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‘QVC Meets MTV’ Now RIP — Publicis Shutters Honeyshed

February 4th, 2009 | Comments Off | Posted in Internet retail, e-commerce (web)

Publicis Groupe has pulled the plug on Honeyshed, the hipster-and-youth-oriented shopping website it ran in partnership with Droga5 and production company  Smuggler.  I have viewed exactly one, two-and-a-half-minute segment of Honeyshed programming, apparently selling a tampon case and featuring two, leggy models wearing the kind of ridiculous clothing that one can only expect will be removed for the camera.  It wasn’t, and so Honeyshed (by at least this viewer’s reckoning) violated the retail maxim about living up to consumer expectations.  Honeyshed CEO Steve Greifer said that there was nothing wrong with the concept — a mix of entertainment, commerce and social networking.  It was the timing that did them in.  Since the website will go dark this week or next, one can only hope that spokesmodels Rachelle and Samantha won’t let their MySpace pages disappear along with it.  Adweek Feb. 2, 2009

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Do Live TV and Web Sales Compete or Complement Each Other?

December 3rd, 2008 | Comments Off | Posted in DRTV Retailer, e-commerce (web)

National Jeweler tackles the question that the DRTV networks have wrestled with for almost a decade now, and in the process reveals the growing share of internet sales among the DRTV networks.  Online sales as a percentage of total sales has increased at all four networks in recent years:

At QVC, from 16% to 20% between 2005 and 2007

At SHopNBC, from 21% to 28% during the same period

At HSN, from 31% to 33% between 2006 and 2007

At JTV, from 15% to 18% during the same period

JTV marketing executive Randy Saddler thinks the big question isn’t between live TV and the web, but rather whether “at-home” shopping as an integrated marketing approach — including on-air sales, e-commerce, catalogs and other direct marketing strategies) can win out against brick-and-mortar retailers.  National Jeweler Dec. 1, 2008

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Cyber Monday Sales Expected to Rise — But Not by Much

December 3rd, 2008 | Comments Off | Posted in e-commerce (web)

According to a survey of 100 retailer chief marketing officers by accountancy BDO Seidman LLP, online sales for Cyber Monday are expected to increase by 2.4% over last year — with consumers responding to steep discounts and free shipping offers.  As the WSJ chart shows, the rate of growth in online sales has slowed dramatically over the past year.  The Wall Street Journal Dec. 1, 2008  Paid subscription may be required.

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