June 18th was a big day. Mozilla Firefox (the open-source web browser which has been gradually stealing market share from Internet Explorer) launched their 3.0 browser as well as its Guinness Book of World Records attempt for the most downloads in a 24-hour period. Yes, you may laugh off the attempt at claiming a spot in the GBWR (after all, they’ll be right up there with the man with the longest ear hair), but the greater subtext to this story is really the broader reach of Firefox and other movements to change the Internet.

Over the past few years the Internet has become more open, more accessible and more robust. Small start-up companies have been able to take a concept and reach millions of people with minimal barriers; programmers have been able to deploy their web-based apps across multiple browsers and operating systems through a seamless and consistent user experience; and ultimately, end users have benefited tremendously. It’s often overlooked or misunderstood by the average consumer, but a main reason that this has been possible is because of standards. Organizations like the W3C have essentially laid out the frameworks that have made many of these cross-browser, cross-platform communications possible. Companies can choose to ignore those standards (which players like Microsoft have at times tried), but oftentimes market forces will come to bear and even the big guys will be coaxed into support of the standards. In Thomas Friedman’s “The World is Flat,” he talks about one the ten “flatteners” (or economic game-changers) of the 21st century being the shift from proprietary closed systems, to open and inter-operable systems that can freely communicate with other systems. All of this can happen because of standards.

So what does this have to do with electronic retailing? A lot, actually. If you’ve been a marketer or service provider in this space you know the pains of trying to pass files between fulfillment houses, call centers, web providers and media agencies. If you’ve been around long enough you probably also remember the times when getting YOUR data out of YOUR fulfillment provider was more difficult than getting a penny out of Fort Knox. Fortunately, good things are on the horizon. The ERA Technology Council has been steadily at work and over the next several months we hope to release some standards documentation for e-retailing marketers and service providers in our space. We’ve already begun forming a committee of big and small players in the space and first up on the docket is a fulfillment transmission standard. What does this mean for you? Well, if you are a marketer, web provider, call center or fulfillment provider that supports the standard spec, it means quicker integrations, lower costs, fewer mistakes and hopefully more opportunities for everyone to compete. That’s right, LOWER COSTS AND MORE BUSINESS—kind of makes you want to go out and download Firefox doesn’t it?

If you have in interest in participating in the standards formation process please contact Tom Quash at tquash@retailing.org.

Joel Iverson heads up the Technology Practice at KPI Direct—an outsourced strategy and management firm serving the direct-to-consumer industry. He is also a member of the ERA Technology Council.

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New media evangelism in the direct response industry begins to remind me of biblical tales of woe, the Old Testament tales where prophets are slaughtered or exiled or something along those lines. Or at least roundly mocked. It’s part of my personal story and also part of the state of the industry, and it’s truly unfortunate.

For those of us who embrace risk and are joyful and passionate in our approach to new media, evangelism can be the most grueling, frustrating part of the game. Trying to make a twitter proselyte out of someone who can’t figure out e-mail attachments? Yeah, it gets old.

Time after time when talking to DR agency folks, I’ve run into an impenetrable wall of mythology about new media. It’s fear-based, it’s preventing progress for all the worst reasons, it’s causing forward-thinkers to be punished, and it’s simply untrue. The mythology includes the ideas that mobile commerce isn’t functional, that social media isn’t measurable, that R&D can’t lead to ROI, etc.

Recently, an agency CEO quipped about media/tech adoption, “You can lead a horse to water…”

Alright, so publications such as Electronic Retailer are leading the DR horse to water through education. Firebrands such as Marty Fahncke, Dana Todd, and a slew of others are leading the horse through sometimes-rabid evangelism. Research firms publish data saying that consumers are ready for new media. Clients are beginning to ask for more creative digital solutions.

I do begin to wonder: What’s it going to take to get that horse to drink…Damn it.

Jolie O’Dell is a mobile, social and evolving search enthusiast.

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The term “multichannel” is tossed around in direct response as a casual new buzzword that everyone claims to provide. However, there’s a difference between using multiple channels and truly having an integrated multichannel approach. The strength of a true multichannel approach is in the results that add up to more than just a sum of the various elements.

