What’s a cloud kitchen and why is it important? As we’ve covered over the past few weeks, these are kitchens that are purpose-built for delivery, as opposed to the playbook of a sit-down restaurant. That has all kinds of advantages, including cost (less overhead) and logistics (food fulfillment centers). But one question emerges: What’s the…
The LSA’s Above the Cloud podcast returned after a summer break this week with a brisk roundtable featuring my colleagues from the LSA analyst team, Neal Polachek and Mike Boland. Mike recently joined LSA to help us expand our coverage of the local and SMB market. Mike’s a very busy guy. On top of his…
Signs are emerging that local food delivery could be Amazon’s next conquest — a scary prospect depending on where you sit. We examined this last week and, in doing so, introduced the concept of cloud kitchens. But what are they exactly? We’re back for a deeper dive on this latest local phenomenon. In short, cloud…
The on-demand delivery wars aren’t a new phenomenon, having emerged and evolved with the on-demand economy of the past half-decade. But they seem to have heated up in the past few months including some consolidation, developments, and Amazon’s looming threat of entrance. Taking those one at a time, we’ve seen consolidation that could expand capabilities…
Digital technology and “the cloud” are transforming the way small businesses (SMBs) manage their operations. As one example, Amazon has started to disrupt the supply chain. According to a new LSA survey, roughly 70% of SMB respondents said they are members of Amazon Prime. Of those, 72% are using it to buy parts, products or…
News from the last 30 days has us convinced that a tipping point has been reached with major brands selling online through Amazon. Once a sensitive subject among major brands who feared a backlash and loss of business from their traditional retail channel, the floodgates now appear to be open. The June 22 edition of the…
Here is today’s roundup of news related to local marketing and advertising, local media, technology, local commerce, consumer behavior and more. 8 Reasons Facebook Will Beat All Other Digital Marketing Channels This Year (March 3, 2017) Entrepreneur: “Here are the 8 reasons why it makes the most sense for businesses to use the social media…
Yesterday, Amazon Home Services – originally launched in November as Amazon Local Services – was made available to much of the country, though the high-coverage areas remain LA, New York, San Francisco and Seattle. While the news was expected, the way Amazon is positioning the tool is interesting. Unlike Yelp and Angie’s List and other…
Last week, Amazon Local Services launched in New York, Los Angeles and Seattle, allowing consumers in those markets to book local service professionals online for in-store (e.g. bike tune up) and in-home (e.g. air duct cleaning) services. Coupled with deals and payments services, Amazon has clearly taken an interest in local businesses. While much has…
To date, Google product searches have delivered fairly relevant local results, but have failed to translate those results into actual purchases. Now, Google is introducing a new platform to that helps consumers move from product searches to real-life transactions. The offering, called Google Shopping Express, allows consumers to buy products from several major participating retailers…
