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Go ElfYourself

Ordinarily, this would be perfect fodder for Fun Links Friday, but because I have received so many emails, even phone calls, about Office Max's brilliant Go ElfYourself campaign, I figured I'd write a post about it now, so you can elf your friends, family, even your dog if you'd like to.

Talk about a viral new media marketing campaign that has hit like wildfire. Office Max welcomes you to start the "Elfamorphisis" for this holiday shopping season. Try adding a little extra "elfin magic" by including voice to your Elf e-card. It's very cool.

P.S. Seeing a lot more call-in and "post voice" technology becoming a new dimension of user experience in a lot of our favorite sites and services, like Truemors, Utterz, Jott and now this. Very cool.

Now, we elves need to get back to work.

What's the Value of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" this Cyber Monday?

This morning I heard a news report that if you were to shop this Cyber Monday and buy your true love all 364 items mentioned in the Christmas carol, the "Twelve Days of Christmas," by today's standards it would cost $78,100.00.

According to the annual PNC Christmas Price Index compiled by PNC Wealth Management, the total is up four percent from $75,122 last year. Surprisingly, the report indicates if you shop for all 364 items online it would be much more expensive costing $128,886, up 2.5 percent from last year's $125,767.

So, what does this have to do with a User Experience blog. Everything! If it costs more to buy online, you cannot compromise the user experience. If people are buying for convenience, the shopping experience online must beat out the brick and mortar, catalog and 800 number phone orders -- and then some.

If you have an online store, make sure you remember what the customer wants and needs online. Take care of every aspect of their online experience and make sure you instill trust, ease of use, security, and streamlined pre-and post-order transaction steps that gives your customers the confidence their shopping is a breeze.

Now, I wonder if I can get free shipping with that order for three French hens. ;)

Fun Links Friday - 02.09.2007

Think Geek. Think The Cubes.

When you work in a sea of cubicles, you soon recognize the personality of the "occupant" by the personal items they adorn their work space. Many times, the cubicle environment even is influenced by organization (tribal) styles of motivational or program messages, mantras, and of course, the pervasive tchotckes, pop-art and other work paraphenalia. But what about vitrual cube life, within your cube. Today, one of our clients shared her super-fabulous birthday present with us, which as she put it, is perfect for Fun Links Friday. Thanks GG! ;)

ThinkGeek carries The Cubes, the cubicle playsets that has "Tim" from IT, "Ann" playing Solitaire, Copy Center Guy, Sensitivity Trainer, and so much more. You can grab em up now and collect them all. Make your own sea of cubes. They are hilarious!

Some of My Impressions of Cubicle Life... What's Yours?

• Ever walk by a hall of cubes and just think you are peering in on a "creature" much like at the zoo?
• Do you ever feel like a mouse looking for cheese at the end of the maze?
• Cubicles are safety zones for people to "lock in" for the day -- only sending emails or phone calls without any personal interaction.

Cubicle Pet Peeves

• Signs that say "Quiet Zone" along the cube "hallways"
  Message to me: While I have walls around me, I can still hear you because I have no ceiling to completely isolate me.
• Your neighbor plays sappy "soft rock" on a company-approved digital clock from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and your ears start to bleed after hearing "I will always love you" by Whitney Houston one hudred and fifty freakin times!
• Overflow of excessive beanie babies or other collector items that creep over into your workspace making it guilt by association.
• Whisperring about your co-workers when they are sitting right across the other side of the wall! Helloooo...

Viaspire's Favorite Gift Guides for the Holidays

This week's Fun Links Friday is dedicated to our first annual Viaspire's Favorite Gift Guides for the Holidays.

Last Minute Shopper Paying FedEx Charges...
Well, if you are anything like us, 1) you shop online exclusively, and 2) you do it last minute so you are paying for it in shipping charges. Surrendering to this option this year, if you are in a pinch, like us, and are looking for some unique and fun gifts for family, friends and co-workers, check out our list of favorite Holiday Shopping Guides.

For the Creative Types on Your List

This Next Holiday Guides
Reaping the benefits of social networking, This Next allows "real people to make real recommendations on the products they love." These guides are unique, creative compilations of some really cool gift ideas!

Modern Menorahs
A guide created on This Next by "laurasweet" creates a great list of unique and creative menorahs with a modern design twist to them.

DesignPublic's 2006 Holiday Gift Guide
Offering fresh, new designs for that unique gift, including the Special Quick Gift suggestion guide.

Core 77's Ultimate Gift Guide
Be sure to check out Guido Oooms Memory Sticks, Tetran Headphone Cable Winder, and Twist and Spout for some fun ideas all under $77.

For Your Gadget Gurus

Uncle Mark's 2007 Gift Guide & Almanac
Mark Hurst of Creative Good has published his third annual "Uncle Mark's Gift Guide" which is a great resource to help family and friends pick the right gadgets and goodies. His almanac has great advice from everything on "How to give a best man's speech" to "How to run a meeting" effectively.

Yahoo! Tech's Holiday Gift Guide
This is Yahoo's version of tech guides on steriods. It really has so many features, you can wander and interact with its social features for hours.

For Your Earth-Friendly Advocates

Inhabitat's Holiday Gift
Cheap Green Gifts Under 30 Bucks ;)

Save a Seal. Help a Bear Cub. Protect Elephants.
This unique holiday gift idea saves animals all year long.

Also, given that the holidays generate so much use of conventional non-recyclable products, give TreeHugger a visit and learn how to Green Your Gifts.

Happy Holidays from Viaspire!