IMRG

Publishers Sue Meta Over Scam Ads Amid Record Black Friday Sales

This digest covers three main items: publishers file a police complaint against Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg over scam ads impersonating journalists, with internal documents estimating about USD 16 billion annually from fraudulent ads; US Black Friday online sales hit a record USD 11.8 billion, with peak spending around USD 12.5 million per minute between 10:00 and 14:00, while UK high streets experience slower traffic. It also notes Ad Net Zero’s five-year anniversary, its international expansion, and the introduction of an AI usage measurement option for the AdGreen carbon calculator, along with a new three-tier membership structure. The piece highlights ongoing scrutiny of platform advertising practices, strong e-commerce performance, and evolving sustainability measurement in the advertising industry.

Through the Looking Glass – a VR/AR Wonderland for Retail? - ExchangeWire.com

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are positioned to reshape the retail experience for shoppers and retailers, driven by smartphone ubiquity and evolving mobile commerce. The piece argues AR has gained traction more quickly than VR, spurred by the widely adopted Pokémon Go phenomenon in 2016, which lowered the barrier for brands to experiment with real-world overlays. With mobile retail accounting for almost half of online transactions in Europe in 2017, AR/VR are seen as tools to bridge online and offline shopping. Real-world examples include Ikea’s Place app, which visualizes furniture in a user’s home, and Alibaba’s AR mirrors installed in shopping centres during Singles Day. L’Oréal’s AR Makeup Genius lets customers preview cosmetics in-store, integrating online and offline experiences. The article notes that while AR/VR offer significant discovery and engagement potential, retailers must manage new data and channels to translate interest into conversions.

Beast from the East Causes Increase in Online Sales; John Lewis Closes Online Gap on ASOS - ExchangeWire.com

UK online retail sales rose 13% YoY in February 2018, according to IMRG and Capgemini’s e-Retail Sales Index, with the Beast from the East snowstorm contributing to a 3.5% WoW traffic spike. Health & beauty online sales jumped 34% YoY in February, the fastest growth in five years, while clothing rose 15% and gifts 9%, and the average basket value increased by £11 YoY. Smartphone-driven online sales grew 38% YoY, though m-commerce growth is slowing from last year’s 57% peak; tablet sales declined by 7% YoY for the fourth consecutive month. SEMrush data show ASOS leading UK apparel e-commerce traffic from August 2017 to February 2018, with John Lewis up 39% over six months, narrowing the gap. Zara rose 43% in six months; Next fell 8%. Additionally, a Bond Brand Loyalty/Bizrate Insights study finds 37% of consumers would pay for more benefits, with younger cohorts more receptive; 31% overall used a rewards program in the past month, rising to 47% among 18–29s.