Holiday Shopping: eCommerce Expectations Are High, mCommerce ...

They say good things come to those who wait and retailers have waited long enough for a boost in sales! Looks like this might be the year.

Chase Paymentech talked to a variety of retailers and found that the majority (59%) of them expected 2012 sales to top those of 2011. They were also very optimistic about the percentage of sales coming in through online channels.

Now, I?d like to present my reward for the Short and Sweet Graphic of the Week. It goes to eMarketer!

Seriously folks, it doesn?t get more plain than that. eCommerce is on the rise but mCommerce is still barely a blip on the radar.

I think this year, plenty of shoppers will be using their smartphones and tablets to get discounts, do research and locate gifts but this won?t be the year of the mobile Christmas, not yet. Next year maybe, now that tablets are flooding the market.

When asked what challenges ecommerce companies face this holiday season, surprisingly ?competitive pricing? came in second with only 25% of the vote. The biggest concern (52%) was ?reaching new customers.? ?Reaching return customers? came in third with 23%.

86% of these companies will be turning to Facebook for online promotions which blows my mind. I think it can be an effective tool for keeping current customers engaged but I don?t see it as a good tool for bringing in new customers. 70% said they?d be using Twitter and I like this idea better, mainly because Twitter posts are more searchable.

Pay-Per-Click advertising may be old school, but it?s still the best way to reach new customers. Great content on a website or blog will also help you land at the top of the search engine heap. You also might consider running a giveaway or incentivizing current customers to bring in referrals.

The one advantage online has over other forms of marketing is that it can be tweaked on the fly. So don?t be afraid to throw out a last minute promotion if sales aren?t what you hoped for after CyberMonday.

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Source: http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2012/11/holiday-shopping-ecommerce-expectations-are-high-mcommerce-not-so-much.html

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MMObility: Windows 8 and gaming in the Metro browser | Massively

So, you've heard about the recent Windows 8 release but aren't sure whether or not you should upgrade? How will the operating system affect your gaming, and are you going to go with any of the Microsoft Surface products? All of these questions can be answered in numerous ways, but I wanted to answer it from the standpoint of a mobile gaming fan. After all, it is my belief that mobile gaming will soon dominate gaming in the world... might as well be prepared!

But how does Windows 8 affect a mobile MMO fan like yours truly? Well, Windows 8 does a heckuva lot. It offers a ton of flexibility and fun new ways to interact with your PC. But it can also be a very confusing new addition. I sat down to figure out some of these issues with the help of Ben Adams, CTO of Illyriad Games. He knows more about mobile tech than I do and was able to sort out the differences between the Windows 8 browsers for me. Let's get to it.

Windows 8 really shines on a touch-enabled device. I myself own a Dell Inspiron Duo, a netbook that transforms into a tablet. You might have seen other laptops or netbooks attempt this, especially recently. Well, the Duo is a great device but is sort of underpowered for hosting a full copy of Windows 7 as it did when it shipped. I didn't have as much fun with it simply because the full Windows 7 experience was clunky and slow, even though it was handy when I needed a full PC that weighed a few pounds.

I started by adding the Windows 8 preview and later upgraded to the full Pro version as soon as I could. It's only around $40 US, so it's a great deal; a household could easily afford copies for all machines. Immediately the new OS made life with the formerly sluggish device much better. Performance went up, and the emphasis on touch meant that I actually used the little netbook in the way it was intended. If I need access to a full browser to play, say, Glitch, I can have it. If I prefer to use the new "Metro" version of Internet Explorer 10 (which is much faster and better for touchscreens), then I can do that as well.

Unfortunately, this means that I have to use a few different browsers on any one day. Allow me to explain.

Windows 8 comes with essentially two browsers, both versions of the same Internet Explorer, but one is the full, normal Internet Explorer experience that you might (or might not) be used to, while the other is the Metro version. The Metro version is a lighter, faster, and generally safer browser that is suited perfectly for touch. It features large buttons when they are needed, but when in general use, the browser stays in glorious fullscreen mode. Right-clicking brings up any menu I need. I actually prefer it over other browsers -- that is, until I need a full browser experience.

See, Metro does away with a lot of the browser addons you might use. It includes Flash, but only from sites that have been "whitelisted" by Microsoft. That means a game like Glitch cannot run in the Metro browser. In fact, Metro does away with a lot of standard plugins that can actually make our normal browsing slower and in a lot of cases less secure. Many security issues stem from common plugins like Flash and Java, but Windows often gets the blame for those issues. With Metro, Microsoft has now avoided being listed on Kasperky's list of top 10 vulnerabilities. The article even recommends uninstalling Java completely! (It's not allowed in the Metro browser.)

