🧠 Perplexity offers more than twice its total valuation to buy Chrome from Google.

😬 The American Eagle ad controversy hasn’t driven sales, early data suggests.

🛑 Reddit will block the Internet Archive.

🎂 Famous Birthdays can identify the next big creators. Pixability is passing that data on to advertisers.

🛍️ Chatbots and AI shopping tools could disrupt affiliate marketing and distort attribution this holiday season.

🍔 McDonald’s partners with Snapchat to transport users to McDonaldland.

🌀 Cinnabon celebrates its 40th birthday with 1980s-style swag and prices.

Customers go through 5 essential stages before, during, and after making a purchase. While impulse buys happen, most purchases follow a logical path influenced by both rational and emotional triggers.

The five stages of the consumer buying process:

1. Problem Recognition. A consumer identifies a need or problem. This could be sparked by frustration, social pressure, or an aspiration. Effective marketing connects your product to these triggers, positioning it as the solution.
2. Info Search. Once aware of their need, the consumer seeks info from online searches, AI tools, social media, reviews, and word of mouth. Visibility, credibility, and strong SEO are crucial here.
3. Evaluation. The buyer will compare features, prices, benefits, and brand reputation. This is your chance to highlight unique selling points and demonstrate clear advantages over competitors.
4. Purchase decision. At this stage, the consumer selects a product and commits to buying. Factors like trust, reviews, onboarding, and perceived value can tip the scales in your favor.
5. Post-purchase evaluation. After the purchase, the customer assesses whether the product meets expectations. Positive experiences can turn them into loyal fans, while negative ones risk returns and lost referrals.

Head to Product Marketing Alliance for a comprehensive guide to the framework.

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We all have a fever and the only prescription is the ALDI Labubu merch.

The supermarket chain teased pics on Instagram of the wildly popular plush toy du jour dressed in full ALDI-branded fits. We’re talking bucket hats, sweats, slides, tote bags, and logo sneakers.

The post racked up tens of thousands of likes, and now ALDI is letting fans enter to win surprise Labubu-themed merch for free.

Winners will get mystery merch shipped straight from ALDI HQ. Run, don’t walk… giveaway ends today.

Sears, 1976