Such horrors have been happening more often, probably because I’m stuck in super boring shopping rut. I shop at the mall, I hit Banana, Ann Taylor, Anthropologie, J Crew, so on and so forth. I leave looking like every other 20-something preppy working gal in Buffalo.

So when a friend of mine asked me to check out the latest venture he’d been helping out on…AN ONLINE CLOTHING STORE…I was only too happy to oblige. Sandro is the fun little NYC boutique you dream of, except you don’t have to shlep into the city to shop there. And really, their motto says it all: at Sandro we believe that fashion should be obtainable yet stylish as well as effortlessly modern. That’s my fashion motto!

So like any good editor I checked out the site and simply fell in love. Crisp, clean layout, and LOTS of white space. There is an adorable blog that actually shows girls how to wear the clothes out in “the wild” my personal favorite post explains how to wear one top two ways.  What clothing company is going to show you how to stretch your dollar further?!

There are a few changes I suggested, but it’s a new site, I wouldn’t expect them to have every last kink worked out. I’d love to see humans in all of the clothing instead of mannequins. But we all know those skinny bitches aren’t cheap (said with love!) so it’s something they’ll work on. Also, in speaking with the writer of the site, they seem to currently be lacking a consistent “voice”. I’m probably the only crazy editor who notices this but we’ve been exchanging emails and she’s been SO open and receptive to  suggestions, I have no doubt things will be amazing in no time.

NOW the good stuff. I ordered a gorgeous patch pocket skirt in surf (gorgeous Mediterranean blue). These patch pockets are *everywhere* from Marc Jacobs to Victoria Beckham.  I’m always a little nervous about buying things online the first time. Size always makes me nervous but quality is always a big x factor, too. Needless to say I shouldn’t have worried about either. The skirt fits beautifully and the quality of the fabric and stitching is gorgeous.

I paired the skirt with black tights, a simple black long sleeve tissue tee by H&M and my latest obsession in shoes Sam Edelman Portney pumps in calf hair leopard print (yes, I. Die.)

But wait, there’s more. Remember way back when before Gilt Groupe blew up and got too big to care about its packaging? Let us all hold hands and pray to whichever goddess there is for this sort of thing that Sandro never EVER commits that cardinal sin. Because I don’t care how lame it sounds (marketing exes, pay attention) stop throwing my orders into lame brown boxes without so much as a piece of tissue paper. See below, you’ll understand why I’ll be ordering from Sandro again.

That’s tissue paper, a velum thank you card, AND an envelope with my order information. Little touches…

Then I went away to college and managed to stave off the freshmen 15 for 4 years by walking up hill both ways to and from class. (Don’t believe me, check out the Morgantown terrain.) So it wasn’t until after college when I got my first desk job that I started to notice a…southern spread.  I inherited the Italian schnozzola, rear, and hips but not the boobs? Thanks mom, peachy.

Lots of excuses ensued. Gym memberships are expensive, I started a new job, then another, then I went back to school, wrote a thesis, on and on. More important than the increasing pant size, I just wasn’t feeling so great. Eventually, with the help of my current job and its larger paycheck, I joined a small boutique gym in Williamsville specializing in Pilates, Stretch Fitness. I never knew you could get such a kick ass work out laying down!!! (This is a family blog folks, let’s try to keep it clean) Several of the trainers at Stretch also do yoga and recommended I give it a shot.

I had been dying to try yoga but was always scared of being the “loser  yoga kid” who fell and looked like a moron. I did some research and found a studio in Buffalo that offers a 6-week yoga intro course. Six weeks with only loser yoga kids just like me!! It took one class and I was totally addicted.

If you know me at all (cracks me up that I write as if people read this) you know I’m not exactly the crunchy granola hippie type. In fact, driving my gigantic SUV to the studio does feel a bit anti-yogi at times. But there is something very simple and pure about yoga that I haven’t found anywhere else. I recently graduated from my 6-week intro course and went to my first “big kid” class. WOW, was I nervous. I swore everyone in was going to know I was new, that I may as well hang a sign around my neck. But walking into the studio I remembered the best thing about yoga–your practice is just that–yours! There truly is no judgement, no peering over at your mat neighbor and smirking at her half assed down dog. If you’re huffing and puffing and sweating through warrior one, it’s nice to know that everyone is working right along with you, no questions asked.

