I received this spam below today. It came to multiple clients' e-mail addresses, from different "marketing directors," including "john" and "jason".
.......................
Hello,
We at Redesign Unit have successfully redesigned websites and enhanced brand appeal. Our exotic and appealing web designs cater to ever changing audience tastes with times. Our clients have benefitted from increased traffic to their websites giving them the much desirous business growth.
Our team of professionals has expertise in redesigning websites by adopting emerging technologies to relive the experience of your peak time business. They have experience in providing world-class solutions and have launched websites for start-ups and non-starters, successfully.
Our professionals will offer you a wide range of cost effective solutions from redesigning your home page and desired inner pages to redesigning the entire website as you may choose.
Your decision for redesigning your website for business growth is at the least cost of $100.00.
You may slice it to XHTML / CSS at a reasonable $100.00 extra added to the design cost.
If you have decided to redesign your website choose Redesign Unit to get the best for business growth and enhance your brand appeal.
John [Marketing Director]
Email : info@redesignunit.com
URL : www.redesignunit.com
CONFIDENTIAL : If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please erase all copies of the message and its attachments and notify us.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Giving tableware and home good products green ratings and labels
The Ad Age article below describes how the European Commission may propose a system to put color-coded labels on cars designating how 'green' they are. What if this was done for home goods brands? For individual products?
View Ad Age article
Europe May Put Green Grades on Car Ads
Proposed Rating System Would Color-Code Brands by Their Carbon Footprints
By Emma Hall
Published: June 23, 2008
LONDON (AdAge.com) -- In a move that could have strong repercussions for the $1.6 billion U.K. auto-advertising industry, the European Commission is proposing a rule that would require ads to make brands' eco-statuses clear, with a "climate-hazard alert" in the form of a color-coded traffic-light warning system.
Chris Arnold: It could be good for automakers to include green info in ads like this one from Honda.
Under the proposed system, red dots would flag high-pollution cars, and green dots would signal low-emission vehicles, rated by carbon emissions and fuel consumption. Automotive is the fifth-largest ad category in the U.K. and accounted for 7.5% of ad expenditures in the region last year, according to the World Advertising Research Center quarterly advertising forecast published in connection with the Advertising Association and Nielsen.
Under the proposal, as much as 20% of each car ad would be reserved for information about the vehicle's carbon footprint. The European Commission may also introduce restrictions on the types of images used in car ads. For instance, environmentally unfriendly images of powerful cars traveling at high speed could be outlawed.
The commission has just started an eight-week period of consultation on car advertising, talking to the public as well as media owners and advertisers. So far, only print media is being considered.
Indicating there is a strong push under way to implement the plan, the commission said in a statement: "We hope to have it ready and agreed before the end of the year."
Greener Europe
While the proposal might seem harsh by U.S. standards, consider that Europeans already drive more-fuel-efficient cars. According to a report in the Christian Science Monitor quoting the International Energy Agency in Paris, the average light-duty vehicle gets 32.1 miles per gallon on the highway in Europe compared with 21.6 in the U.S.
A similar traffic-light system is already in use in the U.K. for food, flagging products that are high in fat, salt or sugar. The system, which is used on packaging and to determine advertising restrictions, has been controversial because of disagreement over the criteria used. The proposed car-ad rules could provoke similar outrage among automakers.
Honda has pursued an eco-friendly message in its ads but does not welcome the new proposals. "We would much rather have a self-regulated approach than new legislation imposed on us," a spokesman said. "CO2 is not the only discriminator when deciding on a car purchase -- otherwise everyone would be buying hybrids -- and yet we know many buy small diesels due to price considerations. We would welcome a consistent, self-regulated approach that is clear but does not ram information down people's throats."
Credibility gap
Chris Arnold, creative partner at London-based ethical-marketing specialist Feel, said: "Consumers are confused. They are looking for simple solutions and guidance. Trust is the biggest problem: The majority of people don't believe car ads' green claims, and honest accreditation would sort out the truth from the blag."
Mr. Arnold said the traffic-light system could work well for auto marketers. "Car companies are coming to realize that no one believes their claims," he said. "If the values are clearly defined, then they will all be competing on a level playing field."
A survey by environmental lobby group Friends of the Earth last year found that 55% of car ads in U.K. national newspapers were for the vehicles that pollute the most -- cars that emit more than 165 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer. A similar survey two years earlier found that 56.6% of car ads fell into that category, so there has been little voluntary improvement from car brands.
View Ad Age article
Europe May Put Green Grades on Car Ads
Proposed Rating System Would Color-Code Brands by Their Carbon Footprints
By Emma Hall
Published: June 23, 2008
LONDON (AdAge.com) -- In a move that could have strong repercussions for the $1.6 billion U.K. auto-advertising industry, the European Commission is proposing a rule that would require ads to make brands' eco-statuses clear, with a "climate-hazard alert" in the form of a color-coded traffic-light warning system.
Chris Arnold: It could be good for automakers to include green info in ads like this one from Honda.
Under the proposed system, red dots would flag high-pollution cars, and green dots would signal low-emission vehicles, rated by carbon emissions and fuel consumption. Automotive is the fifth-largest ad category in the U.K. and accounted for 7.5% of ad expenditures in the region last year, according to the World Advertising Research Center quarterly advertising forecast published in connection with the Advertising Association and Nielsen.
Under the proposal, as much as 20% of each car ad would be reserved for information about the vehicle's carbon footprint. The European Commission may also introduce restrictions on the types of images used in car ads. For instance, environmentally unfriendly images of powerful cars traveling at high speed could be outlawed.
The commission has just started an eight-week period of consultation on car advertising, talking to the public as well as media owners and advertisers. So far, only print media is being considered.
Indicating there is a strong push under way to implement the plan, the commission said in a statement: "We hope to have it ready and agreed before the end of the year."
Greener Europe
While the proposal might seem harsh by U.S. standards, consider that Europeans already drive more-fuel-efficient cars. According to a report in the Christian Science Monitor quoting the International Energy Agency in Paris, the average light-duty vehicle gets 32.1 miles per gallon on the highway in Europe compared with 21.6 in the U.S.
A similar traffic-light system is already in use in the U.K. for food, flagging products that are high in fat, salt or sugar. The system, which is used on packaging and to determine advertising restrictions, has been controversial because of disagreement over the criteria used. The proposed car-ad rules could provoke similar outrage among automakers.
Honda has pursued an eco-friendly message in its ads but does not welcome the new proposals. "We would much rather have a self-regulated approach than new legislation imposed on us," a spokesman said. "CO2 is not the only discriminator when deciding on a car purchase -- otherwise everyone would be buying hybrids -- and yet we know many buy small diesels due to price considerations. We would welcome a consistent, self-regulated approach that is clear but does not ram information down people's throats."
Credibility gap
Chris Arnold, creative partner at London-based ethical-marketing specialist Feel, said: "Consumers are confused. They are looking for simple solutions and guidance. Trust is the biggest problem: The majority of people don't believe car ads' green claims, and honest accreditation would sort out the truth from the blag."
Mr. Arnold said the traffic-light system could work well for auto marketers. "Car companies are coming to realize that no one believes their claims," he said. "If the values are clearly defined, then they will all be competing on a level playing field."
A survey by environmental lobby group Friends of the Earth last year found that 55% of car ads in U.K. national newspapers were for the vehicles that pollute the most -- cars that emit more than 165 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer. A similar survey two years earlier found that 56.6% of car ads fell into that category, so there has been little voluntary improvement from car brands.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Checkout page encouraging FaceBook participation
This screen shot shows a recent purchase that I made, and the confirmation page. I like how the site offers the ability for me to share my purchase on my FaceBook page. After all, everyone likes to share what they've recently purchased. Will they do it via this fashion?
