Author: Dailyusastory

Several years ago, Netflix changed one small feature in its streaming interface in the name of collecting feedback from its millions of customers. Instead of letting its users rate shows and movies from one to five stars, the streaming giant shifted to asking them to give a simple thumbs up or thumbs down. This small change in customer feedback strategy increased engagement with the feature by 200%, giving the company valuable insights into its subscribers’ preferences and allowing it to better tailor its offerings to users on a personalized, case-by-case basis. Smart customer feedback like this can help change the…

I’ve interviewed hundreds of entrepreneurs for this podcast. Most are problem solvers and optimists, confident in their ability to fulfill a need. Take Lloyd Armbrust. He’s an editor turned software founder, having launched OwnLocal, a Y Combinator-backed portal for local newspapers. When the pandemic hit, he observed doctors and nurses struggling to get protective gear. He thought, “This is ridiculous. How hard could it be to make these things?” His solution was Armbrust American, an Austin, Texas-based manufacturer of personal protective equipment, which he launched in May 2020 and remains viable despite the dramatic drop in demand. He and I…

Selling high-end or luxury items can be tempting when considering expanding your product line or launching a new brand. However, marketing posh products requires a touch more finesse than marketing average-priced goods. Think opera gloves, not oven mitts!Slapping on a higher price tag isn’t enough. A strategic approach is required to attract and engage a clientele ready to invest in premium offerings.This blog will guide you through creating and marketing high-priced products, ensuring your business captures the attention of customers ready to splurge.Marketing High-Priced vs. Average-Priced ProductsMarketing expensive products requires a different approach than marketing items at an average price point.While mass-market products focus on affordability and utility, high-end products emphasize quality, exclusivity, and experience. Understanding these differences is a must for tailoring your marketing strategy effectively.High-priced…

If you listen to podcasts—and over half of Americans do—you’ve likely noticed there are a lot of ads. Some are traditional commercials, like radio spots. Other times, the podcast hosts read ads themselves (these are known as host-read ads). The relationship between podcasters and advertisers is symbiotic: Podcasts want to make money, and advertisers want the ears of an engaged audience. Podcast ads don’t just offer reach—they build credibility. Audio is intimate, and audiences often trust their favorite podcast hosts. There’s nothing like a recommendation from a trusted voice. If podcast advertisements aren’t part of your marketing strategy, it’s time…

It’s the million-dollar question: How often should you post on Instagram? Is it OK to post multiple times a day? Or should you stick to a few posts each week? You can see how quickly it becomes a balancing act. You don’t want to post so infrequently that no one sees your content, but you also don’t want to post so much that Instagram thinks you’re a spam account. Most importantly, you must consider how much time and energy you have to dedicate to the platform. Developing a consistent posting schedule that aligns with your resources and goals is vital…

Every week we publish a list of new products from companies offering services to ecommerce merchants. This installment includes tools for AI-powered shopping assistants, video production, search engines, payment platforms, financing, and user-generated content. Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com. New Tools for Merchants Storfund launches financing option with TikTok Shop. Fintech Storfund has partnered with TikTok Shop to create an embedded financing option for the U.S. social media app. Called Daily Advance, the new product enables Storfund to advance money to sellers as soon as they ship their goods. By providing access to quicker payouts, Daily Advance will…

From an ethical perspective, it’s clear that adopting an inclusive outlook is the right thing to do. What may surprise you, however, are the wide-ranging strategic advantages it can also provide your business. 

Los Angeles, like many big cities, has its share of problems. One of them is access to healthy food. This is a serious socio-economic issue and, unfortunately, lower-income neighborhoods are especially vulnerable to it.  When former baristas Michelle Johnson and Ezra Baker, and their third co-founder, Eric J. Grimm, launched Ghost Town Oats in Los Angeles in June 2022, they weren’t only introducing another oat milk brand—they were addressing a crucial gap in the plant-based beverage market. Oat milk is typically served in wealthier parts of town, and available in the communities that want it, not necessarily in the communities…

Getting products into the hands of your customers is often more complex than connecting the dots from point A to point B. A luxury perfume retailer might source rare vanilla extract from Madagascar, glass bottles from Italy, and sustainable packaging materials from Canada before shipping finished products to customers around the world.  Each step of this process is filled with dependencies: multiple suppliers, different production timelines, and various transportation methods. At any time, supply chain disruptions—from crop failures to manufacturing flaws—could leave the company scrambling to source the components.  As supply chains grow more complex, supply chain analytics can help…

As your business expands and your customer base grows, your inventory management and warehouse capabilities need to keep pace. An online sporting goods retailer might expand to stock hundreds of items with separate stock keeping units (SKUs)—everything from golf balls and tennis rackets to lacrosse sticks and grip tape. This growth brings new challenges: the need to fulfill more orders quickly while avoiding costly errors that could disappoint customers. Traditional order-picking methods, like paper-based systems and handheld scanners, may strain to meet the demands of a scaling retail operation. But voice-picking technology can help modernize your warehouse operations, equipping your…