New this Year-Shop.org TV Interview
with Craig Danuloff, President, Commerce360
with Craig Danuloff, President, Commerce360
At this year's Shop.org Annual Summit, Scott Silverman, Executive Director, in his Welcoming Introduction of Keynote Speaker Kelly Mooney, President, Resource Interactive, said that 6 years ago 200 people attended the Annual Summit compared with 2,000 this year, September 17, 2007. This is 10 times the number of people increasing by 1000%. In the video above Craig Danuloff, President, Commerce-360 states that search is critical today and technology has changed dramatically. New thinking and new tools must be used today. The purpose of the Shop.org Annual Summit is to bring together the new tools provided in the industry showcasing technology in an educational environment with the experts in their field such as Commerce-360 and Resource Interactive with e-commerce.
I took an early morning Sun Country flight from Minneapolis to Las Vegas. At the airport my Dad's cousin Charolette Richards, who has resided in Las Vegas for more than 50 years, was waiting for me at the Baggage Claim area. Well known for her 'World Famous Little White Chapel' she is instrumental in the developing lucrative wedding industry in Las Vegas. She is an intuitive marketing visionary. Greeting me with her sunny smile and warm hug, I had arrived on Sunday, a day early, looking forward to church with Charolette, relaxing in the sun and shopping before the Shop.org Annual Summit.
After getting my bags we went to her beautiful home. I met her son Ronald and we caught-up on family business. On our way to church, we picked-up her chauffeur Curt. We headed to Starbucks talked about the changing wedding industry and went to the Word of Life Christian Center where the church service was very spirited. Charolette introduced me to Pastor David Shearin who is the founding pastor celebrating 25 years of ministry in North Las Vegas. He was interested in hearing about Pastor Paul's Mission Free Food Distribution. We also talked about the plight of the homeless in the desert heat and the bitter cold. After dropping Curt home we went to lunch.
Lunch at the Cafe Belagio was superb as we enjoyed the enchanting botanical gardens and conservatory. Afterwards we visited the adjacent shops Via Fiore, Essentials and then to the Cafe Gelato for dessert while watching the ceiling to floor chocolate fountain. We said our good-byes. The Mandalay Bay Resort where the Annual Summit was held was full, so I reserved my room at the Luxor. It turned out to be a great 2nd choice because I could take the tram to Mandalay Bay in minutes. I thought the idea of staying in a pyramid was very cool too. It turned out that I was able to navigate the hotel in record time daily visiting the Starbucks, Backstage Deli, Sundries Shop and incredible pool area.
The next day I relaxed by the pool and read 'Punk Marketing' by Richard Laermer and Mark Simmons. By the time I was finished, I was ready to get up off it and 'Join the Revolution' but first I needed to get my conference materials and go to Expo Hall Grand Opening Kickoff Reception at Mandalay Bay. It was unbelievable with 66 speakers including David Weinberger and 139 Exhibitors. I walked through the Expo Hall just checking out the exhibitors.
I stopped by the 'FiftyOne by E4X' because they hired a magician who called me over to participate in his act. He was trying to gather a group. I probably looked like just the participant he needed to dupe the group. 'Who me?', I asked. Yes I would answer three questions that would decide whether or not four others would get $50 dollars each or not. (the pressure was on). I looked at the others apologetic before we started as if to say, 'Don't get your hopes up girls.' We were playing something like the hand is quicker than the eye and how many sponge balls do I have in my hand? As long as he didn't try to hypnotize me we would be alright. If you saw the 'Hypnotist Act' in Woody Allen's 'Broadway Danny Rose' you can appreciate this word of caution.
He asked me the first question; it was correct, the second question was correct, which surprised all of us including 'Larry the Magician' and the girls looked hopeful. The third question he asked, 'How many foam balls do I have in my hand?' I said, fiftyone (the name of the software). He said, 'FIFTYONE', how could I possibly have that many balls in my hand? I looked him in the eye and said, 'You are right, it must be one.' When he opened his hand lots of foam balls rolled over the counter. I asked him, 'How many are there?' He said, 'Too many to count.' Next, I went to Fashion Show Mall to Macy's to buy black Jones New York clothes. That $50 would have been nice.
