IRCE 2011 Report: Social networks let like-minded shoppers unite

The web has always been social, but social media provides a particularly accessible way for like-minded consumers to unite, said Cam Balzer, Threadless vice president of marketing today at the Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition 2011 in San Diego. “There are no lonely geeks anymore,” he said. “Now they’re interacting with each other online.”

Retailers can leverage the social nature of the social web by giving consumers a forum where they can voice their opinions. That’s an inherent part of Threadless’ do-it-yourself business, which allows shoppers to vote on the designs they would like to see featured on T-shirts.

Social networks like Facebook and Twitter are a prime vehicles for retailers to communicate their passion about what they sell. “The social web is made for it,” he said. “Big brands try to find a way to generate passion around their products, but for all us DIYers this is made for us because we are genuinely passionate about it.”

By communicating that passion, a retailer like Threadless can draw in consumers who increasingly seek meaning in what they buy, said Balzer. “How far can you push at your company to give consumers a genuine opportunity to not just offer input, but an actual say in what you’re selling?” Balzer pointed to women’s apparel retailer igigi as one retailer that does just that. Igigi uses Facebook to pose questions to consumers about what types of pleats, cuts or eveningwear they’d like Igigi to offer.

And that’s just one way retailers can let consumers offer input, he said. He recommended that retailers place Facebook’s Like button on every product page, because when a consumer clicks that he Likes a product that message instantly is amplified as it’s communicated to his Facebook friends. In May, Threadless had about 20,000 Likes, which led to 5.7 million impressions on Facebook. In turn, that led to about 25,000 referrals directly from Facebook back to Threadless.

Another way Threadless is experimenting with using Facebook to draw in shoppers is via Sponsored Stories (Read about Sponsored Stories:  ). Sponsored Stories is an ad service that companies can use to have their logos appear alongside Facebook posts that mention the company. Facebook only displays a portion of a consumer's connections' posts in her news feed. That means that even if a consumer clicks that she Likes a design on Threadless only about 10% to 12% of her connections will see that action. However, displaying through Sponsored Stories that the shopper Likes that design can reach a much broader consumer base, he said.

8 really cool international webcams | Matador Network

As much as I love calling out the lame excuses my friends and family try to toss out as reasons for not traveling, I can understand that many people — myself included — aren’t really prepared to drop everything at a moment’s notice for a round-the-world adventure. Thankfully, this is where the Internet steps in.

These scenic webcams helped to (at least temporarily) make me feel like a traveler, regardless of how many vacation days I’ve got saved up (none):

1. Times Square, New York City, USA

Find it: Times Square Cam Earthcam has several different views of Times Square in New York City , including some that are HD quality and viewer controllable. My personal favorite is Cam 2 on 46th and Broadway, which shows a street-level view of taxis, tourists waving at the camera, and — when I looked, anyway — three dudes in denim vests walking in a row. I watched this camera for no less than 30 minutes, shouting at a guy in plaid who wouldn’t stop walking while texting, cheering when a street vendor finally made a sale, and wondering why so many parents had their children out after midnight.

This camera streams live from a busy intersection in the center of Amsterdam , where you can watch people go about their daily routines. I tuned in on a rainy morning and got to witness a child in an orange raincoat, a cyclist holding an umbrella narrowly (at least from my blurry vantage point) escape a collision with a trashcan, and very few actual cars. Gotta love a city that still bikes in the rain.

When I first clicked onto this webcam, it was a fuzzy black and white image of something that looked like a big puddle. I didn’t expect much, but I forgot that this is Africa . Live from the Sabi Sands Game Reserve, which is connected to Kruger National Park, this camera actually gives views of real living-in-the-wild wildlife. I left the page running while I went to grab a snack and almost spilled my coffee when I returned to a black-and-white image of a 4-legged critter peering briefly toward the camera before dipping its head to take a drink. Remember to check back at night if you don’t see anything during daylight hours.

Aimed straight down into St. Peter’s Square, this webcam shows a clear view of the piazza with the basilica in the background. The camera is a little high off the ground to really see what people are doing, but this is definitely a unique vantage point for crowded events. There’s not much going on in the square this evening, and with the camera set to refresh only every few minutes, it didn’t hold my interest much longer than it took to enjoy the view of the dome. But I’ll be coming back to view again on Wednesday, when the pope makes his weekly appearance.

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