The Forrester Tweet Jam with GMS

By Jose Mallabo on Monday, May 9, 2011

In case you missed last Friday's Tweet jam with Sucharita Mulpuru at Forrester and our Global Marketing Services companies, below is the Twitter stream from the 30-minute session.

gsicommerce Joining #GSIchat with @smulpuru @TrueAction @Fetchback @Clearsaleing @PJamNetwork @eDialog @MBSInsightInc for next 30 mins #GSIchat

jsheldonus With @smulpuru to chat about findings of Purchase Path of Online Buyer study: http://ow.ly/4OWUY #GSIchat

TrueAction With @smulpuru to chat about findings of Purchase Path of Online Buyer study: http://ow.ly/4OWUZ #GSIchat

TrueAction Everyone following and commenting, please be certain to use the #GSIchat hashtag

TrueAction @GSIcommerce @Fetchback @Clearsaleing @eDialog @PJamNetwork also with us. #GSIchat

TrueAction @smulpuru Thank you for doing this. Can you give us the high level of the research methodology #GSIchat

eDialog We'll be tweeting with @smulpuru of Forrester & others for the next 30 minutes about ecommerce. Follow along at #GSIChat!

pjamnetwork we're talking with @smulpuru of Forrester & others for the next 30 minutes about ecommerce! join us using #GSIchat

smulpuru #GSIchat TrueAction shared data from 15 retailers (10 hardgoods, 5 softgoods). Holiday purchases and what marketing channels those buyers used.

smulpuru #GSIchat...15 retailers, with holiday buyers, and the touchpoint in marketing before the transaction...email, search, CSEs, display,

smulpuru #GSIchat...organic and social

kevgah Looking forward to @jsheldonus's chat about findings from Purchase Path of Online Buyer study #GSIChat

smulpuru Report looked at both last click attribution AND other clicks prior to purchase, #GSIchat

TrueAction @smulpuru In the report there is a distinction between hard goods vs. soft goods? What was the difference? #GSIchat

smulpuru About 1/2 of buyers clicked on more than one marketing vehicle, the rest clicked on just one. In both cases, search and email win. #GSIchat

smulpuru In many cases however, there are some tactics like display and affiliates that are frequently touchpoints in the middle #GSIchat

smulpuru And because of the last-click attribution framework, they (display and affiliates esp) may be "undervalued" in ROI analyses. #GSIchat

smulpuru Hard goods are toys, sporting goods and beauty/health. Soft are apparel primarily. #GSIchat

clearsaleing When talking about a Purchase Path, ClearSaleing considers these marketing touchpoints "Influencers." #GSIChat

jtc5280 RT @smulpuru: About 1/2 of buyers clicked on more than one marketing vehicle, the rest clicked on just one. In both cases, search and email win. #GSIchat

jtc5280 RT @smulpuru: In many cases however, there are some tactics like display and affiliates that are frequently touchpoints in the middle #GSIchat

jtc5280 RT @smulpuru: And because of the last-click attribution framework, they (display and affiliates esp) may be "undervalued" in ROI analyses. #GSIchat

FionaDias Report looked at sales results over peak for 15 retailers. Would you expect different results if non-peak time or other retailers? #gsichat

changethecode RT @smulpuru: About 1/2 of buyers clicked on more than one marketing vehicle, the rest clicked on just one. In both cases, search and email win. #GSIchat

TrueAction @smulpuru Rather than "last click" how did u account for the value of those touches, like display that tend to occur in the middle? #GSIchat

smulpuru These were fairly large retailers studied. Smaller retailers may have even more touchpoints. More research=more touchpoints. #GSIchat

eDialog @smulpuru does that mean there is opportunity to increase other channels' success via integration w/email or search? #GSIChat

smulpuru @TrueAction These were "influencers" per ClearSaleing verbiage. Most retailers don't account for them now. #GSIchat

pjamnetwork @smulpuru are there plans to continue with the research during non holiday to further evaluate "touchpoints" #GSIchat

clearsaleing And on that note @eDialog, how important is it to leverage cross-channel media during the holidays? #GSIChat

TrueAction @Smulpuru any surprises in what you found in the report? #GSIchat

smulpuru @eDialog Indeed, that's definitely true about social, but multi-touchpoint attribution seems to be the big opportunity #GSIchat

Timclark3 Wouldn't the behavior of the affiliate customer dictate that channel would be both an influencer and closer? #GSIchat

smulpuru @TrueAction Biggest surprise was how much (1/2) of transactions had multiple touchpoints. 2nd biggest was weak social numbers #GSIchat

TrueAction Was the Mashable piece over blown? http://mashable.com/2011/04/27/social-media-retail-purchases/ #GSIchat

TrueAction ...particularly the comments? #GSIchat

smulpuru @timclark3 Affiliate consumers are often researchers earlier in the process. #GSIchat

clearsaleing @timclark3, We define 'Introducer' as a consumer's first touchpoint, 'Influencer' as any step in between a Introducer & Closer.. #GSIChat

smulpuru @TrueAction Mashable piece framed the piece about social, which wasn't the central takeaway. #GSIchat

pjamnetwork @smulpuru was the research able to measure how social affects the other channels, such as affiliate? #GSIchat

clearsaleing ... 'closer' as the last step in the path before conversion. #GSIChat

TrueAction @eDialog @Fetchback @Clearsaleing @pjamnetwork Are most retailers getting this multipoint approach? #GSIchat

smulpuru @pjamnetwork Social was such a small element that didn't affect that much. In short, it didn't affect much, even affiliates. #GSIchat

eDialog @ClearSaleing- it seemed there were fewer touchpoints on Cyber Monday, so maybe not so important? #GSIChat

