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The Shop Exchange: $40 Million for US Shopping Club Gilt Groupe

Jason Soo

2 Jul 2009 | 12:00 am

Former Doubleclick founder Kevin Ryan has raised a record $40 million of growth capital for his shopping club Gilt Groupe (“Gilt Groupe Raising $40 Million At A Huge Valuation”):"Gilt Groupe, a New York-based private-sale ecommerce company, has signed a term sheet with General Atlantic and Matrix to raise about $40 million at about a $400 million valuation.Gilt was founded two years ago. It should generate about $150 million of revenue this year and more than $500 million next year. So that explains why brand name VCs like Matrix and GA continue to throw money at the company."…
The Shop Exchange: Net-a-Porter Grows 48% to $134 Million

Jason Soo

1 Jul 2009 | 12:13 am

The British luxury online fashion merchant Net-a-Porter has raised their revenues in 2008 to the level of 81.5 million pounds ($134 million)."The strength of online shopping for those that can get the business model right has been underlined by Net-a-Porter, the web-only luxury fashion retailer, which more than trebled pre-tax profits last year.According to accounts filed with Companies House, the privately held London-based business increased sales by 47.8 per cent to £81.5m in the 12 months to January 31.While high street rivals were battered by recession, Net-a-Porter increased its…
Overview of the European Live Shopping Market

Jason Soo

28 Jun 2009 | 11:51 pm

iBOOD, the European market leader in live shopping is according to Google Trends enjoying more popularity in Poland than in Germany. iBOOD launched the Polish offering at the beginning of the year.Their strongest market continues to be the Netherlands - there they are holding 1dayfly, their only serious competitor, well in check.In Germany, iBOOD is competing in popularity against Preisbock for third place. The leaders here are Guut and ZackZack!, the live shopping spinoff from Alternate. The Swiss live shopping market is going to be exciting as well. On that front, DayDeal, the live shopping…
The Shop Exchange: How The Russian KupiVIP Profits from Otto

Jason Soo

28 Jun 2009 | 11:09 pm

For enterprises on the lookout for opportunities, Russia counts nowadays along with Turkey as one of the most attractive emerging markets for (electronic) mail order sales.Because while some may contend that the good ol’ paper catalogue is enough to keep the Russians satisfied, others are jettisoning their paper catalogue based businesses and are re-investing their money in more future oriented business models (“Direct Group Acquires Stake in KupiVIP.ru”):"Direct Group, which recently sold its Russian mail order business Na Dom to Otto Group of Germany, has invested $1 million in…
ShowRoomPrive Makes Number 2 Spot in France’s Private Shopping Club Scene

Jason Soo

25 Jun 2009 | 11:51 pm

As Vente-Privée has dominated an estimated 80-90% of the French market, it’s pretty hard to figure out which of the approximately 70 private shopping clubs comes in second place.From a traffic perspective it’s surely AchatVIP, but looking at revenues it may very well be ShowRoomPrive who has taken the “top” spot last year. As JournalduNet reported last Friday (FR/EN), ShowRoomPrive, who went online in October 2006, was able to raise their 2008 revenues from 9 million euro (2007) to 25 million. Close behind are the likes of AchatVIP, BrandAlley and Private Outlet who claim revenues in…

E-Commerce Times
Dish Network DVR Features Get Stay of Execution

Erika Morphy

2 Jul 2009 | 11:30 am

The final day of reckoning in the four-year battle between TiVo and EchoStar has been pushed out a little further. Late Wednesday evening, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit granted EchoStar's request to stay a contempt order imposed by the U.S. District Court the day before, until its appeal can be heard. The two companies have been locked in a dispute over allegations that EchoStar, through its Dish Network, infringed on TiVo's pause, rewind and live record patents. In 2006, TiVo's assertion of that claim was upheld.
Marketers Aim to Self-Regulate Consumer Tracking Online

Deborah Yao

2 Jul 2009 | 9:04 am

Companies that track consumer behavior online for advertising purposes are vowing to make their practices more transparent and to give people a way to decline being shadowed. It's unclear how much of an effect the new policies will have. One consumer group said the changes don't go far enough, and that extensive profiles of people still will be collected without their complete consent. The new guidelines, which were due to be unveiled Thursday, represent the industry's attempt at self-regulation.
Large Tech Firms: Beware of Obama Administration's Antitrust Plans

Mark W. Bayer and Randy Gordon

2 Jul 2009 | 4:00 am

In a dramatic repudiation of Bush administration policies, the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice withdrew its recent report setting standards for the prosecution of monopolization offenses. Announcing the change of policy, Christine A. Varney, the new assistant attorney general in charge of the Antitrust Division, stated that "the Antitrust Division will be aggressively pursuing cases where monopolists try to use their dominance in the marketplace to stifle competition and harm consumers."
8 Steps to Getting Sales and Marketing to Play Nice

Ian Michiels

2 Jul 2009 | 4:00 am

There are dozens of webinars, seminars, research reports, whitepapers, and blog postings on the topic of sales and marketing alignment. Despite the endless flow of resources and suggestions, sales and marketing alignment continues to elude many organizations. Misalignment is often a byproduct of a lack of process and a natural result of traditional marketing and sales roles. Think about it -- sales is perhaps one of the most measured functions in an organization. In sales, performance is measured by tangible results.
Amazon Turns Gears of Internet Tax Wars

Mike Pearson

1 Jul 2009 | 1:54 pm

More companies are joining in the fight over Internet taxation begun by Amazon.com. Blue Nile and Overstock.com have joined the Web's largest retailer in dropping affiliate programs in North Carolina and Rhode Island, according to numerous press reports. Amazon also reportedly dropped its affiliate program in Hawaii. Affiliate programs allow Web site operators to earn money from product sales by setting up online stores and funneling customers to the parent site.

Web Marketing with Ed Rivis
Can I interview you for my new book?

Ed

25 Jun 2009 | 2:14 pm

Are you using e-mail marketing to communicate with customers and clients? If so, I’ve got a new book coming out shortly and I’d like to you to appear in it! E-Mail marketing is the #1 most critical tactic any business can perform online. Pound for pound it’s also reported to be the most effective tactics any company can perform in terms of ROI (Return on Investment). All the biggest companies use it to generate extra sales, revenues and profits - so if I have a ‘mission’ at the moment, it’s to get a lot more small business owners using e-mail effectively.
3 questions every Web Marketeer should be able to answer.

