Post on 27-May-2015
description
Welcome to the e ily Deal Builder
Training Webinar. We are going over 8 Predictions for the eCommerce, Coupon,
and Daily Deal Industries in 2014.
Presented on Jan. 8th 2014 by Marc HorneCo-Founder, DailyDealBuilder.com
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Throughout our history, we have
learned that a good indicator of
future behavior can be found by
viewing past history.
In the grand scheme of capitalism, the daily
deal and ecommerce industries are in their
infancy; however, behavior over the past few
years can give us insight into what will be
happening over the next couple years.
2013 saw some major tech news...
Apple updated its mobile operating
system, iOS 7, which got new
features and a fresh look. The
company also released two new
iPhones and two speedier iPads.
2 of the 3 major game-machine makers
released new versions of their popular game
consoles. The PS4 and Xbox One are battling it
out for consumers' dollars.
VS.
Microsoft made some major moves in 2013 as it
attempted to break into the mobile market. In
addition to updates for its young desktop, tablet
and mobile operating systems, the company
bought Nokia's phone division and announced
the departure of longtime CEO Steve Ballmer.
The age of wearable technology is not fully here
yet, but in 2013 a crop of prototypes took their
first unsteady steps towards common use.
Google spread its Glass eyewear to thousands
of early testers, while companies launched
various smart watches and fitness trackers.
Virtual currency Bitcoin has been around since
2009, but in 2013 it picked up serious
momentum. It rocketed in price and popularity
while fighting for mainstream acceptance and
against regulation. But is it just a bubble?
Let's look at other huge
technology related events of
2013 and how these will relate
to us in 2014.
Edward Snowden released 1.7 million
documents to Glen Greenwald of The
Guardian that detailed the NSA Spying
Programs that track cell phone and internet
data. This news affects nearly every
citizen in the United States and beyond.
The major tech companies denied involvement,
though it seems almost impossible to me that
this is the case. We have only just scratched
the surface of what the NSA is doing with their
massive data centers.
Can the NSA record video directly
from your webcam and phone
camera? The technology exists.
Is the NSA collecting every bit of
data imaginable from our internet
and phone activities? Yes.
These NSA Files have opened
up a large scale discussion
about privacy issues in the 21st
century and this story will
continue to have a major impact
in the U.S. and abroad in 2014.
1. The "Hacking War"
Builds Momentum in ‘14
Prediction
1. The "Hacking War" Builds Momentum
Privacy / Security Issues and high-profile hacks grew like wildfire
in 2013 and I'm predicting 2014 to be much worse.
A series of hacks launched by groups like the Syrian Electronic
Army, Anonymous, and possibly the Chinese military made
headlines throughout 2013.
News organizations like the New York Times and Washington
Post were targets as well as major tech companies including
Twitter, Facebook, SnapChat, and Apple.
1. The "Hacking War" Builds Momentum
As more innovative technology is continually released over 2014,
the "Hacking War" will almost certainly continue on, and even
increase.
It doesn’t just happen to the big players, either. Secure your
sites, protect your customer’s data and privacy, and do everything
in your power to maintain website security and password security.
2. There will be continued
consolidation, investments, and
buyouts in the tech world.
Prediction
2. Continued consolidation, investments,
and buyouts in the Tech World
In 2013, Twitter's initial public offering was the most anticipated tech IPO since
Facebook's rocky debut in 2012. It created a new crop of tech millionaires and
billionaires, but raised questions about the profitability of the social media
company's young ad business.
In 2014 I am predicting that many of the larger tech companies (Microsoft,
Apple, Groupon, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, etc) will continue investing huge
sums of money to buy up smaller competitors entering the marketplace.
I predict that funding and VC in the daily deal industry and tech industry as a
whole will continue to see growth (again, not just the larger companies).
Although, in the grand scheme of capitalism, the
daily deal industry is in its infancy, I believe it has
progressed incredibly fast through the industry
lifecycle and is entering the "maturity" phase.
3. Micro Videos Will Change
Communication and Everyday
Interaction
Prediction
3. Micro Videos will change communication
and everyday interaction
First Twitter released Vine, a new social app for sharing six-
second videos.
Facebook bought Instagram quickly followed by allowing videos
up to 15 seconds long.
The new medium has already taken off with clips of breaking
news, artsy creations and a new kind of "selfie."
3. Micro Videos will change communication
and everyday interaction
Snapchat momentarily leads the rise of messaging apps. It was
dismissed as a simple app for sexting teens, but Snapchat, like
other upstart messaging apps, has a fast-growing user base. It is
seen as a threat to traditional social media like Facebook, as well
as old-fashioned SMS text messaging.