So, without all of these common plugins, what is a mobile gamer to do with a Metro browser? Your best bet is to go for HTML5 games. I have a list of these games bookmarked on all of my machines. The list includes Illyriad (already in the Windows 8 store), Grepolis, Command and Conquer: Tiberium Alliances, Lagoonia, and others. The great thing about HTML5, and the reason Google, Microsoft, Adobe and others are paying such attention to it, is that it will work in almost anything. Build it in HTML5 and you can do away with many incompatibilities. You can run whitelisted Flash-based MMOs on the desktop version of IE on the Surface RT.

Of course, you can also wait until the other Surface is released, the Pro version. It comes with a 3rd-gen Intel Core i5 processor and four gigs of RAM. It's powerful enough to handle many browser-based MMOs, even some of the heavy hitters that utilize fancy graphics or engines like Unity. There are a lot of choices with games like Glitch, Forge of Empires, Nadirim, Ministry of War, RuneScape and many, many others. The Surface Pro is basically a laptop or a very powerful tablet. Will it be worth the cost?

All of those Flash-based MMOs like Evony or those hosted on Facebook should be able to run with no issues on the Surface Pro desktop browsers. Be aware that some games, like Dungeon Blitz on Facebook, will still require a keyboard. Luckily you can nab one of the nifty keyboard covers with your Surface, or you can use an add-on.

It might seem odd that Windows 8 ships with the two different browsers. But let's remember what Microsoft is attempting to do. The company is moving into the modern era with an OS that actually works well with touch. Touch-enabled devices, like smartphones and tablets, will likely take over the market as primary personal computers for most people. If we want to use a faster, safer browser for surfing the web and performing basic tasks as well as play HTML5 and other "whitelisted" games, then we can use the Metro browser. If we need to use a standard browser, however, we will still have the choice.

Remember what Apple has done with the iPad. To date, Apple has sold millions and millions of the nifty devices and has literally changed the way the market expects to compute. Apple essentially told consumers, "Buy our way or don't use the iPad," and now many of us are comfortable using the app store. Microsoft is moving things forward by emphasizing HTML5, a more flexible medium, but still allowing consumers to find the same browser experience as before. Having choices is always better than having none.

I am loving Windows 8 on all of my devices and actually prefer the Metro browser so much that it is my default browser. If I open a link or bookmarked site that demands Flash, like Glitch, then it opens the appropriate desktop browser. In exchange I have a more solid and much faster operating system that has breathed new life into my older, touch-enabled netbook and even into my brand-new desktop.

Each week in MMObility, Beau Hindman dives into the murky waters of the most accessible and travel-friendly games around, including browser-based and smartphone MMOs. Join him as he investigates the best, worst, and most daring games to hit the smallest devices! Email him suggestions, or follow him on Twitter and Facebook.

Source: http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/11/09/mmobility-windows-8-and-gaming-in-the-metro-browser/

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Bone Fishing At Christmas Island Arranging For The Right Bag Pack ...

Heading for bone fishing adventure in world famous flats of Christmas Island Australia? Well then you definitely must have booked prior the best guides and fine accommodation at the only resort there, the captain cook hotel.

Besides chalking out the best spots to experience some awesome fishing here what you all need to know is about the fish especially if it is a bonefish.

So let us take here some handy tips to get a better hand for bone fishing at Christmas Island:

• First thing first, what to pack?

Besides checking your passport to be already in your bag, carry stuff that is comfortable and casual. For most of the time you need to wade through the waters for a catch. Shorts, t- shits, sandals and such stuff are great though while wading long sleeved shirts and pants are preferable. Flat boots make a better choice over wading sandals. Polarized sunglasses helps you see the fishes properly and if you are a safe angler get a raincoat to manage in occasional thunder showers. A bandana or swimsuit is also good to carry. A sunscreen and lip balm is must to avoid that weary tanned look the end of the day especially must if your skin is prone to sun stroke.
Fish found primarily on the flats at various depths ranging from 1to 5 feet. The fish here weighs form2 to 10 ponds. These are strong and quite quick to give repeated fast turns. And presence of salt water makes it tougher to catch.

• Fishing gears you need to know:

Rods: Remember the bone fish here can weigh from 2 to 10 pounds so its better to have 8 weight, 7 weight and 9 weight rods. An extra rod is always recommendable.

Reels: A best quality reel capable of handling 200 yards of 30 lb. Extra spools with backing is always wise to carry. Reels may be of large arbor design, simple to smooth to sealed drag and should be quite durable for salt water.

Lines: specifically salt water lines are mandatory. Back up fly line is again required here as these are lost or destroyed by corals and fishes.

Flies: these should be sparsely tied. To have each type of fly tied in many different weight categories is important. From no lead, to lead eyes, to bead chain, the selection of weights must be incorporated into the flies.