Ed

29 May 2009 | 7:12 am

Every business owner should know the answers to the following three critical questions about their web site… (A) How many visitors did your web site get last week? (B) What’s your web site’s conversion rate? (C) And what are your website’s best and most profitable sources of traffic? (Visitors.) If you don’t know the answers to those questions — or if you don’t know what I mean by any of those phrases — then I can almost guarantee your web marketing strategy is not generating the highest levels of sales and profits. Why? Well, first of all, you…
Cool new free domain research tool (video review)

Ed

27 May 2009 | 8:00 am

I just found a cool new tool for researching domain names and made a video showing how I use it to research domain names for new landing page sites… Click here to watch it. It’s a fantastic tool, and best of all… it’s free! Also, here are some quick tips on registering domain names for landing pages… If you’re advertising in print make sure they’re short and memorable. Make sure there aren’t any hidden ‘rude words’ in your domain name. If you sell International always try and register the ‘.com’ version. If you’re…
Get more done in less time: Cool software recommendation.

Ed

20 May 2009 | 7:18 am

I don’t normally email about time management. but I’ve found a piece of inexpensive software that’s SO good I had to tell you about it. I’ve been using The Action Machine for a few weeks now, and it’s boosted my productivity by what I can only guess is hundreds of percent. How it works is incredibly simple. You give it a list of things you want to accomplish today, set a deadline for each task (rounded up to the nearest 15 minutes). Then it displays those tasks all on a screen with a timer underneath each one. Then all you do is pick a task, start the timer and…
Do you operate in a B.S. free zone?

Ed

15 May 2009 | 4:43 am

I’ve blogged a lot in the past how so much web design is twaddle, unnecessary and a waste of the client’s money. Well, one design/creative agency has taken quite a rather bold stance on that issue. WARNING: Do not click the link below if you’re… (a) Easily offended, or, (b) If you run a design agency that charges astronical fees for web design and other ‘creative’ that fails to get results for your clients. Otherwise, Check this out - and ask for your free poster before they’re all gone!! Have a great weekend, Ed. P.S. Thanks to Philip Hutchinson of…

eCommerce and Entrepreneurship Blog
Five Spreadsheet Formulas You Should Know and Use

2 Jul 2009 | 9:12 am

I stare at a spreadsheets most every hour at work, so there are a lot of spread sheet manipulations that take place on a daily basis. Here are five formulas that I find useful and I think you will too. VLOOKUP() Microsoft Office: VLOOKUP(lookup_value,table_array,col_index_num,range_lookup) Open Office: VLOOKUP(lookupvalue; datatable; columnindex; mode) VLOOKUP() is used to find the “lookup value” in a given table of values and returns the column identified by the “column index.” This formula I find invaluable, it is used any time I there is multiple data sources and I…
Vanessa’s Variety for the Week of June 26th, 2009

29 Jun 2009 | 1:53 am

By now most of us have heard the news of Michael Jackson’s death, what really surprised me was the way in which many of us found out about it…. Twitter. Twitter may be having a far greater impact than we may even know. This title speaks for itself: Amazon: “A Search Engine With A Warehouse”. We know that load times affect user behavior, but would you say that fractions of a second could have a billion dollar price tag? Are you ignoring important landing pages? Apparently there is controversy over personalized ads, but are we really surprised that people…
Hiring: Don’t Take it For Granted

25 Jun 2009 | 8:49 am

I recently read Jason Calcanis’ newsletter regarding the current hiring environment entitled, "How to Hire – and Get Hired – in a Recession". This newsletter spoke mostly of how important it is to be a hard worker and how important it is to hire someone who is willing to work hard. He admitted that it sounded a little obvious, but still had many legitimate and important suggestions regarding the subject. I would like to advise readers of Jason’s newsletter that our economic position can cause a lax attitude when it comes to the subject of hiring and…
Attention Plan B Entrepreneurs: Line for Plan C Starts Here

22 Jun 2009 | 10:12 am

Over at GigaOm, Stacey Higginbotham digested some data showing that the Gordian Project is in the minority. Apparently, "the demographic with the highest rate of entrepreneurial activity consists of those between the ages of 55 and 64, according to a study released today by the The Kauffman Foundation. The study found that folks in the 20-34 age range were the least likely to start companies." As a majority of our founders, including myself, represent the latter class, we're glad to carry the torch for the "tweens" of entrepreneurs. Nonetheless, as we…
Vanessa’s Variety for the Week of June 19th, 2009

19 Jun 2009 | 7:22 am

I finally get to say it, “The Lakers are NBA Champions!” I did so much smack talking last year that I ended up losing my bet and the Lakers lost in the finals, so this year I decided to not say anything until it was all over. So, Father’s Day is this weekend, and other than that it’s time to move on to the week in eCommerce. Google changes public stance on PageRank Sculpting with nofollow, Matt Cutts gives a detailed analysis here and Marketing Pilgrim gives a synopsis here. Changes to be aware of: Distribution of link juice is either passed on or it…

Retail eCommerce Blog
IRCE 2009 - A Quick Summary

30 Jun 2009 | 12:22 am

The IRCE 2009 at Boston went fine for Mobius. We had a perfect location (3rd from the entrance/exit). People who visited us at booth no. 504 got a fair idea about our new product Re.flex and other services. I heartily THANK all the people who stopped by. We hope meeting you again next year at IRCE 2010 Here are a few pictures taken at IRCE 2009. From left to right: Andrew Sorensen, Director – US Operations Mallacy Sherlock, Business Development – US Uma Shankar, Director –... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Meet Team Mobius at IRCE (Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition) 2009 Boston

27 May 2009 | 12:18 am

The IRCE 2009 (Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition) at Boston is from June 15-18. Mobius Knowledge Services will be exhibiting for the first time. If you have registered to attend IRCE 2009 conference we request you to visit at booth #504 to know about our new product that we are launching. Check out our Exhibit Hall About IRCE (Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition): The Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition (IRCE) is the America's largets e-Retailing trade... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Shopping Engine Traffic Review for March 2009

26 May 2009 | 5:38 am

In spite of the disastrous start in the beginning of 2009, most CSEs are recovering in terms of the traffic flow. As I was going through the report for March, I came across some disheartening numbers. The decrease for Pricerunner in terms of unique monthly visitors (-97.40) and monthly visits(-97.25) is quite discouraging. Jellyfish like Pricerunner also encountered a fall in traffic. But other than that, most major CSEs have noticed an increasing trend in traffic for March. Nextag again... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Shopping Engine Traffic Review for February 2009

26 May 2009 | 2:48 am

Apologies for the delay in posting this traffic analysis report. We saw a great dip in the January traffic pattern for most Comparison Shopping Engines (CSEs) and unfortunately, there seems to be no remarkable improvement in February either. The detailed traffic data shows the decline in traffic flow in all major CSEs. The year 2009 has not been a good one for the CSEs as the visits by shoppers are showing a decreasing trend. The only CSE with an increase of 6.50% in monthly visitors is... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
How about an antenna to help you make marketing decisions?

