Luring Shoppers Offline

Interesting piece in the New York Times about big retailers transforming their stores into extensions of their online operations.  They are adding return centers, pickup locations, and free shipping outlets.  Here are some excerpts: Fiona Dias, the chief strategy officer at ShopRunner, which coordinates shipping for retailers, called the trend “really an offensive strategy against…

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Workers say they’re more productive away from office

Todd Bishop wrote an interesting piece for the Puget Sound Business Journal about worker productivity: “Many people consider themselves more productive when they’re working away from the office, according to a study of workers at a variety of companies across the country, commissioned by Microsoft. But the study also found that not as many companies…

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Inspirational Thought

“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who…

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Dear Retailer…

Can an etailer be “too attentive”? Joe Queenan wrote  funny piece saying that yes, they can! In a recent essay for the Wall Street Journal, titled Dear Retailer:  I Bought It, Now Go Away, he provides a number of examples of attention overload in the digital era: …”Think back to the days before email. If…

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Can Pinterest Help Your Career?

Interesting perspective from Laura Vanderkam, for CBS Money Watch: click here. She quotes Brie Reynolds, content and social media manager for the job search site FlexJobs, who feels that the visual element of Pinterest can provide an edge for job seekers. Not sure I agree. Though traditional resumes are not necessarily visually enticing and “fun”,…

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How to Increase Social Influence Scores on Klout

Interesting piece written by Lisa Buyer in today’s edition of Search Engine Watch: click here.  If you don’t have time to read the whole piece, here is a synopsis: Klout measures social media users’ “influence” in the online world.  They are one of a handful of companies offering personal and brand analytics on the topic…

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Unexpectedly warm customer service from JetBlue

  I am surprised and impressed. My son will be entering the freshman class at Tulane University in the fall, and I wanted to arrange for him, myself, and my ex-husband to fly down to New Orleans this fall.  I wasn’t certain how to book 3 flights to New Orleans, with only 2 return flights…

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