Monday, June 1, 2009
Google friendly websites for "Raynaud tableware"
We build websites that rank well in Google. This screen shows our clients' ranking for "Raynaud tableware" in Google. Our clients sell Raynaud tableware, and they occupy four out of the top six spots on Google's 1st page.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Chrsyler using its website to help predict real world car sales
The following article shows how Chrysler is using its website to drive real world sales. Excerpts:
Nearly six months before the launch, a team at Organic started calculating how much Chrysler would need to spend on marketing to sell its target number of vehicles by figuring out how much Web traffic the company needed to generate.
When the ad campaign went live, the system started calculating whether the commercials were generating enough Web visits. Certain Web activities have become a good barometer for car sales, says Jason Harper, group director of analytics at Organic.
...
The agency estimates that about 70% to 80% of consumers research vehicle purchases on the Web, providing an indicator of whether visits translate to sales.
The TV spots, appearing during NFL football games among other places, didn't result in enough traffic to its Web site, so Chrysler made a couple changes. One included tripling the amount of time that the URL appeared during the TV spot from two to six seconds. Chrysler also tweaked the homepage of its Ram Challenge Web site.
...
"Instead of looking in the rearview mirror, you have a heads-up display," says Greg Green, managing director at VivaKi, Publicis Groupe's digital marketing unit.
In refining its model, Organic learned how certain ads spur people to visit the Web. It then figured out which Web activities translate into actual auto sales. Some actions, such as scheduling a test drive online or entering a ZIP code to locate a dealer, are a good predictor of sales. Other actions, such as pricing a vehicle or playing with the colorizing features on the site, occur earlier in the shopping process and aren't a direct indicator of serious buyer interest.
The result was a system that predicted 2008 sales within one percentage point of actual sales figures for its Jeep brands, Chrysler says.
/////////////
Please view the full article here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124259801821028103.html
By EMILY STEEL
With a reduced advertising budget and a desperate need to increase sales, Chrysler is relying more heavily on new technologies to predict how ad purchases will translate into sales.
A team of statisticians, economists, software engineers and media planners at Chrysler's digital marketing agency, Organic, has designed a "media modeling" system that helps the company calculate the best ways to allocate its marketing dollars. The system calculates how much ad spending is needed to meet certain sales targets and then analyzes how both online and offline ads affect Web activity and, ultimately, sales.
Car makers and other companies have used forecasting tools for years, but digital ads have ramped up the systems' sophistication and accelerated reaction time to the data gathered.
Chrysler is using digital-ad agency Organic to try to make the most of its marketing. Organic's technology was used in Chrysler's campaign to promote the new Dodge Ram truck, shown above in a video.
"As a marketer, it helps me be smarter about the dollars I need to reach the sales goals we are responsible for," says Susan Thomson, Chrysler's director of media and events. "It gives you some science."
Chrysler, operating under bankruptcy amid a government bailout, proposed spending $134 million in advertising during the nine weeks it expected to be in bankruptcy court, but the U.S. Treasury's auto-industry task force said Chrysler can spend only half that amount. As it was, its total U.S. ad spending had fallen to $801.3 million in 2008, down 34% from $1.2 billion in 2007, according to WPP's ad tracking firm TNS Media Intelligence.
So Chrysler is deploying the new technology to calculate its ad budgets and tweak its marketing campaigns. A campaign to promote the recent launch of the new Dodge Ram truck illustrates how it works.
Nearly six months before the launch, a team at Organic started calculating how much Chrysler would need to spend on marketing to sell its target number of vehicles by figuring out how much Web traffic the company needed to generate.
When the ad campaign went live, the system started calculating whether the commercials were generating enough Web visits. Certain Web activities have become a good barometer for car sales, says Jason Harper, group director of analytics at Organic.
The agency estimates that about 70% to 80% of consumers research vehicle purchases on the Web, providing an indicator of whether visits translate to sales.
The TV spots, appearing during NFL football games among other places, didn't result in enough traffic to its Web site, so Chrysler made a couple changes. One included tripling the amount of time that the URL appeared during the TV spot from two to six seconds. Chrysler also tweaked the homepage of its Ram Challenge Web site.
The agency says it noticed an uptick in traffic to the site.
When it started building the technology, Organic, an Omnicom unit, was trying to figure out the impact of the auto maker's online ad dollars. As the model evolved, Organic started including broader sets of data, ranging from sales data related to advertising in traditional media like print and TV to economic factors that affect car sales, such as housing starts, fuel prices and unemployment rates.
Ad agencies long have used complex models to calculate the best ad spending mix, but the rise of digital media has revolutionized these systems. Instead of waiting weeks or months for data, marketers now can get them in real time, allowing them to adjust their ad spending or the creative elements of their campaigns on the fly.
"Instead of looking in the rearview mirror, you have a heads-up display," says Greg Green, managing director at VivaKi, Publicis Groupe's digital marketing unit.
In refining its model, Organic learned how certain ads spur people to visit the Web. It then figured out which Web activities translate into actual auto sales. Some actions, such as scheduling a test drive online or entering a ZIP code to locate a dealer, are a good predictor of sales. Other actions, such as pricing a vehicle or playing with the colorizing features on the site, occur earlier in the shopping process and aren't a direct indicator of serious buyer interest.
The result was a system that predicted 2008 sales within one percentage point of actual sales figures for its Jeep brands, Chrysler says.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Offer your customers perks for visiting your website often
This article below from Ad Age tells about a mall that gives points to people for visiting it. Accrue enough points, and the person get perks, such as valet parking. We heave heard about giving points after making a purchase. The idea of offering them just for visiting seems novel, and worthy of considering for websites. I'd like to see some home goods companies offer a similar arrangement to the general public and retailers. For example, visit 20 times in one month, and earn free shipping on the next purchase.
How One Mall Got People to Buy Stuff, and How You Can, Too
For Starters, You Can Make Your Guests Feel Wanted
by Jonathan Salem Baskin
Published: March 23, 2009
I visited a mall in Glendale, Calif., a few weeks ago and had a novel experience: I saw customers.
The mall was the Americana at Brand, and I was there because I believe the smartest, most cutting-edge solutions in marketing today come from asking a classic, old-fashioned question: How can we get people to buy stuff?
Jonathan Salem Baskin is the author of "Branding Only Works on Cattle" and blogs about marketing at Dim Bulb.
The Americana's answer has been to redefine the very definition and purpose of a commercial development. It's not satisfied simply hosting retailers. It has elected instead to go downstream to talk to consumers (they're called "guests," to differentiate them from the mall's tenants, who are actual "customers"). That strategic decision guides its operations, staffing and tenant relationships and gives it the wherewithal to prompt and reward guest visits.
It's a heckuva lot more than marketing, but one of the fundamental pillars of its strategy is a guest-loyalty program. That's right: Shoppers accrue points and gain elite status levels for visiting the mall. More than 100,000 people have availed themselves of the opportunity. Why more developments haven't done something similar is beyond me (not to mention the municipalities that host vacation destinations, museums or any locations that need to incentivize repeat visits).
Full article:
http://adage.com/cmostrategy/article?article_id=135341
How One Mall Got People to Buy Stuff, and How You Can, Too
For Starters, You Can Make Your Guests Feel Wanted
by Jonathan Salem Baskin
Published: March 23, 2009
I visited a mall in Glendale, Calif., a few weeks ago and had a novel experience: I saw customers.
