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Tablet Vs. PC

During the 4^th quarter of 2012, PCs saw their first major decline in sales.  In fact, sales dropped by nearly 5% and nearly 12 million units annually.  While tablet sales are growing, tablets alone are not the main reason PC sales are on the decline. Several new research studies are out that point out that tablet devices may not be the main PC cannibal.

● Three-quarters of iPad buyers were not choosing between a tablet and a PC

● Under 15% of iPad owners abandoned their PCs for a tablet

● Just over three in 10 current PC owners said they would trade their PC for a tablet

● Among 18-34 year olds, nearly 40% would make the switch as would a third of 35 to 44 year olds

● Tablet sales are projected to increase by 64%

What Does This Mean To You?

Yes, tablets are affecting PC sales, especially with younger consumers. But the same thing that is mainly plaguing the PC market could also hurt your business – the lack of innovation.
While there may be changes in the features of PCs, their value proposition hasn’t really advanced.
On the other hand, tablets have redefined computing.  While they may not offer the enterprise or development functions that a PC does, the value of having an always on device available to them wherever they are has made them more valuable.
When was the last time your business looked at its value proposition?
When was the last time you talked to your loyal customers about why they do business with you?
Your company’s brand is extremely valuable and the time invested into making sure it still connects with consumers is an investment in your future. For more information on keeping your brand and ans products top of mind and valuable to consumers, please contact your Sun Sentinel representative or:
Julie Otto
Research Manager
954.425.1158
jotto@sunsentinel.com

Source: NPD; eMarketer; Verizon

What’s Your Go-To Device?

Technology has made our lives easier in so many ways. But, it’s also made it confusing at the same time.  Today, we’ve got a vast array of devices and platforms to get the news from.  New research has been released that shows what devices go-to first when looking for news and information.

• Nearly half of all consumers said that the TV was their go to device

• Just under 20% replied laptop and 15% said desktop computer

• 8% of those surveyed said their smart phone was the device they relied on most for news & information and 4% said tablet

• Women were more likely than men to have the TV as their go-to device

• Among 18 to 34 year olds, 30% responded they relied most on their TV, but 28% responded laptop

• Nearly one in four 18 to 34 year olds also said that mobile devices (smart phones & tablets) were their first option for news and information

What Does This Mean To You?

The ways we find news and information, especially breaking news, are constantly evolving.
Think about how you find out Michael Jackson passed away?
Now think about the way you heard that Pope Benedict resigned this morning?
Mobile is becoming the conduit from which people are getting their news and information.
It’s not just the mobile web; it’s also social media and email moving to mobile first.
Your business needs to be fully optimized for mobile.  Not just your web presence, but your social sites as well.  For more information on utilizing mobile to get results, please contact your Sun Sentinel representative or:
Julie Otto
Advertising Marketing Manager
954.425.1158
jotto@sunsentinel.com
www.sunsentinel.com/mediakit

Source: eMarketer; Belkin

Ecommerce Hits Milestone

Digital commerce, fueled by growth in mobile purchasing, hit a huge milestone last year.  In 2012, B2C ecommerce spending totaled on $1 trillion globally.  New research has come available that shows it’s not even close to slowing down.

● From 2011 to 2012, global ecommerce grew 21% to reach $1.2 trillion

● By 2016, ecommerce is projected to hit $1.5 trillion worldwide

● In North America, digital spending grew 14% to nearly $365 billion.  Next year it is expected to expand to over $400 billion

● The number of digital buyers in the US is expected to grow from 150 million last year to 175 million in 2016

● China is expected to see the greatest growth.  Ecommerce is projected 65% from 2012 to 2013 and the number of digital customers will rise by nearly 25%

What Does This Mean To You?

What does your ecommerce strategy look like?
Digital purchasing, mcommerce in particular, is rapidly changing and growing. Having a strategy is important, but making sure it’s scalable is equally important.  Things like mobile point of sale will have a dramatic affect on how your business operates.  The international adoption of digital purchasing may open new markets for your business as well.  While we can’t predict the changes that may occur, being nimble and being able to quickly pivot is something that could give your company a competitive advantage in the future. For more information on how to capitalize on ecommerce growth,  please contact your Sun Sentinel representative or:
Julie Otto
Research Manager
954.425.1158
jotto@sunsentinel.com

Source: Emarketer

More Mobile Shoppers

Last week, we had a post that showed the growth of mcommerce dollars and how tablets looked be the go-to mobile shopping device.  Today, we’ll look into how the number of mobile shoppers is expected to rise and its affect on overall ecommerce.

• This year, the number of consumers engaging in mobile commerce is projected to reach 118 million people

• That makes up over 60% of everyone who shops digitally

• In 2016, the number of mobile shoppers will likely hit nearly 175 million consumers.  That’s a jump of nearly 50% in just 3 years

• Mobile consumers will make up 85% of total digital shoppers by 2016

• The number of mobile buyers will also increase. In 2012, 55% of mobile shoppers made a purchase.  By 2014, it is expected that almost 70% of mobile shoppers will buy something on their device.