TrueAction @Smulpuru Is it possible that the study period and the chosen retailers underrepresented the broader impact of social on commerce? #GSIchat

smulpuru @eDialog Email's big on cybermonday, less research that day too. You find a deal, you rush to go buy it. #GSIchat

gsicommerce great question RT @TrueAction: @eDialog @Fetchback @Clearsaleing @pjamnetwork Are most retailers getting this multipoint approach? #GSIchat

KeriBostonPR RT @ClearSaleing We define 'Introducer' as a consumer's first touchpoint, 'Influencer' as any step in btwn a Introducer & Closer.. #GSIChat

FetchBack @trueaction - but we have seen an increase in acceptance over the past 10-12 months #gsichat

clearsaleing @eDialog - Consumer behavior can vary based on industry, product, seasonality, etc. #GSIchat

smulpuru @TrueAction Possibly, would love another way to measure the impact of social. "Link clicks" is what we're using for now! #GSIchat

pjamnetwork @trueaction yes and they are becoming much more involved. #GSIchat

jefftincher RT @clearsaleing: We define 'Introducer' as a consumer's first touchpoint, 'Influencer' as any step in betwn a Introducer & Closer #GSIChat

TrueAction About 30% of all mobile phones in the U.S. are smart phones – shouldn't we be doing more analysis there and the buying behavior? #GSIchat

eDialog @TrueAction I would say yes-they are getting the message out across channels, incl #email, #social, #mobile, etc. Wherever ppl are! #GSIChat

FetchBack @tureaction wouldnt attribution to clicks replicate the same issues with display today? #gsichat

smulpuru @TrueAction Absolutely, measuring movement across devices becomes harder, but a challenge to analytics providers. #GSIchat

FetchBack @trueaction how about measuring movement across multiple browsers on same user device #GSIchat

smulpuru @FetchBack sadly though in the case of display, viewthrough isn't that compelling either! #GSIchat

clearsaleing RT @fetchback: wouldnt attribution to clicks replicate the same issues with display today? #gsichat We credit both display imp & clicks.

FionaDias Facebook has 31% share of display ads. Can anyone measure ROI given low CTR's & stated consumer interest? http://bit.ly/lYuqu1 #gsichat

TrueAction @Smulpuru heading into Holiday this year. How would summarize the efforts retailers should focus on? #GSIchat

gsicommerce About 5 minutes left #gsichat @trueaction

smulpuru @TrueAction Don't take your eye off search and email, email carefully on Cybermonday #GSIchat

happylatifah RT @kevgah: Looking forward to @jsheldonus's chat about findings from Purchase Path of Online Buyer study #GSIChat

FetchBack @smulpuru are we negating the value of brand awareness and engagement for the click? #GSIchat

TrueAction 5 minutes left with @smulpuru fro @Forrester on their latest Online Buyer study #GSIchat

smulpuru @TrueAction start thinking attribution across channels--that should be a 2011 imperative #GSIchat

clearsaleing @smulpuru - Speaking of Search, what part, if any, did branded search play in the Purchase Path of consumers? #GSIChat

smulpuru @FionaDias Hopefully we don't go back to impressions and recall #GSIchat

TrueAction @smulpuru given that, is "last click" on it's last legs? #GSIchat

smulpuru @ClearSaleing Didn't break out branded search, but it's often about 1/2 of search revenue #GSIchat

kevgah RT @smulpuru: @TrueAction Don't take your eye off search and email, email carefully on Cybermonday #GSIchat

josemallabo RT @kevgah: RT @smulpuru: @TrueAction Don't take your eye off search and email, email carefully on Cybermonday #GSIchat

smulpuru @TrueAction "Last click" not dead yet...it's still the easiest way to measure #GSIchat

thescenicdan @smulpuru Did you find any correlation between industry/vertical and number or importance of touch points? #GSIchat

TrueAction @Smulpuru how would you want to evolve this research in the future? #GSIchat

clearsaleing @smulpuru - ClearSaleing gives you the option of tracking both attribution data and last click. #GSIChat

FionaDias RT @smulpuru: start thinking about measuring attribution across channels--that should be a 2011 imperative #GSIchat

smulpuru Thanks everyone! Study avail here: http://bit.ly/ksAjJh #GSIchat

pjamnetwork @smupuru @trueaction yet don't forget about affiliate during holiday as well #GSIchat

FetchBack @smulpuru then if last click is pt. of measure - do we fail by not educating on attribution to sale? #gsichat

eDialog @smulpuru @TrueAction Cyber Monday is 1 of the highest volume #email days, but consumers allow it because they are prepped to buy. #GSIChat

dpfishman Start thinking about measuring attribution across channels--that should be a 2011 imperative #GSIchat via @smulpuru cc @purchlive

pjamnetwork @clearsaleing do most merchants use last click or are they adopting other forms of attribution? #gsichat

kevgah RT @smulpuru: @TrueAction start thinking attribution across channels--that should be a 2011 imperative #GSIchat

TrueAction Thank you @Smulpuru - great stuff. #GSIchat Thank you all for participating.

TrueAction If anyone has any additional questions, I will be happy to collect and respond where possible on @TrueAction handle. #GSIchat

Tags: ClearSaleing, e-Dialog, Fetchback, Forrester, GSI Global Marketing Services, MBS Insight, Pepperjam, TrueAction Network

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