McDonald's (MCD) isn't the only company tapping into the "billions" game. In a bit of chest-thumping while Google (GOOG) announced its new cell phone, Apple (AAPL) let the world know that iPhone and iPod Touch users have pulled down 3 billion applications from the company's App Store since its launch a year and a half ago.

Steve Jobs, the company CEO, said, "This is like nothing we've ever seen before." He didn't reveal how many of these apps were free -- and whether billions and billions of downloads translate to billions and billions of dollars.

Continue reading Apple App Store: Billions and Billions Served

Apple App Store: Billions and Billions Served originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 06 Jan 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Online retail sales are expected to increase 3% to $28.8 billion for this year's holiday season. The analysts at comScore include traditional retailers, like Macy's (M) in this estimate, but don't count auction sites like eBay (EBAY), travel or corporate sales. The estimate compares favorably against the National Retail Federation's forecast of a 1% year-over-year drop for all retail sales and exceeds the industry's most aggressive holiday season sales estimates of 2%.

Last year, online retail sales fell 3% for the holiday season, the first decline since the industry started keeping score in 2001. Even if we don't hit the 3% growth level this year, 2009 is still expected to be better than 2008, now that the economy has stabilized (at least relative to last year).

Continue reading Online sales to be darling of holiday season

Online sales to be darling of holiday season originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

An unemployment rate of 10.2% means that serious jobseekers are using every tool they can find. So, it's not at all shocking that social networking tools top the list, with LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter leading the charge. Openings are being tweeted, hints of a new position are being monitored and hot candidates are being hit up directly, even if they aren't saying they're on the prowl for a new gig. Social media is a tool to use in a job hunt but not necessarily the only one, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Instead, it makes sense to balance a search with many tools.

John Challenger, CEO, says, "The job search has changed radically over the last two decades with the advent of electronic mail, the internet, social networking, smart phones, etc. However, it is important to remember that all of these technologies simply enhance the job search; they will never replace the face-to-face connections that are critical to a successful search." But, he continues that "we feel that these new networking tools are essential and now advise all of the job seekers going through our program to open LinkedIn accounts and to consider other services such as Facebook and Twitter.

Continue reading Job hunting in a social media world: 95% LinkedIn, 59% Facebook

Job hunting in a social media world: 95% LinkedIn, 59% Facebook originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If Amazon (AMZN) was comfortable with its spot atop the e-reader market, it just got a wakeup call from Barnes & Noble (BKS). The brick-and-mortar book retailer's e-reader, the Nook, which hasn't even hit stores yet, is in pre-order nirvana right now. The first run for the Nook occurred at the end of October (the product was introduced on October 20). These buyers were told the reader would ship on November 30. High demand resulted in backorders, so the next wave of pre-orders was scheduled to ship on December 7. Now, a third group will have to wait until December 11.

This product is on fire, and it still isn't even on shelves yet.

Mary Ellen Keating, a spokeswoman for Barnes & Noble wouldn't reveal how many of these devices have been pre-ordered, but she did say, "Demand for the product in our stores and online has surpassed our expectations." She also noted, "We are working hard to meet demand for the holidays."

Continue reading Barnes & Noble's Nook already makes a splash

Barnes & Noble's Nook already makes a splash originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Once upon a time, retailers measured success by the number of people walking by in the mall, how many entered the store, the percentage they spent, and basket size. Now, a world of zeroes and ones has changed their perspective entirely. Social media is expected to be the star during the coming holiday season, with retailers pushing Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter content to get in front of consumers and affect either online or in-store purchases. Smaller Christmas budgets are expected, so the fight is on to garner as large a share as possible of a shrinking pie.

Of course, nobody would come out and say, "Social media is nonsense, and I'm not getting anything for my investment." So, when the likes of Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX), JCPenney (NYSE: JCP), and Target (NYSE: TGT) say that social media is connecting them with their customers and leading to more effective campaigns and product launches, do take it with a grain of salt. What can't be ignored, however, is that they're committing more resources to social media marketing, even though it's still far too soon to tell if it will be effective.

Continue reading Retailers push social media, want bigger wallet share for Christmas

Retailers push social media, want bigger wallet share for Christmas originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Software products will be an estimated $388 billion in 2009, the same as in 2008;
• Purchases of routers, switches, private branch exchanges (PBXs), videoconferencing equipment, and unified communications equipment will likely fall to around $353 billion in 2009, a 3% decline from $364 billion in 2008;
• Purchases of personal computers, servers, storage devices, and peripherals will slip by approximately 4% to $434 billion in 2009, from $450 billion in 2008;
• Governments and businesses will buy an estimated $484 billion of IT consulting, systems integration, and outsourcing services in 2009, 3 percent less than in 2008.
  

Global technology spending will fall originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Forrester Research came out with a study two days ago that said Apple iTune sales were off as much as 65% in the first half of this year. Apple loyalists immediately branded the study a farce.

Now, brokerage Piper Jaffray (NYSE:PJC) and research firm ComScore have come out with a study of their own. Their conclusion is that iTune sales are up 84% for the first three quarters of this year compared to the same period in 2005.

Now, both studies can't be right and Forrester and ComScore are both well-regarded research firms. But, the new ComScore data has some information Forrester didn't have that helps it's case. Traffic to the iTunes website hit 20.8 million unique visitors in November, up 85% from the same month last year.

Whoops.

In the two days since it was made public, the Forrester study made headlines across the world, using increasingly hyperbolic language. Sales were "Plummeting!" and "Crashing." A corresponding furor of denials rose up across the Internet.

Forrester quickly recanted it ever made the pronouncement. Industry watchers just chuckled wryly. Note to Forrester: Information is immediate these days, guys. Loose lips can sink ships, but only if you have your numbers right as the reports from Piper Jaffray demonstrate.

Wall Street to Apple critics: Get your numbers straight originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 14 Dec 2006 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If I told you that only 3% of online households in the United States have bought music from iTunes in the past year would you believe me? Forrester Research issued a report last week declaring that the 3% of households that have purchased music from iTunes store spent a total of $35 for the year, and half of them spent only $3 or less at a single time. Analyst Josh Bernoff chalks this up to, "even at 99 cents, most consumers still aren't sold on the value of digital music."

So where do the roughly 20% of people who own iPods get their music from? My best guess is through the illegal peer-to-peer networks, which continue to give the music industry its biggest challenge to greater profitability.

This is evident in the deal Universal Music Group CEO Doug Morris struck with Microsoft Corp.'s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Zune wherein Universal receives $1 royalty fee for every Zune device sold by Microsoft. Mr. Morris hinted that he'll seek a similar rate from the iPod when it comes time to renegotiate UMG's iTunes licensing agreement this year.

Apple Computer Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) simply needs to find a better way to induce the remaining iPod owners to visit the iTunes Store. Maybe a new pricing scheme, freebie promotions, frequent buyer club with points?

Report: Not many iPod owners use iTunes store originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 11 Dec 2006 09:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.