Post-holiday returns are coming. How can retailers turn this into an opportunity?

By Dan Surtees The 2021 holiday shopping season has come and gone. Yet the aftermath is upon us — the inevitable wave of returns. The past two years have seen an historical increase in online shopping. eCommerce sales have risen by 44 percent since 2019 ­ which has resulted in …

READ MORE →

The Connected Omnichannel Experience

An Interview with Martin Kihn, SVP Strategy, Marketing Cloud, Salesforce By Steve Shaw There is a tug-of-war going on in the marketing world these days between two opposing schools of thought. On one side are creatively minded brand marketers, who remain convinced that the only sure way to achieve long-lasting …

READ MORE →

Spectacular Direct Mail: Creating Assets that Wow and Bond with Recipients

By Nate Wells Sometimes a counterintuitive approach to social media, email, and banner ads can yield huge ROI. My company Applied Underwriters, a global risk management company, has made a number of recent acquisitions, challenging our internal brand communications team to amplify, or integrate new brands or subsidiaries under one …

READ MORE →

Direct Mentorship Works Well Too: The case for more and better mentorship

By Alan Middleton Inside marketing divisions and agencies across Canada the impact of the pandemic, aided by improvements in communications and technology, is rapidly accelerating change. Work habits and schedules, as well as organizational hierarchies and procedures are transforming. For anyone in interactive or direct marketing and sales, what’s critical …

READ MORE →

The Next Marketing Analytics Tool — Smart Labels

By Tania Amardeil Today’s shoppers are tech-savvy and informed. They read and write online reviews, search for the best deals online, and have invented the practice of “showrooming” — visiting a store to check out a product in person before buying it online at a lower price. When shopping, they …

READ MORE →