Black Friday

Black Friday is almost here! Who is going to brave the stores and shopping malls?! Who is going to be napping and online shopping?! Personally, I haven't decided yet.

Companies have be advertising their Black Friday deals in new ways: SOCIAL MEDIA! JCPenney just tweeted that they would be releasing their Black Friday deals early on facebook:

jcpenney" class="user-profile-link js-action-profile-avatar" id="17448575" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; cursor: pointer; ">

jcpenney jcpenney

49 Retweets

We've released our Black Friday deals early on Facebook. Check out all the great deals! jcp.is/vodJEP

11 Nov

If you search "Black Friday" on Twitter, you get a very quickly updated list of the best deals and links with where to shop! You can also find out when stores are opening:

Target Target

@MalikaMarwaha Target stores will open at midnight for BlackFriday shopping and remain open until 11 p.m. We hope to see you there!

2 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

jcpenney jcpenney

We're opening at 4 a.m.on Black Friday. Set yr alarm clocks, you won't want to miss our amazing door buster deals! jcp.is/rzhJQn

3 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

As well as finding articles about the dangers of intense Black Friday shopping

Forbes Forbes

5 Pitfalls Of Shopping On Black Friday onforb.es/uFLJv8

3 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

With the increased use of the internet, no Black Friday deal is safe! You can plan your shopping day ahead of time with early releases of deals!

PCMag PCMag

More Black Friday Ads Leaked bit.ly/sMqza6 #blackfriday

8 hours ago Favorite Retweet Reply

These days Black Friday even has its own twitter! (There are several "Black Friday" accounts):

Black Friday

@blackfriday

News about Black Friday, Cyber Monday and great deals provided by shoppingblog.com

http://www.shoppingblog.com/blackfriday/

Best of luck in your Black Friday shopping(or napping!); in store or online! And don't forget about Cyber Monday! Be sure to check your email account for any deals that are coming up!

<3Kendra

Holiday Email Marketing

With the holidays quickly approaching companies are in a frenzy to get you to purchase from them. To get your attention, they use a variety of digital marketing techniques. The most common holiday shopping advertising I have been receiving is emails.

Now is a great time to have given your email and other contact information to companies. Due to the increase in spending around this time of the year, companies try to lure you in to spending more at their store/website/catalog.

Some good deals I have received lately are from a couple of my favorite brands. BCBG offered a online promo code that gave you 30% off your online order. I also double check my inbox for promo codes when I'm online shopping; who wants to pay more than they have to?!

In addition, with all of the crazy holiday and deal-seeking shoppers out around town, companies realize that a lot of customers do not like shopping at their stores during this season. To not lose out on any of their money a lot of companies offer free shipping online orders, usually with a minimum spending limit. I received and email from Michael Kors stating that they offering free shipping on all orders!

Before you buy something in store or online, make sure to check out all of the deals that are going on, especially during the holiday season. Discounts and saving money on shipping will help your dollar stretch further when purchasing gifts!

<3Kendra

Rachel Zoe

Rachel Zoe is celebrity stylist. In addition she has her brand in a number of outlets ranging from QVC, to Saks Fifth Ave. Recently, she developed The Zoe Report, an online subscription to fashion trends. As if that wasn't enough, you can catch her on BRAVO network for The Rachel Zoe Project!

Basically, if you're into fashion and don't know who Rachel Zoe is, you're BANANAS!

The Zoe Report

The Zoe Report is a subscription-based website. Subscribers receive daily fashion advice, and Rachel answers questions pertaining to fashion: "I'm going to a wedding this winter, how can I look to-die-for!?" While subscribing is wanted, it's not required. So feel free to check out the website and get some fashion updates! It's not just for women, either! Yes, her target audience is women, but she wouldn't leave an entire market untouched! ...Or it allows women to make their significant others look AH-MAZ-ING!

Twitter

Rachel has two twitter accounts:@TheZoeReport and @RZRachelZoe. The first is a twitter account for her website. Here her team tweets about the updates to the website as well as answers even more questions from Zoe fans, via tweets. One of my favorite things about her twitter is that she uses #ZOEDO when she is recommending something fashionable :)

The second is an account that Rachel uses to promote The Zoe Report as well as other brands, companies, and events. Often times you can find a sweet sweepstakes going on. When brands come out with new clothing lines and new seasons, she tweets about her favorites. And as always, give styling help!

By following Rachel on twitter you're sure to get the latest fashion trends and ideas from the top brands!