The mall was the Americana at Brand, and I was there because I believe the smartest, most cutting-edge solutions in marketing today come from asking a classic, old-fashioned question: How can we get people to buy stuff?
Jonathan Salem Baskin is the author of "Branding Only Works on Cattle" and blogs about marketing at Dim Bulb.
The Americana's answer has been to redefine the very definition and purpose of a commercial development. It's not satisfied simply hosting retailers. It has elected instead to go downstream to talk to consumers (they're called "guests," to differentiate them from the mall's tenants, who are actual "customers"). That strategic decision guides its operations, staffing and tenant relationships and gives it the wherewithal to prompt and reward guest visits.
It's a heckuva lot more than marketing, but one of the fundamental pillars of its strategy is a guest-loyalty program. That's right: Shoppers accrue points and gain elite status levels for visiting the mall. More than 100,000 people have availed themselves of the opportunity. Why more developments haven't done something similar is beyond me (not to mention the municipalities that host vacation destinations, museums or any locations that need to incentivize repeat visits).
Full article:
http://adage.com/cmostrategy/article?article_id=135341
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Website design comparison example
We are working on this design for a home goods company. The current website is at left; our proposed updated design is on the right. Notes about the design:
- I updated logo to be clean, contemporary, and fresh.
- I put the hyperlinks to the categories and the brands directly on the home page. This is good for ranking well in Google.
- I was sure to put lots of smiling faces on the home page, and in the top banner. This builds trust with shoppers.
- The phone number is big and easy to read in the top right. The website is a sales processing tool, as well as as sales lead generator; phone call sales are just as good as web sales.
- There is a product slideshow.
- The footer of the page shows a map of the store's location. People are more likely to trust a store which they feel they can visit or sense that others are.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Purchasing inquiry e-mail a possible scam
We received this message below twice. It's possibly part of a purchasing scam to fish for e-mails or more. I'd be wary of messages like this.
from:
stelcomms@gmail.com
Hello,
I'm from Singapore and I want to order from you.
Could you ship worldwide to Singapore or Indonesia...???
Could you ship the item by FedEx Delivery...???
Do you accept credit card payment...???
I'm waiting for your next response today. Thanks and have a nice day.
Sincerely
Nicholas Tan
from:
stelcomms@gmail.com
Hello,
I'm from Singapore and I want to order from you.
Could you ship worldwide to Singapore or Indonesia...???
Could you ship the item by FedEx Delivery...???
Do you accept credit card payment...???
I'm waiting for your next response today. Thanks and have a nice day.
Sincerely
Nicholas Tan
Thursday, April 23, 2009
New Sales Begin on the Transaction Confirmation Page
This image shows a screen shot of what the confirmation page looks like at CafePress.com after you make a purchase there. Please see how CafePress.com encourages purchasers to hand over friends' e-mails.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Putting your company on Facebook
The top brands on Facebook accorinding to a recent Ad Age article are Barack Obama, Coca Cola, Nutella, and Dr. House. How can your brand join the ranks? Well, first you have to setup your Facebook page. I've attached some screen shots above to show how two premium brands are running their social networking. I've also attached the Chicago Market's page. Please feel free to offer your thoughts.
Gucci Facebook page
Porsche Facebook page
Chicago Market's Facebook page
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Ticketmaster: master of extra fees?
This blog's purpose is to help the home good industry better market and conduct business online. We can often learn from other industries. Please see attached screenshots. I was buying tickets to a concert, and Ticketmaster is charging fee upon fee, and even wants to charge you extra for printing your tickets. They charge a convenience fee AND a processing fee. Aren't those the same? I hope the artist Neko Case whom I bought tickets to see will pick a new ticket processor. However, this is often setup by the venue, so she'd have to totally change venues to accomplish this. This shows what a stranglehold Ticketmaster has on the industry. To come back to our focus, should home goods companies be charging customers for printing receipts? I think not. However, maybe there are services provided that are not being charged for, and can be. Ticketmaster can bring out the worst in us, but maybe also any unfound revenue.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Brides increasingly use the web to learn and shop
The attached image shows what mediums are growing in terms of
influence among brides and which are shrinking. The full article can
be found online at AdAge.com.
http://adage.com/article?article_id=135372
Taking this information one step further, if brides are one of the
legs of the tableware industry, then maybe the tableware industry
should start its own bridal site–as Orbitz.com was started by the
airlines to counter all the independent travel sites. Because whoever
controls the bridal sites will have a large say in directing brides in
what to buy.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Sferra e-news shares line of credit fees
The message below was sent out to retailers yesterday by the linens brand Sferra. I was intrigued by how open they were about their credit line. Excerpt:
"...We have over $3 million outstanding on our line and an interest charge of $15,000 per month falls right to the bottom line. Our "affordable luxury" pricing policy affords no financing of past due amounts."
.....................
March 31, 2009
Dear Client:
As you probably have noticed during the first three months of 2009, SFERRA is truly committed to supporting you through exceptional deals that help improve your margins and profitability. So far, we have offered:
- Free shipping and extended payment terms on orders placed at trade shows.
- SILOs (Special In-Line Offers) providing 25% discounts on styles that would normally be stocked in stores.
- An unprecedented 10% off our top 10 best-selling items in white and ivory.
And now, something we have never done before - 50% off selected in-line table linens just in time for the holidays.
And we plan to do even more, so watch for our emails with "SFERRA" being the first word in the subject line.
What you may not know is that SFERRA carries a significant line of credit to maintain the stock levels you have come to enjoy over the years. This line of credit is secured by "eligible" accounts receivable balances, which are less than a certain number of days outstanding. Once an account ages past a certain point, we can no longer use it as collateral. Therefore, it is imperative that we remain diligent in our collection practices. Presently, we have over $3 million outstanding on our line and an interest charge of $15,000 per month falls right to the bottom line. Our "affordable luxury" pricing policy affords no financing of past due amounts.
The extension of credit on accounts can be costly in financial terms, human resources expended in collection efforts, and in maintaining good customer relations and, to that end, we want to share our policy so there are no misunderstandings. Here are SFERRA's updated collection procedures effective immediately for all customers:
- If an account becomes past due (invoices age beyond the net terms) the account is placed "on hold" and no orders will be released.
- If an account becomes 15 days past due (45 days from invoice date in Net 30 Days accounts) a non-reversible late fee of $35 is posted to the account. Of course, it is not our desire to collect any fees. We are only asking that all customers comply with their agreed upon payment terms and this policy will help to enforce that.
- If an account becomes 30 days past due, a non-reversible 1% monthly (12% annually) interest assessment is posted to the account.
- If an account becomes 60 days past due, an additional non-reversible 1% monthly (12% annually) interest assessment is posted to the account.
Interest expenses will continue to be charged at 30-day intervals until the past due amount, late fee charge, any service charges, and accumulated assessments are paid in full.
Payments must be in our hands (not in mail and not post-dated) on the dates noted.
Customers with an "on hold" status may still get necessary orders released by making a credit card payment for the current order, plus a minimum of 15% of the past due balances. Nancy Kowalski will do everything she can to work with our valued customers, as the goal is not to stop anyone from doing business; it's to ensure that we both remain healthy during these challenging times.
We trust that you will appreciate our concerns. We want to be able to help our customers going forward, but we need for everyone to be fair with us.
In the event you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at 732-225-6290 (x1026) or sschneider@sferra.com. Thank you for your support.
"...We have over $3 million outstanding on our line and an interest charge of $15,000 per month falls right to the bottom line. Our "affordable luxury" pricing policy affords no financing of past due amounts."
.....................
