Notes and Thoughts on Grocery 2.0

I looked up the meaning of relevance in the online version of the Merriam-Webster dictionary. The second definition was poignant: the ability (as of an information retrieval system) to retrieve material that satisfies the needs of the user. Of course I thought of Online Grocery Shopping (OGS.) How better to describe OGS. A way for users to retrieve grocery items using an online system. The first meaning was also interesting; practical and socially applicable. A practical set of tools to get what I really need – food – for what I really want – save time and money.

I thought of this because of my 16 year old son. He’s brilliant. He does not know the world without a cell phone or a computer. They are everyday appliances or tools. His generation doesn’t just use the Internet, they count on it. The same way I have counted on the grocery stores being open when I need, he and his buds don’t know why they would not be able to make purchases via the Internet whenever they want, especially food – ever see a group of 16 year old kids eat? Yikes!

Relevance. What are you doing to keep relevant for my son and his generation of Internet users, eaters, and shoppers?

Dave Dec

Much has been made over the last couple of weeks of Presidential hopefuls John McCain and Barack Obama’s political decisions. From the VPs to the convention speeches, the political world analyzes every move, whether good or bad. One decision both candidates should be applauded for, is their use of online media as part of their campaign ventures.

The months leading up to, and during, the primary elections saw ever increasing online exposure from all candidates. As Advertising Age reported in January, in New Hampshire, 40% of adults visited a candidate’s home page and 25% viewed a candidate’s profile on a social network. For the under-30 group of voters, a candidate’s home page was the number one method of overall campaign interaction. 52% said they viewed the candidates’ websites, 43% read a candidate’s blog, which tied with TV ads, and 41% digested non-candidate blogs and news sites. 26% of voters of all ages checked a candidate’s social network profile, with many of them “friending” a candidate, or two.

A recent report by Didit, called “2008 Search Engines and Politics: A Study of Attitudes and Influences”, discovered that many voters go online for election information, depending on news sites, candidates’ websites and search engines. In fact, for 80% of voters online, online sources are among the top three media chosen for election information. 66% of survey respondents said they obtained election information by visiting online news sites, 30% frequented candidates’ websites, 15% viewed party websites and 14% read blogs. Other sources of information were polling sites, YouTube, social networks and email.

These findings show the increasing reliance candidates place on online media to support their campaign efforts. Not surprisingly, voter expectations mirror the candidate’s actions. 87% of voters expect candidates to have a website and 70% expect candidates to use email. Over 60% expect candidates to utilize online fund-raising, post videos and run online advertising campaigns. 50% expect to see candidate blogs and podcasts.

“When a majority of voters expect candidates to use web-based tools for fund raising, communicating with the loyal base, persuasion, and getting out the vote, the Internet is no longer an afterthought in planning a winning campaign,” says Karen Jagoda, Founder and President of E-Voter Institute.

“We knew that the Internet was a growing force in the political process… (but) had no idea that the shift was happening so quickly,” adds Glenn Kessler, CEO of HCD Research.

With less than 50 days left before the November 4th general election, both campaigns have successfully saturated the internet with political fact and fiction, anecdotes and advertising. Look for a clear winner this election year…the internet by a landslide.

Rachel