ActiSKU, the 3D Real Time Virtual Shopper Test solution was honored, at the Imagina, the 3D Simulation & Visualization Event in Monaco, being nominated in the ‘Industry’ category with two other leading edge 3D specialists.
Monday, January 25 2010, 15:20 by Bennet Holmes
A Marketing Pack now available for ActiSKU Partners
In line with ActiSKU’s new business model we are proud to announce the launch of The Marketing Pack-an online portfolio destined for ActiSKU’s newly certified Partners.
The Pack is designed to help partners sell in and facilitate this leading edge technology to their clients.
In one click, you can see video demonstrations or select examples of 3D Stores available in different Template formats such as supermarkets, service station or shopping malls etc.
Having the possibility to make ultra-realistic 3D environments using the unique Shop Editor is one thing however the real genius behind ActiSKU lies in the statistics module. Every second of every consumer’s visit is recorded in the granular detail to deliver rich statistical data on consumer behavior in the virtual environment. In the Marketing Pack, examples, of this SKU data or Planogram level of interaction, are included as well as possible formats for the export of data.
Partners will also have an easy access to ActiSKU logos, brochures, technical specifications etc. Resources will be added on a regular basis, building up a truly comprehensive Portfolio for Partners.
Even if you are not yet a Partner you can check it out now http://marketing.actisku.com Who knows you might become a Partner online!
Bennet HOLMES.
Monday, October 12 2009, 10:07 by Bennet Holmes
ACTIPLAY takes off to seduce Silicon Valley with ActiSKU®
The region of Montpellier has selected ACTIPLAY to participate in its Hi-Tech Road show In Silicon Valley between 12-18 October. Bennet Holmes, Business Development Director will present ActiSKU®, to business leaders in The Valley.
ActiSKU® has created a revolutionary new way for brands and retailers to carry out market research. Much faster than classic research methods and costing a fraction of traditional budgets ActiSKU® enables brands to launch new concepts more quickly with an ultra realistic virtual 3D environment.
Market research companies, brands and retailers are using ActiSKU® as a new way to test marketing concepts, in a virtual 3D environment online, replacing the need for slow and expensive real store tests. ActiSKU® creates highly realistic 3D virtual stores with thousands of products. These stores are downloaded on the Internet and can be visited by consumers online.
Through its proprietary Shop Editor®, ActiSKU® enables Users to interact with the 3D virtual environment in real time. For every consumer, every second of his or her visit is recorded in the granular detail to deliver rich statistical data on consumer behavior in the given virtual environment.
For more information contact Bennet Holmes +1 518 690 03 97 or bholmes@actisku.com
Friday, October 2 2009, 17:59 by Bennet Holmes
ActiSKU LIVE at the SEMO 2009
Being one of the major events in the domain of Market Research, the SEMO show is a great opportunity for Brands, Retailers and market research companies to meet and exchange notes.
ActiSKU will be at the heart of the action on the 4th and 5th of November on the A26/B11 stand.
ActiSKU is leading the market and is driving an e-revolution in the market research landscape; the solution will help you to:
- Test new concepts in highly realistic virtual environments, in real time and via the Internet.
- Analyze your shopper’s behavior while modifying your marketing-mix.
Come and meet the team and see how the surveys of tomorrow will look like!
Thursday, April 23 2009, 15:54 by Bennet Holmes
ACTIPLAY, now member of the prestigious ESOMAR
Created in 1948 by 29 personalities of the research marketing sector, ESOMAR is the world organisation for enabling better research into markets, consumers and societies. With 5,000 members in 100 countries, ESOMAR’s aim is to promote the value of market and opinion research in illuminating real issues and bringing about effective decision making.
Wednesday, February 25 2009, 16:29 by Bennet Holmes
Does the internet provide reliable information?
The EXPLOSION of online research !
At a time when the internet was still a “trendy” tool used by the younger generation, mostly written in C++, accessible mainly in cities due to lack of adequate networks in rural areas, and subject to ADSL connections (still rare 10 years ago)… online research was given a bad label.
The main problem was “non-representativeness”; a “ball-and-chain” that made it inadequate since it did not provide proper sampling.
