Kelly Mooney's blog about the online shopping experience from the customer's point of view -- MooneyThinks.com

AT&T O.P.E.N. to Hear Your Problems

I got a tip about an OPEN iPhone app from an industry friend today. Not an addictive game. Not a handy tool. Not even something so zany you just have to get it (um, raise your hand if you've got the koi pond app). But an app to help you complain about AT&T. From AT&T.

When we at Resource talk about brands being more open to consumer conversations, feedback, opinions and more, we typically refer to things like ratings and reviews, Tweets and general customer feedback mechanisms.

AT&T has taken the idea of listening to customers so seriously that it created an iPhone app so that users can quickly and easily report their problems and get an acknowledgment that the issue was successfully submitted. And the easier it is for consumers to get the right info to AT&T, the easier it is for the company to fix it.

I commend this novel approach to giving users an On-Demand way to communicate with the brand. Right on.

Moosejaw Makes the Most of Cyber Monday Madness

We won't know for a few days whether Cyber Monday was a record season across the virtual shopping landscape, but despite technical difficulties--the site was actually down for a while--I'm impressed with Moosejaw's showing on this busy online shopping day.

Clearly the folks at this outdoor outfitter know how to make merriment out of madness. Tonight I received an apology email from the company's CEO explaining that there was a problem earlier in the day, that it is now fixed, and that the site-crashing promotion will be good whether you type in the promo code or not.

While I hadn't actually shopped at Moosejaw today, this email drove me there. And the site was down. Thirty minutes later, it was back up. Then down for a minute. Then up. Hopefully it stays that way.

What I find more impressive than Moosejaw's popular "2X rewards" promotion (which grew to 5x!) though, is the fact that during what could be a major retail crisis, the brand used email, Facebook and Twitter to keep its fans informed about what was going on and make sure they got their deal. Consumer Tweets and Facebook comments are, for the most part, glowing, with only one or two expressing frustration. In fact, one of the evening's Tweets read, "moosejaw.com has the best customer service hands down."

Hopefully the company finds it was a financially profitable day, but regardless, it looks like the brand's reputation is still worth its weight in backpacks, snowshoes and insulated clothing.

Thank You for Going on Vacation

Like I need any more reasons to appreciate Etsy and all the talented, thoughtful artisans who have shops there. The great work is only the beginning. Each order arrives with a nice hand-written note, special wrapping or even a little something extra from their studio.

Etsy artists sure know a thing about service.

Here's one extra great Etsy find--and not just the creative, eco-friendly prints. This particular artist has taken a fresh take on "Gone Fishing". Recognizing and supporting consumers' expectation for on-demand experiences, she posted a large note right on the front of her store announcing the fact that she's on vacation until November 5, so any orders placed now wouldn't be shipped until November 7. Vacation in the digital world? Personally, I'm a fan....I think we could all use a little more time off than we take. This artist didn't just ignore incoming orders or quietly delay shipping, she exceeded expectations by being transparent and by discounting any order placed during her vacation by10%--including shipping.

I love that the artist powering that digital storefront feels real, accesible-even if she's on vacation for a few days.

Making Lemonade out of an Offensive iPhone App

An iPhone App for an energy drink with the name, "Amp Up Before You Score," offering tips for guys on how to pick up various stereotypes of women is getting some press. Not a shocker.

What is surprising is that it's not all bad press. 

Yes, there are some very unhappy people, a lot of them women. And not just with the energy drink brand, but with the mother ship, Pepsico. And there are plenty of people who just think it's no big deal.

What I find worth talking about is how the company is handling the situation. While they've not said if they're going to pull the app, they issued an apology via Twitter and introduced a #pepsifail tag.

From Advertising Age:

"Still, introducing a tag that associates your brand with a fail is a bold move and one that ensures the brand is a part of the conversation. PepsiCo has quickly addressed the issue, before it got too far out of hand. And it has ensured the conversation is easy to monitor, which will certainly make it easier to plot its next moves."

Right or wrong. Offensive or not. Nice recovery. Definitely smart (and, of course, very OPEN of them, focusing on this new, complicated network) to jump in and be as close to the center of the conversation as possible.

Recession-Rewired Keynote at Shop.org

 My suitcase is packed and ready to go. Vegas bound once again! Can hardly wait to reconnect with so many industry friends, clients and colleagues at Shop.org's Annual Summit.

Despite the economic environment, all indicators point to a record-breaking crowd...amazing! My keynote - Recession-Rewired - focuses on a key lesson learned from our last major recession, how moms and teens are navigating the recessionary times and takes a new look at their co-shopping journey. We also prototyped a few low cost innovation scenarios and solicited feedback from teens and their moms in a 10-day online forum. I'll showcase the prototypes and some of the things we learned in that study. After the conference, I'll post a link to my preso if you're interested. Stay tuned!

Kodak OPENs Up About Cart Shock

Consumers told Kodak shipping costs were too high.
So Kodak decided to test a free shipping policy.
Kodak asked consumers to let the company know if they like this.
This is starting to look a lot like a dialog to me.

