In my last Metrics Insider column, I wrote about the question of how advertising works. The column generated some great comments, and I got some very thoughtful responses via email. This week, I want to revisit the topic, and perhaps amplify a few points. 20 Aug 2008
Do loyal customers translate into steady sales or profits? Intuitively, the answer should be yes - and indeed, customer loyalty is a significant metric by which companies rate their performance. However, there a few problems with the concept of customer loyalty and a corporate strategy to develop it, according to Esteban Kolsky, practice leader with eVergence. 20 Aug 2008
Year-end results from several retailers this week will reflect tough trading conditions although there might be surprises on the upside, analysts say. 19 Aug 2008
How economically viable are the outlying regions of Richard's Bay and Empangeni in Zululand? The Newspaper Advertising Bureau (NAB) commissioned Freshly Ground Insights (FGI) to take a look at grocery shoppers in Zululand's eSikhawini, Ngwelezane, Nseleni and Macekane and found that they all travel to the centres to shop - most often to Sanlam Centre in Empangeni. The study also found that Spar is the number one grocery store for these shoppers. 19 Aug 2008
The Tshwane Street Furniture Consortium, comprising Primedia Outdoor and Street Pole Ads, has inked a R69-million, ten-year contract with the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality to provide new directional street name signs. 19 Aug 2008
Mango airlines and fuel giant Total are teaming up to give away petrol in a South African aviation first. In a gesture to ease some of the pressure consumers feel when filling up their cars, the airline will, until 15 September 2008, provide each guest travelling on any of its routes with a R20 fuel voucher redeemable at any Total service station nationally. A return flight will secure R40 in fuel vouchers. 19 Aug 2008
African Bank Investments Ltd (Abil) says the reconfiguration of its Ellerines furniture business, including its financial services activities, is proceeding within expected timeframes and it remains confident of its ability to deliver value to customers and shareholders. 19 Aug 2008
Funds donated to the Western Cape Raptor Research Progamme (WCRRP) from the Eagle Crest/Aquila Game Reserve Conservation Fund, a joint venture between Swartland winery and Aquila Game Reserve, are proving their worth. 19 Aug 2008
The dance between two of the biggest players in the video games sector continues, and it's taking on a new tone. 19 Aug 2008
After losing the high-definition DVD format war to Sony's Blu-ray, Toshiba is digging in around the standard definition DVD market. The company has launched a new upscaling DVD player, the XD-E500, which promises to bring standard DVD quality closer to high-definition (HD) than ever before. 19 Aug 2008
According to a leading US-based research company, Market Data Retrieval (MDR), which carries out research into direct sales and marketing solutions, educators in the US are a market that sales executives should target. 19 Aug 2008
The new wool season kicks off on Wednesday when close on 12 000 bales will be offered at auction in Port Elizabeth, Cape Wools announced today, Monday 18 August 2008. 18 Aug 2008
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states officially launched a Free Trade Area (FTA) for the region at the weekend, ushering in a new era of economic integration. 18 Aug 2008
Moir's is adding a hot new offering to its existing range of desserts and baking goods: Volcano Desserts. 18 Aug 2008
Hundreds of physically disabled schoolchildren throughout Southern Africa received the gift of mobility with the donation of 455 brand new wheelchairs worth R1,5 million by Game Stores and Vodacom this month. 18 Aug 2008
Furniture chain Lewis Group's revenue for the four months ended July 2008 increased by 7.4% compared to a 10% increase in revenue for the same period last year, the group's CEO, Alan Smart, said Friday. 18 Aug 2008
With retail sales having fallen for the fourth month running in June, analysts said on Friday it would be interesting to see how retail groups Massmart and Woolworths — which release their results this week — have withstood the consumer spending downturn. 18 Aug 2008
Retailers operating at Menlyn Park Shopping Centre in Pretoria have dominated the Retail Revolution, a new annual awards competition covering some 2,000 shops in major retail complexes managed by Old Mutual Investment Group Property Investments (OMIGPI). Menlyn Park took nine of the categories, while Gateway Theatre of Shopping, Umhlanga, fared tops in its region with six awards, and the Cape's best scorer, Cavendish Centre, brought home five awards. 18 Aug 2008
Have you been bumped from a flight? Belittled by a hotel clerk? Or stewed in a doctor's waiting room? Then Rupert Barkoff wants to hear all about it. 18 Aug 2008
eBay is looking to expand its overseas reach with plans to acquire a minority stake in the South Korean online e-commerce market Gmarket. 18 Aug 2008
