While Facebook users expect exclusive content, discounts, promotions and updates from the companies they “like” on the site, marketers see the action of “liking” in a slightly different way.

The “Variance in the Social Brand Experience” study from the CMO Council and social CRM firm Lithium asked both marketers and consumers what it meant when a customer “likes” or engages online with a brand.

Fifty-seven percent of marketers thought a “like” meant the content on the site was agreeable, and 41 percent thought it meant customers wanted to be heard. Only 33 percent of marketers said they thought customers were looking for incentives or rewards for their “like.” read more »

Consumers shopping in some New England stores this past holiday season may have spotted Quick Response codes in some unusual places. Research from mobile marketing and technology firm Nellymoser Inc. found that of more than 700 stores canvassed in the Boston area, 23 contained at least one QR code, a type of two-dimensional bar code.

Retailers use 2-D bar codes to enable consumers to view mobile web-based content with their smartphones. Consumers click to open a free scanning app, point the phone at the code, and the web content appears on the phone’s screen. read more »

Amy’s Decade Chocolates in Bremerton nearly doubled its space last summer, taking over the vacant space next door. The expanded space hosts the production facility for caramel and fudge (complete with a new stove), a mailing station and storage.

“We couldn’t keep up with production with the stove we had. read more »