While you work with partners on different aspects of a campaign—creative, media, response/order take and fulfillment—you need to focus on the complete picture (and work with partners who allow you to do that!). Many marketers stick with what they know works and use traditional metrics to evaluate success. As media is expensive, it is understandable why that’s the case.

But, what happens when your customer sees that spot on TV and decides to purchase via mobile phone or web days after the airing? What about the customer who saw the ad, visited the site and did not buy? Or, what about the client who did not see the spot, but is a potential buyer because of his or her past history? Unless you have a plan to catch all of these opportunities you may not be using a big enough net—and you may not have the data you need to make decisions about how effective the media truly was. Take the multichannel integration test!

Consistency and Coordination
· Do you coordinate advertising events so all channels launch with the same message at the same time?

· Are changes to your DRTV offer or creative simultaneously reflected in online and mobile activities?

Analysis and Media ROI
· Do you view key metrics for all channels together to assess the full impact of your media, as well as the contribution from each channel?

· Do you know how buying patterns differ for customer purchasing via phone, online and mobile (upsell take rates, cross-sell success, etc.)?

· Can you identify how customers who purchase via the phone differ from those who purchase online or through mobile channels?

Revenue Opportunities
· Do you include a call-in option with online and mobile activities? (For example: We see lift of 10-30 percent in online conversion when we allow visitors the option to place orders by phone.)

· Do you tailor upsells to channel?

If you’re not answering YES to the above, you’re leaving sales on the table for someone else to pick up. So get a bigger net to capture ALL the sales generated by your advertising activities!

Mike Ferzacca is CEO of Advanced Interactive Sciences

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It was supposed to be perfect. It was my birthday week and I had friends flying into D.C. so that we could go see Radiohead live at Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Virginia. The concert was Sunday, May 11 and I had Monday off. Nothing could go wrong…until Mother Nature stepped in. Cell phone rings. “Are you guys even still going?” Claudia asks cautiously as I maneuver my way around the grocery store picking up last-minute tailgating items. “Of course we’re still going,” I say, somewhat irritated at the mere suggestion of skipping out. Sure, I had heard rumors of some rain, but I was fully prepared with my hooded sweatshirt—it was May!

Flash-forward two hours. We’re situated in lot B. Our other friends are over in lot A. No one in my car wants to get out. People in the cars around us are not getting out. “But Leikin flew here from Cleveland,” I plead, trying to motivate my peers. We finally manage to open the trunk door of Josh’s Toyota 4Runner. We’re happier once the beers start flowing, but it’s imperative to stay underneath the trunk door unless your drink of choice happens to be half Coors Light/half acid rain. It was at this point that things began to get delusional, yet laughable.

“Oh my God! It is seriously raining harder now,” Amber stammers as we watch the rain grow thicker and hear the pounding on the roof grow louder. Another concertgoer runs over to our car. “Can I make a quick call under here?” Yes, it was THAT bad. I begin to think about different products that would make the scenario easier. That’s the beauty of the direct response industry, solving a common problem that a consumer doesn’t typically think about. There was an extreme need for ponchos. What about an invention to protect your beer from the rain so you could still enjoy it? I couldn’t help but remember the umbrella hat I saw last September at ERA’s annual convention. I kind of mocked it then, but I would love having it right now! As we packed up our things to walk to lot A, we decide to leave all electronic items in Josh’s car. No cameras anymore, no cell phones, no iPods—only a credit card and license are deemed reasonable. Josh makes his last phone call, informing our friends that we’re on our way before closing and locking the doors.

During the walk, the sky only gets darker, the rain harder and the temperature colder. We’re literally soaked from head to toe. Amber’s umbrella breaks because of the wind’s severity. As we approach lot A, we realize we can’t keep walking straight because a river has begun to flow right in front of our walking path. We manage to work our way around the river. Walking in jeans becomes arduous as the denim plasters itself to our thighs and calves. Where are our friends? We couldn’t call or text. We just had to keep searching.