If that isn't enough Rachel Zoe for you, after watching The Zoe Project on BRAVO, you can hop on your computer and check out Rachel's Bravo Website. Get your full fill on Rachel through pictures, blog posts, episode guides from each season, and more!

I hope something "Maj" happens in your life today and that you "Shut it down"!

<3Kendra

Holiday Shopping

So many brands are ramping up for the Holidays this year using digital market!

Victoria's Secret

Victoria's Secret Annual Fashion Show is approaching quickly! On November 29th, 2011at 10/9c everyone will be able to watch it on CBS. VS has been continually tweeting about the excitement using their hashtag #VSFashionShow. You can get behind the scenes information from their website as well as CBS's website!

Like I stated in my last post, you can go online to their website and make a wishlist and send it to "Santa." Don't forget to drop in some of their latest fashion show styles to be previewed on the 29th! While you're on the website making a wishlist, sign up to win an iPad 2 in their Fashion Show Countdown Sweepstakes!

7 For all Mankind

7 has been promoting holiday shopping deals on twitter. Shopping events at some of their biggest stores, such as the one in Fashion Island were tweeted about yesterday! (Makes me want to fly to the O.C. real bad and engage in some retail therapy!) On November 4th they tweeted about their South Beach event as well. Which makes me wonder: When is Iowa going to get a 7FAM?! ...I won't hold my breath...

Bloomingdales

Bloomingdales tweeted a promo code yesterday for online shopping for their "friends and family" event, still going on! Type in "happy" before purchasing what's in your 'shopping bag'! In addition, like many department stores, they have been featuring holiday specials that have for specific brands, such as DKNY, and limited edition Kardashian ornaments! Be sure to check out their twitter before 'checking out' online or in-store!

Best of Luck during your Holiday shopping!

<3Kendra

Online Shopping ;D

Hello all!

Hope everyone watched Vampire Diaries, tonight! It was pretty amazing, as always. You can always check it on online at CWTV's website!

ANYWAYS...

Earlier this week in Digital Advertising, we talked about how some companies used their website to promote their brand and increase their SEO. Automatically, I started scanning through all my online shopping memories, and thought I'd add a couple of my online shopping experiences that I enjoyed and what the company/brand did that increased my enjoyment and happiness!

I've talked before about Urban Outfitters, but I'm going to expand a little. I think that Urban Outfitters has one of the best online shopping sites. Personally, I find the layout easy to navigate. In addition, they allow customer reviews, and like I've stated before, they seek out reviews from their customers. The thing that is cool about UO's customer reviews is that they allow for customers to upload photos of themselves in the products. Seeing the item on a "normal" person, and not in a photo shoot helps give me a better idea of what I'm ordering. Additionally, they tell you who reviews a lot. They have titles such as "top 100 contributor," "top 500 contributor," and "top 1000 contributor." These titles tell the online shopper that review is coming from someone who shops at UO a lot, and most likely understands the brand and items that they sell.

However, the most thing that makes the biggest difference about UO's customer reviews is the customers. They are extremely honesty and even more helpful. Ordering clothing online can be

nerve-racking. Sizing on items may be abnormal, colors may look different in person, fits may not be described in an understandable way...The reviewers on UO take away a ton of pressure from that. If you just scan through a couple pages of reviews, you'll find helpful information from the customers such as body type, body measurements, weight, size ordered, how the item fit, and much more. To get rid of any more online shopping fears, customers can post questions in the review section for other customers to answer. Posts range from "does the dye stay well in these jeans?" to "If I'm (insert measurements here), what size would you suggest I order?

Hearing from other people how their order went, helps you plan a head for what you what to order.

Another website that I find can be helpful when online shopping in Victoria's Secret. As a tradition in my family, my sisters, my mom, and myself always order pajamas from VS for Christmas. We pick them out online, and then tell my mom which ones we want. The best way for us to do this is through VS's "wish list." The wish list is similar to your shopping bag, except you're not quite ready for purchase. If you have created an account with Victoria's Secret, your wish list will be saved, until you delete the item, or they sell out. But the best part about the wish

list is that you can email it to people; in my case my Mother, for Christmas. :) The wish list sends all the information needed such as your desired color and size as well as a message if you wish to attach one.

When companies make online shopping easier, it relieves some of the stresses of online shopping and encourages more purchases (in addition to the free marketing/SEO as stated in class)

Maybe this post will help you out with your holiday shopping! ...Or maybe it'll just help you buy more stuff for yourself. Either way, you're welcome! =D

Have a great weekend!