March 31, 2009
Dear Client:
As you probably have noticed during the first three months of 2009, SFERRA is truly committed to supporting you through exceptional deals that help improve your margins and profitability. So far, we have offered:
- Free shipping and extended payment terms on orders placed at trade shows.
- SILOs (Special In-Line Offers) providing 25% discounts on styles that would normally be stocked in stores.
- An unprecedented 10% off our top 10 best-selling items in white and ivory.
And now, something we have never done before - 50% off selected in-line table linens just in time for the holidays.
And we plan to do even more, so watch for our emails with "SFERRA" being the first word in the subject line.
What you may not know is that SFERRA carries a significant line of credit to maintain the stock levels you have come to enjoy over the years. This line of credit is secured by "eligible" accounts receivable balances, which are less than a certain number of days outstanding. Once an account ages past a certain point, we can no longer use it as collateral. Therefore, it is imperative that we remain diligent in our collection practices. Presently, we have over $3 million outstanding on our line and an interest charge of $15,000 per month falls right to the bottom line. Our "affordable luxury" pricing policy affords no financing of past due amounts.
The extension of credit on accounts can be costly in financial terms, human resources expended in collection efforts, and in maintaining good customer relations and, to that end, we want to share our policy so there are no misunderstandings. Here are SFERRA's updated collection procedures effective immediately for all customers:
- If an account becomes past due (invoices age beyond the net terms) the account is placed "on hold" and no orders will be released.
- If an account becomes 15 days past due (45 days from invoice date in Net 30 Days accounts) a non-reversible late fee of $35 is posted to the account. Of course, it is not our desire to collect any fees. We are only asking that all customers comply with their agreed upon payment terms and this policy will help to enforce that.
- If an account becomes 30 days past due, a non-reversible 1% monthly (12% annually) interest assessment is posted to the account.
- If an account becomes 60 days past due, an additional non-reversible 1% monthly (12% annually) interest assessment is posted to the account.
Interest expenses will continue to be charged at 30-day intervals until the past due amount, late fee charge, any service charges, and accumulated assessments are paid in full.
Payments must be in our hands (not in mail and not post-dated) on the dates noted.
Customers with an "on hold" status may still get necessary orders released by making a credit card payment for the current order, plus a minimum of 15% of the past due balances. Nancy Kowalski will do everything she can to work with our valued customers, as the goal is not to stop anyone from doing business; it's to ensure that we both remain healthy during these challenging times.
We trust that you will appreciate our concerns. We want to be able to help our customers going forward, but we need for everyone to be fair with us.
In the event you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me at 732-225-6290 (x1026) or sschneider@sferra.com. Thank you for your support.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
High Google Ranking for Tableware and Home Goods Brands
Last week we did an assessment of how a client's web site is ranking in Google. We are pleased with the results for SallieHome.com.
On Sallie's site, we offer 54 brands for sale.
Eighteen of these brands (that link to her site) appear on Google's first page of results. That is a 33.3% first page ranking.
Nine brands appear on page two. That is 16.5%.
Thus, the 50% of Sallie's brands when Googled appear on page 1 or 2 of Google and create sales leads to her company.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Internet Scams: Fake Orders and Freight Company Inquiries
Below is an e-mail tread that tracks the evolution of a scam. It's from a Larry Wedge, who suggest he's a business person in Sweden. I became suspicious after he asked that I e-mail a very generic sounding address about getting freight charges. He then called me 3 times on Tuesday, and 3 times yesterday. After I sent him the e-mail asking for detailed info, he stopped calling. Notably, what number did he call from?
Larry's phone number: +233278525083
I looked it up, and +233 may be the country code for Ghana. Quite far from Sweden!
Wikipedia has a nice article about how these scammers string you along, and eventually get your money:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_fraud
Stay clear.
.....................................
Hi Larry,
Thanks for the call this morning.
We need a few things here to move forward. I need this information to complete required paperwork here in my office. I appreciate your time on this.
1) What is your office telephone number in Sweden? Do you have a company website?
2) What is the name of the shipping company, its address, and its contact info?
3) Do you plan to use the messenger bags as gifts, to sell them in a store, or something else?
We appreciate your business.
Thank you,
Jason
On Feb 24, 2009, at 2:51 PM, larry Wedge wrote:
Hello
I will like to order 200 Qty of the bags@ $7,998 I will like you to contact (exportfreightco@gmail.com) with your store location, the total weight on the bags , the delivery address below and request for a freight quote. Please let me know how much it will cost me in totality to have these bags order and shipped.
Stortorget 2-4,SE- 831 30
Östersund (Sweden)
Kind Regards
Larry Wedge
--- On Tue, 2/24/09, Jason Solarek wrote:
From: Jason Solarek
Subject: Re: Special Order.......
To: larry.wedge@yahoo.com
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2009, 4:14 PM
Dear Larry,
Thank you.
To confirm, you'd like this bag:
Correct?
Since you are ordering 200 bags, you are eligible for a special discount price.
Normal price:
Discount price:
We do accept credit cards. Credit card fees are not included in this discount
price, and credit card processing fees are added to the discount price. We
appreciate your understanding. We also accept checks, although this may take
longer to process.
How would you like to proceed, sir?
ps–How did you hear about us?
Thank you!
Jason
Jason Solarek
On Feb 23, 2009, at 2:04 PM, larry Wedge wrote:
>
> Thanks for your reply ,And i went through your website and i will like to
order Amsterdam Airport Netherlands AMS Messenger Bag with the price of $39..99
and i will like to order 200pcs and i will like you to email me back with the
total cost for the 200pcs excluding freight cost..Hope to hear from you soon
>
>
> --- On Mon, 2/23/09, Jason Solarek wrote:
> From: Jason Solarek
> Subject: Re: Special Order.......
> To: larry..wedge@yahoo.com
> Date: Monday, February 23, 2009, 6:41 PM
>
> Hi Larry,
> What items would you like?
> Can you please send me a website link to the item you'd like?
>
> Thank you!
> Jason
>
> On Feb 23, 2009, at 11:53 AM, larry Wedge wrote:
>
>> Thanks for you email,And i will let you to email me back with the
price of each so that i will let you know quantities i need from you Thanks
>>
>> --- On Mon, 2/23/09, Jason Solarek wrote:
>> From: Jason Solarek <
>> Subject: Re: Special Order.......
>> To: "larry Wedge"
>> Date: Monday, February 23, 2009, 2:34 PM
>>
>> Dear Larry,
>> Thank you for writing me.
>> What location would you like written on the bag?
>> How many of the bags would you like?
>> Thank you!
>>
>> Jason Solarek
>>
>>
>> On Feb 23, 2009, at 5:52 AM, larry Wedge wrote:
>>
>> > GOOD DAY,
>> > MY NAME IS LARRY WEDGE AND I AM LOOKING TO ORDER TO
SOME(Travelling Bag
>> Model No.:CTO905) WHICH WILL BE PICKED UP FROM YOUR STORE.THESE
(Travelling Bag
>> Model No.:CTO905) ARE TO BE
>> SHIPPED TO MY NEW COMPANY IN (SWEDEN) WITH THE
>> SHIPPING I WILL RECOMMEND A SHIPPING COMPANY TO YOUR LOCATION FOR THIS
PICK UP
>> ,CAN YOU GIVE ME THE PRICE OF THE (Travelling Bag Model No.:CTO905)
THAT YOU
>> HAVE FOR SALE.
>> >
>> > DO YOU ACCEPT CREDIT CARD FOR THIS ORDER?
>> >
>> > HOPE TO READ FROM YOU SOON AS THE QUOTE IS READY.