“What the hell am I doing here? I don’t belong here…” ~ Creep, Radiohead

“Why didn’t you guys buy ponchos?” our friends in lot A scream, alarmed that we’re so drenched. “They haven’t made it over our way yet,” Josh explains, sounding like a movie line straight from a disaster flick. Byron lights a cigarette under their car roof, which they too were all huddled under. As soon as he steps out to greet me, the rain pounds his cigarette off of its filter and onto the ground. Jokes about Vietnam begin to seem appropriate. We’re now shivering. My entire body begins to shake. Then, out of nowhere, I hear Claudia’s voice. She approaches the group, umbrella in hand, raincoat on. “I have plastic bags wrapped around my feet under my boots and I also have a change of clothes in the car for the ride home,” she says. We all stare at her with jealousy. Some of the girls express interest in just going home. No way. We paid a lot of money and we’ve come this far. The worst of it had to be over, right? Let’s just hear one song and decide.

Onward towards will-call we go. We try to walk faster, but our legs are like liquorice in our soaked jeans. Toby tries to take his ticket out, only to realize his printed ticket is ruined—unrecognizable. Only those in sealed plastic bags will work. Our group unintentionally splits up. We can’t see anything in front of us. “Bruce?! Claudia?!” They’re nowhere to be found, but Bruce has my ticket! Even if someone around me does have their BlackBerry or iPhone, it is no help; no one else has their phones. Byron luckily has an extra ticket, so I make it inside the gates. Off to the lawn we go. People are falling down the lawn’s sloped hill left and right. Radiohead begins playing. The large screens are turned off for electrical reasons, obviously. Shiver, dance, shiver, dance, shiver, dance…

Back at the car everyone strips to their underwear, turning the heat up full blast in an effort to thaw out. What the hell just happened for the past six hours? Was this the worst concert experience ever? Was it the best? It was memorable none-the-less. I began to think of the concert in terms of being a product we bought. It was marketed to us as a rain or shine event, after all. The band had to be fully aware of the conditions outside. As they played one hit after the next, it seemed to me like they were simply using an age-old direct response format: But wait, there’s more!

It’s ironic that the same band that broke technology and industry barriers last year by allowing its new album “In Rainbows” to be downloaded for free on the Internet held a concert that reduced us back to the 1980s technology-wise. Without Byron’s extra ticket, I would have been wandering back to the car before hearing one song. We were all thrown for a loop without the gadgets we’ve become so dependent on. However, for as much as my generation is sometimes too reliant on technology, elements of our parent’s generation were clearly evident as we continued the simple pursuit of live music, much to the detriment of our comfort and health.

“For a minute there, I lost myself…” ~ Karma Police, Radiohead

Pat Cauley is Electronic Retailer magazine’s eMedia Editor

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The home shopping networks we all know and love have sold numerous products over the years using detailed, well thought out demonstrations. However, with live television, mistakes are bound to happen. Robin Barr put together “The 7 Greatest Home Shopping Screw Ups of All Time” for Cracked.com. Enjoy!

Katie White is ERA’s retailer relations manager

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MALVERN, Pa.—Robert Marsh, 83, founder of American Telecast Corporation, died of congestive heart failure, May 4th, surrounded by his family at his Pennsylvania home.

During World War II, he served in the Army Signal Corps in the Pacific Theater where he participated in several landings. He was awarded the Bronze Star. Marsh’s early career consisted of numerous entrepreneurial ventures. In 1975, he founded American Telecast, an industry leader in direct response marketing. The industry pioneer wanted everyone to succeed in business. He intuitively understood that if you help enough people to get what they want, you eventually get what you want.

Marsh is survived by Marjorie Damron Marsh, his wife of 61 years; two sons, John and David; and daughters, Karen Heft and Laurie Shipley; 11 grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Operation Smile at 1-888-OPSMILE or 6435 Tidewater Drive, Norfolk, VA 23509.

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Well, it’s getting to my favorite time of year! No, I’m not talking about the NHL and NBA playoffs, although they’re a bonus. I’m talking about an annual tradition where the cherry blossoms accent our nation’s capital and ERA members congregate to discuss with lawmakers important issues that affect the very vitality of our industry.

I was lucky enough to be embraced by the direct response community about 15 years ago. And, in that time, I’ve seen a lot of changes that have been mandated down to us by the very people we put into office to govern us. Most legislation I’ve applauded because it makes us stronger as an industry and solidifies our future. Some I’ve scratched my head at and wondered why they came to the conclusions they did. In the end, I determined that you and I are ultimately to blame for their poor decisions. WHAT?! YOU? ME?? How can one person or an individual be saddled with this blame? But, in reality, standing idly by and not participating in the legislative process is why.

