Expert: Why friendly fraud is costing retailers

Many retailers expect fraudsters to be unknown forces hacking into their computers during off hours. While this type of fraud is, indeed, a big issue for retailers and brands, friendly fraud is growing to be troublesome, as well. >>

Advertising

Report indicates more brands are recession-leary

According to a new Gartner report, more businesses are talking about recession. Gartner's experts analyzed the 2018 earnings transcripts of several S&P 500 companies and they note that more businesses used words like "downturn" and "slowdown" in their reports. >>

Social Marketing

Instagram testing checkout option

A new release from Instagram may change how merchants and brands interact on the social platform. This week, they announced a beta test, using a select group of retailers, for what is called Instagram Checkout. >>

Advertising

Forecast: Ad spend to slow this year

While the global ad spend is expected to reach more than $616 billion this year, the growth rate is slower than last year's. That, according to a new forecast out from WARC. According to their estimates, the global ad spend will increase about 4% in 2019, that is down just over 1% from 2018 spending levels. >>

Ecommerce

Home Improvements top refund spending list

Tax season is upon us in the US, and it looks like most consumers have plans for their tax refund this year. According to new data from Valassis, while most are planning to save their refund, about one-fifth (20%) say they'll spend it. Topping the list of spending plans: home improvements. >>

Ecommerce

Reports: Look for fraud to increase

An update to online payment rules could increase the amounts and kinds of frauds online businesses deal with. Payment Services Directive (PSD2) is set up to better identify consumers, which should be a relief for both digital merchants and shoppers, but new data out from iovation indicates that the implementation of stricter controls in some regions will move fraudsters to regions that are not prepared for additional attacks. >>

Mobile Marketing

Location data key to improved targeting, finds report

Mobile data may be more important than many brands think. New data out from Simpli.fi underlines not only the importance of mobile phones to consumers, but to brands because consumers are spending so much of their time with smartphones in-hand. >>

Advertising

Study: Brands personalizing budget, strategy show higher performance

Personalization has been shown to improve ad performance through clicks, but one new report is tagging revenue increases to personalization. According to Monetate's Personalization Development Study brands engaging in personalization for budget and for strategy are showing higher revenue numbers. >>

Trends & Ideas

Report finds Hispanic business owners planning to expand

Hispanic business owners are more optimistic about their businesses than their counterparts. That is a key takeaway from new Bank of America data which shows that about 79% of Hispanic business owners have plans to increase their business over the next five years. >>

Mobile Marketing

Merchants: How to get more from your mobile experience

As mobile commerce grows into an entity separate from traditional ecommerce, the experience of consumers has begun to separate those merchants performing well and those who are losing ground. Here's how retailers and brands can improve their mobile experience. >>