This Week in Consumer Web - August 20, 2010

Blockbuster nears bankruptcy but thinks it can outdo NetFlix in the long haul, consumers can now make payments via their Twitter accounts using TwitPay, Jet-Blue sells "All You Can Jet" plane tickets for unlimited flying for a month and Savewave ramps up their digital coupon program. What's going on? Companies are having to work harder for your money and you want them to. A few years ago it was hard to pry information from customers: take a clunky online survey, wait on hold to participate for a phone questionnaire about service, or fill out some form and mail in a rebate. Now consumers are willing to say exactly how they feel and with mobile not only are people 'checking in' but they are rating businesses too. Talk about businesses getting more bang for their own buck, we are selling our opinions without even realizing it and its not a bad thing. Some things we learned this week: Consumers love a good deal, financial incentives work Customer expectations do not decrease with price People do care about causes Consumers love a good deal, financial incentives work Savewave launched to the public yesterday as the next big eCoupons retailer and network for groceries as well as Speedeals locally in Silicon Valley. JetBlue offers a special deal where for you can purchase a pass to book as many plane tickets as possible during a set time frame (perfect media timing after the infamous flight attendant "who's coming with me" Jerry Maguire breakdown). If its a good deal and the price set right people will find the money for the service and companies want to make it easier to pay. Customer expectations do not decrease with price While users for Foursquare, Twitter and Facebook are increasing each day more anger over cell phone and telecommunications carriers tends to boil. Even if on a small plan or discounted plan or crowded area, the consumer expects excellent service. Adding to the lack of transparency the FCC recently release a 30 page report on internet speed showing that internet usage is increasing while speed (for various reasons, some controllable by providers) is actually being delivered at about half of what it is advertised as. Consumers take their service seriously especially when there is a lack of it. People do care about causes Despite the current economic dip and the buyer being more 'value-minded' consumers are still wanting to feel as though they can make a small difference. Fundrazr works with Paypal to make donating to organizations and individuals more social and CauseOn let's shoppers find a good deal while supporting their charity of choice. So what's next? I predict we will start seeing more GroupOn like clones with socially minded incentives as well as more applications eliminating the use of plastic cards. Mobile is where things are already shifting now if only carriers could be prepared for the bandwidth growth, things could really speed up.

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This Week in Consumer Web - August 20, 2010

Ellie Cachette

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Ellie Cachette