Some interesting retail ideas and trends from around the web:
Hispanic buying power
Thirty major consumer, sports and services brands such as Subway, Clorox, H&R Block and the NBA have joined the Latinum Network. These companies pool their database information and cross reference Hispanic buying preferences, patterns, and demographics. The idea is to develop a deeper understanding of the Latino consumer and to discover new marketing, product and service ideas that go beyond simply translating the message into Spanish.
…this year’s census is in the books, it’s expected to show that the Latino population in the United States has topped 50 million. That’s a market worth as much as a trillion dollars. Businesses, obviously, want a piece of it.
Check out “Network helps brands reach Hispanics” at Markteplace
Social Shopping
Another great short piece from the crew at Marketplace takes a look at social shopping sites where consumers share what they are buying. Two examples, Blippy and Swipley, use credit data, volunteered by consumers to publicly track their spending. Why, you may ask, would anyone want to publish a list of everything they buy? For now, perhaps just bragging rights, but soon the more you share the more you may get as companies scan your purchase and compete.
Shouldn’t shoppers be concerned about their privacy?
Yes, says Antony Lee. He’s CEO of start-up WeShop.com, an online shopping network. Lee says consumers should be concerned — that if they give away their privacy, they’re getting something in return.
Antony Lee CEO of start up WeShop.com: I think the privacy debate is actually the wrong way around. The privacy debate shouldn’t be about what is being taken. It should be about the value of what’s being taken and who’s entitled to that value.
Lee says WeShop will let consumers trade directly with retailers — data for deals.
Check out “Social–shopping sites high in data value” at Marketplace
Location Based Services
Have you checked in on FourSquare lately? You say you haven’t played Foursquare since grade school? You need to catch up with the modern world and start using your cell phone as God intended… as a tool to check in when visiting your favorite stores, bars, restaurants, etc. The latest addition to the location craze is Be There. Urban retailers here is your chance to capture that street traffic that keeps walking by. BeThere members enable their smartphones to accept deals directly from you when they are in your neighborhood. One hour to closing and you still have ten dozen cupcakes to sell? Use Be There’s instant ad generator to broadcast your buy one get one free offer. Cool idea but it requires quite a bit of momentum on both the buying and selling side. Only available in San Francisco for now but check it out at Be There.com. Free during the beta but eventually offering a pay for performance model that retailers will appreciate.
Germ Killing Uniforms
Vestex has developed a line scrubs for medical professionals that forms a barrier against bacteria and actually kills bacteria that comes into contact with the fabric. Designed for doctors and nurses but perhaps a good idea for employees (fewer sick days!) and maybe everyone will want this fabric in their garments.
Vestagen was winning converts. Wilma Schmidt says her experience in Haiti made her a believer. “I was working in 95 to 100 degree temperatures and I would be soaked with sweat, but the uniform — inside and out — dried very quickly,” she says. “I felt protected and cool. It was amazing.”
The CNN article is here.
