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‘Have we conditioned most customers to the point that they expect discounts and won’t buy without one?’

This is a great question, and it’s worth considering in more depth. Recent research shows that coupon redemption is at an all time high, and at the same time, Ben Bernanke warns that the economic recovery is fragile and taxes will inevitably have to rise. It’s no wonder that customers are nervous and cautious. (…)

The news that Ben & Jerry’s ice cream will stop sending email to their 1.3M customers is, frankly, remarkable.

What were they thinking? Are they nuts?

Their plan, announced in an email to their subscribers last week, said that they will be discontinuing email—in favor of social media. While there has been some idle speculation about whether social media will replace email, this is frankly nonsense. They are complementary channels, and understanding how to use the two together in a mutually supportive way is the key. (…)