Marketing to Women the E-tailer Way

Maria Reitan
Senior Principal
5/22/2013
 

I had the pleasure of switching seats this week, thanks to e-commerce expert Shawna Seigel, host of Webmasterradio.fm's Ecom Experts radio show. Normally I am the one asking the questions as host of PurseStrings, found each Tuesday at 3pm EST on the same network. But this time, Shawna was firing the questions. The topic: e-commerce and women (podcast). In prepping for this show, I learned so much about who is driving online sales, what they're seeking and how to capture their loyalty. And even if you aren't an e-tailer, the information should still be interesting and hopefully valuable.

First, we already know that women drive 86% of all household spending. But she's also elevating online shopping by double digits each year. And not all women are created equal. Moms are the ones hitting the checkout button the most. According to a BabyCenter.com study of 1,500 U.S. Moms, moms account for 32% of total online spending in just the past quarter. And keep in mind they make up only 18% of the total U.S. Web population. The Marketing to Moms Coalition's annual State of the American Mom study further segments the mom population. Their Q4, 2012 study breaks down moms into five categories: Primary Earner Moms, Equal Earner Moms, Secondary Earner Moms, Non Earner Moms, and Single Working Moms. Interestingly enough, Single Working Moms and Non Earner Moms spend the most time online shopping. And considering that single women head of household is the fastest growing demographic in the country, you should expect the trend of online shopping to only increase.

Minnesota Spice

Emily Buchanan
Senior Principal and Chair, Social Engagement and Brand Marketing
5/10/2013
 

After 10 years living and working in New York City, last year I relocated back to the Twin Cities and discovered that something wonderful had happened while I was gone: Minnesota got itself some swagger!

Almost as much as our “Minnesota nice” culture, the state’s residents are known for being “Minnesota modest.” Arrogance doesn’t fit with our Norwegian roots; flashiness is impossible when there’s a foot of snow beneath your stilettos.

The Baby Derby: Pick a Horse

Emily Buchanan
Senior Principal and Chair, Social Engagement and Brand Marketing
5/6/2013
 

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg is taking a lot of heat from the recent comments she made on 60 Minutes about the role of husbands vs. wives in a two-career household.

For one, she thinks that women should be doing more at work and making their husbands do more of the childcare and housework at home. And with that, women should also take more responsibility for their career success.

Voices From The Road: Checking In With Trends & Taste Buds at Expo West

Lindsey Rose
Deputy Chair, Food & Beverage Practice
3/20/2013
 

It’s inspiring when work and pleasure go hand-in-hand. This is the balance I struck during my two-day excursion to the comfortable climate of Anaheim, where I nibbled and sipped my way through the Natural Products Expo West trade show. The organic and natural delicacies offered the right amount of education for a food-lover-on-the-go to soak up. Here’s my share of STOMACH from the show:

SALTED caramel gelato ice cream sandwiches from Ciao Bella are among the best new frozen inventions your sweet tooth will meet this year. The perfect combination of sweet and salty in a cool, creamy treat.

TRYING new foods with an open mind is key at this event. However, there are pitfalls to that open mind – such as the faux chicken salad that looked so pretty sandwiched between two pieces of bread, but had me running for the nearest garbage after one bite. Props to food stylists and booth helpers who make disgusting foods look so good you’ll be tempted to try them.