Social Media Marketing

Sears is leveraging social media to literally give consumers exactly what they want by letting them vote for which items will be featured on its online local ad. Sears is giving customers the chance to be heard and choose which offers they want to see in the next online local ad through its Local Ad Faceoff application on its Facebook page.

The fashion design house of Oscar de la Renta has emerged as one of the leaders in social media marketing within the fashion industry and, though best known for $4,000 cocktail dresses, plans to be a leader in social media commerce as well. "We expect Facebook will become a major channel of e-commerce," says CEO Alex Bolen, in a wide-ranging interview with Lauren Indvik for Mashable.

Wal-Mart Labs Senior Vice President of Global E-Commerce Anand Rajaraman took the stage at Ad Age Digital in San Francisco to explain why exactly the world's largest retailer would buy a social media startup.

Retail Online Integration is pleased to present the Retail Marketing Virtual Conference & Expo - Fall 2011 on Sept. 27. Don't miss this free, informative one-day virtual event with leading retailers discussing a wide variety of retail marketing topics.

Apparel retailer H&M is utilizing social media by running a contest on Facebook in conjunction with the launch of its new 1970s Chic clothing collection. In the promotion, fans are encouraged to upload a photo of him or herself dressed in 1970s fashion. After uploading the image, the user can add a filter to the photo to give it a vintage look and share it on his or her Facebook wall.

Online sales of luxury goods may climb 20 percent a year by 2015 as producers build networks of potential customers on social media websites such as Facebook, according to a study published today.

Social networking site GetGlue is adding a new dimension to its existing partnership with Entertainment Weekly, rewarding users who check in to one of the publication's 12 recommended fall TV shows with virtual stickers they can redeem for a 40 percent discount on a regularly priced item at adult Gap stores for the next month.

Those in the retail industry understand just how important it is to have a strong, engaging Facebook presence. The social network is the optimal resource to spread news, drive awareness and create buzz among fans.

Nielsen’s third quarter study, State of the Media: The Social Media Report, examines the increasing influence of social networking on consumers and points to trends that bode well for businesses active in the social media space.

Bill Bass, president and CEO of Direct at women's apparel retailer Charming Shoppes, took a step back yesterday at the Shop.org Annual Summit in Boston to reflect on five lessons he's learned from the 15 years he's spent in the retail industry, including stints at Lands’ End and Fair Indigo.