I love that Kodak is acknowledging the issue of "cart shock," which, even as a veteran online shopper, I still feel on occasion. They're also calling out the consumer behavior of waiting for the next sale to place your order. (And they do have so many that it's never a terribly long wait, but still, I want it when I want it.) They're not criticizing this consumer behavior or concern, rather they're trying to solve it.

And, Kodak is doing something about it in a personal way. They're not just dropping shipping costs, they're communicating that they are doing it and why they are doing it.(I'm still a bit amazed that they can offer "free" for orders as small as $5...but I'm sure someone's running the numbers)  Last, they're asking for their customers' feedback and support to, "Help make free shipping last forever." Again, good prompting for dialog, however, I caution reference to "forever" -- nothing in retail is forever, especially in this economic climate.

Maybe they're banking on recession-weary consumers having short-term memory?

Keen about OPEN

 
Even though my vacation.has come and gone, I love the spirit behind this email from Keen. It's as playful and rugged as the brand, and it's so much more engaging than the smart but boring "View our top-rated (fill in product category here)" emails I've seen a lot of lately from other brands. For the record, I do think it's great that brands like Williams-Sonoma and LEGO promote consumer reviews in emails, but this example from Keen moves beyond the notion of being helpful and creates engagement.

I'll admit it was a bit of a let down--when I clicked through the photo of the sandal-clad bride and groom, hoping to see a fun tidbit about how their rugged Keens took them to the altar and straight to the honeymoon--I landed instead on a typical product page.

I get it, at the end of the day, they're selling sandals not vacations. And there IS a link in the email (just maybe a little too subtle) that goes to the Keen HybridLife Community. I do see lots of O.P.E.N. sparks on this site and blog. I'm keen to see more....(okay, too corny).

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Twittering Away the Summer TV Break

An associate was telling me about her addiction to last season's crime drama Castle, on ABC. The show follows mystery author Richard Castle (played by Nathan Fillion) as he helps his writing muse--a police detective--solve cases.

It seems the folks at ABC aren't letting the summer hiatus pass them by without engaging fans. For six weeks, Castle (the character) will be on Twitter detailing his latest mystery as he procrastinates finishing his novel.

Followers of @WriteRCastle can serve up who-done-it theories of their own, and more importantly, keep the show fresh in their minds before the September 21 season premier.

No word if Fillion is behind the Tweets (although he is a follower), or if series writers are keeping fans updated, but it's definitely a prime example of relevancy and authenticity (if not just sheer entertainment) in social media.

I wonder if Jack Bauer has time to Tweet during a slightly less harrowing day. ; )

Digital Detox. Complete.

To borrow a phrase and perhaps a future book title from my friend and industry guru, Pete Blackshaw, I’ve just come back from a digital detox.

It was just 10 days, so I didn’t reinvent my life, simply reinvigorated it. As I’ve done for countless years, I went on vacation with my family and turned off all my devices – iPhone, computer, TV, Kindle, DVD player. I resisted Facebook, Twitter, blogging, surfing, texting and all things digital. And I actually had to command my brain to turn off, to shut down, to resist connectivity.

Did I miss it? Sure. It’s my passion and, of course, my livelihood--being connected and helping clients master various digital channels to win consumers' favor. But, I realized, yet again, how insane our lives become when we can’t resist the urge to glance at our phones at every waking hour (dozens if not hundreds of times per day) or respond to various customized alerts or to watch TV without monitoring tweet streams, let alone go to sleep at night without worrying about an email inbox that never empties, despite heavy-handed deleting skills. But, I needed a rest. Bet you could use one as well.

So, what does a digerati do without all the gadgets?

I rediscovered books – the paper kind – and most important, I spent uninterrupted time with my husband and kids just hanging out. Playing Scrabble (the board kind), cards (the paper kind), crabbing (gross but fun), throwing the football, bumping the volleyball and walking to nowhere in particular.

I found joy in waking up whenever. The only plan for the day was no plan for the day. The only reason to care about the time was making sure we were on the beach with boogie boards at low tide. I cherished a workout and 2 naps a day. I relished the car ride filled with silly, random conversations, car-spotting games and occasional silence.

Every now and then, I glanced at my relatives on their laptops or playing iPhone Monopoly or Facebooking. I resisted. I unplugged. Now, I’m ready to Restart. Your turn.

Can Newspapers Evolve?

The impending demise of the newspaper--the real smudge-your-fingers, hard copy version has me worried. Really, you might ask? A digital marketer actually LIKES reading a newspaper? Yes, I admit it. Matter of fact, I devour the Times on Sunday morning and Thursday evenings (and peruse the headlines every day over a cup of morning coffee). I'm not sure I'll ever give up that routine unless, well, it's no longer available to me in print, delivered at my doorstep.

But business models aside, from the reader's standpoint there's a lot to be said for experiencing the news online. Recently I got hooked into a NYT photo essay series called "One in 8 Million". Through beautiful black and white photographs and first-person audio stories you can dive into the lives of some of the many everyday characters in New York City.

For me, the printed word has value on many levels -- being inspiring and portable, not to mention allowing me to be unplugged from time to time. And even though I like my new Kindle DX, I yearn for more graphics and intuitive usability (but that's another post for another day). But suspend your doubts and dive into a multi-media experience for a few seconds. "The Treasure Hunter" and "The Pathologist" are two good places to start.