8 May 2009 | 4:09 am

I was busy working for our soon to be launched Microsite and other activities that took away a full 20 days. Thanks to those people who took time to mail me asking about my brief hiatus! Like I mentioned in the first post of this series, the decision making process in online business is a continuous activity dependent on the interaction with the environment. When interacting with the environment, “retailers are better at transmitting signals than receiving them.” So what are the signals that... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

E-Commerce Law
E-Commerce Law Briefs: Week of June 22, 2009

Jonathan Frieden

27 Jun 2009 | 4:39 pm

Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced that his Consumer Protection Division, along with consumer protection agencies from 40 other States and the District of Columbia, have entered into a settlement concerning security breaches which led to the theft of customer credit card data from 100 million credit card transactions in 2005 and 2006.Each weekend, E-Commerce Law Briefs provides a brief summary and commentary on recent legal news affecting e-commerce businesses.
E-Commerce Law Briefs: Week of June 15, 2009

Jonathan Frieden

22 Jun 2009 | 6:52 am

A federal judge has referred Facebook's lawsuit against spam king Sanford Wallace to the U.S. Attorney's office for possible criminal prosecution.Microsoft has filed a click fraud suit against three individuals and several corporations they control. "Microsoft said it's taking the action to crack down on click fraud, in which automated computer scripts or large groups of people click on online advertisements without having any interest in the services or product being advertised. The company alleges that the defendants engaged in "competitor click fraud," one…
The Sky is Falling! New Facebook Usernames Will be the End of Trademark Protection as We Know It

Jonathan Frieden

12 Jun 2009 | 3:00 pm

In just over six hours, Facebook will begin permitting its users to obtain "vanity" URLs for their Facebook profiles. According to the popular social networking site,"The one place [on Facebook] where your identity wasn't reflected was in the Web address for your profile or the Facebook Pages you administer. The URL was just a randomly assigned number like "id=592952074." That soon will change. We're planning to offer Facebook usernames to make it easier for people to find and connect with you. When your friends, family members or co-workers visit your…
E-Commerce Law Briefs: Week of June 1, 2009

Jonathan Frieden

8 Jun 2009 | 6:48 am

Time spent on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn is growing. Since April 2008, time spent on Facebook has increased by 699%, compared to a 31% drop in time spent on MySpace. "According to the Associated Press, the U.S. military in Afghanistan is launching a Facebook page, a YouTube site, and Twitter feeds as part of a new communication effort. Officials said this would help the military reach those who get their information online rather than via printed materials."Investors think Facebook is worth $10 billion.Apparently, a brothel in England has begun advertising on…
Starting an Online Business: Licensing Requirements

Jonathan Frieden

4 Jun 2009 | 11:57 am

Over the past few months, a number of people have visited E-Commerce Law looking for a link to our guest post on About.com's Online Business blog entitled "Starting an Online Business: Licensing Requirements." Unfortunately, our link to that guest post no longer leads to the correct article. (Apparently, the link now leads to a restructured About.com Online Business / Hosting site which does not include our post.) So, we decided to republish the post below: Individuals interested in starting an online business are often confused or uninformed as to the licensing…

Shopify Blog - Home
AdWords Credits for Shopify Stores

Dimitri

30 Jun 2009 | 1:41 pm

Effective use of Google’s AdWords program has been the single biggest predictor of success for new Shopify stores. Virtually all successful stores on our platform use it. We talked to Google about this and they came up with a great incentive program: We will be able to provide all Shopify customers with free credit for their newly created AdWords accounts. Depending on the type of store you have, you will receive either a $25, $50 or $75 credit to get started. To get started, you can get your key in the marketing section of your admin or wait for the emails regarding the promotion that we…
Installing a Shopify App in 5 Easy Steps

Dimitri

30 Jun 2009 | 5:31 am

So you’ve heard about the App Store and heard about all the great things you can do with it, but have yet to install an app for yourself. Well, here’s an easy step-by-step guide for installing your first app. Step 1: Go to the App Store, and choose the app you’d like to install. Step 2: Click the Install button. Step 3: Enter your store’s address to authenticate the app. Step 4: Confirm the installation of the app. Step 5: Use the app. Usually the application you install will modify your admin interface in some way to help you use it. Once the app is installed you’re ready to go!
Video Game Nation

Daniel

26 Jun 2009 | 8:25 am
Baby Melons

Daniel

22 Jun 2009 | 8:27 am
Planning ahead...

Tobi

17 Jun 2009 | 3:14 pm

- Dev team, writing story cards for next Shopify iteration.

Practical eCommerce Articles
BabyAge.com Co-founder Cites 10 Guiding Principles

John Dawe

3 Jul 2009 | 6:05 pm

When BabyAge.com co-founder Jack Kiefer worked for one of the first video conferencing companies in the early '90s, he thought commerce online had possibilities. By 1999, Kiefer had co-founded BabyAge.com. He is now its CEO. Fast forward to 2008 and BabyAge's gross revenue reached $30 million, with 2009 revenue expected to exceed $41 million. Practical eCommerce recently visited with Kiefer at the 50,000 square foot BabyAge warehouse facility in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. PeC: What was your inspiration to create BabyAge.com? Kiefer: "In 1996, when Babies'R'Us arrived, you had a major…
Cart of the Week: Tiger Commerce

Kate Monteith

3 Jul 2009 | 11:17 am

There are more than 350 online shopping carts. And each week we feature one, interviewing both the cart's developer or management and a customer. "Cart of the Week" is not a review or an evaluation, but rather an opportunity to learn about a shopping cart from the people who build it and use it. This week, we'll hear from Neil Smith, ecommerce director for G-Forces Web Management Ltd. His company owns Tiger Commerce, a hosted shopping cart located in Bearsted, Kent, England. After a decade in the business, G-Forces has more than 2,000 stores using its cart software. We'll also hear the views…
Field Test: Conversion Strategies Part II

Practical eCommerce Staff

2 Jul 2009 | 6:00 pm

Practical eCommerce periodically gathers seasoned ecommerce merchants and asks each of them the same questions around a given topic. We publish their responses in "Field Test," and the topic in this installment is conversion strategies. The participating ecommerce merchants are: Dave Norris, House of Antique Hardware; Justin Hertz, MuttMart; Lars Hundley, Clean Air Gardening; Richard Kuipers, Windmill Trading; Chris Moleski, Wetsuit Wearhouse; and Bryon Tabor, Practical Sports. The responses of three of six participants were published previously. Here are the responses of the three remaining…
The Shopping Experience: Icon Dock Excels at Downloadable Graphics

Armando Roggio

2 Jul 2009 | 7:39 am

Icon Dock is a beautifully designed, easy-to-use online retailer specializing in downloadable, vector graphic icons. Each month, Practical eCommerce sends me shopping. I make a purchase from a real online merchant—like Icon Dock—and report back to you about the overall checkout process, customer service experience, and website aesthetics. This review should provide a consumer's perspective about the featured merchant in particular, and about online retailing practices in general. To avoid receiving preferential treatment, I do not notify the merchant about the impending review. Think of…
Ten Great New Ecommerce Ideas for July 2009