I predict that in 2014 short micro-videos will become a more
integral part of life and the way we consume information and
connect with friends.
How can your company capitalize from this trend?
4. Smart Phones and Tablet
Internet Traffic Overtakes Web
Traffic
Prediction
4. Smart Phones and Tablet Internet Traffic
Overtakes Web Traffic
I'm predicting that in late 2014, mobile traffic from smartphone
and tablet users will exceed web traffic.
Regardless if my prediction comes to fruition, the reality is that
your business must prepare for mobile traffic in 2014 because the
line graphs are seeing a steady increase of mobile and tablet
users and traffic.
Whether or not you create native apps, HTML5 apps, or simply
make your website mobile optimized... You can expect more and
more of your website traffic to be from devices.
5. Importance of Value Added
Upsells Continues Growth
Prediction
5. Importance of Value Added Upsells Grows
It will be more important than ever to work out arrangements that
cause a win for the merchant, a win for the employees offering
the deal, a win for the customer, and a win for the daily deal site.
We have seen merchants burned time and time again because of
improper planning. We have also witnessed what happens when
the customers are upset about a poor daily deal.
There is a reason the larger companies are acquiring smaller
ones… To be able to instantly provide value added upsells and
additional services to their userbase.
5. Importance of Value Added Upsells Grows
It will also be important for daily deal sites and all ecommerce
sites to not only focus on making their merchants and customers
happy, but also work with the merchants and businesses to
ensure employees don’t get the wrong end of the deal.
Profitability in 2014 will be directly impacted by how well
your organization offers value added upsells and
complementary products and services to your users and
customers.
6. Smaller, niche-specific sites
will continue upward growth
and expansion
Prediction
6. Smaller, niche-specific sites will continue
upward growth and expansion
Being the “first mover” in nearly any industry definitely has
upsides.
It has its own set of downsides too, but in the daily deal industry
the first mover companies who got a jump on their competition
have had huge advantages and have been growing and gaining
traction very quickly.
There are many niche specific daily deal sites that have
continued to launch over the past few years and they are popping
up in random industries and odd, niche specific markets.
6. Smaller, niche-specific sites will continue
upward growth and expansion
Low barrier to entry in the ecommerce and daily deal worlds leads
me to predict that we will see a continuation of successful,
smaller ecommerce players.
Niche specific sites and smaller geographic based players will not
only continue to launch, but I predict that many will continue to
see growth and profitability in 2014.
People appreciate supporting local companies and enjoy
hobnobbing with like-minded individuals. This trend will
grow.
7. Lawsuits continue and
patent trolls will keep filing
suits and causing trouble
Prediction
7. Lawsuits continue and patent trolls will
keep filing suits and causing trouble
As new, innovative technologies continue to be released, it opens
the door for patent trolls to claim they own the rights to said
technology.
2014 will see some major lawsuits from companies claiming they
patented certain ideas years before they were implemented.
As our society becomes more technologically advanced, we are
seeing more and more lawsuits and patent trolls coming out of
the woodwork.
8. Crowdsourcing and
Crowdfunding See Immense
Growth
Prediction
8. CrowdSourcing / Crowdfunding
In 2014, crowdsourcing and crowdfunding will become an integral
part of the way smaller (and some larger) companies acquire
funding and get tasks accomplished for the best price.
Crowdsourcing and funding gained a lot of press in 2013, and I
personally believe they will be a game changer in 2014.
Other Trends that We Predict
Will Be on the Rise…
3-D Printers
3-D Printers
Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is a process of making a
three-dimensional solid object of virtually any shape from a digital
model. 3D printing is achieved using an additive process, where
successive layers of material are laid down in different shapes.
They gained a lot of press in 2013, and I personally believe they
will be a game changer in 2014.
Ease of Use
The easier it is for your
customers to buy from you,
the more buyers you should
have.
I believe ease of use is one
of the biggest reasons why
Amazon has continued to
dominate.
1-click purchases and
recommended products
make the site an absolute
pleasure to shop at.
User Generated Recommendations
For years, I have been preaching that user generated recommendations are
the most powerful form of advertising that any company can utilize.
This was a big one for most of the winners of 2013. They made it as easy as
humanely possible to share their website and deals with friends and
colleagues. Those who ran contests and actually incentivized users to share
yielded even better results.
We’ll see what plays out… Make plans now! – P.P.P.P.P.P.P.
Thank you for attending our webinar.
We are confident you will absolute love
working with us. To learn more about
Daily Deal Builder, we invite you to visit
us online at:
dailydealbuilder.com