>> >
>> > COMPANY NAME: Larry&Son..Co.Ltd
>> > COMPANY ADDRESS: Stortorget 2-4,SE- 831 30 Östersund (Sweden)
>> > COMPANY LOCATION:
>> Sweden
>> > THANK YOU,
>> > LARRY WEDGE
>> >
Larry's phone number: +233278525083
I looked it up, and +233 may be the country code for Ghana. Quite far from Sweden!
Wikipedia has a nice article about how these scammers string you along, and eventually get your money:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_fraud
Stay clear.
.....................................
Hi Larry,
Thanks for the call this morning.
We need a few things here to move forward. I need this information to complete required paperwork here in my office. I appreciate your time on this.
1) What is your office telephone number in Sweden? Do you have a company website?
2) What is the name of the shipping company, its address, and its contact info?
3) Do you plan to use the messenger bags as gifts, to sell them in a store, or something else?
We appreciate your business.
Thank you,
Jason
On Feb 24, 2009, at 2:51 PM, larry Wedge wrote:
Hello
I will like to order 200 Qty of the bags@ $7,998 I will like you to contact (exportfreightco@gmail.com) with your store location, the total weight on the bags , the delivery address below and request for a freight quote. Please let me know how much it will cost me in totality to have these bags order and shipped.
Stortorget 2-4,SE- 831 30
Östersund (Sweden)
Kind Regards
Larry Wedge
--- On Tue, 2/24/09, Jason Solarek wrote:
From: Jason Solarek
Subject: Re: Special Order.......
To: larry.wedge@yahoo.com
Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2009, 4:14 PM
Dear Larry,
Thank you.
To confirm, you'd like this bag:
Correct?
Since you are ordering 200 bags, you are eligible for a special discount price.
Normal price:
Discount price:
We do accept credit cards. Credit card fees are not included in this discount
price, and credit card processing fees are added to the discount price. We
appreciate your understanding. We also accept checks, although this may take
longer to process.
How would you like to proceed, sir?
ps–How did you hear about us?
Thank you!
Jason
Jason Solarek
On Feb 23, 2009, at 2:04 PM, larry Wedge wrote:
>
> Thanks for your reply ,And i went through your website and i will like to
order Amsterdam Airport Netherlands AMS Messenger Bag with the price of $39..99
and i will like to order 200pcs and i will like you to email me back with the
total cost for the 200pcs excluding freight cost..Hope to hear from you soon
>
>
> --- On Mon, 2/23/09, Jason Solarek wrote:
> From: Jason Solarek
> Subject: Re: Special Order.......
> To: larry..wedge@yahoo.com
> Date: Monday, February 23, 2009, 6:41 PM
>
> Hi Larry,
> What items would you like?
> Can you please send me a website link to the item you'd like?
>
> Thank you!
> Jason
>
> On Feb 23, 2009, at 11:53 AM, larry Wedge wrote:
>
>> Thanks for you email,And i will let you to email me back with the
price of each so that i will let you know quantities i need from you Thanks
>>
>> --- On Mon, 2/23/09, Jason Solarek
>> From: Jason Solarek <
>> Subject: Re: Special Order.......
>> To: "larry Wedge"
>> Date: Monday, February 23, 2009, 2:34 PM
>>
>> Dear Larry,
>> Thank you for writing me.
>> What location would you like written on the bag?
>> How many of the bags would you like?
>> Thank you!
>>
>> Jason Solarek
>>
>>
>> On Feb 23, 2009, at 5:52 AM, larry Wedge wrote:
>>
>> > GOOD DAY,
>> > MY NAME IS LARRY WEDGE AND I AM LOOKING TO ORDER TO
SOME(Travelling Bag
>> Model No.:CTO905) WHICH WILL BE PICKED UP FROM YOUR STORE.THESE
(Travelling Bag
>> Model No.:CTO905) ARE TO BE
>> SHIPPED TO MY NEW COMPANY IN (SWEDEN) WITH THE
>> SHIPPING I WILL RECOMMEND A SHIPPING COMPANY TO YOUR LOCATION FOR THIS
PICK UP
>> ,CAN YOU GIVE ME THE PRICE OF THE (Travelling Bag Model No.:CTO905)
THAT YOU
>> HAVE FOR SALE.
>> >
>> > DO YOU ACCEPT CREDIT CARD FOR THIS ORDER?
>> >
>> > HOPE TO READ FROM YOU SOON AS THE QUOTE IS READY.
>> >
>> > COMPANY NAME: Larry&Son..Co.Ltd
>> > COMPANY ADDRESS: Stortorget 2-4,SE- 831 30 Östersund (Sweden)
>> > COMPANY LOCATION:
>> Sweden
>> > THANK YOU,
>> > LARRY WEDGE
>> >
Friday, January 2, 2009
Tableware industry jumps on the Obama products band wagon
You've probably seen more Obama t-shirts then Che ones over the past year. Now a tableware company is joining the movemnet by offering Obama-Biden inauguration gifts. The gifts, produced by Pickard China, include two plates and a wine coaster.
Please click here to view the Obama collector gifts and plates by Pickard
Note: Pickard China is a Solarek Studio client, and we built their Obama tableware blog.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
If Video Games Have to Abide by MAP, So May Tableware Brands
The ruling by the Supreme Court last year on MAP (or MSRP) has left some scratching their heads about whether they can set minimum prices on home goods and tableware. According to the article below, it appears so.
Excerpt:
But in a controversial decision last year, the Supreme Court opened the door for manufacturers to set minimum prices as a means to enhance a brand's image and for retailers to make enough profit on their merchandise to provide better customer service. The 5-4 ruling reversed a 96-year-old precedent and said cases should now be considered on a case-by-case basis, weighing the impact of pricing policies against free-market principles.
In the wake of the decision, many manufacturers have instituted pricing minimums for advertising or sales.
Please find the full article here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123007559680631543.html
Excerpt:
But in a controversial decision last year, the Supreme Court opened the door for manufacturers to set minimum prices as a means to enhance a brand's image and for retailers to make enough profit on their merchandise to provide better customer service. The 5-4 ruling reversed a 96-year-old precedent and said cases should now be considered on a case-by-case basis, weighing the impact of pricing policies against free-market principles.
In the wake of the decision, many manufacturers have instituted pricing minimums for advertising or sales.
Please find the full article here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123007559680631543.html
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Pizza Hut sells more than $1 billion in pizzas online
The Ad Age excerpt below states that Pizza Hut has sold more $1 billion in pizzas online. All those college kids that buy pizza online will soon move on to to buying other items online, such as home goods. What can we learn from Pizza Hut's tactics?
"Pizza Hut, which recently crossed the $1 billion benchmark in online sales, is launching a Facebook application that allows fans to place orders without leaving their profiles. Although online ordering isn't new -- the chain has offered it in some form since 2001 -- Bob Kraut, VP-marketing communications at Pizza Hut, said the bulk of that $1 billion in sales has come in the past 18 months. The chain is also launching text-ordering capabilities and e-gift cards, which can be purchased, exchanged and redeemed online."
Full article:
http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=132322&search_phrase=pizza%20hut%20facebook
"Pizza Hut, which recently crossed the $1 billion benchmark in online sales, is launching a Facebook application that allows fans to place orders without leaving their profiles. Although online ordering isn't new -- the chain has offered it in some form since 2001 -- Bob Kraut, VP-marketing communications at Pizza Hut, said the bulk of that $1 billion in sales has come in the past 18 months. The chain is also launching text-ordering capabilities and e-gift cards, which can be purchased, exchanged and redeemed online."