Kate Monteith

1 Jul 2009 | 5:56 pm

Practical eCommerce asks industry insiders each month to share a great, innovative idea that could help an ecommerce company succeed. Here’s what ten of them had to say for the July 2009 installment. Focus on Upsell Products "To succeed with your ecommerce solution, it is extremely important to focus on having the customer picking an upsell product with better profit, or adding accessories together with the product they are purchasing. This is no more than a time commitment, but well worth it. Find products that you can add as accessories, not only to a few of your products but to all of…

InternetNews.com Ecommerce News
Ad Groups Move to Regulate Web Tracking

Moves come ahead of potential legislation designed to clamp down on the collection of behavioral data for advertising.
Amazon Drops NC, RI Affiliates as Tax Looms

UPDATED: Internet retail giant plays hardball with North Carolina and Rhode Island legislatures.
Ballmer: Advertising Is All About Content

Microsoft's CEO lays out his perspective on the future of online advertising at European ad conclave.
E-Coupon Use Growing at Rapid Clip

A whole new demographic is digging digital coupons, spurring huge growth in the online coupon category.
Google Widens AdSense for iPhone, Android Apps

Google's new service means you can make money off free iPhone apps, after all.

Actinic Ecommerce News
Online Security, Fraud Prevention And Why PCI DSS Matters To You

3 Jul 2009 | 1:06 am

Sixty percent of Online Retailers currently do not know if they are PCI DSS compliant. Simon Armstrong discusses why this matters, and what else can be done to prevent fraud.
Online Retail Storms Ahead Through Recession

1 Jul 2009 | 2:21 am

With internet shopper numbers at an all time high and online spending growing by £2.4 billion in 2009, e-Retail is proving to be a star performer in the recession, says Verdict Research in its latest report, UK e-Retail 2009.
How Are Your Customers Behaving?

29 Jun 2009 | 1:49 am

The ability to target customers demographically can make Facebook advertising a more cost-effective visitor acquisition tool than Google.
David 1, Goliath 0

26 Jun 2009 | 1:49 am

Small online businesses should not be intimidated by their larger competitors. Chris Barling argues that smaller can be smarter when competing online.
Why The Internet Could Rescue Retail

25 Jun 2009 | 1:07 am

By 2011 high street sales may fall by £8.3 billion, but online sales could grown by as much as £12.3 bn, according to research by Experian for PayPal.

eMarketer Articles
Click! So What?

1 Jul 2009 | 9:01 pm

Gian Fulgoni Chairman comScore
No Exploding Sales This Independence Day

1 Jul 2009 | 9:01 pm

Life, liberty and the pursuit of a retail boost.
Delivering Digital Marketing

30 Jun 2009 | 9:01 pm

Karin von Abrams eMarketer Senior Analyst Friends, not cannibals.
Execs Go Online for Business Intelligence

30 Jun 2009 | 9:01 pm

Internet = Information
The Sad Tale of Abandoned Shopping Carts

29 Jun 2009 | 9:01 pm

Subtract from cart

Ecommerce Journal
PlaySpan's Ultimate Game Card expands into Turkey, Brazil, and other countries

Michele

3 Jul 2009 | 1:02 pm

PlaySpan, the leader in global monetization solutions for 1,000 online games, virtual worlds, and social networks, today announced that its Ultimate Game Card has expanded into Brazil, Turkey, and several other countries. In Turkey, Ultimate Game Card will be available in over 3,000 Internet gaming cafes, as well as multiple Turkish web sites and portals offering convenient local payment options. Turkey
Alibaba.com in EMEA brand push

Michele

3 Jul 2009 | 1:00 pm

E-commerce company Alibaba.com has appointed Truly London to spearhead a major campaign across Europe, the Middle East and Africa in a bid to boost its brand awareness. Truly was appointed following a three-way pitch with other undisclosed agencies. It forms part of Alibaba.com’s $30m (£18.3m) year-long global marketing investment.
GoECart launches new interactive website to help merchants sell more online

Michele

3 Jul 2009 | 12:57 pm

GoECart, the market-leading provider of ecommerce solutions for internet retailers, today announced the launch of a newly designed, customer-focused, and interactive website. The site has been transformed to bring the best-of-breed experience customers have come to expect using GoECart's ecommerce software to the company's web presence.
Secure POS Vendor Alliance underlines need for greater payment security measures

Michele

3 Jul 2009 | 12:55 pm

73 % of consumers surveyed in the United States, France and Great Britain say that more stringent standards are required before they will trust the security of their credit card transactions. And almost half (46 %) are concerned about the potential for a security breach when paying with their credit or PIN-based cards, according to an international survey released by the Secure POS Vendor Alliance (SPVA), a non-profit business organization created by Hypercom, Ingenico S.A.
Google Apps users get upgrade

Michele

3 Jul 2009 | 12:53 pm

Google Apps users will now be able to share templates together. The new feature is one of the updates that Google has made to its online applications product. The company already has a template gallery for Google Docs where people can share templates such as presentation designs and spreadsheets. But now, Premier and Education Edition Apps users can share templates privately, but only with other people in their domain.

Practical eCommerce Podcasts
Tap Location Online to Drive Offline Sales

Practical eCommerce

3 Jul 2009 | 1:28 pm

Here's a tip from Rob Friedman, executive president of Digital Element, on how to drive offline sales through geotargeting: "The consumer’s expectation of 'research anywhere, buy anywhere' means merchants must bring offline decision-making to online commerce. And, location plays an integral role. With geolocation technologies, online enterprises can proactively drive offline sales by highlighting the nearest retail locations or presenting coupons for in-store use based on shoppers’ geographic locations."
PPC Ads on Bing?

Practical eCommerce

2 Jul 2009 | 1:25 pm

Practical eCommerce recently asked asked a leading pay-per-click management firm, The Search Agency, what sort of initial results it has seen on behalf of its clients who advertise on Bing. According to Frank Lee, senior vice president of client services, "I advise you to try Bing, via its adCenter, now to capitalize on the positive results it could bring. As long as consumer awareness and adoption of Bing continues to increase, this could be a very significant source of conversions, outside of Google and Yahoo!."
Accessibility Law in the United States

Practical eCommerce

1 Jul 2009 | 1:30 pm

In the United States, there are no laws binding businesses to conform to any level of website accessibility. Many government and government-supported organizations are bound by Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, but these rules do not extend to private business concerns. However, even if you conduct business only in the United States, all ecommerce sites should try to conform to common website accessibility standards found in the WCAG 2.0, available at W3.org.
Microsoft Bing Exec on Features of New Search Engine

Practical eCommerce

30 Jun 2009 | 8:31 pm

Microsoft’s new search engine is called Bing. It launched on June 3, 2009 and observers have already described it as a dramatic improvement over Microsoft’s previous search engine efforts. Most every ecommerce merchant relies on search engines, and many of them, we suspect, will be interested to learn how Bing affects their businesses. Dave Wascha, Microsoft’s Senior Director of Bing Shopping, joins Practical eCommerce's Kerry Murdock to discuss it all.
Optimize the New Subscriber Experience

Practical eCommerce

30 Jun 2009 | 1:32 pm

New subscribers to an email list generally have a higher interest level in the beginning, and therefore a higher tolerance for frequent communication. It is important to take advantage of this phenomenon by carefully designing and optimizing the new subscriber experience. Waiting for your regularly scheduled newsletter may be too long. Start communicating right away by sending a welcome message. Then, send a follow-up message the day after they sign up, and another message shortly thereafter.

