After Walmart (WMT) announced home theater and other installation services in 2009, fellow retailer Target (TGT) will now be doing the same. Mostly, Target wants to be the retailer of choice for flat-panel televisions and grab installation services in that arena as well. Target's new install service will be provided by Zip Express Installation, and most likely won't affect Target in any way, shape or form.

Have you been into a Target or SuperTarget recently? The flat-panel television lineup and merchandising is absolutely atrocious compared to retailers like Walmart (which has stepped up its game considerably in consumer electronics), Best Buy (BBY) and even wholesale retailers like Costco Wholesale (COST). Is Target just playing the "me too" game or does it really think having this installation service will make those considering a flat-panel television flock to its doors?

Continue reading Target to Try Its Hand at Home Installation Services

Target to Try Its Hand at Home Installation Services originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I love coupons; who doesn't? They are, arguably, one of the most important marketing tools used by companies such as Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG), Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL), and General Mills (NYSE: GIS). I also love coupon distribution on the web, so I'm hoping a new technology reported on by BusinessWeek really takes off.

A company called Coupons, Inc. has developed a system dubbed Brandcaster. It essentially follows Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG) model of monetization. Depending on where you are on the web and what you are looking at, the Brandcaster will determine if a coupon may be applicable to you. It will then try to get you to access the coupon and print it up. Web sites who use the application will be given a cut of revenues generated from successful coupon printings. So, speaking hypothetically, if I'm on a site that's dedicated to video games, maybe this Brandcaster thing will someday tell me that I can print up a coupon allowing me to get $5 off a new software title.

If this is promoted properly, and if the value to consumer companies can be adequately communicated, then I think Coupons, Inc. has a hit on its hands. Like I say, people love coupons, and I think they are more likely to act on printing out a coupon then they are to, say, buy a product immediately online through a banner ad. I see this kind of advertising as being more effective over the long-term than other kinds of ads.

Continue reading New "Brandcaster" technology to aid web distribution of coupons

New "Brandcaster" technology to aid web distribution of coupons originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

AOL gets behavior adjustment with TACODA purchase originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Jul 2007 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Although computer maker Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) is mainly known in the consumer business for its desktop and laptop PCs, as well as printers, the company has large software, services, and industrial product offerings as well. One of the most intriguing I've seen that may be in HP's possible future pipeline involves the reinvention of the grocery shopping experience. Say what?

The tech giant may be trialing a grocery shopping solution soon that involves an in-store kiosk system that literally could give customers the best shopping experience in a grocery store as possible, while really targeting coupons and special offers specifically to each shopper. Just like Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) does with its targeted internet-based text grocery shopping, HP's system could get rid of the "coupon clipping" mentality many shoppers face and present each shopper with a personalized list of products with customized "couponing" that would allow for savings on the grocery items that matter most while getting rid of the generic "one size fits all" grocery coupon industry that works now, but probably wastefully and inefficiently compared to a personalized program.

This is hugely significant, since it is yet another way that tech companies can get into the field of complete and personalized shopping experiences that target each consumer directly. As Google has no doubt proven, this methodology converts browsers into buyers and really makes the conversion rate and attach rate of purchases something that every retailer (food or otherwise) should be chasing down at ferocious speed. Soon, the days of generic shopping and non-targeted marketing will be retired and will be replaced by directed and targeted advertising and marketing for each individual consumer. If HP has its way here, the company could be at the forefront of such efforts.

Hewlett-Packard delves into customized grocery shopping originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 30 Jun 2007 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.