#digital retailing

We describe what automotive digital retailing is and how it may help your car dealership or marketplace prosper by employing digital retailing tools.

Starting on August 19th, Origin users will be able to return EA digital games purchased on Origin for a full refund within 24 hours after your first launch, or within seven days of your purchase date if you haven't played it yet. 

There's a few stipulations though, like you can't return DLC and if you buy a bundle of games, you have to return the entire bundle the same way you'd return a singular purchase. Regardless though, this is an interesting turn for digital video game retailing, especially coming from EA--usually stuff like this first comes from Steam, which still doesn't have a return system in place.

For more information, feel free to read the official FAQ.

Source:  Electronic Arts

Starting on August 19th, Origin users will be able to return EA digital games purchased on Origin for a full refund within 24 hours after your first launch, or within seven days of your purchase date if you haven't played it yet. 

There's a few stipulations though, like you can't return DLC and if you buy a bundle of games, you have to return the entire bundle the same way you'd return a singular purchase. Regardless though, this is an interesting turn for digital video game retailing, especially coming from EA--usually stuff like this first comes from Steam, which still doesn't have a return system in place.

For more information, feel free to read the official FAQ.

Source:  Electronic Arts

Starting on August 19th, Origin users will be able to return EA digital games purchased on Origin for a full refund within 24 hours after your first launch, or within seven days of your purchase date if you haven't played it yet. 

There's a few stipulations though, like you can't return DLC and if you buy a bundle of games, you have to return the entire bundle the same way you'd return a singular purchase. Regardless though, this is an interesting turn for digital video game retailing, especially coming from EA--usually stuff like this first comes from Steam, which still doesn't have a return system in place.

For more information, feel free to read the official FAQ.

Source:  Electronic Arts

Starting on August 19th, Origin users will be able to return EA digital games purchased on Origin for a full refund within 24 hours after your first launch, or within seven days of your purchase date if you haven't played it yet. 

There's a few stipulations though, like you can't return DLC and if you buy a bundle of games, you have to return the entire bundle the same way you'd return a singular purchase. Regardless though, this is an interesting turn for digital video game retailing, especially coming from EA--usually stuff like this first comes from Steam, which still doesn't have a return system in place.

For more information, feel free to read the official FAQ.

Source:  Electronic Arts

Asako is Soshal Group's communications coordinator. When she's not managing our communications initiatives, she spends her free time listening to new music, trying out new recipes, and mostly reading tech blogs. Careful chatting her up about new gadgets...she could talk for hours!

Finally! It's almost here. After weeks and even months of anticipation and planning, the Soshalites will be heading down to Toronto for Dx3 Canada. Are you attending? If you are, we've got some pre-show tips and recommendations for you get the most out of Dx3 for your brand’s needs.

Just in case you're not already acquainted with Dx3 and what it's all about, it's “the first Canadian trade show where business gets digital.” It's goal is to encourage and educate businesses about using digital advertising, marketing and retailing properly to attain their goals. As for the when and where, it runs from Wednesday, January 25th to the 26th and is being held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

They'll have over thirty five sessions with speakers that are well-known in the digital industry packed into the two days. We'll speak more on the sessions and who's speaking later on. There'll also be over a hundred exhibitors on the trade show floor with a wide range of products and services such as creative design, consulting services, point of sale systems, mobile apps, and much more. Accessing the trade show floor and talking to reps from companies like Kijiji, WagJag, TrendHunter Magazine, and Sprouter to name a few, are completely free. All you have to do is register on the Dx3 Canada website! Oh, and of course we'll be there as well at booth #834. Just watch out for the penguins!

If you're going, we want you to get the most out of Dx3 Canada. With over a hundred exhibitors, and about seventy-two speakers all packed into two days, it can be confusing on the trade show floor and difficult to choose which speakers will be the best for you to see. So we've got some tips for you on how to prepare for Dx3 so you'll walk out of there not only feeling like an industry pro, but also with insight on the next step for your business.

The first action item is determining what your goal is. Why are you going at all? Are you going to learn? To educate? To buy? To sell? After you answer this question, make an effort to always keep it in the front of your mind while you're there. When you hear buzz about particular speakers or even when you're just walking around to check out exhibitors, it's incredibly easy to get distracted and get off track. By knowing what you want beforehand, it'll help to minimize these distractions.