The Ecommerce Blog
Moving programming and script posts to new blog

jestep

29 Jun 2009 | 10:45 am

The scripts and php or programming related articles are going to be moved to my new blog: http://www.saynotoflash.com/. The comments on those posts will be transferred as well. I think that while valuable, the programming posts are not aligned with the direction that I want this blog to go. Future php, and programming related posts will also be added to the new site instead of this one. Thanks
Multi process PHP execution

jestep

28 May 2009 | 8:44 am

Moved to: http://www.saynotoflash.com/archives/multi-process-php-execution/
The biggest sites make simple mistakes

jestep

27 May 2009 | 8:36 am

Google messed everything up a few months ago. MSN’s done it now. Mistakes like either of these are completely unacceptable. Make sure you always understand what the affects of your actions are before you go and make changes that break everything. A little attention to detail could have prevented both of these.
Theme Upgrade

jestep

19 May 2009 | 10:55 am

I spent the morning creating a new theme for the blog. It’s still a little rough, but I think it is much better than the previous revolution theme that I was using. My goal is still to keep the layout of this site very clean and minimal. This theme is an extremely flexible / fluid layout based on the Fluid 960 Grid System. If anybody’s interested in obtaining this theme for their own development, let me know and I will create a more portable version. Please let me know if you notice any other problems as well. Thanks
Getting control of your DNS

jestep

1 May 2009 | 1:39 pm

DNS is one of those things that everybody uses and nobody thinks about. We all just assume that when we type our website in the address bar and it comes up, then everything is OK. In reality, the way your business’s DNS is handled can be a gift or a curse. I can’t think of a technology that has been under more security scrutiny lately than DNS. Years after our typical DNS system was thought to be safe, huge exploits have been found having the potential to wreak havoc on large portions of the internet. To start off with, what exactly is DNS? DNS or Domain Naming System is basically…

ComparisonEngines
Don’t put all your eggs in the Google Shopping Basket

Brian Smith

1 Jul 2009 | 11:26 am

If you’re submitting an optimized data feed to Google Shopping, you can get an amazing amount of traffic and sales. But just as organic placement can fluctuate because of algorithmic changes, your product listings on Google Shopping might fluctuate because of similar algorithmic changes or placement tests. The old standard of Onebox results showing up below the sponsored ads and above the organic listings is not a guarantee anymore. You might find the Onebox listings in a different form, halfway down the page, or even in the AdWords listings (will share screenshots of these…
Analytics Should be Driving Your Decisions

Brian Smith

18 Jun 2009 | 8:36 am

Regardless of the topic I’m speaking on, I always talk about using an analytics program. Without metrics/data, you can’t make informed decisions. So it’s great that Yahoo! is stressing analtyics at the Yahoo! Merchant Summit (an event for their bigger merchants). Dennis Mortensen, Director of Data Insights, Yahoo! gave some quick tips, such as scheduling alerts. Yahoo! Analytics is baked into Yahoo! Merchant Solutions (big changes/updates to the analytics product in October of last year and April of this year). Dennis, Jonathan Garris (ECMTA, Gotham City Online), and…
Bing Cashback Huge for AT&T?

Brian Smith

15 Jun 2009 | 8:47 am

Say what you want about Bing, but Bing Cashback (or is it Bing Shopping?) has been getting a good amount of buzz the last couple weeks. Why? In part because of a cashback offer from the AT&T Store. AT&T is offering a pretty incredible 35% cashback offer. This is the richest cashback offer I’ve seen on Cashback. Add to that the launch of the new iPhone, which you can pre-order through AT&T, and at least the twitterverse has been abuzz over Bing Cashback. I’m still waiting to hear back from some companies like Converseon that monitor ‘conversations’ on the…
SingleFeed Arrives In Boston for Internet Retailer

Brian Smith

14 Jun 2009 | 10:19 pm

SingleFeed is in Boston this week for Internet Retailer. We do not have a booth this year, so if you’re a merchant who would like to meet up to discuss the shopping engines, data feeds, or SingleFeed, please contact me at brian@singlefeed.com. Also, we’re getting together with some friends @ Lobby Bar & Kitchen Tuesday night from 7:30 – 9pm for drinks and dessert. Just email me if you’d like to join. Thanks! -brian
Pay attention to the personal savings rate

Brian Smith

5 Jun 2009 | 1:45 am

If you watch CNBC these days, it seems that the economy is on a road to recovery and things will be looking pretty good in early 2010 or maybe even by the end of this year. It’s not that the housing market is hot hot hot or the unemployment rate is dropping, but these economic indicators and others are easing (not looking as bad as in Q1). And with the stock market (often seen as a leading indicator for the economy) up over 30% since its lows in March, it’s easy to start thinking good thoughts. While I’m hoping for a recovery in early 2010, I think whatever recovery we might…

Groove Commerce eCommerce Blog
New eCommerce Design for Jeep 4×4 Center

After getting a Groove Commerce eCommerce website consultation at the Internet Retailer conference in Miami back in January, the people at Jeep 4x4 decided they wanted us to make some of the changes we had suggested. Our job was to build a design template that increases conversion, while leaving ...
Looking for a Web Developer

Wanna work at Groove Commerce? We don't blame you! Groove Commerce is looking to add another developer to its team and would love to hear from you. For more details, check out the description and requirements here: Baltimore Web Developer
5 Tips for Optimizing Your Meta Descriptions and Page Titles

Do you A/B test ad copy in your pay per click ads? Well that's great news! You've separated yourself from the lazy advertisers out there. But what about your meta descriptions and page titles? Sure, it's a little more advanced, and possibly more time consuming, but ...
Groove Commerce Turns Two!

As we are headed through one of the worst economic times in our countries history, I am excited to say that many of our clients are having their best months ever... Why? They are being aggressive online and not letting the word 'recession' come into their vocabulary. Whether you are ...
Quickly Test Your Websites in Internet Explorer

Ever wonder how your website looks in different versions of Internet Explorer? If not, you should be. Unless your visitor base is particularly tech-saavy, the majority of visitors to your website are going to be browsing with different versions of Internet Explorer. Most of our clients have ...

