Knowledge Center
Welcome to the ERA Knowledge Center; your primary resource for content presented at ERA sessions and events, valuable industry research and data and news from Electronic Retailer, ERA publications and other key sources. Note that education session materials are available only to ERA Members. Click here to log in.
Please note we are repairing the links in the Knowledge Center and hope to have them restored soon.
- Review ERA's Exclusive Webinar Series "Demystifying New Technologies to Increase Sales"
- Industry Research, Facts and Figures
- ERA's Consumer Expenditure Studies
- Social Networking Statistics
- US Retail e-Commerce Sales for 2006
- ERA Europe DRTV - Television Shopping in Europe
- Industry and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Resources
- Free subscription to Website Magazine
- Media Performance Report Card
- Forrester Research Reports
- Video Ad Benchmarks (PDF)
Background on the Industry
The infomercial was born in 1984 when President Reagan signed the Cable Communications Policy Act deregulating television. As a result of this ruling, cable networks began to sell large portions of unsold inventory (airtime) to the highest bidder. This ultimately benefited both sides: struggling cable networks could cash in on unsold airtime; and marketers lacking the deep pockets for prime time ad placement could lock significant air time below market rates.
For more information on any of ERA's research and other resources, please contact ERA at 703.841.1751.