Ecommerce in Europe is forecasted to be worth 621 billion euros by the end of 2019. This would mean an increase of 13.6 percent compared to the situation last year, when ecommerce was worth 547 billion euros. The prediction comes from the latest Ecommerce Foundation report on ecommerce in Europe. This study also found that Scandinavian countries keep ranking high in…
Industry Insights Blog
Customer service is undergoing its most dramatic transformation since automatic call distribution prompted the beginning of call centers in the 70s. For decades there wasn’t much change despite innovations such as touch-tone dialing, 1-800 numbers, and interactive voice response systems – technologies that became widely available by the mid 80s. Even the emergence of email didn’t have a significant impact,…
With an array of options at their fingertips, consumers find and pay for retail purchases ranging from clothing to cosmetics through a variety of channels. Consumers might seek the help of an employee in a brick-and-mortar store, or they may shop outside the four walls of a physical store with their smartphones and computers.
But there is an apparent connection between…
With the first anniversary of GDPR coming into force just days away, most consumers don’t feel any better off, and nearly a fifth believe their experience with brands has actually got worse. As we approach the first anniversary of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into force, brands should be disappointed to learn that just 31% of consumers think their…
B2B social media marketing has its challenges, and it can be difficult to know if your campaigns are succeeding. Follow these steps to keep on track… Measuring social media marketing ROI for B2B companies has never been easy. The struggle is in tracking ROI beyond the usual likes and followers. These metrics are half measures — they hardly ever go…
Here’s all you need to know about the current state of Instagram influencer marketing, how much campaigns cost, and how to go about running one… Now an almost $2 billion industry, Instagram influencer marketing has taken the social media world by storm. In recent years, Instagram users the globe over have begun making a living from paid posts and collaborative…
The autonomous car dropped Lori at her home and then left for its scheduled service at the dealership. It would be back in time to take her to the airport the next morning. On the way into her house, Lori gathered the drone deliveries from the drop box on her stoop. The familiar voice of Eve, a next-generation smart assistant…
It’s a year since the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) came into force. How has the legislation changed businesses and their customers’ approach to data? The maelstrom caused by last year’s GDPR deadline date was unlike anything the world of business had previously experienced. Confusion, panic, ignorance, consternation, blitheful bewilderment; these were the range of complex emotions that most business…
Product suggestions are an ingrained part of the ecommerce experience. With the up- and cross-selling opportunities that a good system can provide, a thoughtful ecommerce experience is invaluable, as Amazon’s paid search and display advertising strategy has shown. For consumers, suggested products should bring real value. Rather than being haunted for weeks by a product they searched for once, consumers should…
Having worked in the retail industry for nearly four decades, Ron Johnson, former J. C. Penney CEO who pioneered the concept of the Apple Retail Stores, is convinced that now the only constant is change. It’s an insanely fast moving industry. We have now entered the “post Digital” era of commerce where digital retailers are racing to physical faster than the physical retailers are…
Europe’s antitrust chief said on Wednesday she did not see any problems with the way Google was complying with her order to boost competition in online shopping, brushing aside complaints from some of the U.S. company’s rivals. Hit with a 2.4-billion-euro ($2.7 billion) EU fine two years ago for unfairly promoting its own comparison shopping service, Google has since offered to…
Looking for the latest marketing stats and trends? We’ve got you covered. Search Engine Optimization Statistics
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) Only about 22% of businesses are satisfied with their conversion rates. (Econsultancy, 2016) Using videos on landing pages will increase conversions by 86%. (Wordstream, 2018) 90% of searchers haven’t made their mind up about a brand before starting their search. (Status Labs,…
Geo-blocking is no longer a laissez-faire matter in the European Union. From December 2018, a new set of rules apply that limits the use of geo-blocking by online businesses operating in the EU. The Geo-blocking Regulation — as this set of rules is commonly referred to — introduces the following key requirements: Online businesses may not block, re-route or otherwise…
Beyond Clicks: Getting the Most out of Big Data In the deep ocean of big data, it’s hard for companies to know what’s true or even relevant to their operations. The latest research from Hamsa Bastani, Wharton professor of operations, information and decisions, can help companies navigate the waters by offering a better way to use predictive analytics. Bastani spoke with…
Each day, hundreds of millions of people do shopping-related searches on Google. Now, we’re making the places where people come to browse and explore products on Google shoppable. These new shopping experiences let people shop and purchase frictionlessly right where they already turn to for research and inspiration: Search, Google Images, YouTube and a redesigned Google Shopping destination. …
Direct marketing’s methodical, performance-dominated approach to targeting and segmentation left a commanding legacy. While they may no longer identify as ‘direct’ marketers, many practitioners continue to manufacture audience segments and propensity models based exclusively on reaching internal goals. So, while talking a good game about being ‘customer-driven’, they still find themselves thrusting brand messages at customers. …
AI is disrupting every industry, leading to new business models, further digital transformation, and a future of technology that’s more integrated into our natural environment. Smart speakers are the fastest growing consumer technology since the smartphone, and are poised to revolutionize the way we interact with technology. Computers can finally speak our language. A key question for business leaders to…
Every once in a while, a unique technology application causes a paradigm shift in an entire industry. Take GPS trackers and sensors, which made our commutes more efficient, or cloud technology which changed the very idea of data storage. In the retail industry, the automation of product inventory checks in physical stores using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies like Computer Vision (CV),…
In reporting its first quarterly results as a public company, Pinterest provided new details on the platform’s advertising plans, which include introducing self-serve ad-buying technology and expanding the base of brands who spend with the service.
Pinterest, the site where people post products and plan their lives, on Thursday reported $202 million in revenue in the first quarter, an increase of 54 percent year-over-year….
With more people on social media than ever before, not having an effective social media presence is a huge missed opportunity. Though social media can be time-consuming, these 10 simple steps will help you maximize the time that you are able to spend on social, so that you can ensure you are getting the best return on your efforts. While in…