Palmer Web Marketing
Have You Created a Frankensite?

Justin Palmer

20 Jun 2009 | 8:54 am

It starts with a clean, professional, easy to use website. Then you launch a new product line, so you add a new button/ad/page, etc. Innocent enough right? Next your company receives an award from an industry publication. Why not show it off on the homepage? Then you read an article about a Google Adsense millionaire. Why not throw a few ads in, and pick up some extra revenue? Then one customer complains that your Privacy Policy was too hard to find. So you put a huge red button in your header linking to it. Before you’re aware, your website is unprioritized, cluttered mess… a…
3 Remedies for a Web Analytics Overdose

Justin Palmer

15 Jun 2009 | 12:42 pm

“Not enough information” - here’s a problem the web marketer never has. Rather, the opposite is true, too much information, especially when it comes to web analytics. So how can we make sense out of the myriad of data we’re confronted with? Here’s 3 remedies for the all to common web analytics overdose. Remedy #1 - Focus on the Few, Not the Many “If I look at the mass I will never act. If I look at the one, I will.” — Mother Theresa People know millions of children are starving in Africa, yet rarely act on this knowledge. But what if one of…
Is Social Media Marketing Right for You?

Justin Palmer

17 May 2009 | 9:09 pm

Social media can no longer be ignored, even by traditional marketing agencies and old-school business. But before you make the plunge into this powerful, but often misunderstood marketing tactic, ask yourself these 7 important questions. Can you have a conversation? I recently saw a wall comment posted to a major clothing retail chain’s Facebook page, questioning whether the company was going out of business. As of today, the comment still has not been responded to. Obviously, they are not interested in having a conversation, or managing their brand reputation for that matter. If you…
7 Do’s and Don’ts of Website Optimization Testing

Justin Palmer

21 Apr 2009 | 7:53 pm

WARNING: Website optimization testing is extremely addictive. Sitting behind the scenes, pulling the strings, and seeing the effect of positive change is overwhelmingly rewarding. So now you’ve committed to testing your website. Where do you start? What do you test? While you’ll ultimately have to answer these questions for yourself, below are 7 Do’s and Don’ts to help guide a successful testing strategy. Do Test Properly: So you tweaked your homepage and sales shot up 50% from the prior week. Success? Not really. There’s too many moving parts here to consider.
A Paradox of Choice: Prioritizing Web Marketing Tactics

Justin Palmer

6 Apr 2009 | 9:39 pm

With the endless clatter of marketing advice from blogs, consultants, and colleagues, how does the e-business know where to invest their limited resources? I’ve noticed 2 problems with a good portion of internet marketing advice: It’s biased: If you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail. In other words, the SEO consultant believes that natural search is the key to your growth, while the social media guru says Facebook is the goose that lays the golden eggs. It’s unprioritized: It’s easy to be overwhelmed by a mega-list of recommendations. I’m a fan of…

Shop.org Blog
Social media users – who are they, and what do they do?

Fiona Swerdlow, Head of Research, Shop.org

29 Jun 2009 | 9:34 am

Many of us in the online retail space have discussed at length the many strategic and tactical aspects of designing, developing, and managing social media for our businesses (no less so right here within the Shop.org team!).We wanted to step back and understand better who social media users at this point are (surely social media has evolved far beyond something just for teens or young singles, right?), and what they are doing (is it just connecting with friends, or – further to business purposes – are we also connecting more between retailers and consumers?). As part of our ongoing…
Call to Action: Let’s Define Standards for Online Marketing Attribution

AnneAshbey

23 Jun 2009 | 7:28 pm

Are you accountable for the ROI of your company’s online marketing efforts?Do you struggle with how to measure the incremental impact of your media dollars when multiple influences or touch-points occur during the conversion process?If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, I invite you to join forces with your Shop.org peers in a new Online Marketing Attribution SIG, and participate in developing a series of best practices for online marketing measurement. At the 2009 Shop.org Marketing Workshop, John Lazarchic (Petco), John Ardis (ValueClick), Dustin Engle (Range Online…
Social Media & Mobile Shopping Webinar - Research, Stories, Takeaways

Artemis Ebneyousef, Content Manager, Shop.org

23 Jun 2009 | 8:22 am

Coming directly from member requests, this month we are proud to bring SHOP.ORG MEMBERS a webinar on “Evolving Retail Trends Regarding Social Media and Mobile Shopping“. Join us on Wednesday, June 24, 2009, as we bring you a panel of industry experts from ForeSee Results, Newell Rubbermaid, Sherwin-Williams Paint Stores, and Peet’s Coffee & Tea to share research, case studies, and some key takeaways and answer some specific questions including: –What are some of the key findings from Top 100 Online Retail Satisfaction Index Spring 2009 report? –Who has…
Behavioral Advertising hearing

Josh Greene, VP, Member Services, Shop.org

22 Jun 2009 | 7:11 am

Last week, on June 18th, the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection held a hearing on “Behavioral Advertising: Industry Practices and Consumers’ Expectations” Prior to the hearing, Shop.org and numerous other associations signed a letter to the Subcommittee calling for “…extreme caution when contemplating any legislative proposals or regulatory changes in this arena.” Coverage of the hearing: WSJ: Lawmakers Blast Internet Data Collection Business Week: Internet Marketing: Is Regulation Coming? PC World: U.S. Lawmakers Call for Online…
TwitterVoice: Showcasing the Voice of Your Company across Twitter

Brett Hurt | Bazaarvoice

20 Jun 2009 | 2:18 pm

For all of the Shop.org member companies that have multiple employees tweeting, Bazaarvoice has developed TwitterVoice, an open-source application for your website. You can read more about it at Bazaarblog, or click on the screen-shot below to see it live and download the sourcecode. This is perfect for analyst or consulting firms (and even the Shop.org team), as well as the many progressing retail members and vendors that agree that the collective voice of their employees is one of the major representations of their brand (perhaps secondary to their collective customers’ voice).