• The average purchase made on a mobile device is anticipated to jump 54% from 2012 to 2016

What Does This Mean To You?

This one of the clearest examples of why your business needs to invest and stay invested in mobile. More consumers, making more purchases, spending more money.
If your business is not fully engaged in mobile, you are probably losing out on sales and helping your mobilized competition be more successful.
Mobile makes finding your business, researching your products and buying your merchandise quicker and easier.  The more convenient you make doing businesses with you, the more likely you are to be successful.  For more information on how you can grow your business with mobile, please contact your Sun Sentinel representative or:
Julie Otto
Advertising Marketing Manager
954.425.1158
jotto@sunsentinel.com
www.sunsentinel.com/mediakit

Source: eMarketer

Consumers And Mobile Banking Apps

Recently, we’ve published posts on how popular mobile banking and consumer behaviors that will probably come from it. We’ve said many times that the reason why consumers are so dependent on their mobile device is convenience. The same could be said for mobile banking apps. While it may be fun to work “banker’s hours”, those hours don’t make physically visiting financial institutions convenient at all. Online banking and now mobile banking have made banking easier. New research is out that gives information on the percentage of mobile banking and what mobile banking customers are looking for.

• In a recent survey, 44% of consumers had downloaded a banking app

• Among those who have downloaded a mobile banking app, 55% say they use the app more now than when they first downloaded it

• Two-thirds of mobile banking customers expect to receive notifications immediately when their balance is low or are in an insufficient funds situation

• Seven in 10 want to receive communications to help them avoid financial trouble

• Among 18 to 24 year olds, Three-quarters of them expect notifications

• Less than half of mobile banking consumers said they receive balance updates, One-third were notified when their balance was low and three in 10 receive messages when a bill is due

• 13% of users want to get notifications through their app (push notifications), over 20% said they wanted to get notices via SMS text and nearly half wanted to get the information through email

 What Does This Mean To You?
There are a couple of big take-aways from this research. First being that mobile banking may be the first step towards mobile point of sale payment. While mobile payment through sites like Pay Pal have been around for years, there is mounting evidence that making payments directly through your mobile device is on the way. Whether it’s through scanning or NFC, mobile point of sale can make checking out very easy.
The other take-away is that consumers are open to receiving direct notifications from merchants, if they find the content valuable. SMS and email can be key components to a loyalty program and can help you create sales from existing customers. For more information on how mobile technology can help your business better engage prospective customers, please contact your Sun Sentinel representative or:
Julie Otto
Advertising Marketing Manager
954.425.1158
jotto@sunsentinel.com
http://www.sunsentinel.com/mediakit
Source: Mobile Commerce Daily; Wakefield Research

Luxury Shoppers Expect Mobile Optimized Experiences

There was a time not too long ago when luxury shoppers lagged behind the
general population in mcommerce adoption.  There were a variety of
reasons for this, affluent consumers tended to fall into older age
brackets and those consumers were in the early stages of mobile
adoption. Also, affluent shoppers liked the personal service and
attention from shopping in store.  New research suggests that luxury
shoppers now expect retailers to be mobile-ly optimized and are active
mcommerce participants.

• Over half of affluent shoppers expect the brands they shop to have a mobile site and 49% anticipate them to have a mobile app

• Over 40% think these brands should have mobile purchasing functionality and over one-third expect the mobile site to offer the same assortment of products & services as the retailer’s desktop site

•  Over a quarter of luxury shoppers own a tablet compared to roughly 16% of US web users

• Nearly 60% of digital luxury shoppers have made a mobile purchase compared to 12% of total smart phone owners

• The median age of a digital luxury shopper in the US is 37%, which is much younger than the median age of a mainstream digital shopper.  Their median age is 44

What Does This Mean To You?

If your business targets upper-end consumers, mobile is a must have.  Not having a mobile site could eliminate half of your potential target shoppers.  Not having a mcommerce option could purge 40% of them from your customer base.  This buying segment values service as well as convenience.  Things like mobile chat and mobile product videos are things that will enhance their experience and build loyalty to your business.  The fact that these shoppers are more inclined to be tablet owners also gives you more options to improve their shopping experience.  Large screen sizes and enhanced features can help you better show off everything you have to offer.  For more information on how your business can engage the luxury mobile consumer

please contact your Sun Sentinel representative or:
Julie Otto
Advertising Marketing Manager
954.425.1158
jotto@sunsentinel.com
http://www.sunsentinel.com/mediakit

Source: Mobile Commerce Daily; Forrester

Super Social Activity

There is still a lot of conversation about the Super Bowl, most of it centering on how big a part social media played. Social entities were proved how big a promotional tool it could be for advertisers and real-time connection point between fans. The amount of social activity that place is simply astounding; here are just some of the numbers.

