All I wanted to do was update my Yahoo! alerts. I’m getting so much information in my RSS reader, I don’t need Yahoo! in my email so much anymore. So I followed the instructions at the bottom of a recent alert and was taken to a page I hoped would be my alerts management page. Nope. Once I logged in, I was taken to a “Marketing Preferences” page with 13 pre-checked boxes opting me in to 13 categories of marketing offers (four shown here).

Then I clicked on the “Subscription Preferences” tab, just to see what’s what. Well, there’s some good news: At least Yahoo! didn’t assume I wanted to be opted in to anything, much less everything. Ahhhh, now I can click on the “Alerts” tab and take care of what I came here for, yes? Nope. I was provided with a link over to a different page where I can manage my alerts.

By contrast, Google is a one-step process: Click on “Manage your alerts” in your alert email, and you’re taken directly to your alerts management page. Surprise.

Meanwhile, back on Yahoo! I decide to explore the “Create an Alert” tab. Oh, that’s interesting — I can sign up for an alert for the boxing reality show, The Contender. Ummmmm, didn’t that series end about two months ago?

Takeaway for marketers: Keep it clean. Keep it current. Keep it simple.

“One does not get paid for ideas, but for the ability to deliver them into reality.”
—John Perry Barlow

My daughter, shopping online for a new backpack, emailed me this link. It was immediately evident to me that JanSport gets it: Roll your cursor over the image on the right, and a magnified image of that squared-off portion of the product appears in the window on the left.

It’s probably a relatively simple Flash technique, and I’m sure JanSport isn’t the only one using it, but this is the first time I’m seeing it. It’s clean, functional, and useful. Kudos to JanSport: This is using Flash to add positively to the online shopping experience without getting in the way. (Now, about adding those “printer-friendly version” links to the product pages …)

(Full disclosure: I am not receiving blog-for-pay remuneration from JanSport or JanSport’s PR agency. Damn.)

Takeaway for marketers: There’s a ton of available technology out there for use on your site. Use the right tool for the right job in the right way.

From the home page: “TwattyGirl represents a new breed of girl who is financially independent, sexy and unafraid to voice exactly what she thinks and ask for what she wants. Her mantra is sexy, bold, outspoken. TwattyGirl is the essence of a woman with attitude.”

Uh huh.

From fibre2fashion.com: “[New York based hedge fund executive, writer, and site spokesperson Precious] Marlowe argued that ‘twatty’ has a completely different meaning than the offensive slang sometimes associated with a similar word and supported her argument citing several non-vulgar uses – (acronyms for “The War Against Terror,” “The War Against Tobacco,” “Texas Women Anglers Tournament”).”

Uh huh. (Marlowe evidently forgot “Truly Wretched Attitude Terminology.”)

I can’t wait for the site’s forum feature to be enabled (it returns an error right now) — the Web can always use a new forum for political, sociological, and fishing discussions.

First Pandora and that box, then Dr. Frankenstein and his monster, now Jeff McFadden and popup ads.