For someone who constantly strives, no, LIVES, for perfection, even entertaining the thought of suspending judgement has been a real challenge.  Accepting it? That’s going to be a life edit.

For those interested, I very much recommend East Meets West Yoga, located on Elmwood in Buffalo.

Here’s why

I purchased this gorgeous Plenty by Tracy Reese coat from a Gilt sale. List price was over $350, Gilt price (with some credits) was $123. The price alone should be enough to get you to gallop over to Gilt, but it get’s better.

The coat arrived in all it’s glory and I wore it for a week or so without incident. About 5 days later, I went to button my coat and the unthinkable happened…a button came off. Maybe it’s a curse, from Target to Kors, coat buttons never seem to stay on, but I was really bummed. Complicating the matter, the coat is beautifully lined, rendering an at home fix next to impossible.

Through teary eyes I sent a tweet to the folks at Gilt Customer Support. What, if anything, could they do? Within an hour I had an email from Gilt, apologizing for the faulty fastener and offering a full refund (including shipping). The offer was fantastic, the apology sincere, and most importantly, the response was timely. Only problem? I really loved my coat and didn’t want to give it up. I figured it was a long shot but I responded to Liz, my Gilt customer service rep, and asked if perhaps instead of returning the coat, Gilt would reimburse me for the cost of the repair. Again, within an hour (I just re-checked the time stamps) I had a response. No problem, they’d be happy to reimburse me the tailor fees.

I was stunned.

So I took my coat to my local tailor where the grand total came to $4.00.  I won’t be sending Gilt a bill but I am thrilled to say they have a very loyal customer for life.

Thank you again to the Gilt Customer Service Team. Liz, Caitlin, Rodney, and Katie, you guys rock!

Update: I sent a quick thank you to Gilt, they responded (3 minutes this time) again apologizing and, for my trouble, offered free shipping on my next purchase. I can’t say it enough, Gilt Groupe customer service is spot on and a shining example for all other e-tailers.

Photo from gilt.com

The initial intent of my cyber home was to have a place to publish dissections of articles pertaining to the world of journalism/media as well as a place to kvetch about editorial pet peeves. But…I’ve realized I need to expand my boundaries. Yes, this breaks the first rule of “serious blogging”, finding your niche and excelling in it. But let’s be honest, my readers (hi mom!) aren’t going to remove me from their Google Readers if I throw in a post or two about a “stuff of legends” shoe sale or a Suburbanite’s wistful dreams of city living. Besides, my mom doesn’t have Google Reader, so my follower count can really drop too far!

So the name stays the same, and I will still be the Buffalo Editor, you’ll just get a little sample of some of my non-media interests as well.

-B.E.

An interesting article by Jennifer Modarelli asked the same question; why do companies cheap out on their websites?  Modarelli has witnessed the same scenes I have, but on a much larger scale.  “I have actually met with billion-dollar companies with 10-plus-year-old sites that want to do a redesign, but do not want to invest more than $75,000 to $100,000″ even when their class-A office space cost “considerably more to build”.

I tried to think of examples. What big business spends money on making their real-world buildings look impressive, but settle for a shack in the virtual world? Banks. Banks love spending money on marble and columns and glass, anything to portray strength and security to their customers.  Do you get that same feeling after visiting the United Bank website? Keep in mind, United is a publicly traded company with $7.5 billion in assets and 113 full-service offices in West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, and Washington, D.C.

Modarelli points out that the folks in charge haven’t realized that websites are much more than “a simple marketing asset, like a piece of collateral” (although frankly, looking at some bank brochures, they could use some work, too). A website, she explains (and I agree) is just another place to do business. It’s probably safe to assume customers are happier doing business in a well-appointed office instead of a dark alley.  Modarelli, who works for a design firm that specializes in digital media, ends her article with the suggestion of heading towards the nearest agency with an open mind (and wallet).