Leaders: For 10 to 15 lbs 9 to 12 feet with a clear filament is must.

About the Author:
Find all booking details about charters available for fly fishing a Bonefish at Christmas Island at http://www.anglingadventures.com.au/.The rest will linger in your memory till the last day. It will be the fun to be at Captain Cook Hotel for fishing, go there.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/Bone-Fishing-At-Christmas-Island----Arranging-For-The-Right-Bag-Pack-For-Anglers-/4260118

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UK taxman probes HSBC accounts after data leak

LONDON (Reuters) - HSBC , Europe's biggest bank, has been hit by the leaking of client account data in the British tax haven of Jersey which is now being looked at by the country's tax authorities.

The authorities confirmed they were looking into details of clients in Jersey after being handed a list of names, addresses and account balances.

"We can confirm we have received the data and we are studying it. We receive information from a very wide range of sources which we use to ensure the tax rules are being respected," HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) said in a statement.

HSBC said it was investigating the alleged loss of client data, first reported in The Daily Telegraph, "as a matter of urgency."

"We have not been notified of any investigation in relation to this matter by HMRC or any other authority but, should we receive notification, we will cooperate fully with the authorities," the bank said on Friday.

HSBC said it was "fully committed to adoption of the highest global standards including the procedures for the acceptance of clients."

This marks another potential blow for HSBC which has been criticized by U.S. regulators for lax anti-money laundering controls in Mexico and elsewhere, and last year saw thousands of its Swiss clients probed by the British taxman.

The bank's London-listed shares dipped 0.8 percent by 1150 GMT, firmer than a 1.6 percent drop by the European banking index <.sx7p>.

After the financial crisis, the banking industry around the world is under intense scrutiny over its standards and past practices, which have included mis-selling of financial products and interest rate-rigging. And banks have become caught up in cash-strapped governments' efforts to crack down on tax evaders sheltering money in offshore accounts.

"It feels to me like the banking sector is being seen as a money-stuffed pi?ata for everyone to have a whack at - be it regulators or governments or consumers," said one of HSBC's 10 biggest investors, who asked not to be named.

"I am very bothered, but is this an HSBC-specific issue? No, I do not think it is. I think that general standards of compliance are being challenged everywhere," the investor said.

CLEAN-UP

Chief executive Stuart Gulliver has not come under much pressure from investors since the damning U.S. money-laundering report as he only took the helm at the start of 2011. But he acknowledged this week it would take the industry time to clean up the mess from past mistakes.

"There are a whole series of things that came from probably a decade in the 2000 to 2008-09 period that have surfaced now that the industry needs to sort out, remediate, and make sure do not happen again," Gulliver said after setting aside more money on Monday for a potential U.S. fine.

HSBC said earlier this week that a U.S. probe into anti-money laundering failures could result in a fine well over $1.5 billion and also lead to criminal charges.

Investors said the U.S. anti-money laundering scandal was a far bigger blow for the bank than a tax investigation would be, but they did not expect management to come under big pressure given the problem across the industry to clean up.

"I do not think it's enough to derail the management. Gulliver is regarded materially more highly than his predecessor," a second top 10 investor in the bank said.

The leaked account data identified 4,388 British-based people holding 699 million pounds ($1.1 billion) in current accounts, and included celebrities, bankers, doctors, mining and oil executives and oil workers, according to the Daily Telegraph report. It also included about 4,000 account holders with addresses outside Britain.

HSBC's clients came under scrutiny from HMRC last year when the tax authority contacted up to 6,000 Swiss client account holders after getting their details following an exchange agreement with French authorities.

($1 = 0.6262 pound)

(Reporting by Natalie Huet, Steve Slater, Sinead Cruise and Chris Vellacott; Editing by Will Waterman and Jane Merriman)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hsbc-probes-reported-loss-jersey-client-data-085901479--sector.html

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Enter to Win - Mile High on the Cheap

Many boomers are now reinventing themselves and changing the trajectory of their lives, either by choice or because of circumstances. The Boulder-based Center For Productive Longevity has hosted events around the country titled ?Spotlight on Entrepreneurship Opportunities for Baby Boomers,? and the last meeting is in Denver on Thursday, November 15.??CPL?s ?primary goal is to help?Baby Boomers?lead active and engaged lives in their later years, whether through paid or volunteer activities or through entrepreneurial enterprise. Recognizing the financial crunch many?Boomers face, these?empowering events provide resources and guidance they need to succeed in new ways to make money and contribute in their later years. CPL has generously provided MHOTC with?a ?ticket (value $35) to this all-day event ? and a spouse or business partner can attend FREE. that can help displaced Boomers not just survive but thrive in the coming years. To enter, leave a comment answering, ?What is your dream Boomer years job, business or life?" Deadline to enter is Wednesday, November 7 at 3 p.m. Click here for the full program, which is well worth the $35 entry for Boomers who don?t win.