The following day in the morning I listened to the opening Keynote Speaker Kelly Mooney. She talked about the intersection of eCommerce and social media she referred to as 'The Open Brand.' This intersection is where the consumers are involved with the brands they love by interacting with them. She presented '5 (R's) Reason's to Open Your Brand'; 1)Revenue 2)ROI (Return On Investment) 3) R&D (Research & Development) 4) Relevance 5) Relationships. 1-Revenue will grow faster by gaining access to larger audiences 2-Media costs are reduced by spending dollars more effectively 3- Consumer ideas help to develop products 4-Participating consumers keep pace with the digital age 5- Consumers are your best allies.
She introduced the iCitizens who combines commerce, culture, community causing a massive shift in power. The iCitizen millennials are a distinct group with these attributes; perpetually connected online, productive multitasking, filter for immediacy and control, expressive and assimilative, optimistic and self-entitled. Once interested they turn to the social network, people they trust. They share their experience either good or bad.
She described the Open Brand and its levels; Conducting is frictionless, efficient and functional. i.e. faster page refreshes and alternate forms of payment. Connecting is aligning emotional relevance and sampling storytelling. Sharing are exchanges between the brand and consumer creating the community. This includes worthy content, consumer generated content, reviews polls, and clubs with exclusive privileges. 'Owning' the brand by the consumers because they feel they have power to influence it. Kelly Mooney's presentation about the intersection of social media and eCommerce was persuasive.
Next up was Keynote Speaker Donna Hoffman, Chancellor's Chair and Co-Director, Sloan Center for Internet Retailing. Sitting next to me was Liz Polk Lynch, Site Experience Lead QuickBooks.com, Intuit, we listened intently while she described the research the Center does that includes; Consumer Generated Media, Virtual Worlds, Search Marketing, Online Consumer Experience, Pricing, Trust and Competition in the Online Marketplaces, and the Online Purchase Process. The research helps eCommerce businesses understand emerging trends. Retailers can improve and stay ahead of the emerging trends leveraging in advance opportunities for growth.
Donna confirmed that Social Networks are about the 'Evolution of Customer Experience.' Just as the web has developed the future of eCommerce has gone from, Web 1.0-Web 2.0-Web 3.0. She stated that her research found consumers passionate about brands and 'Co-Creations' generate consumer insights. She called consumers 'Brand Ambassadors'. Social Networks optimize brands and this is measurable. There are endless frontiers with all of the Social Network applications like; Digg, Technorati, flickr, myspace, facebook, and Linkedin to name a few.
So full of ideas and completely inspired, I needed to see what was happening in EXPO Hall where I could enjoy lunch and take a break. The food is always excellent and the networking valuable. The products and services covered by the hundreds of exhibitors for the Shop.org Annual Summit is comprehensive. Here is a listing of them categorically; Affiliate Marketing, Content Management, Customer Service, Delivery Services, eCommerce Systems, Email Marketing, Fulfillment Services, Order Management, Payments Processing, Performance Monitoring, Research Studies/Books, Researchers/Consultants, Returns Processing, Search Engine Marketing, Supply Chain Solutions, Web Analytics, Web Design/Hosting.
These are some of the exhibitor's I talked to; Mike Harnish-commission junction, Andrew Keenan-Baynote, Michelle Kim-PriceGrabber.com, Christopher Robin-cheetahmail, Udayan Bose-NetElixir, Clark Harmon-popularmedia, Navisha Shibchurn-Shopping.com, Matt Riccio-pronto, Jeff Watts-Bazaarvoice, Otis Kimzey-Cleverset, Bill Kern & Brian Young-Virid, Joseph Smith-E4X, Michael Salata-RichFX, shippingPAL, Liveperson, iPerceptions, MyBuys, Google, Yahoo, and PowerReviews.
In the afternoon I attended two Roundtable Discussions. The first was facilitated by Pinny Gniwisch, Founder and EVP Marketing, Ice.com, titled, 'Generating Positive ROI Through Blogs and YouTube'. A lively discussion that was relevant to Pastor Paul's Blog that just started in May 2007. We hope to post videos on YouTube. I heard many insights on the effectiveness of these New Media channels and how other retailers use them. The second Round Table Discussion was facilitated by Jeremy Hanks, Co-Founder and CEO of Doba.com, titled, 'Product Sourcing Strategies to Support Merchandising'. Pastor Paul's Club uses Doba's product sourcing, so it was great to meet Jeremy! His blog, adventures in entrepreneurship is very informative. During our discussion I met Angela Hsu, Vice President Internet Marketing, LampsPlus.com. We talked about Pastor Paul's Club and her lighting products. Combining the two, we liked the tagline, 'Let Your Light Shine.' We looked forward to talking more at dinner.