But I wonder, do the “experts” even have it right?

Some of Buffalo’s top design firms lack a positive Web presence.  They tend to forgo time tested SEO rules in favor of lots of Flash and maze-like navigation. Need an example? I’m not one to reinvent the wheel, so check out this snarky, brutal, yet honest critique of bad advertising and bad advertisers compliments of the Ad Jerk.

Disclaimer: the views represented by the Jerk do not necessarily represent the views of the Buffalo Editor…the Jerk just has such a way with words!

Review: Reasons for failure

1. They can’t talk about anything broader than their own products

2. They listen to customers but don’t take any action

3. They aren’t calibrated internally with the technology

4. They’re not framing risk accurately

5. Their internal culture isn’t aligned for social media success

The Good

@wegmans

And not just because I’m a Buffalo girl. If you’re not lucky enough to have this amazing grocery store in your area, check out the Wegmans map and take a roadtrip. Still, we know that having a killer brick and mortar presence doesn’t always translate to the Internet (hello, Tiffany!). Wegmans has #1 covered. Sure, they tweet about store openings, but they also post product recalls, recipe ideas, and community events. They listen to their customers (#2) in the real world and online (#5). If there is one thing Wegmans excels at, it’s customer service. I tweeted about a not so great salad. Within the hour, Wegmans responded and I was sent a gift certificate for twice the value of my meal.

@katespadeny

Being a bit of a fashionista, I was surprised to have only recently discovered kate spade on twitter. I’ve been trolling around for an iPhone4 case and fell in love with the designs from spade. Unfortunately, the cases only fit the older phones, and I tweeted my disappointment. Not five minutes later I got a response saying that iPhone4 cases would be out by the end of August (#2). Sure, the tweet benefits the company and will probably end in a sale, but it also made me feel “special” and “connected”. The kate spade team also hits #3 out of the park. Not only is the kate spade website an interactive dream, but two employees are currently twittering their way through a store opening in Palm Springs!

The Bad

@bicpens

I’m an editor, a writer, a scribbler, I use pens! I even ask for them in my stocking at Christmas, but I only use one kind. I am loyal, to a fault, to the BiC Ultra Round Stic (black or red, no blue).  Keep your fancy Montblac, I’ll stick with Bic, even if it means suffering through stained fingers and ink blob smeared words (no, I’m not a lefty). The BiC performance policy states that the company will gladly replace my faulty writing instrument at no cost if I am not satisfied. Well, I’m not. So I tweeted about it. BiC followed me, and then…nothing. Wake up, guys! You have a cute, flashy website but we all know that for most of the world, putting pen to paper is like rolling down a car window, something we’ve heard of but don’t actually do anymore. But there’s hope! Some of us still live in the dark ages, you can tell because we sit at meetings with a legal pad instead of an iPad. You might want to keep us happy, or at least respond!

@starbucks

*hides* First things first, I am addicted to Starbucks coffee and will suffer through caffeine withdrawal if I can’t find that little green mecca. So please, people of Starbucks, don’t spike my caramel macchiato. You all make wonderful coffee and yummy baked goods, but the social media aspect is lagging a bit. Yes, you have the ideastorm-esque site where customers can share their gripes, praise and suggestions, but it looks like you’ve put all your beans in one basket! The idea site gets a lot of attention and feedback from the people of Starbucks. You’ve created a wonderful community and are engaging in a conversation. Unfortunately, you also built a community over on twitter, but that platform is used as a bulletin board, not a sounding board.

Both BiC and Starbucks need a refresher course on rule #2. Weggies, kate spade: you guys rock. Let’s go shopping for local produce and carry our haul home in an adorable, versatile tote.

Note: Yes, I’m an editor and know names are usually capitalized, kate spade, however, is not.

Note two: Full disclosure, I worked at Wegmans in Willamsville, NY during high school and received a Wegmans scholarship.

What follows is a mini-analysis of the social media decisions of two businesses using Mashable’s social media myths and Amy Mengel’s reasoning of why corporations are failing at social media.