Source: http://www.milehighonthecheap.com/2012/11/enter-to-win/

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With Competition Looming, Bazaarvoice Snaps Up eCommerce Ad ...

It seems that Bazaarvoice is no longer content with simply being a suped-up marketing analytics company. The competition in social media marketing is intensifying (think Salesforce?s acquisition of Buddy Media and Oracle?s purchase of Vitrue), with the bigs beginning to move into the space. So, today, the public company is officially beefing up its social commerce platform with advertising.

The Austin-based SaaS provider, which powers customer review and social commerce features for brands like Best Buy, Costco, Dell and Panasonic, announced this evening that it has acquired fast-growing eCommerce advertising network, Longboard Media.

The deal includes a combination of cash and stock, with Bazaarvoice paying $26.9 million in cash and dishing out 500K shares of stock to Longboard?s investors. The company?s share price on November 2nd brings the total value (cash plus stock) to just under $33 million. However, the terms of the deal also included some long-term incentives, meaning that, if Longboard is able to hit certain performance benchmarks by December 2013, investors could receive and additional $11 million in cash. That would bring the total value of the deal to right around $44 million.

Along with the acquisition of Longboard, the company?s board has also appointed a new CEO, as Chief Financial Officer Stephen Collins will replace co-founder and long-time CEO Brett Hurt atop the leadership chain.

The Longboard deal and executive shakeup follow Bazaarvoice?s acquisition of fellow customer reviews player, PowerReviews, back in May of this year, for $151 million. It could be that the board is looking for a fresh perspective in leadership, or really one that is focused on efficiency and working some magic on the balance sheets, thanks to its announcement in September that it had taken a first-quarter loss of $18.5 million (up from $5.5 million in the year prior), thanks in large part to the PowerReviews acquisition.

At the time, anti-trust suspicions swirled around the acquisition, with PowerReviews representing Bazaarvoice?s only real (direct) competition. What?s more, some saw the move as not only being expensive, but also defensive. The deal further delayed any real efforts at profitability post-IPO, thanks to what has seemed to be a lack of any substantial cost synergies.

Nonetheless, since going public in February of this year, Bazaarvoice has shown a willingness to be an active M&A player in the space, even if it results in short-term losses. The company?s market cap currently stands at around $895 million.

As to its latest acquisition, since its founding in 2008 by former eBay and Shopping.com employees Scott Engler and Jim Barkow, Longboard Media has become one of the largest ad networks in the eCommerce space. In September of last year, the company raised $6 million from Level Equity and has seen steady growth since, increasing its publisher base more than 40 percent in 2011.

Over time, the San Francisco-based startup has become a full-service media management network for retailers, publishers and advertisers, enabling its customers to launch and manage on-site advertising and monetization initiatives, among other things. Today, the company works with over 100 top brand advertisers that collectively reach some 100 million monthly unique users.

With over 2,000 of its own customers that include 20 percent of the Fortune 500, Bazaarvoice plans to leverage Longboard?s network to create a more ?powerful consumer and business decision engine.? Essentially, the company?s review engine allows consumers to create and share ratings, reviews, questions, answers, etc. on both products and brands, then it syndicates that content across the Web. The idea is to influence purchase decisions, while providing its customers with intelligence on customers that can be used to improve marketing, R&D, operations and so on.

With Longboard in its stables, Bazaarvoice can offer its customers an extensive, eCommerce-focused ad network that is informed by the customer data it compiles through its ratings and review engine. And, presumably, provides brands with more depth in their site monetization strategies, allowing them to target customers across retail and publishing sites both online and on the Web.

For more info, find the acquisition announcement here.

Longboard Media is the leading commerce vertical ad network representing only premium shopping, product review and retail publishers. Longboard Media provides the single largest audience of shoppers reaching 48-55M+ consumers each month across sites such as Overstock, Shop.com, Become.com, Smarter.com and thefind.com.

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Bazaarvoice is a Software as a Service (SaaS) company that turns social media into social commerce for the world?s best global brands by enabling authentic customer-powered marketing. We achieve that by first letting consumers create and share ratings, reviews, questions, answers, and stories about products and brands on client websites. We then syndicate that content across the Web and through the channel to reach shoppers wherever they are. This customer-generated content has a tremendously positive influence on purchase decisions. It is...

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Source: http://techcrunch.com/2012/11/05/bazaarvoice-snaps-up-ecommerce-ad-network-longboard-media-for-up-to-43m/

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