Mergers and acquisitions in the public relations industry are likely to be frequent in the next few years as publicity firms with digital know-how find buyers. Almost all (92 percent) of respondents to a recent survey of independent PR firms said they have been approached by a potential buyer in the past two years, while more than half of firms (54 percent) said it was “likely” or “very likely” that they would sell by 2021, according to law firm Davis & Gilbert.
The portion of online shoppers who sign up for retailer loyalty programs has fallen 25 percentage points to 58 percent this year from 83 percent last year, according to a study by researcher CFI Group. About 40 percent of customers who refrain from signing up for loyalty programs said being a member isn’t worth the time, money or effort.
“Exit polls found that voters cared strongly about healthcare with 41% of respondents reporting that it was the biggest factor to influence their vote. This was followed by 23% stating that it was immigration and 21% noting that it was the economy. If the economy was a bigger factor — as it has been historically — the ‘Blue ripple’ might not have succeeded.” – Michelle Mayer, U.S. economist, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Smartphones top the holiday wish lists of Americans this year, according to a survey by Gazelle, an online marketplace for used electronic devices. The most wished-for devices this holiday season are: a Samsung Galaxy smartphone (requested by 23% of people who most want electronics as gifts), an Apple iPhone (22%), an Apple Watch (17%), an Apple iPad (16%) and a MacBook (14%), the survey found.
The U.S. non-chocolate candy market, consisting of sugary and fruity candies such as licorice, gelatin-based gummies, and taffy, among others, is forecast to grow more than 2% a year from 2018 to 2023, according to researcher Packaged Facts. Concerns about sugar consumption among health-conscious shoppers has been a key challenge for the candy industry.
A majority of “Gen Food,” a cross-generational group of baby boomers, Generation X, millennials and Generation Z, sees food as an important part of their value and belief system, with 35% saying that food actually defines who they are and what they believe, according to a survey by public relations firm FleishmanHillard.
More than three fourths (78%) of consumers have taken action to address food issues important to them, with reducing food waste emerging as their top priority, the survey found.
More than 2 million smart-home products were sold on eBay this year as shoppers kept linking their homes to smartphones, according to research provided by the online bidding site. Read more…
More than half (57%) of consumers plan on shopping on a computer, 42% on a mobile device and 13% through a virtual assistant this holiday season, according to a Citi Retail Services survey. Read more…
Businesses use a variety of methods to gather user reviews on mobile apps, including push notifications and social media, according to a survey from how-to website The Manifest. More than half (63%) of companies make changes to their apps based on suggestions posted in app stores. Read more…
Smartphones were the dominant way to watch online video during Q2 2018 at 62%, up 9.8% from the second quarter last year. Read more here…