In Response to Jake Atherton's April 6th Post

Have you ever bought a product from an infomercial, or know anyone who has?

I actually worked for a company that sold products on television. I worked as a customer service telephone operator. The experience wasn't exactly what I call fun - but I definitely learned a lot from it. Some of the products were of okay value. Overall, I think that products marketed on TV are of low value, and shouldn't be trusted to last for a long time. 

"Microsoft signs Android patent deal with Foxconn"

In my Management Information Systems class, we recently watched a video about Foxconn, a Chinese  company that is notorious for the creation of Apple products in horrible working conditions. Employees are subject to extremely low pay and long hours, as well as housing and meal plans which they have to pay for themselves. There have been reports saying that Microsoft has just signed an agreement with the company as well.

Do you think that this is a good or bad thing for Microsoft, seeing as how the company could get some bad press from this arrangement?

All information taken from:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-22182597

In Response to Brooke Callaway's April 10th Post

Do you think K-mart has a clever way of keeping viewers interested in what they are trying to sell? 

I think this marketing strategy works very well. People remember what makes them laugh, and it's only natural to want to share what makes you laugh. However, whether or not laughter translates into revenue is a whole other issue. In this case, the laughter doesn't take away from the message, making this an effective commercial.

"HBO: Game of Thrones Piracy is a Compliment, Doesn’t Hurt Sales"

According to an article I read on www.torrentfreak.com, the wide-scale piracy of the popular HBO show Game of Thrones doesn't hurt HBO financially. In fact, it helps. According to the director of the show, David Petrarca, "shows like Game of Thrones thrive on “cultural buzz” and benefit from the social commentary they generate. Piracy, he said, helps to oil those wheels, [...] 'I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but it is a compliment of sorts,' HBO programming president Michael Lombardo told EW. '[Piracy is] something that comes along with having a wildly successful show on a subscription network.'" (See link at bottom).

What is your opinion on this? Do you think piracy of TV shows is okay?


http://torrentfreak.com/hbo-game-of-thrones-piracy-is-a-compliment-doesnt-hurt-sales-130401/

In Response to Nick Vita's April 4th Post

With annoying hosts that talk way too fast and act way to excited about everything, these infomercials can lead customers away more than bringing them in.  What is your take on this infomercials? Are they a good marketing tactic for a company?

In my opinion, infomercials are not intended for my demographic (i.e., the younger generation). They are in place to exploit older customers with extra money to spend on these products. I worked in the customer service department of the company made famous by the "One-touch can opener" and the "Faraday Flashlight." Almost every single person who called in was elderly (certainly not a member of my generation). So to answer the question posed above, they are a good marketing tactic, depending on the target market.

What's your take on infomercial and direct response marketing?

Netflix Stock Takes Hit

I recently read bit of news (link at end of entry) that questions whether Netflix, the instant movie and TV show streaming service, has reached its peak as of late. Netflix's stock "recently fell below the moving average for the last 30 and 50 days. That set off alarm bells for so-called momentum investors. 'They ride the charts and when a stock starts to lose momentum they move things around,' Janney Capital Markets’ Tony Wible says. Some also may have wondered whether Netflix might be nicked by Warner Bros’ quiet introduction of its WB Archives Instant, a streaming service for its old movies and TV shows. Major investor Carl Icahn dispelled one rumor, telling CNBC that he hasn’t been selling his shares."

My family just recently signed up for Netflix, and so far, I love it. However, it has been out for quite a while, and it is possible that the service has reached the majority of its audience as of late. Personally, I think the company may just be slowing down a bit. I doubt it will "fall from grace" anytime soon.

Do you think that Netflix is going to fall in terms of share price in the near future, or do you think this is just a small hiccup for the service?


All information, as well as the above image, taken from: http://www.deadline.com/2013/04/netflix-shares-hit-investors-worry-lost-momentum/

In Response to Jonathan Tomachick's March 8th Post

Do you find yourself doing the same when you shop? Have you ever had to cut another shopping trip short because of splurging for sale items the week prior?

I often get sucked in by sale items, especially when they are products that I have purchased in the past, and been pleased with the results. A perfect example would be this past weekend, when I went food shopping. There was a two-for-one sale on a type of cookies that I like. I previously had no plans to purchase these cookies, but the sale lured me in. However, I ended up realizing that I don't need them before I left the store, and put them back where I got them.

I've never really let my spending get to the point where I have to make large sacrifices; I just try to shop smart and only buy what I really need.

When was a time that you or someone you know spent far too much in a splurge-like shopping spree, and had to make sacrifices because of it?