Month: November 2010

http://www.canadianmarketingblog.com/archives/2010/11/the_future_of_ecommerce_has_be_1.html

I recently chanced upon this marketing blog from outside where-by it is talking about the future of e-commerce. This interest me because I know that a lot of business is going this direction and shops that do not do so lag behind and loses market shares.

I am not sure about here, however online shopping is very very popular in Singapore with the ladies. Normally, it is not established shops that they go online shopping for. Instead, they shop and blog shops established by locals. How these blogshops work is that they will buy nice dresses and clothes and make it theirs, selling and introducing them on their websites by taking photos of models with the clothes looking pretty. This concept is very popular in Taiwan and Hong Kong too. These shops are much cheaper than well-known brands and provide lots of varieties for online shoppers.

The blog talks about integrating the online and offline marketing of shops. Yes I feel that it does help that online and offline shops synchronize. On the other hand, I feel that people shop for a reason, no matter what, online shopping cannot replace a physical shop whereby shoppers and try the clothes, walk around, interact or even enjoy the company of their friends when shopping.

For me, I feel that the online shop only provide as a platform for me to view the clothes and look at whether I will like it or not. I will still wish to go to a shop to see it physical before buying unless it is an overseas brand. Online shopping will never be like social outing in real life.

Buckyball fever is here! This is the NEW geek toy. Who cares about rubic cube. Buckyball is THE new desktoy!

Hey wait, or is it Neocube? http://www.theneocube.com/

Which is the original?

Does it matter?

To some people, getting the original product meant a lot. They don’t want to be seen as someone carrying a counterfeit. Maybe it does not really matter for something small like this whereby you just play with it on your desk.

But been the original does give it some advantage. People trust original to give the better quality for the product especially for innovative product like this. The magnet must be strong enough to hold and will not spoil easily. Even if it will cost them double the price, some people still think that it is worth it.

This is the power of the brand name. Marketers need to let their product be in the evoked set. First thing people think of buying magnetic balls they will think of Buckyballs. Thats the power of marketing. Without marketing, a good product will still be stolen away by other firms to make it theirs.

I just came back from Banff last week taking the long holiday away in the Rockies! I have to admit that Canada is really a place for nature-lovers and that the view at Banff is just exhilarating.

One thing that got me curious is that I found out that the souvenirs around Canada are mostly the same! They are not really differentiated. The t-shirts are the same design but just with different location names such as Banff, Lake Louis, Vancouver and even Whistler. Ilanaaq and totems are also the main souvenirs sold in most of the shops, not just in Rockies but in Vancouver and nearby places.

However, despite this, people still buy the souvenirs even though it just change from Banff to Lake Louis. This is because the meaning of souvenirs is to give to others as a gift to share your experience in the place where the rest do not have the chance to go.

I came to realize that the selling point of these souvenirs is not the originality, but the NAME. People want to buy things that others can tell it came from the place. You go New york, you will buy a something with Statue of Liberty, you go to seattle and it will be something to do with the Space Needle. The benefit of souvenirs is not how practical it is, but that it reminds you of the place.

However, having said all these, I am still not a fan of souvenirs even though people always ask for it when you came back for a trip. I personally find it useless and serve no purpose, this is my own view and there is a reason why souvenir shops are still profitable.

https://blogs.ubc.ca/olivemylove/2010/10/30/what-the-buck/

I was reading one of the blog post by Olivia on Halloween here. I am an exchange student to UBC from Singapore. In Singapore, Halloween is not as big there and most of the event is partying in clubs. There is not a culture of treat or trick and collecting candies for the kids. It is mainly a reason for people to dress quirky to go to party.

Just like Olivia, I am not someone who is willing to pay $80 just to get a costume for Halloween. It is not valued as much to me due to the fact that it is not a well-celebrated event in Singapore. However I felt that in Canada, it is very common to see people spending a lot of effort for their Halloween costume.

“The spirit of Halloween” is very clever to be targeting this market here in Canada because every teenager and young adults party during that day! Costume ARE NEEDED. It is a NEED and not a want by the people here. There are countless party on Halloween and even Halloween’s eve. You will be deemed a loser for not having a costume and attending the party. “The Spirit of Halloween” have its main revenue from this holiday itself and therefore have the need to jack up the price in order to have a profit.

Quality is surely not in the mind of the shop. What they need is fresh crazy ideas that will interest the consumer. That customers find of interest and value. Giant penguin, bananas, Barney, Marios. They have to come up with all the designs to suit different consumers during Halloween. No longer is the days where people just want to be a pirate or bunny.( Alright there are still lots of bunnies during Halloween but is too common) They want to be something SPECIAL, and “Spirit of Halloween” target just these kind of people.

I don’t feel is strange for people to value these costume due to the culture here. I have seen during the last day how many people are in the UBC Village dollar shop searching for suitable last minute accessories and costume for the Halloween night. I admit I am one of them cause I am not prepared for it. Haha.

If the shop is to open in Singapore, I don’t think it will be able to sustain as that segment of the market just does not value the costume as much as young adults in Canada who is having hell lot of fun on Halloween. Too bad for the Singaporeans back at my hometown that missed all these action here. 🙂