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. >>

Mobile Marketing

Study: Mobile key to auto buying process

While it should come as no surprise that advertising is helpful for the auto-buying public, it may surprise some to find that mobile is an increasingly relevant way for consumers to find those ads. That, according to new AdColony data; researchers polled American consumers and found that most believe their smartphone is "very important" to have while shopping for a new car. >>

Loyalty Marketing

Study: Loyalty high in banking but could be higher

While the banking industry, as a whole, enjoys high customer loyalty, that loyalty could be grown even higher. That's a key takeaway from new data that indicates only about one-third of US customers have closed accounts after a banking problem. Researchers with the study believe that improving the overall banking experience could improve bankers' already high loyalty numbers. >>

Mobile Marketing

Expert: Why merchants must improve the mcommerce experience

Mobile has become a driving force for many retailers, as the last holiday shopping season has shown, but many continue to struggle with the overall mobile experience. This experience will be key for merchants moving forward, which makes now the time for retailers and brands to focus in on the mobile experience. >>

Advertising

Study finds more traffic fraudulent

Fraudulent traffic has been a problem for more than a decade, but one new report indicates the problem may be even larger than most brands think. According to new data out from CHEQ up to 77% of US traffic is fraudulent; not only that, but this traffic is coming from sophisticated sources which can make it hard to detect. >>