In other words, for the internet to become a viable research tool, the surveyed cross-section should be more representative of the overall French population. This has not been the case and a disparity still exists even now. Experts respond to this by questioning whether representation is truly necessary.
Wednesday, February 25 2009, 16:00 by Pascal Bianchi
The market Research
The world market research represents a sales turnover of 28.2 billion dollars in 2007 according to the annual Esomar report.
The European market has captured 43% of the world market with a sales turnover of 10.6 billion dollars. The North American market is second with 36%, then the Asia-Pacific rim (14%), Latin America (5%) and the MEA region (2%). All this in a world-wide market that increased by 6.8% in 2006 (an increase of 14.6 billion dollars).
The research market has greatly expanded in the last few years. On one hand, the major, well-known, world research institutes such as ACNielsen, Taylor Nelson Sofres, IMS and GfK are continuing their ascent by launching into other growing markets and consolidating their international presence. The top ten world-wide research groups reported a sales turnover of more than 11 billion Euros in 2004 (a growth of 19.5% over 2003).
On the other hand, smaller companies are maintaining their market share by providing research analysis software, strategic marketing advice and online methodologies. Internet research is thus enabling small companies to compete with the larger ones by offering simplified, “low-cost” studies that are custom-designed for specific needs.
According to Esomar, online quantitative studies represented 25% of all the research studies in 2007. According to Synthec Etudes de Marché et D’opinion, online studies (qualitative and quantitative) represented 22% of the research market in France in 2007.
Wednesday, February 25 2009, 09:12 by Bennet Holmes
Studies: a sector that works twice as hards
Studies or communication: you can’t slack off in a crisis !
Whereas General Management might be tempted to cut certain budgets and without thinking much about it, some on the other hand, keep up the pressure.
In these difficult times advertisers have been increasing their pitches on the net to promote the advantages of advertising and, in a more general way, all communication. At the same time they have to explain and clarify the nature of information exchange, guide consumers, etc. and, if possible, add some humour in order to provide some comic relief !
Research groups have less presence in this field and are not as involved in blogs. Budgets, in general, are being tightened but, in spite of this, the overall sales figures are still very significant!
There is no need to explain the importance of knowing the market and the consumer, especially his own, to any one in business. Research studies have been gaining in popularity for several years because they are becoming more and more reliable and major institutions, as well as smaller ones, are becoming increasingly effective at using the various methods and techniques.
Wednesday, February 25 2009, 08:55 by Bennet Holmes
When merchandising become indispensable
The right product, the right place, the right time, the right price and the right quantity.
Consider the usual definition of “merchandising”. For decades, the corner grocer has been slowly transforming into a self-service operation over time in an almost scientific manner.
It must be stated that, with the explosion of competing brands and modern business needs in all areas of commerce, there is a great risk of loss and/or failure unless a minimum degree of order and organisation is maintained.
This is even truer in a hypermarket where there are often 60,000 to 80,000 SKUs (product types) all of which must be placed in a multitude of aisles and on hundreds of shelves. But how? Imagine our poor grocer of yester-year, could he accommodate all this? Probably not!
Profitability can only be maintained by extensive analysis of the positioning of products on shelves, the variety of stock, the quantity of product per “SKU”, etc.
Sunday, February 22 2009, 09:43 by Pascal Bianchi
Can studying the “customer path” improve operational effectiveness?
Everyone is talking about the crisis - but the distribution chains deal with it on a daily basis, and have been since well before it became a hot media topic, in the summer of 2008.
Purchasing power has certainly been declining more quickly since last summer, resulting in ultra-fast changes in consumer behaviour. “I don’t have the same budget, so I can no longer purchase the same things in the same quantities, I no longer respond to the same criteria, I favour other products instead of my regular purchases, I prefer certain products for various reasons, etc.”
In this environment, stores have to work hard to adapt. They must react quickly, at least as quickly as their competitors, or risk irretrievable loss of their commercial positions. One thing is certain: market shares have never been as hotly contested as they are today, and pricing strategies are no longer always enough.
Therefore, being able to rapidly analyse changes in consumer behaviour has become a strategic necessity, in order to better offer this disoriented consumer what he needs at the right time and at the right price.