Next you'll want to research who'll be attending and what programs are being offered. For the exhibitors, the Dx3 Canada site has an interactive list of companies that can be narrowed down by the type of service or product that they provide. Quickly see what each company has to offer by checking out their websites, make a list of companies you absolutely must visit and another list for exhibitors worth seeing if you have time. Cross them off the list as you make your way around. If you wanted to get deeper into the research many of the exhibitors may be offering special promotions like giveaways or demos, which you can find out about if you check out their websites, Twitter, or Facebook pages. For example, at the Soshal Group booth, we'll actually be offering free social brand assessments for the first 20 people that come and sign up with us.

As for the speakers, there are the 35+ Dx3 sessions which cost $239, and feature some very prominent individuals in the digital industry. Free seminars will also be offered at the Moneris Small Business Theatre and iab Canada Spotlight Theatre with speakers presenting for about half an hour each. These are great because they're short and concise, allowing you to have plenty of time to scour the exhibit floor, while getting a chance to hear lots of great information from industry thought-leaders. To decide which ones are the best for you, the website offers a list of presenters and the subjects they'll be speaking about. Be sure to schedule the most relevant and interesting ones in your calendar!

Here's a list of some seminars we're pretty excited to see:

Facebook U: How to Optimize the Facebook Platform

Darrell MacMullin, PayPal Canada: The Connected Consumer and the Future of Shopping

Radian 6: Tutorial - Social Media Monitoring and Engagement

Renee Racine-Kinnear, Indigo Books & Music: The Big 7: Optimizing the Online Shopper Experience

Derek Colfer, Visa: The Digital Wallet

Dave Fleet, Edelman: Getting the Insiders Onside. Communicating with Bloggers and Influencers

There are more we're hoping to see, but these are a few some of us are definitely going to.

The next step is to set objectives that are relevant to achieving your goal. For example, if your goal is to purchase a service your business is looking to outsource, set a specific objective such as speaking with a minimum of eight exhibitors that provide those services. So that means that over two days, you should be speaking with reps roughly every two hours. While you're speaking with them, taking as many notes as possible is always a good thing, but make an objective to write out at least five short points on what you like about their service. This will make your review later on much easier.

This last step we know sounds kind of cheesy, but we're true believers in it: Have some fun!! Dx3 Canada is a unique trade show and there'll be lots to see and experience, and plenty of information you won't want to miss out on. Just remember to keep your goals in mind and do some research beforehand to make the most out of those two short days.

In 2012, the revolution of the mobile will continue.  Some trends that I predict we'll see are more users adapting towards mobile payments, NFC (Near Field Communications) becoming more popular in North America as well as more and more free wi-fi spots available to the public. 

Let's consider that Wireless Carriers spend hundreds of millions and in some countries, even billions of dollars, building and maintaining superior seamless networks, however when we enter grocery store, department store and large box stores, we often find ourselves struggling to get reception to send a simple SMS.  So there's no way we're scanning the QR code on the package to watch a promotion video.  In many cases marketing dollars are being wasted! What needs to change?

Considering the majority of customers entering these businesses today have a mobile device, some even smartphones with shopping list applications.  But having no network coverage or wifi connection, these devices are often left in a pocket or purse and are unused.  Chances are if you are reading this post, you are on a wifi connection, at home or at work.  If every customer that enters a grocery, department or box store had access to unlimited free internet on their devices...free wifi

a) Manufacturers could offer more digital information and digital offerings on the packaging of their products, thus increasing sales.  Recipes, Nutritional information, games and interactive contest, as well as social/sharing functionality.

b) Retailers could develop a searchable directory of products with interior maps, allowing customers to easily locate specific products.  I know when I go to the grocery store, I sometimes have a heck of time locating the chocolate pop-tarts for my son.   Offering similar apps and services will lead to a higher customer satisfaction, if executed correctly. c) Customers are more digitally connected in the retailer's stores, more mobiles will be used while in the store, thus trending towards increasing the percentage of mobile payment customers.  It took nearly 20 years before 50% of the population bought into using debit or online banking.  My prediction is that it will take less than 10 years for 50% to be using mobile payments.