Later that night at the Dinner at TAO, I also met Ben Vixcon, Online Merchandising Manager, REI, Recreational Equipment, Inc and his team. We were joined by a retired business executive from Montreal. I did not get his name. I think he said he was with the Rotary Club. We had a very interesting conversation about how they distribute food to their community's poor during the holidays. It was a huge effort very similar to our historic Holiday Giveaways.
On Wednesday the final day of the Annual Summit, I decided to go to the Advocacy & Policy Breakfast Meeting at 7:45am in the Expert Arena of Expo Hall. At the meeting was an opportunity to learn about the new policy efforts made by the Policy Advisory Group comprised of Online Retail Executives to identify potential issues for online retailers and provide guidance in advocacy efforts (Provided by the Program Guide Addendum Event Updates). A small discussion by Steve Pfister, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, National Retail Federation, Liz, the Policy Attorney, Scott Silverman, Executive Director, Shop.org, others and myself. I listened as they discussed their efforts to address; Spam, Retail Associated Spyware, Online Privacy, Data Security-State Laws Breached, Consumer Groups, Credit Cards, Retailers Education, Bankers Association, Merchant Payment Coalition, Interchange Fees, Banks, Gift Cards, and Dormancy Fees.
I was particularly interested in Gift Cards because last year I watched a televised Minnesota Senate committee hearing about Gift Cards. In March 2007 the committee members were hearing testimony about unused or expired gift cards. The Senate Bill SF69 and House Companion Bill HF0512 regulates gift certificates and gift cards and makes it illegal for anyone to sell a gift certificate that has an expiration date or a service fee of any kind. It was approved and filed by Governor Pawlenty on May 21, 2007 and became law. I was interested in how other state laws were dealing with this issue and how online retailers would be affected.
After the meeting I had a conversation with Scott Silverman about eCommerce growth and opportunity.Listen Here
Next Ken Eisner, VP Marketing and Sales, Shop.org, who is always a source of encouragement introducing like minded members to network and share ideas. He updated us about the ongoing mission of Shop.org and introduced this morning's Keynote Speaker Sucharita Mulpuru, Senior Analyst, Forrester Research. She gave an excellent detailed presentation that started by comparing the incredible growth of Las Vegas and amazing growth of eCommerce. Las Vegas has 93% hotel occupancy vs National Average of 63%. The visitors are 81% returning while Las Vegas ranks 4th in the US gaming revenue. As of 2006 eCommerce has grown into a 220 billion dollar industry expecting to climb.
While this is good she said that online retailers still have not nailed down the basics compared to Las Vegas repeat business for example. She gave us 5 Truths about eCommerce; 1) Online shopping is still not easy a) Sites are not always available b) Key information is often missing c) Package delivery is a sore spot d) Retailers are not asking customers, 'How are we doing?' surveys 2) Online marketing is inefficient a) Paid search is biased using branded terms b) Suddenly the value is questionable c) The lack of a standard definition of ROI does not help and leads to differences d) Retailers focus on customer acquisition while most online shoppers are not new e) Customers often shop online at competitive sites 3) We watch customers instead of listening to them, a) Retailers are more likely to take heed from the competition 4) Online retailers are not managing assortments well a) Online is not what it should/could be b) Tools to provide more relevance are under leveraged 5) Retailers still have not truly embraced multiple channels a) This creates some tension. She asked, 'What are the Solutions?'
Sucharita Mulpuru, Senior Analyst,of Forrester Research gave these possible solutions; 1) incorporate standards on product pages, site availability and deliver ability 2) Think more broadly about interactive marketing 3) Heed the voice of the customer 4) Use RSS as a retention vehicle (since 69% do not use it) 5) Think about what is relevant to the customer 6) Rethink the independence of the web channel. Finally, she said cannibalization is a reality between online and non-line sales but likewise so are cross-channel sales.
Speaking of RSS and cross-channel sales, later in the afternoon I attended a Shop.org eCommerce Clinic Session where you can interact with experts in a small interactive 'clinic' setting. I chose 'Moving To Mobile Commerce: 10 Tips To Ensure Success' The panel included leaders who had first-hand knowledge of what it takes to launch a commerce site on the Mobile Web. They discussed the rapid evolution of Mobile Commerce and how to integrate eCommerce and mCommerce, as well as, the challenges to be aware of when marketing. I was very interested in this form of commerce as a cross-channel for Pastor Paul's Club.