Full article:
http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=132322&search_phrase=pizza%20hut%20facebook
Sunday, November 30, 2008
2008 Online Sales to Grow 12% Over 2007
From Advertising Age magazine regarding online sales:
Overall retail sales are projected to grow only 2.2% by the National Retail Federation, making online growth projections of 12% downright cheery.
Deloitte's annual holiday survey also presents several compelling reasons to maintain spending online. The category is ranked by consumers as the No. 2 shopping destination this year behind discount department stores. A full 21% of consumers plan to shop primarily or entirely online this season, up from 19% last year. And 24% of total dollars spent this season are expected to be spent online, compared with 22% last year.
"Retailers should be viewing [online investments] as a way to capture lost sales and prevent them from going to a competitor," said Mr. Silverman. "I'm not going to say the growth in online is all additive -- a lot of it is shift. However, if you haven't been investing in your online store, that shift may not go to you, it may go to a competitor."
Read full article
Overall retail sales are projected to grow only 2.2% by the National Retail Federation, making online growth projections of 12% downright cheery.
Deloitte's annual holiday survey also presents several compelling reasons to maintain spending online. The category is ranked by consumers as the No. 2 shopping destination this year behind discount department stores. A full 21% of consumers plan to shop primarily or entirely online this season, up from 19% last year. And 24% of total dollars spent this season are expected to be spent online, compared with 22% last year.
"Retailers should be viewing [online investments] as a way to capture lost sales and prevent them from going to a competitor," said Mr. Silverman. "I'm not going to say the growth in online is all additive -- a lot of it is shift. However, if you haven't been investing in your online store, that shift may not go to you, it may go to a competitor."
Read full article
Restaurant in New York City Could Stand Under Rihanna's Marketing Umbrella
I designed a line of plates for a New York City restaurant last year, but never launched the line. One of the reasons was that the owner wanted only to cash the royalty checks for having his restaurant on a plate sold in retail stores, but he didn't want to make any instore appearances to promote the line. The article below about Rihanna's umbrella product line sheds light on why the owner's objection spelled doom for the product line. . . If not for Rihanna's in person store appearances, the product would've not gained the momentum it needed to be profitable. I wish the restaurant owner would please take a lesson about product promotion from Rihanna.
Excerpt from Ad Age
Rihanna previewed the new line via an in-store promotion at New York's Macy's Herald Square.
Northlich also organized a meet-and-greet session during Fashion Week 2008. That gave Totes ink in fashion magazines and a mention in celebrity-gossip blog PerezHilton.com. The day after that mention, totes.com shot to more than 24,000 daily hits from its average of 3,000.
Online Shoe Seller Can Help Luxury Home Goods Get Leg Up
The article below about Zappos.com offers ideas to help online stores increase their sales. These strategies include:
- free shipping
- free returns
- a more generous return policy
- free upgrades on shipping
Do these services above cost $ to offer? Yes, however, for a $1 spent, they may give back $5 in sales. That is how Zappos.com sees it. And they do almost $1 billion in sales.
Also, check out their website: http://www.zappos.com/
The design is not sleek; it's down right functional and structured for Google's crawler.
Notice:
- the popular search links at the top. google pays close attention to links at the top of pages.
- the blue underlined links. very simple. everyone knows blue underlined means it's a link.
- navigation on the RIGHT side of the screen. why? most people keep their mouse icon on the right side of the screen, since the scroll bar is there.
You're welcome to post your thoughts.
............................
Excerpt:
The approach is producing results, as customers keep coming back. Mr. Hsieh says some 75% of Zappos' sales come from repeat customers. This year, the number of paying customers has grown to 8.2 million, which, Mr. Hsieh notes, means that 3% of the U.S. population is shopping at Zappos.
Free delivery, free returns and a 365-day return policy have been the cornerstone of Zappos' customer-centric approach. It even quietly upgrades the experience, from four-to-five-day shipping to second-day or next-day shipping, to wow customers. Its customer-service center is staffed 24/7 with 500 employees -- about a third of the company's payroll -- answering 5,000 calls a day.
"Those things are all pretty expensive, but we view that as our marketing dollars," Mr. Hsieh says. "It's just a lot cheaper to get existing customers to buy from you again than it is to try to convince someone [new]."
......................................
ZapposCustomer Service First -- and a Daily Obsession
By Natalie Zmuda
Advertising Age
Published: October 17, 2008
Imagine a retailer with service so good its customers wish it would take over the Internal Revenue Service or start up an airline. It might sound like a marketing fantasy, but this scenario is reality for 9-year-old Zappos.com.
Read full article here
Thursday, November 20, 2008
LCR in Connecticut chooses Solarek to design retail website selling home goods
LCR Collection, which has two stores in Connecticut (Westport and West Hartford), selected us to design, build, and maintain their website. The two images above are the initial design choices. LCR chose the design to the right.. Please visit their website as we continue to update it: www.lcrcollection.com/
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Pickard China, the oldest manufacturer of tableware in the United States, selects the Solarek Studio to design website
Pickard China, the oldest manufacturer of tableware china in the US and the producer of the White House's private tableware, asked Solarek Studio to design its new website.
Above are three images:
- Home page
- Find a Sales representatives map page
- Monogram china page
The site is built to be rich in keywords and well indexed by Google. There is an administration system to let employees easily update content and product photos.
You're invited to view Pickard's site by clicking here.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Cross Promoting Tableware Brands with Food and Beverage Brands
This article below from the New York Post shares that Facebook is looking to promote music to its customer base. Why? Facebook, like MySpace, knows that people that use its service are young and probably listen to and buy a lot of music. Facebook is anticipating a customer desire, and trying to offer one more way to satisfy him or her-and make money in the process.
I wonder if there is some room for the tableware industry to learn from this. It's not rocket science to realize that people are going to cook or server food on the plates bought at 41 Madison or 7 West. But, have you ever seen a food or beverage company (Godiva? Omaha Steaks? Veuve Clicquot?) sponsor an event at one of these buyer meccas? Also, have you we seen a tableware company recently reach out to a food or beverage company and offer to do a cross-promotion? If you know of an example, please let us know by leaving your comment here.
Also, what other cross-promotions could exist?
Thanks, J
.................
FRIENDS OF THE BAND
By BRIAN GARRITY
New York Post
October 17, 2008 --
Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg is plotting a possible push into the digital-music business in the wake of MySpace's launch of MySpace Music last month.
The surging social-networking giant is talking to a number of song-streaming services and music community sites, including Rhapsody.com, iMeem.com, iLike.com, and Lala.com, about an outsourcing deal that would more deeply integrate their music experience into Facebook, sources familiar with the situation said.
Zuckerberg and other Facebook executives also have been busy taking meetings with the major record companies about the strategy.
The company has a checkered past with the recording industry. In August 2007 it was forced to pull the plug on Audio, a popular third-party application that allowed users to upload and stream music, in the face of label complaints of copyright violation. Record execs protested that Facebook was engaging in "massive infringement."
That history may impact current talks, especially as record companies seek leverage for participation in the upside of any new Facebook music offering, sources said.
But a formal Facebook foray into digital music would be decidedly different than MySpace Music, which is a joint venture between the online powerhouse (which, like The Post, is owned by News Corp.) and the world's four biggest record companies - Universal Music Group, Sony BMG, Warner Music Group and EMI.
Unlike MySpace, which traded equity in its music venture in exchange for licenses to stream ad-supported songs, Facebook doesn't want to bog itself down in securing their own licenses to distribute music, or building a proprietary service from scratch, sources said.
Insiders familiar with the talks further cautioned that nothing is imminent, and Facebook may ultimately walk away from the plan altogether.
The company has been toying with the concept off and on for the better part of the year, but Zuckerberg's interest in the concept is believed to have peaked now that MySpace is live with its service.