<3Kendra

Hot Topic

I love shopping at Hot Topic for band tees and, Twilight/Vampire Diaries/True Blood apparel. They often have really good deals on their t-shirts, such as "buy one get one 50% off." I am signed up to get their emails, but they do not send that many, which is nice because I get a lot of email marketing from store I shop at as well as online stores. A great way to stay up to date on Hot Topic's deals and promotions is by using their facebook or twitter pages.

When Hot Topic starts new promotions, they tweet about it and write it on their facebook wall. If they tweet about anything, it appears on their facebook wall. This week marks the beginning of a new promotion: "All Music Tees Buy one Get on 50% off!" as shown on their social media accounts.

Also on their twitter page is a bunch of photos. They have pictures of costumes promoting ideas for Halloween, fans at concerts wearing band tees, pictures from events such as comic-con, and just really funny pictures. These are used as ways to get fans of Hot Topic to become involved with their social media sites.

In addition to their facebook and twitter accounts, they have a you tube page as well. On their official Hot Topic you tube page they have videos and new releases of music in addition to band interviews.

<3Kendra

Fashion Week

I found this very interesting article on social media and how it was changing Fashion Week on Mashable.com

In the article, it talked about how before social media, stories would be written about Fashion Week, before journalist attended it. "...but we didn't write abou

t the collections until closer to the season [they arrived in stores],” recalls Ray Alex Smith..."

That has changed now: "Now we’re writing of the moment, and not just on the runway, but things spotted beyond the runway too,” Smith explains..." As a by-standard, not experiencing Fashion Week first hand, I can personally account that what all Media

discusses pertaining to Fashion week has changed. It makes it a lot easier for people like myself to stay informed on the events happening, and in real time! “People love backstage,” Oliver says. “Even if it’s just a 20-second video of some new technique for putting on eye makeup, people will retweet it. [Readers] want what they can’t get.” I completely agree; I love

staying informed on new fashions and trends. As a consumer on budget, being able to learn and see the styles that come out during Fashion Week help me prepare my wardrobe. I can see transitional, and staple pieces in my closet and at stores that allow me to stretch my dollar and keep my inner fashionista happy.

What is even more exciting about the use of social media has to do with the immediacy. “What you see on the runway or teenvogue.com is very produced,” Chen explains. “What you see on Twitter and Tumblr are raw. You’re there while [makeup artist] Pat McGrath is mixing these two lipsticks, you’re there for the blow-by-blow action and part of the scene.”

All I can say in conclusion is, THANK YOU SOCIAL MEDIA! ;D

<3Kendra

Thanks to: http://mashable.com/2011/09/14/social-media-fashion-week-journalism/ written by: Lauren Indvik

Nordstom on Twitter

Hello All!

Nordstrom is one of my new follows, on twitter, of the week. The department store offers a wide variety of products from men and women's apparel, to shoes, makeup and even food.

Nordstrom uses their Twitter account, ran by three employees, in many ways. First, they use it as a promotion tool. Earlier this week they tweeted about TOMS, a shoe company that gives a free pair of shoes to a person in need for every shoe that someone purchases. They promote new products, current and future sales as well as fashion trends.

Nordstrom also uses their Twitter as a form of a customer service line. Sometimes, when customers are happy with in-store experiences or online purchases, they will tweet about it. Lily, Katie and Shauna (Nordstrom's Twitter employees) take the time to thank the customers for choosing to shop at Norstrom. This is a great way to make customers feel appreciated. However, they also deal with unhappy customers. When customers have a poor in-store experience or are unhappy with their online purchases, they are able to tweet as well. This "bad" promotion needs to be dealt with efficiently. Because of Twitter, Nordstrom is able to communicate with these customers, quickly. They reply to the person's tweet, and often request the upset customer to direct message them with their contact information, so they gather more information and help make the customer feel better. These tweets and direct messages on Twitter can keep customers coming back to Nordstrom for their shopping needs.

Inefficient use of social media by companies is still common. When a company makes Twitter, Facebook and other social media accounts, it is important for the company to manage, update, and interact on the platforms. Improper use of social media can often be worse than not suing social media at all. After checking out Nordstrom's Twitter page, one can see that they are not in this group. They are very open about their stores and communicate with all types of customers and discuss their experience.

Follow me on Twitter @schmikaf

<3Kendra