TRADE NEWS Advertising on social networks will not be invasive Mexx to withdraw from UK retail industry Waterstones aims to improve supply chain Retailers can use domain name to boost online presence Online shoppers unsure of risks Counterfeit goods harming retail industry Majority of internet users shop online Dragon's Den duo see product take off Online sales increase in January Retail sales slow in February Retailers set for Mother's day windfall Mamas & Papas begin retail expansion Independent retailers urged to assess everything Retailers hope to increase internet exposure Ambitious Britons hope to own businesses Retail sales enjoy quarterly growth Retailers retain confidence in the industry Women prepared to walk the earth for retail Retailers urge chancellor to ease burden Retailers urged to curb discounting Internet claiming increasing numbers of high-street shoppers FPB urges competition commission to help smaller retailers Competition commission set to replace code of conduct London retail sales below par in January Online retailers drive to attract new consumers Retailers taking legal obligations seriously UK wholesalers could be shunned by supermarkets US retailers enjoy shock sales rise Women opt for ethical Valentines gifts Retail sales set to face 2008 dip Sales boost January retail figures Retailers set for prosperous Valentine's Day Groups warn on danger of toy imports Government needs to raise small business legal awareness FWD outline annual conference plans Shop price inflation rises eBay abandons buyer negative comments European retail sales dip in December Demand for British goods increases Cashback websites battling high street for customers US wholesale prices increase Organisations to petition bag ban Capital Gains Tax may not be compatible with EU law Archive January trade news 2008    29th February 2008   Advertising on social networks will not be invasive Social network users will find their experience "enriched" by intelligent advertising. That is according to global social media resource Social Media Portal (SMP), which has asserted that such ads will not be about invasiveness. Rachel Hawkes, co-founder and editor of SMP, asserted that advertisers are set to make a concerted effort to approach internet users in a way that has a more long-lasting impact. She explained: "We will see advertising becoming cleverer. Rather than being intrusive it will be about value-adding. "Advertisers on social networking sites need to realise they should be looking at not simply having their ad seen, and then quickly ignored, but at how they can enrich the user experience." According to the Ofcom Communications Market Report 2007, social networking sites Facebook, Bebo, MySpace and YouTube all feature in the top ten sites UK-residents spend the most time on. The report shows that in the two-year period from 2004 to 2006, the worth of online advertising rose significantly from £835 million to £2 billion.     (c) 2008 Adfero Ltd.   Subscribe to The Wholesaler UK regular newsletter featuring trade news, suppliers offers and trade show reminders. . .