eCommerce

A June 2010 survey conducted by Harris Interactive for social marketing platform Buddy Media found that more than 90% considered it at least somewhat challenging to reach audiences in local markets with a unified brand message.

The most popular tactics used to market to local audiences were websites with local content (69%), print ads (62%) and event promotion (59%). Less than half of respondents used social media fan pages for this purpose, and less than one in three used paid social media advertising. Websites with local content were considered the most effective tactic, named by 30% of brand marketers, compared with just 10% who thought fan pages were best.

The top obstacle to using social media to reach local markets was a familiar one: measuring success. But other, more mundane concerns also caused trouble. Brand marketers said it was difficult to manage information, engage users, identify influencers and keep fresh local and regional content available.

Marketers do believe the global potential is there for social media, with nearly three-quarters saying the channel would be a good way to reach existing and potential customers in local marketers-but they must learn to leverage it first.

(emarketer.com, August 2010)

The operator of the dot-travel internet domain plans to drop the existing requirement that owners of dot-travel internet addresses have a functioning website relating to travel.  The move is effective September 20^th, 2010 and is one is one of several changes for the internet domain recently adopted by registry operator Tralliance.

The existing policy requires companies that register a dot-travel address to use the domain name "for a website displaying travel content relevant to the domain name, or in such other manner (such as email) that the Registry may approve after review."

That language will be stricken and replaced with a new policy, yet to be disclosed, that will offer "incentives" for the use of dot-travel names.

On the same date, the company will add a 22nd category of travel company to the list of those eligible for dot-travel addresses. The new category is "creators and providers of travel and tourism products, services and content."   Existing categories include airlines, cruise lines, hotels, restaurants, government tourist offices, travel agents, tour operators, research organizations and "suppliers of goods or services" to eligible industry participants.

(Travelweekly.com, August 2010)

Two-thirds of female mobile internet users surveyed said they would be interested in getting coupons on their mobile device, according to a study from mobile campaign services provider miBuys.

Female mobile internet users worldwide who would be interested in receiving coupons via their mobile phone, 2010 (% of respondents):
- Yes: 67.89%
- No: 21.49%
- Not sure: 10.63%

When Honeywell surveyed US internet users in December 2009, 71% said they would not participate in any mobile couponing activities, including receiving, storing or sharing coupons in the mobile channel.

By contrast, respondents to the miBuys survey, who were already visitors to mobile shopping and promotions channels, seemed eager for the convenience of mobile. Only one-third said they were already regular coupon users, though 46% more did use coupons sometimes.

Mobile coupons that are most interesting to female mobile internet users worldwide, 2010 (% of respondents):
- Retail: 53.49%
- Concerts/events: 21.37%
- Dining: 16.23%
- Cinema: 7.31%
- Theatre: 1.60%

(eMarketer, May 2010)

In 2008, Germany posted the highest proportion of online buyers in Europe, with 73%, but TNS found that France was above the average, with 58% of respondents buying goods or services online.

Online buyers in selected countries, 2008 (% of respondents):
- Germany: 73%
- UK: 66%
- Japan: 64%
- South Korea: 63%
- Denmark: 59%
- France: 58%
- China: 56%
- Sweden: 55%
- Norway: 54%
- US: 54%
- Australia: 52%
- Netherlands: 51%
- Finland: 42%
- Italy: 42%
- Spain: 39%
- Canada: 38%
TOTAL: 57%

(eMarketer, February 2009)

For the first time since the introduction of the .travel top-level domain, premium .travel names will be made available for sale at auction. The keyword-centric premium domains include City.travel, Europe.travel, Fly.travel, Free.travel, Information.travel, Kids.travel, Money.travel, Luggage.travel, Pictures.travel, TripPlanner.travel, and HotDeals.travel.

The names were auctioned on January 29, 2009. The domain name market has established the premium value of short, generic domain names in a variety of top-level domains. Since .travel was launched in 2005, every major travel brand worldwide has adopted .travel names, and destination travel providers, including Argentina, Egypt, Utah, Cancun, and Sri Lanka, are marketing themselves exclusively through their .travel names. (For Immediate Release, January 2009)