Internet
April 29, 2011
By Rachel Lamb
Twitter is often used as a forum where brands can communicate with consumers to inform them of special deals, in-store events and online exclusives. But does it actually do its job – drive sales to retail and online locations?
{"ct":"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","iv":"43899fa5fa0a9c43a90c57113f08ee2c","s":"62c17b00132de2b9"}
Share your thoughts. Click here