How technology hurts the entertainment industry just like Amazon hurts the retail industry.
August 1, 2023
Over the last three decades, Hollywood and many that rely on the entertainment industry have embraced ordering goods over Amazon.com. Recap: Amazon is a technology company that often cuts costs by replacing humans with code and robots and bypasses local red tape like, um, taxes and labor rules. Hollywood writers, producers, and ticket goers embraced a technology company that made their lives easier but often at the cost of others (aka retail workers).
Scott Galloway, the NYU business professor and firebrand, pens a weekly, attention-grabbing article about business trends. In last week’s post, he noted the rise of the attention economy. (...Yes, my post is an attention-seeker writing about an attention-seeker writing about attention.) Comparing our current economy to those of the past, Mr. Galloway notes that today’s oil is time. He tracks the growth of digital companies like Netflix, Microsoft, Facebook, and TikTok that...
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When I was a kid, my mom instilled in me a lesson to always get paid for my work. When I went to mow a lawn or do my newspaper route, she’d remind me, “Be sure you get paid.” As an adult, these flashbacks are vivid like a scene from Citizen Kane—just swap out the Rosebud sled with my newspaper delivery bike. Today, this lesson still resonates when running Bridge. When calling a store that hasn’t paid its Bridge bill, I’m confident in asking ...
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Businesses like Walmart, Disney, and Discovery are bundling services and adding the “+” suffix to denote them (e.g. Disney+, Discovery+, W+, etc.). In a recent article in RetailDive, we learn that Walmart is giving its customers free, six-month trial Spotify accounts. I think W+ bundling services is smart. Last week, I compared running a gym to offering software. I spoke about bundling services with things that people like to increase their usage, such as work ...
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I recently bought a pair of jeans from the bike-lifestyle company Rapha. I find Rapha's stores, emails, and mission to be inspiring to Bridge, and I'll explain why.
First, you may ask, "What is Rapha?" Rapha is a product company that sells goods for biking, including shirts, shorts, helmets, and accessories. What is unique is the lengths it goes to foster a community (and sales!) by having a coffee shop in it, organizing riding events, offering members-only clothing...
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Today’s Times shares that Amazon Prime members often spend twice as much compared to those that aren’t members. This led to me ponder: What if a first step to reducing Amazon’s monopolies is just canceling a $119/year ‘membership’? Prime may be Amazon’s strength—as well as its achilles. If we can find a way to undermine it, I believe one can save money and our communities.
While watching Salvage Kings, a Hulu TV show about a Canadian salvage company, I learned that the Nash automobile company’s 1920s slogan was "Give the customer more than he has paid for.” From Wikipedia, I learned the cars lived up to their slogan:
“Innovations included a straight-eight engine with overhead valves, twin spark plugs, and nine crankshaft bearings in 1930....A long-time proponent of automotive safety, Nash was among the early mid- and low-priced cars ...
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June 10, 2019
June 10, 2019
Steaming music is the future for consumersβand streaming products is the future for retailers. Streaming revenue increased by 300% from 2015 to 2018. Consumers came to feel that downloading each MP3 file was time consuming and tedious. Last week Apple even shutdown its iTunes download store. Likewise, retailers manually adding each item to their website is not doable. Spotify and Apple realized the need to stream music vs offer it piecemeal. Bridge realizes the need for stores to stream entire ...
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March 5, 2015
March 5, 2015
What does Bridge have in common with Hulu and HBO? Answer: Bridge also offers a streaming service for just a few bucks a month. The difference is that unlike TV streaming services, Bridge makes you money.
Bridge Plans: + One Brand Plan: Bridge Store, Gift Registry, ability for the retailer to add all the items it wants from any brand, and syncing products with one Bridge brand: $8
+ Boutique Plan: Everything above and syncing with up to 15 Bridge brands: $59
+ Game Changer Plan: Everything above ...
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January 15, 2015
January 15, 2015
Common website design mistake
A prospective client wrote me today asking for a time-saving solution to maintain her gift registry. I replied the Bridge's Store and Products would be a good fit for her desire to save time. We were off to a good start. Then, she told me that she wanted a custom, unique website. She said that doesn't want a 'cookie cutter' website.
I had to raise a flag and try to save this person from making a mistake. Why? Whereas a physical store's charm grows as you make it ...
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June 6, 2013
June 6, 2013
From today's Wall St. Journal: the new trend of streaming weddings. This may be a new opportunity for online registry interaction.
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October 25, 2008
October 25, 2008
Cross Promoting Tableware Brands with Food and Beverage Brands
This article below from the New York Post shares that Facebook is looking to promote music to its customer base. Why? Facebook, like MySpace, knows that people that use its service are young and probably listen to and buy a lot of music. Facebook is anticipating a customer desire, and trying to offer one more way to satisfy him or her-and make money in the process.
I wonder if there is some room for the tableware industry to learn from...
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