Comparison Shopping Engine Strategies
Google Experimenting with Additional Product Results

Mark Vandegrift

19 Jun 2009 | 2:24 pm

**Clarification - we just heard from a Google spokesperson. They informed us that the screenshots are actually NOT the Google Products Ads test, the experiment has not started yet. This is some other experiment. It will be interesting to see what the official 'Google Product Ads test' looks like.It's always fun to stumble across a Google test. Phillip Lennsen over at Google Blogoscoped posted today about a new Product Ads feature in the Google Affiliate Network, so this may be part of the testing for that. The screen shot below shows two sets of shopping results on a standard Google…
Ciao US Goes the Way of MSN Shopping

Mark Vandegrift

16 Jun 2009 | 8:43 am

Microsoft announced today that Ciao in the US will cease to exist as of July 1. Feeds will no longer be processed and the Ciao.com domain will redirect to Bing Shopping.This pretty much ties up to the MSN consolidation in the US. Ciao will no doubt continue to exist in Europe. The real question is if and how they will more formally integrate Ciao with Bing in Europe. Right now it just redirects from Bing to Ciao, which is a little confusing from the user perspective, but maintains the SEO advantage of the already popular sites and leaves intact the social aspect of Ciao as well. I imagine the…
CSE Strategies and Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition (IRCE)

scot wingo

15 Jun 2009 | 7:31 am

CSE Strategies readers - today kicks off the annual retailer confab - IRCE in Boston. We'll be there in force and it is certainly a big year for comparison shopping engines so there will be lots to see and learn on all topics CSE.We've put together this handy CSE Strategies guide to IRCE here so you can optimize your IRCE time and learn as much as possible. ChannelAdvisor will be in booth 749 and there are 10+ engines that will be present. Any of our representatives will be able to discuss all of the changes coming up with CSEs and how our software can help you manage CSEs.If you want…
Google Product Search Announcement About Attribute Changes

Mark Vandegrift

2 Jun 2009 | 8:01 pm

Google announced today that the condition attribute will soon be required. Valid values are new, used, or refurbished. This is definitely good news in that it suggests they will soon either display this information or filter on it. Such a change would positively impact the user experience on Google Product Search since right now, consumers don't know the condition of the item until after they click through. I've bought many refurbished items in the past, but as a consumer, it is definitely nice to be able to clearly see condition as early as possible so you don't click on a refurbished or…
Amazon ProductAds Webinar on June 24th.

scot wingo

1 Jun 2009 | 9:48 pm

Amazon is hosting a free webinar on ProductAds June 24th at 1pm EDT, 10am PDT. You can register for the Webinar here.At ChannelAdvisor we're seeing those retailers that adopt ProductAds have it shoot to the top of their CSE list from a traffic/roi standpoint very quickly so we recommend everyone that isn't selling on Amazon today take a look at this program (which we fully support BTW).You can register here and the blurb for the webinar follows:Learn how to advertise your products to Amazon.com customers and drive traffic to your website. Product Ads is a cost-per-click advertising…

eCP's blog
6 Crucial Steps to Planning Your E-Commerce Website

Gil Levy

26 Jun 2009 | 12:48 pm

Why is developing an online business blueprint important and where do you even begin? Take a bird eye's view when dealing with ecommerce planning
Dennis Consorte, CMO Presents at IRCE 2009

Dennis Consorte

17 Jun 2009 | 2:50 pm

Dennis Consorte, CMO of ECommerce Partners presented to over 600 attendees at the Internet Retailer 2009. Topics included Google Product Search & Local Search.
Reach Nearby Customers Through Google Local Search

Asi Erenberg

18 May 2009 | 3:41 pm

It is estimated that 20% of all searches have local intent, especially for restaurants, insurance, legal, retail, hotels and other types of companies within the service industry. Are you missing out
Google Product Search: Untapped Traffic & Qualified Customers

Dennis Consorte

16 Apr 2009 | 2:42 pm

It used to be that doing a simple search on Google for a particular product would return relevant content sites only. You had to actually drill down and find the shopping results on your own.
Despite Economic Downturn, Outlook for ECommerce in 2009 Still Bright

Asi Erenberg

10 Mar 2009 | 1:30 pm

Although nothing is certain in today's economy, ecommerce remains a beacon of possibility and profit. Your customers don't have to leave home to buy your products, and it's often more cost-effective to host a virtual storefront than a brick-and-mortar one. Ecommerce sites are well positioned in this turbulent time. However, with the economy in flux and competition intensifying now is certainly not the time to become complacent.

Check Out Blog
Microsoft Windows 7 Pre-Sale & Upgrade Promotion

26 Jun 2009 | 11:02 am

A few weeks ago I blogged about Microsoft Windows 7, its release data and it's features.Today I want to let everyone know you can pre-order Windows 7 on Walmart.com and save over 50% off the regular price.Get windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade for a special Pre-Order price of $49.92 and Windows 7 Professional for $99.92. This offer began today and will end on July 11, 2009. After that date the price will go up to $119.92 for Home Premium Upgrade and $199.92 for Professional Upgrade.Pre-Order Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade here. Pre-Order Windows 7 Professional Upgrade here. Product…
Fathers Day

17 Jun 2009 | 12:53 pm

I wanted to everyone a little insight into our video game offers for Fathers Day. First up is a special offer for the Wii Console. During 6/14/09 - 6-20/09 anyone purchasing a Wii console will receive a $20.00 Wal-Mart gift card free. Dad gets a Wii, and hey that's really an investment for the whole family, so we threw in the $20 Gift card that will take care of an accessory. I would suggest one of these 3 accessories, the new Wii Motion plus, Wii Nunchuk or Classic Controller (All of which sell at Wal-Mart for $19.96 each). Also for Fathers Day is the PS3 bundle…
Norma Kamali for Walmart Cardigan Featured on NBC Today's Style Segment

17 Jun 2009 | 12:30 pm

I can’t believe it’s already June and I still haven’t moved my boots and coats to the back of the closet to make room for warmer weather gear. Having just booked my travel plans for a much needed quick weekend getaway I realized that a few cute pieces to refresh my existing summer wardrobe were a must. I was in luck. This week's Today Show fashion segment touting the best affordable weekend get-away looks http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/31369799#31386169 couldn’t have come at a better time. As part of the segment they featured our…
The next generation in surround sound...

16 Jun 2009 | 1:42 am

Anyone else get annoyed by all the wires and set up of a normal surround sound system? It's especially annoying when you want to hide all the wires, which would require you to get a little more handy than I would claim to be. If this is the case, and you're in the need for what I call "sound enhancement", a sound bar may be just what you need. The good news is that Walmart has started carrying a couple in select stores, as well as a few more on walmart.com. Prices have also come down significantly over the past year, making this not only convenient but…
Microsoft Windows 7 Release Date is......

