Tune into ShopToEarth's Shannon Beck

Ever wonder what’s on the play list of certain people like ShopToEarth’s Shannon Beck?

"You learn a lot about people by their favorite jam," said Beck, ShopToEarth's Branding Queen (and disco lover).

Shannon’s Favorite Song:  I Melt For You by Jason Mraz

Why:  Just love the way it makes me feel, takes me to a good space

Last Concert: Madonna

First Concert: Bryan Adams and Autograph 1986

Favorite Concert: Madonna Sweet and Sticky Tour

Where does music fit into your life?

I love dancing with my husband and boys, we always try to introduce our children to all types of music, My 8-year old thinks Elvis is king!   I love when a song takes you to a special moment in time.  If you were to see my IPod, you would laugh….  Carpenters, Lady Gaga, Johnny Cash, Chilli Peppers, Michael Jackson, U2, and of course Madonna!   Oh... and I can’t live without Disco!

ShopToEarth: 97% of Consumers Research Products Online

by Pat Welsh, founder of ShopToEarth

I love reading articles that confirm and validate the ShopToEarth business model!

According to new research from BIA/Kelsey Group, 97% of consumers are now researching products and future purchases online. The study also found 90% of consumers are utilizing search engines, 42% are using comparison shopping engines to research purchases and nearly 25% are using vertical shopping websites.

Consumers' increasing sense of ease with online shopping is a positive indicator for ShopToEarth. As shoppers turn to the Internet to research products; our eco-friendly e-commerce solution offers safe and reliable places to shop smart and become an eco-conscious consumer.

At ShopToEarth, we take great pride in knowing we are part of the solution. Through our eco-network, we are harnessing the power of the Internet and improving the long-term viability of our oceans, forests, drinking water and air quality. Everything about ShopToEarth has your success and the success of our planet in mind.

Check out the full article and share this information with peers! See you soon or on Facebook, Twitter and STETV! Have a comment? Let us know!

To read more about online consumer habits see this article.

ShopToEarth Learns from Zappos: Culture is Everything!

By Dan Swiniarski, president of ShopToEarth

No big corner offices in this real world. Only culture.

In a world where a lack of discipline, ethics, and integrity seem to be headline news, it’s becoming more important to point out those doing it right; and Zappo’s is one of those companies…doing things right.

Lisa Buyer and I had the opportunity to hear Tony Hseih talk about Zappos happiness culture when he was a keynote speaker at PubCon Las Vegas 2009, inspiring  me to visit  Zappo’s Las Vegas headquarters a couple times in the last year and come away thoroughly impressed.

They had me at ‘Hello’!

From the minute you walk into the front door and into the not necessarily neat (but clean and spunky) reception area (read memorabilia area), you feel that the Zappo’s culture of “Delivering Happiness” is alive and well. Then the same Zen-like feeling continues as you start the approx. one-hour tour through the memory lane-like marketing department, product development department, sales departments , human resources and customer service department, and are introduced to and interact with as many Zappos’s employees as you like.

Best suits, no suit

I even had the opportunity to sit at CEO Tony Hsieh’s desk which is in clear view of all the employees as are the other execs in the company.  No BIG-CORNER offices for these guys. Nobody was wearing a suit; everybody was dressed casual, very relaxed, and comfortable (yet focused and happy).  There were many other nuances I found impressive about Zappo’s, like relaxed support-rep call procedures…. just make the customer happy, and the nap room. I took many things away from the experience that will benefit me and others moving forward. 

 

My suggestion: If you visit Las Vegas, save time for a Zap from Zappos, a must!  Schedule a tour of the Zappo’s headquarters in Las Vegas (it’s free and very inspirational) if you get the chance.  You will more than likely come away with a different outlook than you went in with. Culture shock at its best.

Follow Tony on Twitter @zappos, I do!

Why Read Linchpin? Get Ahead, Get Noticed, Get Paid More

by Dan Swiniarski, ShopToEarth president

I just finished reading Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? by Seth Godin.  This book, with out a doubt, will be the defining point in many peoples lives. If you are looking to get ahead, get noticed at your job, get paid more, you need to become a Linchpin. This book was a perfect read to follow Drive: by Daniel Pink.

Linchpin will give all who read it the understanding that we are all capable of achieving genius, that we are all able of accomplishing anything we want, once we understand that we are really not AVERAGE and need to find our creativeness that institutionalized education has hidden deep inside us.  How is it the dreams we all had as children are gone when we have completed the required education handed down to us from generations past?

If you are an employer, employee, or are concerned with the future ahead and are interested in becoming more than average, indespencible, a Linchpin, this is a must read.

You can pick up Linchpin on your ShopToEarth "My Retail Mall" at Borders or BooksaMillion.

One Hour with ShopToEarth’s Hilary Martin

ShopToEarth Director of Marketing, Hilary Martin hosted an Earth Hour event in St. Louis, Missouri at Van Goghz Restaurant.

"The energy and support from everyone at Van Goghz was fantastic! At approximately 9:40 we went to blow the candles out and turn the lights back on, but many people preferred we leave them off for a little longer. That was a neat moment for me. To raise environmental awareness about conserving energy, while doing something as fun and easy as spending time together in the candlelight. In writing a follow up Press Release, I found the perfect quote,"

Great things are done by a series of small things brought together
Vincent Van Gogh

"Watch for upcoming news on how others celebrated Earth Hour," said Martin.