The statistics of the wireless subscribers market globally of 2.7 billion is staggering with 95 million in Japan and 236 million in the US. The mobile web users globally was 1.8 billion with 52 million in Japan compared to 35 million US. The mCommerce users was 1.6 billion globally with 27 million in Japan compared to 7 million US. The mCommerce revenue was $63 billion globally with Japan already at $10 billion compared to $480 million US. The average transaction size in Japan was $50 and $130 in the US. These statistics were discussed by the panel regarding the mCommerce reality about how momentum is growing. The research was as of 2007 and provided by Juniper Research.
New this year were the Shop.org TV interviews as seen at the top of the page with Craig Danuloff, President, Commerce360. They were produced and sponsored by SilverDock an online video production company. As I walked by their staging area, I was asked to do an interview. I had quite a time talking about Pastor Paul's Mission's efforts to raise revenues with our eCommerce Pastor Paul's Club. Video as seen by YouTube is definitely an important tool and will be used by Pastor Paul's Club in one way or another. Finally, I stated that a highlight for me was next on the agenda.
I was looking forward to hearing Keynote Speaker David Weinberger. And I soon found out after hearing him give a very energetic presentation, he is very inspiring. I found this presentation below that is similar, however, it is not the same as seeing him give his presentation in person. What happened during lunch was even more exciting than watching his presentation...It was a 'Close Encounter Of The Same Kind.'
Finishing lunch, I am ready to leave, then David Weinberger walks by my table. His lunch in his hand he sat in the seat behind me at a near empty table. Sitting back to back with David Weinberger, after enjoying his entertaining presentation, I could not leave. I had to at least acknowledge him. The only thing I knew about him was that he was a great inspiration to Mitch Joel and was named on his Six Pixels of Separation Podcast and had written some books. I had only glanced at his bio that was in the program. Before he had a chance to take a bite of his lunch, instead of standing up I turned my chair a little sideways and turned around in my chair. I told him I really enjoyed his presentation. He turned a little sideways and thanked me. We awkwardly turned our chairs from back to back to side by side talking about his presentation, his slides and audience reception. He was so nice. I was completely interrupting his lunch. He did not seem to mind. H e listened and intermittently took a bite of food here and there. I introduced myself and gave him my card. Right away he read it. Then he gave me his card. I put it in my bag without looking at it.
We continued, or I should say, I continued and continued and continued, to talk while he listened. I told him about Pastor Paul's Club becoming a member of Shop.org. He asked what products we had and using my best pitch I said, 'a little of this and a little of that'. It was at this point when I looked in his eyes and I could see we were alike in one way. At this time I confessed to him, as if to a high priest, (he listened so intently) 'I do not even like shopping.' He did not say a word. I knew he was not a shopper either. There you go, two birds of one feather. At this point we turned more like a 3/4 turn facing each other-true bonding.
I remember thinking his lunch is getting cold. But, I kept on and on and on. I told him that I was the 'Hostess with the Mostest' of the Tongues of Fire-Pastor Paul's Podcast. I asked if he had a podcast. He said no. He was quiet and tried to eat his lunch.
Then I remembered, I still had the M-Audio MicroTrack Recorder in my bag from this morning when I recorded a conversation with Scott Silverman. I also remembered that I was so new at using it that I could not remember how to turn it on. Only after 2-3 awkward minutes I finally remembered. I had to do it. I asked him if he would like to do a recorded conversation. He asked if the podcast was a religious podcast. I had to think about it for a moment and answered yes. The word 'religious' confused me. He said he had to decline. In a way I was a little relieved because I knew I had to re-read the user manual on the M-Audio. I didn't want him to feel bad. I told him I completely understood. I started to describe the podcast.
The way he presented was very similar to the way Pastor Paul presented his messages which are on the recorded podcasts. Then I began to name them one by one; 1) Both tell you they are about to finish and then keep going (however David warns you about this at the beginning of his presentation whereas Pastor Paul warns you that he has had 4 hour messages with no potty break) 2) Both are energetic and never boring (no need to worry about your eyes glazing over-Hallelujah) 3) Both can talk extremely loud (scream if you should get distracted) 4) Both use humor to make a point fun. I am sure I could find other similarities if I saw them side by side.
