So what are some of those things that can cause conflict between a dealer network and the CE manufacturer? ...you both want to drive traffic to your website. A marketing director for a manufacturer of high performance car audio equipment, shared with me his frustration that he needs to raise awareness for products outside of their own core competency. After 45 years in … [Read more...]
What is Hindering Your Product’s Success in Retail Outlets?
I asked many of my LinkedIn connections in the CE industry what is hurting the success of consumer technology products at retail outlets. I received several insights and I thought they are worth sharing to a larger audience. High Costs, Low Margins, Counterfeit Products, and Amazon are Major Obstacles at Retail Outlets An EVP of Sales & Marketing and Operations at a … [Read more...]
The Independent Dealer Can Prosper in the Age of Amazon
There is a place for independent dealers (regional and local) in the consumer technology world. Some chains have failed or are trying to restructure such as HHGregg and Radio Shack. Best Buy is making a comeback and doing battle with Amazon and Walmart. Can the independent dealer claim their place in the evolving retail world? I think they can and in fact, they may be able to … [Read more...]
Unboxing the Litter Robot: I’m Ready for the Robocalypse
Unboxing the Litter Robot was written by Stephanie Han, Senior Art Director at JDA, Inc. I encourage all of our employees to document their unboxing experience with any consumer technology products. Our day job is to make each experience have a positive reflection on the brand so it is important for us to research this at every opportunity. I first saw the Litter Robot at … [Read more...]
4 Pain Points for Consumer Technology Marketers: Brick-and-Mortar
Having worked on the agency and client side, I can identify several pain points that are universal for many marketers of consumer technology products today. In this blog I will explore a few of these issues as they relate to selling product at a brick-and-mortar store. Pain Point 1: Store sales reps don't know my product's features and benefits. I often go to my clients … [Read more...]
Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality and the Future of Retail
If you haven’t lived in the woods for the past couple of years you know that these days Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are all the rage in Silicon Valley. The potential implications of these two technologies can’t be overstated as they might transform many facets of modern society from how we browse the web to how we will work in the future. For the purpose of this art … [Read more...]
The Biggest SEO Trends for 2017: A Mid-Year Review
Guest Blog about SEO Rankings This blog was written by Sequoia Technologies' Online Marketing Manager, Kayla Naab. She manages a remote team that provides on-page SEO, off-page SEO and linkbuilding, PR and media relations, blogging, and social media to small businesses all over the country. If you don't have in-depth knowledge of SEO best practices, this is a great place to … [Read more...]
The Status of QR Codes Today
What has happened to QR codes? The Microsoft Tag alternative to QR codes shut down in 2015 and was never to be seen again. I have to admit, when I first heard about QR codes I was so excited. Finally, the digital and print world merged to give an interactive experience. Here are some of the ways I thought QR codes could be used for our consumer technology clients at retail, as … [Read more...]
Superior Package Design Sets a Commodity Product Apart
How has the commoditization of the consumer technology market influenced the package design? This blog explores two different scenarios: packaging as a silent salesman and packaging as an extention of the brand. Initially, here are the reasons we know that commoditization has taken place in the consumer technology market: The length of the product cycles has gotten much … [Read more...]
What Can Retail Technology Marketers Learn From Tide?
Every Shopping Experience Provides Valuable Insights for Retail Technology Marketers I was at Target the other day to pick up some laundry detergent. As a technology retail marketer I use all shopping experiences to gain more insight and this trip was no exception. I knew exactly what I needed: HE (high efficiency) formula pods and was also picking up some Non-HE pods for … [Read more...]