When talking about memberships and subscriptions, these two business models are sometimes interchanged but actually are different. They often differ in their pricing, customers, and offerings. A subscription is often not a membership, but a membership often encompasses a subscription. A membership is often an elevated and more powerful subscription that collectivizes and leverages the subscribers.
What They Have In Common
With both models, you often pay a fee and receive a ...
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Your Bridge has a new feature: you can more easily message friends about products. On each item's page, there is now a "Message via Bridge" link. When you click this link, a modal will appear, letting you select your friend and share the item. If you wish, you can include a customized message. When you share the message, a message alert will appear when the member views their Bridge account. They will also receive an email alert that you sent them a message.
Stores and brands sometimes ask us: How does Bridge compare to Faire?
I thought we'd compare the two service providers.
Similarities: Bridge & Faire
Audience. Both service the retail industry. In particular, both service brands and retailers. Bridge also services sales reps, and Faire tries to steer clear of them--which is one reason reps don't like Faire much.
Delivery method. Both are online platforms.
Service offered. Faire is a wholesale marketplace. It
In a recent NY Times article about working out, the author Christie Aschwanden gives readers tips on how to make working out more enjoyable. (Read the article: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/19/well/move/habits-motivation-exercise.html). In reading this, I saw many parallels between working out and helping our stores get their websites ‘in shape.’ The author encourages readers to not think of working out as exercise and instead think of it as "hanging out with friends...
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Most e-commerce platforms isolate you and leave you adrift. Bridge connects you with your business friends.
Bridge's unique features:
Built-in Social Network: Friend your business friends on Bridge. This allows you to share news and files, message each other, support accomplishments with one another, and share your passions.
Product Syncing Between Retailers and Brands: Save $1,000 and 50 hours on every 1,000 products you add to your store by using Bridge's
I found this article about the new book 'Ding Dong! Avon Calling!' inspiring. Avon empowered many people to be in business for themselves. Bridge believes in a similar mantra of empowering people to start and run a retail business.
I appreciate Avon promoting an espirit de corps to motivate its thousands of sales people. I share news like this very post for the same reason. Our platform is designed to help members share and support each other--much like Avon's literature for sales ...
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Business leader Scott Galloway said this past week on his podcast Pivot that "complexity is a tax on the poor." I'd expand on that and posit that: complexity is a tax on indie businesses.
What if indie businesses could reduce the complexity and costs of running an online business? I believe we can. Bridge is reducing the costs of running an online business for more than a thousand businesses.
How do we reduce the 'tax'? Bridge often helps a retailer set up an online store ...
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It's just 3 days till Black Friday. And on Monday, we have Cyber Monday. Online sales will reach $189 billion this holiday season--a 33% increase over last year. Is your website ready?
I've created these 7 steps to help you get ready:
1. Place products on sale
Be prepared to cut prices more than normal.
Clearly list end dates for sales to create urgency.
Sadly, we learned of this hack LAST week when it actually happened in...wait for it...April 2019–almost a year ago.
I predict that hacking is going to happen to more and more brands and stores in our industry. I think these victims will either turn over most online operations to a third party—or close due to costs. I know of a jewelry ...
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I think the phrase “E-commerce Community” is a good way to explain Bridge's offering. We're helping businesses share news, messages, pricing, files, pictures, and products.
Without Bridge, e-commerce is often a lonesome field. I believe this siloed nature is already starting to kill off traditional e-commerce operations. In its place, e-commerce platforms that bring together communities are flourishing. Platforms are the future--especially ones that support ...
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Bridge has made it easier for you to share your news and events.
You can now more easily add pictures to news posts, and then edit and rearrange the pictures.
In the example shown, I'm sharing news about our Vietri seminar in Atlanta. I added a picture to the post, as well as marked it as an event, set a location, and added an RSVP button.
Here is how to share news or an event:
Visit your Bridge home page. Look for the 'What's on your mind?' field. Enter in your news or
Facebook leaked all of our data, and now it’s going: private mode. The network wants to convert from a town square communication approach to a living room one.
Bridge has been helping create conversations among just relevant parties since 2008. We allow members including retailers, brands, and reps to share news with just the necessary audience. Mark, welcome to Bridge :)
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January 15, 2019
January 15, 2019
Happy to see Skyros’ new showroom—and promotional flyer. The back of the postcard lists ways to share news (Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest) and products (Bridge).
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January 14, 2019
January 14, 2019
Happy to see Skyros’ new showroom—and promotional flyer. The back of the postcard lists ways to share news (Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest) and products (Bridge).
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April 25, 2016
April 25, 2016
A big-time publisher of news is launching a Facebook-only tech news service. This shows how important it is to A) connect via social networks, and B) share news. Post to your Chalkboard daily. Then you can easily share to your other social media accounts like Facebook.
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Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Tuesday, April 19, 2016 / 2:00 pm EST Seminar: Bridge 101 Audience: for retailers
Learn to quickly: + Add products to your Bridge. + Add brands to Bridge. + Share news to Facebook and other social media platforms. + Complete your store's profile (tax rate, gift cards, etc.)
At the end, we'll take questions.
Result: this seminar will increase your store's sales and Google ranking.
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April 7, 2016
April 19, 2016 / Tuesday @ 2:00 pm EST Seminar: Bridge 101 ~ Welcome to Bridge Audience: for retailers
Topics: + How to add products to your Bridge. + How to add brands to Bridge. + How to share news to Facebook and other social media platforms. + How to complete your store's profile (tax rate, gift cards, etc.)
At the end, we'll take questions from participants.
Result: this seminar will increase your store's Google ranking and sales.
March 22, 2016 / Tuesday @ 2:00 pm EST Seminar: Bridge 101 ~ Welcome to Bridge Audience: for retailers. Seminar is also open to sales reps and vendors to learn how to support retailers.
Topics: + How to add products to your Bridge. + How to add brands to Bridge. + How to share news to Facebook and other social media platforms. + How to complete your store's profile (tax rate, gift cards, etc.)
At the end, we'll take questions from participants.
Result: this seminar will increase your store's Google ...
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December 1, 2015
December 1, 2015
Indy retailers are losing the battle to get their part of the online market, according to today's WSJ. Indy retailers online sales year over year didn't grow nearly as much as big box stores' sales. Specialty shops' sales grew 7% while the big box stores grew by 4x that (30%).
How can we help indy stores get their share? We need to give them better websites that are filled with more products. We need to give them tools that help them better share news and sales, and connect with their customers ...
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October 6, 2015
October 6, 2015
Today's WSJ interviews a major PR company about social media trends for business. The PR exec promotes the value of using social media for B-2-B. Bridge's social media tool Chalkboard allows business partners to share news with each other and with each others' consumers - thereby speeding news to end consumers.
The article's take away is that social media requires planning - just like any form of business.