The Small Business

Most marketing blogs will push social media as the perfect partner for small businesses because of the (seemingly) perfect price. However, as Gene Marks of the Philadelphia Business Journal explains, while there may be no cost to register for social networks, “many business owners…have found that it takes a huge time investment to keep their site active, up to date and relevant.” As explained in Mashable’s myth #2, social networking is not a Ron Popeil rotisserie, you can’t just “set it and forget it.”

The Journal’s article follows Heidi, a small jewelry store owner, who does not use social media to promote her business, and her business is doing just fine. Clearly, Heidi has dispelled Mashable’s first social media myth that “small businesses must be on social media”. She understands that social networking might be “a great place to nurture current and prospective customers…to build a community…a way to not only educate people about what you do but also community with people interested in your business,” but Heidi also understands that to achieve those results, your target market must be interested in social networking.

The real answer to myth #1? “Find out where your customers are and the best way to reach them.” Heidi did that by attending local jewelry fairs, advertising in her local paper, and keeping in touch with bigger customers via phone and e-mail.

The International Juggernaut

Small businesses may lack the customer base to support a social networking campaign, but number of customers is not the only parameter for deciding on a marketing strategy.  A business interested in utilizing Twitter should first consider whether the medium will assist in reaching the target market.

The Demographic Discrepancy

Tiffany & Co., the world renowned jeweler whose blue boxes send hearts fluttering, has a Twitter and Facebook account.

A Twitter demographic survey conducted in fall 2009 by the Pew Internet & American Life Project showed that Twitter and similar services are more popular among younger users, 33% are aged 18-29 and 22% are 30-49. 22% of users have a household income under $30,000.

The Tiffany consumer is affluent, a college graduate, and likely to live in the northeast United States.  68% of customers are married. Men usually make the purchases; however products are aimed at women, 25-48.

Let’s talk about…me!

Tiffany decided to ignore the possibly incompatible demographics of the world of social media, and their gamble could have paid off, if they didn’t fall into the trap of using social media to broadcast messages (myth #4). Tiffany is lucky in that, even though it may not have anything other than its own products to discuss (Mengel’s first cause of social media failure), they have an active, engaged following.

Updates to the Facebook and Twitter pages are rare and when they do appear the content is purely promotional. Posts include photos of celebrities and athletes wearing borrowed diamonds and announcements of new lines or additions to collections.

Is anyone home?

Mengel’s second, and what I believe to be an inexcusable reason for failure, is a company listening without acting. Customer feedback and conversations are reasons businesses start social networking campaigns! Sadly, Tiffany’s Facebook wall is full of comments, questions and even complaints about Tiffany products, all without a response from the company. “If a company creates an online presence that’s open and allows customer feedback, it creates the expectation that the company is going to do something with that feedback.” Instead, Tiffany gives off the “don’t call us, we’ll call you” vibe with its lack of interaction.

This post was created for my e-marketingclass. If you’re interested in other discussions on e-marketing, social media, or Antkeg remi, visit the class blog.

As a primer, an acronym, according to the journalist’s bible, is “a word formed from the first letter or letters of a series of words.” A fairly simple concept, right? Unfortunately, no.

Having worked at a bank for a little over two years I saw a lot of  butchering of one acronym in particular from bankers and customers alike. This sign was proudly displayed at a local restaurant (killer fish fry, not so stellar signage). It illustrates a most egregious and wide-spread phenomenon, redundant-acronymia, a highly contagious yet curable disease. Again, we’ll refer to the bible:

“ATM Acceptable in all references for automated teller machine. Do not use the redundant ATM machine.”

Redundant-acronymia afflicts all organizations, not just those who can’t afford an editing staff.  I submit exhibit 2, the back of my Citi purchasing card.  What’s your excuse, Citi?

Other equally obnoxious occurrences of redundant-acronymia include PIN number and VIN number.

If I still worked at the bank, I’d wear this pin daily and maybe poke people with it, too.

And for the record, I’m against changing Web site to website.