consumers
Mobile Wars! Apple vs. Google vs. everybody else
The struggle for mobile dominance has entered a new phase, and will probably last for some time. Now that cell phones can talk to each other and handle the same websites and e-mail systems, winning means making products that function more effectively and appealingly. While others competed on price, Apple focused on making its products reliable and easy to use, and Google’s Android ecosystem is growing at a blistering pace. The best hope for the mobile also-rans is that Apple and Google get greedy. Full article.
Retail buyback woes
Retailers are getting into the buyback business. Bigger chains now offer the chance to sell your cell phone, laptop, tablet and or television to them at a set rate, in exchange for a fee. While this may sound like a good deal, experts say the buyback opportunities may not work out in the customer's best interest. Full article.
A Digital Marketing To-Do List
As consumers continue to increase their time online via digital devices, businesses need to revisit the ways they communicate and interact with them. Ideas to consider include investing in digital marketing, reconfiguring your particular message so that it is service-oriented rather than intrusion-oriented and increasing your company’s use of creativity to make visits to your site enjoyable rather than tedious. Full article.
The Unlikely Story of Apple's iPad, One Year In
Jan. 27 was the day Steve Jobs referred to Apple’s new iPade as “magical and revolutionary.” Now, a year later, Apple’s sold nearly 8 million iPads to consumers.What's next for them? Full article.
GM to offer OnStar for other vehicles
The OnStar safety system will soon be available to people who own cars and trucks made by other auto companies. To get the service, though, consumers will have to buy a special OnStar rearview mirror and pay a monthly fee. The system will be sold at Best Buy and other retailers. Full article.
Holiday sweets for those who tweet
Indulgent and affordable, chocolate is a popular gift during tough economic times. Two-thirds of U.S. adults buy chocolate during the holidays, and the shoppers most likely to buy chocolate this season, are millennials aged 18 to 24. Trouble is, younger consumers are famously tricky to reach via traditional marketing, so companies are going online to reach them. Full article.
Mail-in rebates decline
While the number of Black Friday promotions that require a mail-in rebate continue to decline, some of the nation's top retailers continue to tout prices that aren't immediately available at the cash register. In response to consumer complaints, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Miami-Dade County have enacted laws that require the discount be made available at check-out. Full article.
How to plan for Black Friday and be successful
Black Friday is a day die-hard shoppers dream of, and if you want to be successful, experts recommend setting clear priorities for what you want to buy and where, crafting a plan for the day, shopping in teams with friends and shopping the Web by smart phone while standing in line. Full article.
The homeowners' guide to alternative energy
The timing has never been better for consumers to use alternative energy in their own homes. The technology is better than ever and federal money will often help you pay for it. The key is to find out what type is right for you. There are several basic things homeowners can do to educate themselves. Full article.
Phonebooks discontinued in 15 states
Telephone books are becoming relics of the past. Phone companies argue that most consumers now check the Internet for phone numbers, and that is why 15 states have approved Verizon's request to quit distributing white pages since 2007. Full article.
