th Street,
(Between Broadway and 7th Avenue)
New York, NY‎ 10001
(212) 695-4400‎

For directions, click here!

Thanks // Steven N Levy

Dentist Should Drill Narrow and Deep Into Retail

2010-02-17T01:15:00.008-05:00

It used to be that when I left the dentist after a cleaning I would head to the nearest drug store to buy a new tooth brush and dental floss. Pledging to start a new regime of changing my tooth brush more often and flossing twice daily I would stock up.

In the last few years, I have been on the straight and narrow. I use Plax before I brush, I floss and then wrap up by rinsing with Act.

I am a big believer in "category killers" especially on a micro level.

Nobody Asked Me!

I think dentist are missing out on an opportunity. This is especially true of dentist offices that are at street level. If I were a dentist I would create a mini dental "super store". I would carry every oral care product: toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental floss, dental rinse, mouthwash, water picks, sonic cleaning devises, tooth whitening products, travel products, etc. I would carry every brand, flavor and size. I would carry books, video, whatever media that was available about taking care of your teeth.

I would have video screens looping commercials, demos and infomercials for the products.

I would have my staff trained by the vendors so that we became the authority on these products. Just like the staff at Best Buy are fully versed on the product details of electronics or the staff at Home Depot about installing a wood floor. Can you imagine asking a clerk at a national drug store chain the difference between two different toothbrushes?

Think about it. Would I rather have my patients reading dog eared copies of Time magazine or shopping in my store while they waited to be seen? And then for the patients that are finished, it would be like getting out of a ride in Disney World where they let you out into a store.

Half the store front would be dedicated to the retail store and half the office entrance. This would encourage walk in traffic from people on the street looking for oral care products. Since I would have the widest selection, the store would become a destination store in and of itself.

I would offer multi packs of products in six month quantities timed to coincide for another cleaning. I would heavily cross coupon between the store and the dental patients.

I would build an online store for all the products and then use a blog, Twitter and a Facebook fan page to promote new product arrivals to my customers. Maybe even offer free delivery in the neighborhood.

On a side note, I would market the cleanings like haircuts. Make them very easy to schedule and affordable at less than $50.00. I think that that would encourage more people to come in for cleanings more often. Here you might also want to bundle x amount of cleanings and a discount on an exam or bundle with teeth whitening.

Think about it. Is there any place in the country that an "oral care" superstore exists? There is most probably not enough traffic to justify a stand along operation. Bundle it with a dental practice and now you have the volume.

In the meantime, to shop online for oral care products, DrugStore.com has a good selection.

Click here to go to DrugStore.com

Thanks // Steven N Levy

Network World Magazine: Integrating Print and Online

2010-02-15T23:57:00.013-05:00

Ever since PathFinder was announced back in the early days of the commercial internet, media companies have been trying to find the right balance between print and online.

Today I picked up the February 8, 2010 Network World magazine. The magazine for "The Connected Enterprise". It is a trade magazine that is distributed free to enterprise Network and IT executives.

Here are some ways that they use the print edition of the magazine to drive people to their website:

*At the end of each small article in the "bits" section they have a TinyURL for the online version of the article. I like this feature. I can email someone the article without going to the website. What I also like was that the website detected that I was using a smart phone when I went to the URL from my Blackberry and served up a mobile version of the page.

*At the end of a two page interview with Kim Perdikou and David Yen executives of Juniper Networks they provided another TinyURL to go online to read the full interview.

*At the back of the magazine, in addition to an Editorial Index listing companies mentioned in the issue they have an Advertiser Index that lists the advertisers, the page numbers of the advertisements and the advertisers' URL's.

*At the end of most articles they have an email address of the writer.

Nobody Asked Me!

Here are a few ways that I think that Network World can take the integration further:

They should use the TinyURL's for all articles starting with the Letter from the Editior, letters, all features, columns, etc. Out of 15 sections of the February 8th issue only one section used the TinyURL's.
I think it was great that they offered more of the interview online. I would go further, if the interview took place in person, I would put up a small video file with the subject answering one or two questions. This adds a little interest and gives you something to post on YouTube that can be used to link back to your site. If the interview took place over the phone then put up an audio clip underneath a photo of the subject. If it took place via email....your out of luck here.
It's nice that they provide the email addresses of the writers but they are sending them out without capturing additional traffic to the site. I would suggest using a line like " For more Network World articles by "Joe Smith" go to ...." and provide the TinyURL that takes them to the writer's page on the Blogs & Columns section of the site.
Not all of the magazine section names are used on the website e.g. Bits, Trend Analysis and "peersay" came up blank when I searched the website. Tool Shed was named the same in the magazine and on the website. I did not check them all. I would suggest that the names be synchronized so that they are the same in both formats. If I am reading the magazine and go online to search for a section I should be able to find it easily.

They do a good job on integrating the magazine and website. Better the most.

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Thanks // Steven N Levy

Colgate wisp

2010-02-14T23:06:00.009-05:00

In April of 2009, Colgate introduced the wisp. It's a mini one time use disposable toothbrush. I have seen similar products over the years, mostly as travel products. Usually multi use brushes with toothpaste in handle.

The wisp is different in that it for a single use, does not require water and is be marketed as a way to freshen your breath when you are out at a club or after a meal.

The commercials are targeted to young people.

Nobody Asked Me!

I think that this item would be great for trendy restaurants to give out free after dinner the way that dinners give out mints with the check.

Nightclubs should have these available in the rest rooms the same way they have bottles of cologne and condoms.

Colgate should get this product into the restaurants and nightclub product supply chain. They should probably also come up with some slicker packaging for this distribution channel.

You can buy online at DrugStore.com
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Thanks / Stevie

Follow Up: 02/21/2010

I bought a few wisps for my daughter that has braces. She said that they come in handy as she has to clean her braces after each time she eats. Now she doesn't have to search around looking for somewhere that has water that she can use to pull out her toothbrush and brush her teeth.

Here is an interesting product tweak for Colgate, somehow incorporate a little mirror into the packaging or a decent enough reflective surface on the packaging that the user can check their teeth for debris.

Thanks // Steven N Levy