• Half of all Super Bowl commercials featured a hash tag

• Total social activity during this year’s Super Bowl came it at 52.5 million interactions – that’s three times higher than last year

• The biggest social spike during the game did not happen during blackout – it happened at half time. The spike happened at 8:23, there were over 350,000 social interactions during that minute

• 88% of all social activity during the game came from mobile devices and 56% of social participants were men

• Super Bowl advertisers, on average, see a 20% increase to their sites on Super Bowl Sunday and the traffic remains above normal for a week

What Does This Mean To You?
In yesterday’s post, we looked at the impact social media can have on the awareness of your brand and how you can take advantage of everyday opportunities. Ignoring social media would be a huge mistake. You may not the budget that Coke, Audi or Budweiser has but your business needs to create awareness and reinforce value just like they. By actively promoting your business through social media and leveraging a good social reputation, you can develop more loyal customers. But just having a social presence is not enough, you need to engage and interact with people on social media – hence the social part. Give them reasons to return to your social sites, incentivize them to share your message, utilize your social presences as customer service tools. Companies that succeed aren’t just lucky, they prepare to take advantage of opportunities and have a sound media strategy. For more information on how to make your business more social, please contact your Sun Sentinel representative or:
Julie Otto
Advertising Marketing Manager
954.425.1158
jotto@sunsentinel.com
http://www.sunsentinel.com/mediakit
Source: Trendrr; Mahable; Kantar

Social Media’s Impact on Brand Awareness

While the Big Game maybe over, its impact will be felt for a long time
to come.  Joe Flacco might have been the MVP, but the big winners of the
night were really Audi, the Budweiser Clydesdales and the
SuperBowlLights twitter feed (You can probably add Stevie Nicks as well –
you know that Landslide is going to be racking up the downloads from
kids just discovering it).  Audi’s “Prom” & Budweiser’s “Clydesdale”
spots scored big with fans and caused a ton of social media buzz. The
blackout gave social media a huge lift and extended the campaigns of
many advertisers.  Both Oreo and Tide had great social campaigns up
within minutes and the @SuperBowlLights account had over 12,000
followers inside of 10 minutes. Many companies found that social media
can be an useful tool in generating attention during the big game, now
new research is out that shows how effective social media can in
creating awareness in general.

•  44% of use consumers think that social media keeps them in the know about brands & products

• Women are 20% more likely than men to learn about products through social media

• Nearly two-thirds of adults under 35 feel social media keeps them informed about brands and products

• The affect of social media is felt more by those who are in higher income brackets – 46% say social media keeps them in the know about brands

• Social media can also help with B2B messaging.  Businesses owners and senior executive decision makers are much more likely to be influenced by social media

What Does This Mean To You?

Yes, it’s much easier to create a social buzz when it’s backed up by a $4 million commercial and an audience of over 111 million people.  But social media can help nearly every business connect with potential customers and create awareness.  It comes down to taking advantage of opportunities.
The Super Bowl blackout is a great example.  Everyone from electricians and contractors to anyone who sells batteries and light bulbs could have taken advantage of the unique situation.   Start by promoting your social media entities in your existing messaging.  Encourage people to “like” you on Facebook, follow you on Twitter and join your circle on Google+.  The Big Game only happens once a year, but there are things that happen every day that you can use to increase your awareness through social media.  For more information on how to create a social buzz, please contact your Sun Sentinel representative or:
Julie Otto
Advertising Marketing Manager
954.425.1158
jotto@sunsentinel.com
www.sunsentinel.com/mediakit

Source: Ipsos; Huffington Post; The Nielsen Company; Mashable

The Mobile Future

Last week, we published a post on the huge growth of mobile shopping year over year.  Mobile allows you put your message in the palms of prospective consumer’s hands on devices they have with them most of the time. New research has come out that looks into the future growth of mcommerce and the devices consumers will be using.

• In 2013, it’s estimated that over $38 billion in mcommerce will take place. Over 60% is projected to take place on tablets

• By 2016, mcommerce is anticipated to reach over $86 billion.

• Over the next few years, tablets are expected to be the main conduit for mobile shopping.  By 2016, $7 out of every $10 in mobile spending will come from a tablet

From now to 2016, mobile sales via tablet are predicted to grow by over 150%.  Mcommerce from smart phones are likely to grow by over 80%

What Does This Mean To You?

Mobile is constantly evolving and that means more ways for you to influence prospective customers & more ways for consumers to find your business and buy things from you.  It also means there are more ways for your competition to take business away from you.  It’s important for you not to think of your marketing plans and mobile tactics as set in stone.  Be ready to pivot as new technology becomes available and consumer’s use of mobile technology changes. Things like mobile payment adoption, more uses for near field communication and increased acceptance of augmented reality can increase convenience for mobile users  and increased engagement with your business.  For more information on how to stay ahead of the mobile curve, please contact your Sun Sentinel representative or:
Julie Otto
Advertising Marketing Manager
954.425.1158
jotto@sunsentinel.com
www.sunsentinel.com/mediakit

Source: eMarketer