I told him I wanted to start another podcast where I could interview people who were passionate about something. I was going to call it, 'Hearts of Fire' jeaninecheri Podcast. He liked the idea. I liked him.
About This Video taken from AtGoogleTalks
Author David Weinberger discusses his book 'Everything Is Miscellaneous' as part of the Authors@Google series. David Weinberger is the co-author of the international bestseller 'The Cluetrain Manifesto' and the author of 'Small Pieces Loosely Joined'.
I took an early morning Sun Country flight from Minneapolis to Las Vegas. At the airport my Dad's cousin Charolette Richards, who has resided in Las Vegas for more than 50 years, was waiting for me at the Baggage Claim area. Well known for her 'World Famous Little White Chapel' she is instrumental in the developing lucrative wedding industry in Las Vegas. She is an intuitive marketing visionary. Greeting me with her sunny smile and warm hug, I had arrived on Sunday, a day early, looking forward to church with Charolette, relaxing in the sun and shopping before the Shop.org Annual Summit.
After getting my bags we went to her beautiful home. I met her son Ronald and we caught-up on family business. On our way to church, we picked-up her chauffeur Curt. We headed to Starbucks talked about the changing wedding industry and went to the Word of Life Christian Center where the church service was very spirited. Charolette introduced me to Pastor David Shearin who is the founding pastor celebrating 25 years of ministry in North Las Vegas. He was interested in hearing about Pastor Paul's Mission Free Food Distribution. We also talked about the plight of the homeless in the desert heat and the bitter cold. After dropping Curt home we went to lunch.
Lunch at the Cafe Belagio was superb as we enjoyed the enchanting botanical gardens and conservatory. Afterwards we visited the adjacent shops Via Fiore, Essentials and then to the Cafe Gelato for dessert while watching the ceiling to floor chocolate fountain. We said our good-byes. The Mandalay Bay Resort where the Annual Summit was held was full, so I reserved my room at the Luxor. It turned out to be a great 2nd choice because I could take the tram to Mandalay Bay in minutes. I thought the idea of staying in a pyramid was very cool too. It turned out that I was able to navigate the hotel in record time daily visiting the Starbucks, Backstage Deli, Sundries Shop and incredible pool area.
The next day I relaxed by the pool and read 'Punk Marketing' by Richard Laermer and Mark Simmons. By the time I was finished, I was ready to get up off it and 'Join the Revolution' but first I needed to get my conference materials and go to Expo Hall Grand Opening Kickoff Reception at Mandalay Bay. It was unbelievable with 66 speakers including David Weinberger and 139 Exhibitors. I walked through the Expo Hall just checking out the exhibitors.
I stopped by the 'FiftyOne by E4X' because they hired a magician who called me over to participate in his act. He was trying to gather a group. I probably looked like just the participant he needed to dupe the group. 'Who me?', I asked. Yes I would answer three questions that would decide whether or not four others would get $50 dollars each or not. (the pressure was on). I looked at the others apologetic before we started as if to say, 'Don't get your hopes up girls.' We were playing something like the hand is quicker than the eye and how many sponge balls do I have in my hand? As long as he didn't try to hypnotize me we would be alright. If you saw the 'Hypnotist Act' in Woody Allen's 'Broadway Danny Rose' you can appreciate this word of caution.
He asked me the first question; it was correct, the second question was correct, which surprised all of us including 'Larry the Magician' and the girls looked hopeful. The third question he asked, 'How many foam balls do I have in my hand?' I said, fiftyone (the name of the software). He said, 'FIFTYONE', how could I possibly have that many balls in my hand? I looked him in the eye and said, 'You are right, it must be one.' When he opened his hand lots of foam balls rolled over the counter. I asked him, 'How many are there?' He said, 'Too many to count.' Next, I went to Fashion Show Mall to Macy's to buy black Jones New York clothes. That $50 would have been nice.
The following day in the morning I listened to the opening Keynote Speaker Kelly Mooney. She talked about the intersection of eCommerce and social media she referred to as 'The Open Brand.' This intersection is where the consumers are involved with the brands they love by interacting with them. She presented '5 (R's) Reason's to Open Your Brand'; 1)Revenue 2)ROI (Return On Investment) 3) R&D (Research & Development) 4) Relevance 5) Relationships. 1-Revenue will grow faster by gaining access to larger audiences 2-Media costs are reduced by spending dollars more effectively 3- Consumer ideas help to develop products 4-Participating consumers keep pace with the digital age 5- Consumers are your best allies.