Facebook declined comment on the situation specifically, but a company spokesman said in a statement that "music sharing plays a part" in the site's mission and that it is "always talking with potential partners."
Facebook already permits a number of digital music services - including Rhapsody, iMeem, iLike, and Lala - to have a presence inside the site, allowing users to download applications to their profiles that can stream music to other users.
Reps for all four companies declined comment.
brian.garrity@nypost.com
I wonder if there is some room for the tableware industry to learn from this. It's not rocket science to realize that people are going to cook or server food on the plates bought at 41 Madison or 7 West. But, have you ever seen a food or beverage company (Godiva? Omaha Steaks? Veuve Clicquot?) sponsor an event at one of these buyer meccas? Also, have you we seen a tableware company recently reach out to a food or beverage company and offer to do a cross-promotion? If you know of an example, please let us know by leaving your comment here.
Also, what other cross-promotions could exist?
Thanks, J
.................
FRIENDS OF THE BAND
By BRIAN GARRITY
New York Post
October 17, 2008 --
Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg is plotting a possible push into the digital-music business in the wake of MySpace's launch of MySpace Music last month.
The surging social-networking giant is talking to a number of song-streaming services and music community sites, including Rhapsody.com, iMeem.com, iLike.com, and Lala.com, about an outsourcing deal that would more deeply integrate their music experience into Facebook, sources familiar with the situation said.
Zuckerberg and other Facebook executives also have been busy taking meetings with the major record companies about the strategy.
The company has a checkered past with the recording industry. In August 2007 it was forced to pull the plug on Audio, a popular third-party application that allowed users to upload and stream music, in the face of label complaints of copyright violation. Record execs protested that Facebook was engaging in "massive infringement."
That history may impact current talks, especially as record companies seek leverage for participation in the upside of any new Facebook music offering, sources said.
But a formal Facebook foray into digital music would be decidedly different than MySpace Music, which is a joint venture between the online powerhouse (which, like The Post, is owned by News Corp.) and the world's four biggest record companies - Universal Music Group, Sony BMG, Warner Music Group and EMI.
Unlike MySpace, which traded equity in its music venture in exchange for licenses to stream ad-supported songs, Facebook doesn't want to bog itself down in securing their own licenses to distribute music, or building a proprietary service from scratch, sources said.
Insiders familiar with the talks further cautioned that nothing is imminent, and Facebook may ultimately walk away from the plan altogether.
The company has been toying with the concept off and on for the better part of the year, but Zuckerberg's interest in the concept is believed to have peaked now that MySpace is live with its service.
Facebook declined comment on the situation specifically, but a company spokesman said in a statement that "music sharing plays a part" in the site's mission and that it is "always talking with potential partners."
Facebook already permits a number of digital music services - including Rhapsody, iMeem, iLike, and Lala - to have a presence inside the site, allowing users to download applications to their profiles that can stream music to other users.
Reps for all four companies declined comment.
brian.garrity@nypost.com
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Manufacturers and retailers seem to be able to set minimum prices (MAP / MSRP)
An article in today's Wall St. Journal sheds light on home goods manufacturers' ability to fight discounting.
Excerpt:
Blocking discounting used to be clearly an anticompetitive practice, but a Supreme Court ruling last year changed things. The court said it wasn't illegal for manufacturers and retailers to agree to minimum prices, but that such agreements must be examined case by case for possible antitrust violations. The case involved a handbag maker, Leegin Creative Leather Enterprises Inc.
Manufacturers have grown more interested in establishing minimum advertised prices since the ruling, which provided "a new safety net for MAP adopters," says Quentin Johnson, a Minneapolis attorney who advises companies on pricing-policy matters.
The full article can be found here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122472033433560649.html?mod=testMod
Excerpt:
Blocking discounting used to be clearly an anticompetitive practice, but a Supreme Court ruling last year changed things. The court said it wasn't illegal for manufacturers and retailers to agree to minimum prices, but that such agreements must be examined case by case for possible antitrust violations. The case involved a handbag maker, Leegin Creative Leather Enterprises Inc.
Manufacturers have grown more interested in establishing minimum advertised prices since the ruling, which provided "a new safety net for MAP adopters," says Quentin Johnson, a Minneapolis attorney who advises companies on pricing-policy matters.
The full article can be found here:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122472033433560649.html?mod=testMod
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Be Wary of E-mails Promising High Search Engine Ranking
A client of mine received the e-mail below. I have not contacted the group listed in this notice, but I will note a few things from my experience:
1) Dan promises to "hand deliver" a high ranking in Google for apparently any search term, but if I Google this guys name and business ("Dan Linx Monster"), there are NO matching results in Google.
For a guy that promises high search ranking, why does he–accoridng to Google–not even exist?
2) People may search for the terms he suggested "[insert location] bridal store", but the more common search term is a brand or product category. Think about it, if you're a bride, you know where you'll register. If you're a customer seeking to buy an item for a bride, you know what she wants and will Google the brand name of the item she wants. You won't Google her home town name and look for a bridal store there. Dan, if you're reading, that is some free advice.
3) Dan goes on to say, "We personally own 10,000+ websites and offer private linking to over a thousand website owners just like yourself. " Oh really, do you know of any company besides a front company that offers such operations? These 10,000 sites are most likely those generic, annoying sites that you hate to land on. You immediately click off them. So, first, Dan's company is filling the Internet with crap sites. Thanks, Dan. But, those sites with their links are seen by Google, and therefore putting your company's name on these sites will maybe boost your site ranking. However, two caveats: do you think that Google is aware of these shitty sites trying to game the system? To quote Sarah Palin, "you betcha!" So, Google may not even pay attention to these 'false' sites, and may even penalize these sites listed on these false sites. Theoretically, your site could be reduced in ranking for joining this racket. Secondly, websites should be spending money to build a better site with more keywords and more information. They should not spend it on the services of these networks since these false sites, if they did help, are only band-aids on the issue. You start throwing money into this and you're never correcting the real issue: your site needs the funds. Then, once you put your money into these false sites, they can pull the rug out from under you at any time. In essence, you are paying them to gobble up traffic for your keywords, and then they can sell their false pages to the next person. What can you do to stop them? Nothing. Invest in what you own: your site.
Thoughts or comments on the above?
-----Original Message-----
From: Dan
To:
Sent: Tue, 7 Oct 2008 11:19 am
Subject: Question regarding your website
I was looking at websites under the keyword "[insert location] bridal store" and came across
your site [insert site name]. I see that you're ranked # 57 in Google.
I'm not sure if you're aware of why you're ranked this low but more
importantly how easily correctable this is.
There's no reason you can't have a top three ranking for this keyword
based on your site structure and content. You have a very nice site.
You need significantly more one way anchor text backlinks. If you're
interested I can help you with this...
I'm talking about getting you ranked for ALL your keywords. Adding new backlinks on a steady and consistent basis from high PR quality websites is what produces the rankings you are looking for
The right kind of links are very critical in getting top ranking....and I can hand deliver these quality links to you
We personally own 10,000+ websites and offer private linking to over a thousand website owners just like yourself.
I didn't send this email out to thousands of people but I am currently reaching out to a list of your 'keyword competitors' as well. But you're my favorite and you're the one I really favor and the one I see can monetize the targeted website traffic this can deliver.
I have a phone # from your website...is it ok if I give you a call?
If so, just hit reply and give me the green light to call or give me a call 800-543-4559
I have a very simple way to prove that what I do works and it's without risk for you to try. Nothing beats seeing the results with your own eyes
I would love to pursue this further over the phone with you or should I go somewhere else?
