ShopperTech Update October 30, 2014 - Volume 5, Issue 14

In This Issue

LOYALTY MARKETING: Five Common Misconceptions About CPG Loyalty Programs

Virtual LEAD Marketing Conference: Complimentary Registrations Available

EXPERT ANALYSIS: What Is Next for CPG and e-Commerce?

TRADE PROMOTION: Best Practices for Achieving Real-World Customer Planning

STI MARKET WATCH

STI Social Media Groups

Quick Links

Shopper Technology Institute website

LEAD Marketing Virtual Conference

CPGmatters Ezine

Loyalty Marketing

Five Common Misconceptions About CPG

Loyalty Programs

By Chris McLaren

The U.S. consumer packaged goods industry grew up during the golden age of mass marketing: an age characterized by three television networks, less choice, and far fewer competitors for consumer mindshare. Marketers could expend the minimal effort necessary to keep their customers loyal, gearing their marketing dollars toward customer acquisition at the expense of customer retention. The notion that brands could actually nurture long-term customer relationships had yet to capture marketers' attention.

But that golden age is now a distant memory, gone with the days of Mad Men. Today, relentless economic pressure, media fragmentation, private labels, and the explosion of digital and mobile channels will continue to bedevil CPG manufacturers. That's the bad news. The good news is that CPG marketers now have a road map to help them seize control of their own destiny by using data, recognition and rewards to build direct, real relationships with their best customers...

read entire story

LEAD Marketng Conference

Complimentary Registration Available for Virtual LEAD Marketing Conference

The 6th LEAD Marketing Conference, scheduled for Wednesday, November 12, is now open for registration, which is complimentary for all industry executives. The conference is produced by the Shopper Technology Institute and CPGmatters.

Our live online conference enables CPG manufacturers and retail executives to take part without spending time away from the office or incurring travel expenses, as they can attend the conference from the comfort of their office or home via steaming audio/visual.

Attend all day (from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. EST) or just log in for the sessions that interest you. Even if you're unable to attend live, register and receive links to presentation recordings and PowerPoints.

Sessions scheduled for our sixth LEAD conference are:

Collaborating to Create 'The Voice of the Shopper' - Shopper insights and methodologies for manufacturers and retailers from Gordon Wade of the Category Management Association;
Winning at the Virtual Shelf: Why & How to Maximize Online Impact - Fresh data from leading retailers including Amazon, Walmart.com, Target.com and Instacart on how to maximize a brand's online presence, presented by Keith Anderson of Profitero;
Where Does the Power of Technology Reside? - How to meet customer expectations in today's newest reality, explained by Larry Burns of Start Sampling;
Maximizing Trade Spend ROI & Planning for Joint Business Planning - How manufacturers and retailers can collaborate to understand what promotions are the most profitable, as explained by Janet Dorenkott and Kristy Garrey of Relational Solutions;
Creating Collaboration under the Big Top - Gain insight into how integrated goals and predictive analytics can help better manage TPM with Joel Cartwright of AFS Technologies;
Is Mobile Marketing Working for CPG Companies? - The results of a national survey of CPG manufacturers reveal the benefits and challenges that companies face when deploying mobile marketing from Tanya Bhothinard of Partners in Loyalty Marketing.

CLICK HERE to register, or visit www.LEADMarketingConference.com for more information.

Expert Analysis

What Is Next for CPG and e-Commerce?

Only 1% of last year's $666 billion in sales of consumer packaged goods occurred online. However, that percentage could increase to 5% by 2018 and 10% after that, says a report from the Grocery Manufacturers Association, Boston Consulting Group, IRI and Google. CPG companies that don't become more actively involved in e-commerce could "risk stagnation, loss of share and even shrinking sales," according to the report.

Discussion Questions:

Are the report's predictions on target? What is preventing CPG companies from selling more online now? What needs to happen for them to take advantage of this growing channel?

Here's what the experts have to say...

read entire story

Trade Promotion

Best Practices for Achieving Real-World

Customer Planning

Customer planning can be challenging for sales departments. It is where the greatest amount of variability exists because forecasts can be subjective and/or based on gut instincts - even though many organizations have invested in trade promotion management (TPM) technologies as part of their ERP solutions to help drive reliability in their planning.

As is often the case, technology is not a silver bullet. To have accurate sales planning, organizations need to also invest in processes and people - more so even than the technology...

read entire story

Market Watch

Millennial Shoppers Are Looking for Hands-On Experiences: New Research

Online Grocery Growing Faster than Expected

Postal Service to Test Grocery Delivery

Inmar and GS1 US to Provide Effective Recall Management Course

Former PepsiCo Exec Joins VideoMining's Strategic Advisory Board

Red Diamond Ensures Safety and Ingredient Compliance along Supply Chain

STI PUBLICATION

Shopper Technology Institute's Second Book,

New Directions in Shopper Technology

New Directions in Shopper Technology, the second book from the Shopper Technology Institute. Building upon the foundations of last year's Essentials of Shopper Technology, the book is divided into five sections: Shoppers, Loyalty, Engagement, Analytics and Digital and contains 19 essays on how mobile marketing, social media, sophisticated analytics, Big Data and the like are continuing to evolve.

Those changes-and others-are presented in this book. As well as reading about their area of expertise, progressive executives will gain a fuller understanding of the entire industry.

Click here to read sample chapters and view ordering information for the paperback and Kindle editions.

Shopper Technology Institute Sponsoring Members

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