She introduced the iCitizens who combines commerce, culture, community causing a massive shift in power. The iCitizen millennials are a distinct group with these attributes; perpetually connected online, productive multitasking, filter for immediacy and control, expressive and assimilative, optimistic and self-entitled. Once interested they turn to the social network, people they trust. They share their experience either good or bad.
She described the Open Brand and its levels; Conducting is frictionless, efficient and functional. i.e. faster page refreshes and alternate forms of payment. Connecting is aligning emotional relevance and sampling storytelling. Sharing are exchanges between the brand and consumer creating the community. This includes worthy content, consumer generated content, reviews polls, and clubs with exclusive privileges. 'Owning' the brand by the consumers because they feel they have power to influence it. Kelly Mooney's presentation about the intersection of social media and eCommerce was persuasive.
Next up was Keynote Speaker Donna Hoffman, Chancellor's Chair and Co-Director, Sloan Center for Internet Retailing. Sitting next to me was Liz Polk Lynch, Site Experience Lead QuickBooks.com, Intuit, we listened intently while she described the research the Center does that includes; Consumer Generated Media, Virtual Worlds, Search Marketing, Online Consumer Experience, Pricing, Trust and Competition in the Online Marketplaces, and the Online Purchase Process. The research helps eCommerce businesses understand emerging trends. Retailers can improve and stay ahead of the emerging trends leveraging in advance opportunities for growth.
Donna confirmed that Social Networks are about the 'Evolution of Customer Experience.' Just as the web has developed the future of eCommerce has gone from, Web 1.0-Web 2.0-Web 3.0. She stated that her research found consumers passionate about brands and 'Co-Creations' generate consumer insights. She called consumers 'Brand Ambassadors'. Social Networks optimize brands and this is measurable. There are endless frontiers with all of the Social Network applications like; Digg, Technorati, flickr, myspace, facebook, and Linkedin to name a few.
So full of ideas and completely inspired, I needed to see what was happening in EXPO Hall where I could enjoy lunch and take a break. The food is always excellent and the networking valuable. The products and services covered by the hundreds of exhibitors for the Shop.org Annual Summit is comprehensive. Here is a listing of them categorically; Affiliate Marketing, Content Management, Customer Service, Delivery Services, eCommerce Systems, Email Marketing, Fulfillment Services, Order Management, Payments Processing, Performance Monitoring, Research Studies/Books, Researchers/Consultants, Returns Processing, Search Engine Marketing, Supply Chain Solutions, Web Analytics, Web Design/Hosting.
These are some of the exhibitor's I talked to; Mike Harnish-commission junction, Andrew Keenan-Baynote, Michelle Kim-PriceGrabber.com, Christopher Robin-cheetahmail, Udayan Bose-NetElixir, Clark Harmon-popularmedia, Navisha Shibchurn-Shopping.com, Matt Riccio-pronto, Jeff Watts-Bazaarvoice, Otis Kimzey-Cleverset, Bill Kern & Brian Young-Virid, Joseph Smith-E4X, Michael Salata-RichFX, shippingPAL, Liveperson, iPerceptions, MyBuys, Google, Yahoo, and PowerReviews.
In the afternoon I attended two Roundtable Discussions. The first was facilitated by Pinny Gniwisch, Founder and EVP Marketing, Ice.com, titled, 'Generating Positive ROI Through Blogs and YouTube'. A lively discussion that was relevant to Pastor Paul's Blog that just started in May 2007. We hope to post videos on YouTube. I heard many insights on the effectiveness of these New Media channels and how other retailers use them. The second Round Table Discussion was facilitated by Jeremy Hanks, Co-Founder and CEO of Doba.com, titled, 'Product Sourcing Strategies to Support Merchandising'. Pastor Paul's Club uses Doba's product sourcing, so it was great to meet Jeremy! His blog, adventures in entrepreneurship is very informative. During our discussion I met Angela Hsu, Vice President Internet Marketing, LampsPlus.com. We talked about Pastor Paul's Club and her lighting products. Combining the two, we liked the tagline, 'Let Your Light Shine.' We looked forward to talking more at dinner.
Later that night at the Dinner at TAO, I also met Ben Vixcon, Online Merchandising Manager, REI, Recreational Equipment, Inc and his team. We were joined by a retired business executive from Montreal. I did not get his name. I think he said he was with the Rotary Club. We had a very interesting conversation about how they distribute food to their community's poor during the holidays. It was a huge effort very similar to our historic Holiday Giveaways.