Sincerely,
Dan
Linx Monster
800-543-4559
P.S - I'm talking about keywords that produce the right kind of traffic...
Traffic that delivers leads, sales and profits. Because getting a ranking that doesn't generate leads and sales is worthless
Is it Ok to give you a call? If so, fire back a reply and we can talk
or give me a call 800-543-4559
1) Dan promises to "hand deliver" a high ranking in Google for apparently any search term, but if I Google this guys name and business ("Dan Linx Monster"), there are NO matching results in Google.
For a guy that promises high search ranking, why does he–accoridng to Google–not even exist?
2) People may search for the terms he suggested "[insert location] bridal store", but the more common search term is a brand or product category. Think about it, if you're a bride, you know where you'll register. If you're a customer seeking to buy an item for a bride, you know what she wants and will Google the brand name of the item she wants. You won't Google her home town name and look for a bridal store there. Dan, if you're reading, that is some free advice.
3) Dan goes on to say, "We personally own 10,000+ websites and offer private linking to over a thousand website owners just like yourself. " Oh really, do you know of any company besides a front company that offers such operations? These 10,000 sites are most likely those generic, annoying sites that you hate to land on. You immediately click off them. So, first, Dan's company is filling the Internet with crap sites. Thanks, Dan. But, those sites with their links are seen by Google, and therefore putting your company's name on these sites will maybe boost your site ranking. However, two caveats: do you think that Google is aware of these shitty sites trying to game the system? To quote Sarah Palin, "you betcha!" So, Google may not even pay attention to these 'false' sites, and may even penalize these sites listed on these false sites. Theoretically, your site could be reduced in ranking for joining this racket. Secondly, websites should be spending money to build a better site with more keywords and more information. They should not spend it on the services of these networks since these false sites, if they did help, are only band-aids on the issue. You start throwing money into this and you're never correcting the real issue: your site needs the funds. Then, once you put your money into these false sites, they can pull the rug out from under you at any time. In essence, you are paying them to gobble up traffic for your keywords, and then they can sell their false pages to the next person. What can you do to stop them? Nothing. Invest in what you own: your site.
Thoughts or comments on the above?
-----Original Message-----
From: Dan
To:
Sent: Tue, 7 Oct 2008 11:19 am
Subject: Question regarding your website
I was looking at websites under the keyword "[insert location] bridal store" and came across
your site [insert site name]. I see that you're ranked # 57 in Google.
I'm not sure if you're aware of why you're ranked this low but more
importantly how easily correctable this is.
There's no reason you can't have a top three ranking for this keyword
based on your site structure and content. You have a very nice site.
You need significantly more one way anchor text backlinks. If you're
interested I can help you with this...
I'm talking about getting you ranked for ALL your keywords. Adding new backlinks on a steady and consistent basis from high PR quality websites is what produces the rankings you are looking for
The right kind of links are very critical in getting top ranking....and I can hand deliver these quality links to you
We personally own 10,000+ websites and offer private linking to over a thousand website owners just like yourself.
I didn't send this email out to thousands of people but I am currently reaching out to a list of your 'keyword competitors' as well. But you're my favorite and you're the one I really favor and the one I see can monetize the targeted website traffic this can deliver.
I have a phone # from your website...is it ok if I give you a call?
If so, just hit reply and give me the green light to call or give me a call 800-543-4559
I have a very simple way to prove that what I do works and it's without risk for you to try. Nothing beats seeing the results with your own eyes
I would love to pursue this further over the phone with you or should I go somewhere else?
Sincerely,
Dan
Linx Monster
800-543-4559
P.S - I'm talking about keywords that produce the right kind of traffic...
Traffic that delivers leads, sales and profits. Because getting a ranking that doesn't generate leads and sales is worthless
Is it Ok to give you a call? If so, fire back a reply and we can talk
or give me a call 800-543-4559
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Free Shipping Offers From Online Merchants Will Increase
A recent article in Advertising Age questions whether free shipping from websites may be less common due to rising fuel costs. I believe free shipping with and without conditions will increase. Free shipping has more to do with getting around MSRP than actual shipping costs. For a retailer to cut out free shipping, theoretically the free shipping would have to account for 50% of an item's price thereby canceling out any profit for the retailer. (I'm assuming that the item in question is marked up 50%, as most retailers do.) Fuel surcharges may be up, but I foresee a 1/3 of online retailers continuing to offer free shipping without conditions and 70%+ to offer it with conditions. In these tough economic times, retailers will choose to cut further into their profit as long as it doesn't completely nix any profit. Why? Most online purchases can be drop shipped, so it's not skin off the retailer's nose to make as little as 10% on an online order (granted, they must deter returns with a restocking fee). From my client base, I can see that retailers offering offer free shipping fare better. This also helps in Google. If you saw two Google results, and one offered free shipping, which would you click?
Furthermore, it's worth noting from the article that "consumers preferred free shipping over coupons, buy-one-get-one-free promotions, free gifts, gift cards or early-bird specials, according to a Shop.org study. In the same study, 35% of consumers said they would spend more online because of free-shipping offers, while 13% said they would spend less because shipping charges were too expensive."
In sum, I think free shipping is here to stay, and will likely continue to grow.
....................
No Such Thing as Free Shipping?
Facing Rising Costs, Online Retailers Likely to Attach Strings to Holiday Promos
By Natalie Zmuda
Published: September 22, 2008
NEW YORK (AdAge.com) -- Retailers counting on online shopping to buoy sales in a tight economy are wrestling with a big problem: free shipping.
Shipping discounts, which have become a mainstay of the holiday season, are being carefully analyzed by retailers as they weigh the benefits against the mounting costs. Transportation costs have skyrocketed in the last year, with diesel prices rising 50% year over year. In response, fuel surcharges applied by UPS and FedEx have more than doubled to 10.5% for ground packages and 34.5% for air packages.
Read full article at AdAge.com - click here
Sunday, September 14, 2008
ROI on Digital Trounces Magazines by 'Factor of 2', also?
This article from Ad Age below says that online advertising delivers twice the return on investment as television. Few tableware companies advertise on television, but many do advertise in magazines and trade publications. My question: does online advertising also beat out magazines? I would imagine so. I can't imagine that a tableware ad in Tableware Today for $500, $1,000, or $1,200 can deliver as much as that amount spent online. So, the question is: does anyone in the tableware industry read Ad Age? If I were the tableware magazine people, I'd hope not. And if they do, I'd be preparing for a change in our my business model.
Kellogg Says ROI on Digital Trounces TV by 'Factor of 2'
Food Giant Plans to Cut Commercial Filming up to 20% in the Next Year
By Emily Bryson York
Published: September 06, 2008
CHICAGO (AdAge.com) -- After taking a long look at where it's getting the best return on its marketing investment, Kellogg Co. has decided to move more money online and spend less on TV.
Kellogg Chief Marketing Officer Mark Baynes said last week that the company's online ROI for the Special K brand has surpassed that of broadcast TV in the past 18 months "by a factor of well over two." Speaking at a Lehman Brothers Back to School Consumer Conference about how Kellogg is trying to boost marketing efficiency, Mr. Baynes said: "Maybe the biggest opportunity over time is driven by what the digital environments afford, and we are working to embrace this aggressively."
$1M for every three films
Among the initiatives he laid out to cut costs was a plan to slash the company's TV-commercial filming 10% to 20% in the next year. Kellogg does 350 to 400 shoots every year, and Mr. Baynes said the company will save about $1 million for every three films he's able to excise.
Full Ad Age article below:
http://adage.com/article?article_id=130795&search_phrase=kellogg
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
