Shopkeepers aren't so unlike us online writers. We do experiments: manipulate our content, headlines, and images to see what draws in readers and keeps you coming back. So do retailers: Put the blue shirt up front, now the red; see what sells. The difference is that online experiments produce denser data. We know how many of you are reading this now, how far down the page you scroll, and how long you're engaged. If you like what you read and "like" or tweet it, we'll know; ditto if you "bounce" as soon as you visit the site. So we pick buzzier headlines, more engaging content, winning Fast Company "shoppers" by offering what you want. Physical stores do the same, featuring the newest gadget or the sexiest bra model; book covers relevant to news or movies; water sounds or peaceful music at the massage parlor; incense at the New Age health store; hip–hop or indie pop at the teen clothing store. Whatever's being sold, the seller and staff try baits to hook shoppers, to keep them engaged with products and convert them to loyal customers. The problem is, with little data measured, it's hard to say what works. If you treat your retail store like a website, though, you'll sell more stuff: that's the bet that tech startup Locarise is making. Their smartphone tracking service offers to merge the worlds of on– and offline shopping. But whether or not this will creep out customers remains to be seen: When physical stores track shoppers' behavior, as Nordstrom did lately, customers... Continue reading at 'Fast Company'
[ Fast Company | 2013-08-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In Japan, the HMV and Tower Records brands live on, with HMV opening a new flagship bookstore in Tokyo's Shibuya neighborhood. The post HMV Opens Dazzling New Flagship Bookstore in Tokyo appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-11-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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AR&Co, an Indonesian startup that specialized in augmented reality, presented new possibilities for storytelling at the Frankfurt Book Fair. The post Indonesian Startup Gives Books a New Dimension appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-10-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The self-publishing boom means writers with great stories are connecting with directors who are masterful storytellers--and everyone wins. The post The Martian Proves Movies Are Now Better Than Their Books appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired
[ Wired | 2015-10-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Most of the ebook startup's team is reportedly moving to Google. The post ‘Netflix for Books’ Startup Oyster Is Shutting Down appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired
[ Wired | 2015-09-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A new company founded by a former Penguin Random House digital exec is making a big bet on original, serialized digital fiction. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-09-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Comedian Aziz Ansari opened up at a Boston marketing conference on Thursday about his dating history, including the tale of unrequited love that ultimately became the genesis of his recently published book. Ansari, who teamed up with a New York sociologist to write the book, "Modern Romance,"... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal
[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2015-09-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Bookseller’s inaugural top 20 list, led by print bestsellers, is notable for the absence of children’s titles“Listen to any good books on your holidays?” is a question that soon might not sound so weird. More and more of us are downloading audiobooks, thanks to the ubiquity of smartphones... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-08-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Retired font designer Paul Veres is enjoying the fact that, unexpectedly, his font, Caterina, was licensed and used on the cover of Harper Lee's new book, 'Go Set a Watchman.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-07-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After 600k personalised picture-book sales, London firm secures investment from Silicon Valley firms Google Ventures and GreycroftChildren’s storytelling startup Lost My Name raised its first $100k of funding in 2014 on TV show Dragon’s Den. Now the London-based firm is turning to Silicon Valley... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-06-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Inkshares, a crowdfunded book publishing platform, is working with indie bookstores to help them launch their own imprints.A fledgling publishing company is offering a new tool to indie bookstores: crowdfunded imprints.Read Full Story Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2015-06-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tom Chalmers of IPR License notes activity at the recent London Book Fair proved the literary translation market is diversifying into smaller languages. The post LBF Proves Literary Translation Market is Diversifying appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-05-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Self-Publishing platform Gatekeeper Press offers ebook and POD print publication as well as distribution via all major ebook retailers. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Katie Kutsko, incoming editor-in-chief of The University Daily Kansan at the University of Kansas, is currently oozing awesomely geeky journalism passion. It has spilled over into a compelling manifesto on the publishing platform Medium in ... Continue reading at Editor & Publisher
[ Editor & Publisher | 2015-04-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Elsewhere in this, the Digital Issue of Advertising Age, my colleague Michael Sebastian writes about digital publishing companies -- specifically, a half dozen upstarts in various stages of youth, including BuzzFeed (born 2006) and Vox (2011).It's an eye-opening report that looks beyond the hype... Continue reading at Advertising Age
[ Advertising Age | 2015-02-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Bestselling author Lee Strobel adds a new book to his popular apologetics series, making 'The Case for...' a God who offers grace to everyone. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'The End of Power' – a respected, though modestly-selling, nonfiction book – has now been launched to a global audience thanks to Mark Zuckerberg. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Based on PW’s informal survey of stores around the country, many easily beat the National Retail Federation’s prediction of a 4.1% increase during November and December. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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When PW did a review at the end of 2013 on how more than 30 industry startups had performed over the last few years, we found that while several had “pivoted” and one had been sold, for the most part companies were still in business and hopeful that sustainable growth was just around the corner. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Find your lost pet with the help of facial recognition. Your home security system gets smarter. Search for a home cleaner and instantly book an appointment. Meet 2014's newest tech ideas in our collection of stories from The Pitch, a weekly feature in the Silicon Valley Business Journal. The... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal
[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2015-01-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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