On Wednesday the final day of the Annual Summit, I decided to go to the Advocacy & Policy Breakfast Meeting at 7:45am in the Expert Arena of Expo Hall. At the meeting was an opportunity to learn about the new policy efforts made by the Policy Advisory Group comprised of Online Retail Executives to identify potential issues for online retailers and provide guidance in advocacy efforts (Provided by the Program Guide Addendum Event Updates). A small discussion by Steve Pfister, Senior Vice President, Government Relations, National Retail Federation, Liz, the Policy Attorney, Scott Silverman, Executive Director, Shop.org, others and myself. I listened as they discussed their efforts to address; Spam, Retail Associated Spyware, Online Privacy, Data Security-State Laws Breached, Consumer Groups, Credit Cards, Retailers Education, Bankers Association, Merchant Payment Coalition, Interchange Fees, Banks, Gift Cards, and Dormancy Fees.
I was particularly interested in Gift Cards because last year I watched a televised Minnesota Senate committee hearing about Gift Cards. In March 2007 the committee members were hearing testimony about unused or expired gift cards. The Senate Bill SF69 and House Companion Bill HF0512 regulates gift certificates and gift cards and makes it illegal for anyone to sell a gift certificate that has an expiration date or a service fee of any kind. It was approved and filed by Governor Pawlenty on May 21, 2007 and became law. I was interested in how other state laws were dealing with this issue and how online retailers would be affected.
After the meeting I had a conversation with Scott Silverman about eCommerce growth and opportunity.Listen Here
Next Ken Eisner, VP Marketing and Sales, Shop.org, who is always a source of encouragement introducing like minded members to network and share ideas. He updated us about the ongoing mission of Shop.org and introduced this morning's Keynote Speaker Sucharita Mulpuru, Senior Analyst, Forrester Research. She gave an excellent detailed presentation that started by comparing the incredible growth of Las Vegas and amazing growth of eCommerce. Las Vegas has 93% hotel occupancy vs National Average of 63%. The visitors are 81% returning while Las Vegas ranks 4th in the US gaming revenue. As of 2006 eCommerce has grown into a 220 billion dollar industry expecting to climb.
While this is good she said that online retailers still have not nailed down the basics compared to Las Vegas repeat business for example. She gave us 5 Truths about eCommerce; 1) Online shopping is still not easy a) Sites are not always available b) Key information is often missing c) Package delivery is a sore spot d) Retailers are not asking customers, 'How are we doing?' surveys 2) Online marketing is inefficient a) Paid search is biased using branded terms b) Suddenly the value is questionable c) The lack of a standard definition of ROI does not help and leads to differences d) Retailers focus on customer acquisition while most online shoppers are not new e) Customers often shop online at competitive sites 3) We watch customers instead of listening to them, a) Retailers are more likely to take heed from the competition 4) Online retailers are not managing assortments well a) Online is not what it should/could be b) Tools to provide more relevance are under leveraged 5) Retailers still have not truly embraced multiple channels a) This creates some tension. She asked, 'What are the Solutions?'
Sucharita Mulpuru, Senior Analyst,of Forrester Research gave these possible solutions; 1) incorporate standards on product pages, site availability and deliver ability 2) Think more broadly about interactive marketing 3) Heed the voice of the customer 4) Use RSS as a retention vehicle (since 69% do not use it) 5) Think about what is relevant to the customer 6) Rethink the independence of the web channel. Finally, she said cannibalization is a reality between online and non-line sales but likewise so are cross-channel sales.
Speaking of RSS and cross-channel sales, later in the afternoon I attended a Shop.org eCommerce Clinic Session where you can interact with experts in a small interactive 'clinic' setting. I chose 'Moving To Mobile Commerce: 10 Tips To Ensure Success' The panel included leaders who had first-hand knowledge of what it takes to launch a commerce site on the Mobile Web. They discussed the rapid evolution of Mobile Commerce and how to integrate eCommerce and mCommerce, as well as, the challenges to be aware of when marketing. I was very interested in this form of commerce as a cross-channel for Pastor Paul's Club.
