Mindy Grossman has reportedly bagged another big-game celebrity pitchwoman to add to her trophy room in Tampa, Fla. This time, it’s Martha Stewart, who will apparently appear on the network selling Martha Stewart Crafts™, July 19th. The collection will include crafting tools, embellishments, project kits, glitter, and more. Stewart will presumably sell alongside her company’s crafting expert, Alex Perruzzi.
The Homeshoppingista reported the news yesterday, after HSN’s Colleen Lopez wrote excitedly on Facebook about the chance to meet the domestic diva. For the moment, we have to credit Grossman with an unconfirmed “get” since HSN’s announcement does not promise an appearance by Stewart, only the debut of the line. We’ll have to wait and see. Homeshoppingista also questions the timing of the appearance — mid-July — since the products appearing in advance on the HSN website all have a patriotic, Independence Day look to them. HSN Announcement
According to digital strategy firm Acquity Group’s second, annual mobile commerce audit, QVC and ShopNBC are on the Top 10 list of retailers in terms of establishing a mobile web presence. Despite all the talk about m-commerce, the audit found that: only 7% of the top 500 internet retailers offered downloadable mobile apps, only 5% had both mobilized site and an app and only 2% had an e-commerce-enabled app. On the list of 500, purveyors of flowers and gifts seemed to be furthest along in the pursuit of m-commerce.
“Tom Nawara, Acquity’s head of digital strategy and design, said the weakened economy last year had slowed retailers’ expansion into mobile, but that companies were refocusing attention on the emerging sector this year as business conditions have begun to improve. ‘We’re hearing from clients now who are fairly mature in the digital space but haven’t done anything yet in mobile and want to get more involved,’ he said.” Rounding out Accuity Group’s Top 10 list of companies aggressively pursuing a mobile web presence were: Amazon. com, Best Buy, 1-800-Flowers.com, Barnes and Noble, Indigo Books & Music (Kobo Books), Sears, Overstock.com and Target. MediaPost News Jun. 24, 2010
Retail sales in Canada fell two per cent in April, surprising economists, who had been a 0.4 per cent decline, and erasing all the gains from previous, recent months. In the summation of one economist, “There have been recent rumblings that Canada’s previously impressive domestic spending revival was losing steam, and the sharp drop in April retail sales is the loudest warning yet.” The Vancouver Sun Jun. 24, 2010
Mad Money’s carnival-barking, or just barking mad, Jim Cramer suggests that HSN Inc. is a good stock pick, citing “great margins.” (I hope that’s not the kiss of death.) Bensinga.com Jun. 24, 2010
Women are increasingly passing up the cosmetics counters at department stores, shopping for their beauty products on TV and in specialty stores like those operated by Sephora USA Inc. and Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. The new predilection, in fact, is part of the reason why HSN and QVC reported such strong first quarters, and also why department store sales fell 9.3% between May 2007 and May 2010, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. What’s more, these alternative distribution channels for cosmetics are cross-pollinating. The Perricone MD and Philosophy skin care lines initially made their names on QVC, then expanded their distribution into Ulta and Sephora stores, and finally opened up their own retail locations. The Deal Jun. 24, 2010
Indian jewelry manufacturers are experiencing double-digit increases in their diamond jewelry sales, while gold sales remain flat. The ever-increasing price of gold is leading a group of consumers to open their wallets a little more and spring for diamonds, in the way that a family sedan purchaser loading up on options may simply bump up to a luxury model. One sales and marketing executive said that they were going after diamond sales at both ends of the market. “We will be doing a high-value diamond campaign [and] offering designs at lower price points [to] … woo younger people with lower caratage jewellery.” The Times of India Jun. 24, 2010
Actress Anne Hathaway just may be among the shoppers helping the DRTV networks turn in successful first halfs in 2010; at least she has cause to be shopping for jewelry. A U.S. attorney for the Southern District issued a motion May 13 demanding that all personal items, including Rolex watches, bejeweled rings and necklaces, from Hathaway’s ex-boyfriend Raffaello Follieri be permanently surrendered to the United States government, which will sell the items to the highest bidder. In 2008, Follieri was arrested on fraud charges for allegedly swindling investors out of millions of dollars. 48 Hours Mystery Crimesider Jun. 23, 2010
