Sphinn - NEW at Wal-Mart: SEM Services

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NEW at Wal-Mart: SEM Services

Went Hot: December 27, 2007 - 6:32 am
Posted By: KarlRibas 289 days ago
Topic Type: News Story (Jump to http://blog.karlribas.com)
Category: Paid Search

Move over Sam's Choice Cola and Sam's Choice Drinking Water... there's a brand new product offering hitting the shelves - introducing Sam's Choice Pay Per Click services. I know you can find almost everything you need at Wal-Mart these days... but this is going a bit too far.

22 Comments

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Comments

from TimDineen 289 days ago #

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I didn't believe it either, so I searched about found: http://samsbiz.com/

I love their SEO service: "Establish a local search profile and have your website submitted to the major search engines..."

Maybe its time to outsource my SEO and get my paper towels in bulk all at once!

from jameszol 289 days ago #

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Funny find! :)

I can't/don't believe this is real...

from MattMcGee 289 days ago #

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You'd think it's April 1st or something. :-)

from jeffquipp 289 days ago #

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Gees ... their service levels will be outstanding I presume (LOL). I'd love to get a copy of their SEM training manual!

from andrewsho 289 days ago # - show/hide this comment

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Sounds pretty genius to me. How many other niches have these guys entered and just crushed the competition? If a lot of small bizzes are using Sam's Club to buy stuff for their companies (PCs, business cards, insurance, etc.) and Sam has started to sell websites, why shouldn't SEM be part of it. If you own the business' website and you're smart you own their marketing budget. Maybe it's time to head over to your local Sam's Club and see if they want to resell your services.

from MiriamEllis 289 days ago #

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Well, I'm really glad that their 5 page website offer includes weather. I mean, for gosh sakes, if you're going to put up 5 whole pages on your website, at least one of them should be devoted to weather.

Thanks for the link, TimDineen. We're laughing our heads off here.
Miriam

from toddmintz 288 days ago #

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Well, Costco sells caskets so I suppose this isn't any more strange than that.

from Justilien 288 days ago #

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Next up, get your "links" at Sam's Club LOL

from billse 288 days ago #

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I guess you need a Sam's Card to participate? Weird.

from sphinndr 288 days ago #

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I wonder when the first phone call will be coming...(A Client) I stopped by Wal-Mart last night on my way home from the office and noticed that they are offering Webservices and Online Maketing for $100.00. That would be a huge savings for my company and I think we are going to switch. My boss is going to be so happy that I saved the tons of money by switching to Wal-Mart.

from MikeMarshall 288 days ago #

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It is things like this which show how much PPC has to grow. People willing to pay $100.00 per month to basically have someone with elementary adwords knowledge set up an account and pick out a few keywords - which they could have learned to do themselves with about a half an hour of free time.

Great find Karl!

from GreggThaler 288 days ago #

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This move by Wal-mart evidences a strategic inflection point in the evolution of online marketing usage by SME's.

Geoffrey Moore's book, Crossing the Chasm ( http://www.chasmgroup.com/ ) addresses at length the tecnology acceptance curve.

Without going into the concept in detail (read the book, one of the best ever on the lifecycle of technology and how to successful market in the always treacherous market for discontinuos technology innovation), Wal-Mart's prescient move is "proof" that SEM has indeed crossed the chasm and is now entering the mass market acceptance stage as described by Moore.

These guys at Innuity (This move by Wal-mart evidences a strategic inflection point in the evolution of online marketing usage by SME's.

Geoffrey Moore's book, Crossing the Chasm ( http://www.chasmgroup.com/ ) addresses at length the tecnology acceptance curve.

Without going into the concept in detail (read the book, one of the best ever on the lifecycle of technology and how to successful market in the always treacherous market for discontinuos technology innovation), Wal-Mart's prescient move is "proof" that SEM has indeed crossed the chasm and is now entering the mass market acceptance stage as described by Moore.

These guys at Innuity ( www.innuity.com) should win an award for biz dev deal of the year.

from NatashaRobinson 288 days ago #

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I actually see this as a great thing. It opens up greater business potential for the higher end services that most SEO consultants offer and cuts down on the learning curve for small business clients. Now you have a whole new segment of people who will know what SEO and PPC are... who will eventually realize that they may need more hands-on service or more comprehensive services and turn to Online Marketing Consultants.... and you won't have to explain your services to them.

from netmeg 288 days ago #

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This actually isn't new; I have a client who has been using their hosting services and local business advertising (including Google, and I believe Yahoo and Ask) for at least a year.

from oldschool 288 days ago #

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I never thought I would consider Sams Club / WalMart competition, but for many a small business owner, I am sure they will try to compare this to true search marketing... and then they'll come back.

from searchcommander 288 days ago #

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I'm with Natasha - The more awareness and basic education that's brought to small businesses, the better for local SEM firms to enter the picture with their clients later.

from rustybrick 288 days ago #

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although this is news to me, it is from about 2004 and powered by innuity June 2004

from rotatedspectrum 288 days ago #

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Cool. I can now get my kids diapers, rotate my tires, get that 'special' ointment, milk, and my online marketing plan all under one roof! Thanks Wal-Mart.

While I understand that this does open the SEO/SEM door to the masses, just think about the day that Wal-Mart runs a 'Get your business websiite on Google for $10.98 (or other Wal-Martish price)' in a national ad or on TV. .

'At Wal-Mart, we understand small business and the frustrations that can come not seeing your website on the search engines like Google and Yahoo. That's why we are now offering...'

puke. Hey - maybe they're hiring! Or....maybe their keeping track of small businesses to see what the next trend in business will be.

from simplepixel 288 days ago #

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I have seen this story all over the place today... If you look a little closer you can see that its nothing more than a referral/affiliate for Innuity. Is WalMart really offering SEM? No.

from clickfire 288 days ago #

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Are the clicks in the back fresher?

from estesce 288 days ago #

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Great I can't wait to go and buy my next bag of socks, and SEM services!!! Check out this site. I have a friend that works for this campaign that will love to know about this.

Wake up Wal-Mart.