The statistics of the wireless subscribers market globally of 2.7 billion is staggering with 95 million in Japan and 236 million in the US. The mobile web users globally was 1.8 billion with 52 million in Japan compared to 35 million US. The mCommerce users was 1.6 billion globally with 27 million in Japan compared to 7 million US. The mCommerce revenue was $63 billion globally with Japan already at $10 billion compared to $480 million US. The average transaction size in Japan was $50 and $130 in the US. These statistics were discussed by the panel regarding the mCommerce reality about how momentum is growing. The research was as of 2007 and provided by Juniper Research.
New this year were the Shop.org TV interviews as seen at the top of the page with Craig Danuloff, President, Commerce360. They were produced and sponsored by SilverDock an online video production company. As I walked by their staging area, I was asked to do an interview. I had quite a time talking about Pastor Paul's Mission's efforts to raise revenues with our eCommerce Pastor Paul's Club. Video as seen by YouTube is definitely an important tool and will be used by Pastor Paul's Club in one way or another. Finally, I stated that a highlight for me was next on the agenda.
I was looking forward to hearing Keynote Speaker David Weinberger. And I soon found out after hearing him give a very energetic presentation, he is very inspiring. I found this presentation below that is similar, however, it is not the same as seeing him give his presentation in person. What happened during lunch was even more exciting than watching his presentation...It was a 'Close Encounter Of The Same Kind.'
Finishing lunch, I am ready to leave, then David Weinberger walks by my table. His lunch in his hand he sat in the seat behind me at a near empty table. Sitting back to back with David Weinberger, after enjoying his entertaining presentation, I could not leave. I had to at least acknowledge him. The only thing I knew about him was that he was a great inspiration to Mitch Joel and was named on his Six Pixels of Separation Podcast and had written some books. I had only glanced at his bio that was in the program. Before he had a chance to take a bite of his lunch, instead of standing up I turned my chair a little sideways and turned around in my chair. I told him I really enjoyed his presentation. He turned a little sideways and thanked me. We awkwardly turned our chairs from back to back to side by side talking about his presentation, his slides and audience reception. He was so nice. I was completely interrupting his lunch. He did not seem to mind. H e listened and intermittently took a bite of food here and there. I introduced myself and gave him my card. Right away he read it. Then he gave me his card. I put it in my bag without looking at it.
We continued, or I should say, I continued and continued and continued, to talk while he listened. I told him about Pastor Paul's Club becoming a member of Shop.org. He asked what products we had and using my best pitch I said, 'a little of this and a little of that'. It was at this point when I looked in his eyes and I could see we were alike in one way. At this time I confessed to him, as if to a high priest, (he listened so intently) 'I do not even like shopping.' He did not say a word. I knew he was not a shopper either. There you go, two birds of one feather. At this point we turned more like a 3/4 turn facing each other-true bonding.
I remember thinking his lunch is getting cold. But, I kept on and on and on. I told him that I was the 'Hostess with the Mostest' of the Tongues of Fire-Pastor Paul's Podcast. I asked if he had a podcast. He said no. He was quiet and tried to eat his lunch.
Then I remembered, I still had the M-Audio MicroTrack Recorder in my bag from this morning when I recorded a conversation with Scott Silverman. I also remembered that I was so new at using it that I could not remember how to turn it on. Only after 2-3 awkward minutes I finally remembered. I had to do it. I asked him if he would like to do a recorded conversation. He asked if the podcast was a religious podcast. I had to think about it for a moment and answered yes. The word 'religious' confused me. He said he had to decline. In a way I was a little relieved because I knew I had to re-read the user manual on the M-Audio. I didn't want him to feel bad. I told him I completely understood. I started to describe the podcast.
The way he presented was very similar to the way Pastor Paul presented his messages which are on the recorded podcasts. Then I began to name them one by one; 1) Both tell you they are about to finish and then keep going (however David warns you about this at the beginning of his presentation whereas Pastor Paul warns you that he has had 4 hour messages with no potty break) 2) Both are energetic and never boring (no need to worry about your eyes glazing over-Hallelujah) 3) Both can talk extremely loud (scream if you should get distracted) 4) Both use humor to make a point fun. I am sure I could find other similarities if I saw them side by side.
I told him I wanted to start another podcast where I could interview people who were passionate about something. I was going to call it, 'Hearts of Fire' jeaninecheri Podcast. He liked the idea. I liked him.
About This Video taken from AtGoogleTalks
Author David Weinberger discusses his book 'Everything Is Miscellaneous' as part of the Authors@Google series. David Weinberger is the co-author of the international bestseller 'The Cluetrain Manifesto' and the author of 'Small Pieces Loosely Joined'.
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