ERA realized this fact three years ago and put together the Government Affairs Fly-In. It is an easy way to make our voices heard. I was fortunate enough to be a part of the first session. I was absolutely giddy to be a part of something so important. Upon arriving for the day’s events, we were broken up into teams and assigned a lobbyist that would serve as our guide through the halls and administrative offices of Capitol Hill. Each lobbyist caught us up to speed on the pending legislation. That year, it was net neutrality and online taxes, and how we could present our side of the issue in a uniformed and concise manner. We were also given a list of our congressional and senate members we had prearranged meetings with. Participation, so far, in the legislative process was as easy as getting on the waiting bus outside the hotel that took us to Capitol Hill.

Once on the Hill, our teams split up and headed for our perspective meetings. Standing on the front steps of the Capitol, I couldn’t help but feel dwarfed by the immenseness of what I was about to do. On the bright, sunny day, I reached the top of the stairs and took one last look down the Mall with its monuments and reflecting pools and knew this was going to be a special day. Entering the building I couldn’t help but feel that this is what our country is about. Hundreds of people swirled around me as they swept their way to their destinations at all levels of the rotunda. What struck me the most was how relatively quiet it was. I could hear every step I made on the marble floors echo through the labyrinth of hallways. It served as a comforting melodic beat as I moved to my meetings.

My first meeting was with a well-tenured congressman from Arizona. He and his staff were warm with their welcomes when we arrived. When we sat down, they listened respectfully as each one of us presented our part of the solution to pending legislation. It was an easy-going give and take of dialogue as the topics of our industry rolled on. Before I knew it, an hour had passed and our points were presented satisfactorily. Each meeting afterwards progressed in the same manner, with each party treating the other with respect and quite a bit of admiration for the task at hand. It was, to me, the democratic process at its best and as it was designed to be.

Getting on the bus to head back to the hotel, I took a last look back at the lit Capitol, shining outward into the night sky, and reflected. I realized then that we all made a difference that day because we came to voice our opinion on subjects that were important to this industry and to our livelihoods. I can remember a time when I thought I was a part of the legislative process by merely voting for my representatives. But, I now realize that checking a box (or hanging chad) is not the end of individual responsibility in the legislative process—it is only the beginning. The next step is as easy as joining hundreds of your fellow colleagues and me, on May 20th, on Capitol Hill for ERA’s GA Fly-In. I’m hoping to hear more than my own footsteps echoing through the halls, but rather the thunderous roar of all of us marching to ensure we influence those who influence us. After all, we’re all in this together!

Scott Swanson is vice president of sales for Motivational Fulfillment and Logistics Services

Have you been the GA Fly-In before? What was your experience like?

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After talking with clients and mobile advertising firms over the past year, I wasn’t surprised to see that, in addition to its mobile website, Amazon will now offer a more interactive buying experience. In the new TextBuyIt program, customers text Amazon (262966) with the item name, UPC or ISBN code of a product they want to buy and Amazon replies with product information and prices.

What really caught my eye about Amazon’s new program is the method used for order completion—a phone call. While mobile is all the buzz, the challenge for direct marketers has been how to translate that buzz into real sales activity. Amazon’s approach is similar to one AIS uses with its mobile marketing partners and clients, which blends the ease of the mobile’s “click to call” with our IVR platform to allow prospective customers to complete their transaction quickly and easily via a phone call. (Please note that mobile Click-to-Call is NOT the same as online CTC.)

Research shows that customers are already using mobile as a way to respond to ads they see on TV and that number is growing. For certain age groups, mobile texting far surpasses traditional phone and e-mail as the primary method of communication. But when prospective customers try to buy, they are often directed back to the online website or to a mobile website transferred directly over from an online site, with little consideration to the size limitations of the mobile screen. And almost always, there’s no clear and easy way to buy.

Amazon’s introduction of a phone component to its mobile offering and feedback we’ve received indicate that the nascent mobile e-commerce component is still a work in progress. That’s where the direct response industry can take the lead—bringing clarity and years of acquisition experience—to help mobile marketing deliver sales, not just buzz. With higher click-through rates than online and a captive audience, mobile has great potential to capture customers at the moment they want to buy.

Mike Ferzacca is CEO of Advanced Interactive Sciences

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