5 Jun 2009 | 6:51 am

A lot is happening in the news, and on the technology side it’s seems to be all on E3 and the gaming world this week. However we had a quick headline yesterday that I want to share:Windows 7 general availability: In stores starting October 22nd! Walmart will be selling Win 7 in stores as well as online on that 10/22 date. With New PCs in store and a expanded assortment online that can be up to 100+ Laptops & 40+Desktops.If you haven’t heard or seen it yet, check out this video.I saw a demo of the product back in Jan @ CES. I was impressed, it wasn’t till a few months…

Digital Money Forum
Really filthy lucre

Dave Birch

1 Jul 2009 | 10:55 pm

[Dave Birch] Here's another good reason for replacing paper money with electronic money: it's filthy and contaminated. Apparently there's not that much real money laundering going on! public health authorities say these tests show that paper money is dirty - and an effective vehicle for the spread of germs through the population. While minute amounts of cocaine might be harmless, bacteria, viruses and spores clinging to banknotes passed from hand to hand might not be.[From Paper money makes the germs go 'round] The mention of cocaine is almost mandatory in these reports, since almost all…
Steven Murdoch, Cambridge University

Dave Birch

1 Jul 2009 | 3:34 pm

[Dave Birch] Steven J. Murdoch is a researcher in the Security Group of the University of Cambridge, based in the Computer Laboratory, a fellow of Christ's College and a member of the Tor project. In this podcast, he discusses a number of security issues around "chip and PIN" in the UK and makes some helpful suggestions for improving security in the next generation of retail payment systems. Listen here in either [Podcast MPEG4] or [Sound-only MP3] format. You can download this and other podcasts in both podcast (MPEG4) and sound-only (MP3) format from the Consult Hyperion podcast page, where…
Whispers

Dave Birch

26 Jun 2009 | 1:01 am

[Dave Birch] I think I've spotted a meme. The second serious story in a month talking about the economic benefits of getting rid of cash. First Willem Buiter, a former chief economist of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and former external member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee said that we should Abolish currency. This is easy and would have many other benefits. The main drawbacks would be the loss of seigniorage income to the central bank... Advanced industrial countries can move to electronic and bank-account-based means of payment and media of…
Roy Vella, RBS

Dave Birch

25 Jun 2009 | 5:59 am

[Dave Birch] Roy Vella is the Director of Group Mobile at RBS, with a global role in helping RBS to exploit mobile across all areas of retail bank business. Prior to this he was head of mobile for PayPal in Europe. The first person to be interviewed twice in this series (!), in this podcast he explains the importance of mobile to a global retail bank. Listen here in either [Podcast MPEG4] or [Sound-only MP3] format. You can download this and other podcasts in both podcast (MPEG4) and sound-only (MP3) format from the Consult Hyperion podcast page, where you can also subscribe to the podcast…
Heavy weather

Dave Birch

23 Jun 2009 | 1:57 am

[Dave Birch] One of the very first projects that Consult Hyperion worked on was the Bank of England Central Gilts Office (CGO), way back in the days of "Big Bang". We were subsequently chosen by the Bank of England to work on the Central Moneymarkets Office (CMO) and then CREST, the equity settlement system that they created when the Stock Exchange's TAURUS project collapsed. These are now part of Euroclear, which makes the card scheme networks look like loose change: it currently handles an average of HALF-A-TRILLION pounds per day in gilt, equity and money market trades. At times of stress,…

Blue Acorn eCommerce Consulting
Accessibility for All

Melissa

30 Jun 2009 | 8:00 am

There are literally hundreds of things to think about when launching or overhauling an eCommerce site. You’ll be faced with such decisions as which hosting provider is right for you, what graphical elements will best showcase your products or services, and how to handle inventory control and fulfillment. One vital element that often gets lost [...]s Accessibility for All
Seeking Web Design Greatness

Kevin

29 Jun 2009 | 7:42 am

At Blue Acorn, we’re always looking at ways to be innovative in capturing online sales, and design plays a big role in those efforts. As we continue to grow, we’re looking for a senior web designer to join our team that strives for greatness. A talented, seasoned individual that can create compelling user experiences for [...]s Seeking Web Design Greatness
eCommerce Freedom

Kevin

24 Jun 2009 | 8:00 am

Last week while attending the Internet Retailer Conference in Boston, I had the pleasure of meeting a variety of eCommerce vendors in the exhibition hall. Many of them with innovative (and some not so innovative) software, solutions, or services targeted towards online retailers and solving their needs, pain points, and goals. In discussions with a [...]s eCommerce Freedom
5 Tips for Encouraging the Impulse Purchase

Melissa

15 Jun 2009 | 7:36 am

Impulse purchases are one of the more unpredictable and uncontrollable facet of online sales. Encouraging new or current customers to fork over their hard-earned cash for something that wasn’t on their shopping list takes more than just a great product or service – it takes an attention-getting sales pitch and a unique spin on the [...]s 5 Tips for Encouraging the Impulse Purchase
All Aboard the Facebook Bandwagon

Melissa

3 Jun 2009 | 6:39 am

If there were a 10-step program for breaking a Facebook addiction, I’d be an ideal candidate. As a confessed social networking junkie, I do take some comfort in knowing I’m far from alone. With more than 175 million active members and the numbers mushrooming year after year, Facebook has catapulted itself into the #1 spot [...]s All Aboard the Facebook Bandwagon

Channel Dollars
Internet Retailer Conference and Exhibition 2009

Kevin Packler

15 Jun 2009 | 11:49 am

If anyone would like to talk shop this week in Boston at IRCE, then let me know. I will be at the Mercent booth #645. Feel free to stop by and talk about CSEs, Amazon, or the Red Sox.
New Shopping.com Feed Format

Kevin Packler

9 Apr 2009 | 9:29 am

The new Shopping.com datafeed format is one of the most innovative I have seen, rivaling GoogleBase for feed format champion of the CSE world. To explain why this matters and what makes the product feed format interesting, take a look at my post on the Mercent Blog: Evolution of the Data Feed Format: New Shopping.com Data Feed Specs
How To Win the Buy Box on Amazon

Kevin Packler

31 Mar 2009 | 7:26 pm

It seems like there are a lot of questions around how to sell on Amazon, especially since Amazon is one of the few growing online marketplaces right now. Amazon is a complex system which can’t be fully covered in one post, and indeed there are entire sites devoted to Amazon. However, in a single post we can get some traction around the buy box. What is the Amazon Buy Box? The Amazon Buy Box is the way Amazon compares like products. Instead of a product listing page with rows of matching results as you would see on a typical CSE, Amazon creates a master product page which incorporates…
Twitter Beginner’s Guide

Kevin Packler

17 Mar 2009 | 9:32 pm

So I am a Twitter newbie and I am not afraid to admit it. I first signed up for Twitter around a year ago, but really had no idea what to do with it, so my account sat dormant and neglected. However, in recent months, Twitter is getting too much attention to miss. I mean, when CNN starts using it as part of regular programming, it’s time to look into things. So a little over month ago, I started Tweeting. Since I am fresh out of emerging from rookie confusion, it seems a great time to post a newbie guide. 1. Find people. After creating an account, go out and find some friends. Of course…
Shopping Cart Review

Kevin Packler

17 Mar 2009 | 8:40 pm

I saw a great overview on eTaildTail.com recently, and thought it’s worth referencing for any companies looking for an overview of shopping cart technology providers. As one of the basic components of a site’s framework, shopping cart options can also be confusing to navigate through. I suggest checking it out, if only to review the spiffy graph: Shopping Cart Technologies That Work for You

A blog about all things ecommerce.
My take on Windows 7... For what it's worth.

25 Jun 2009 | 10:00 pm

Microsoft is showing a little different attitude these days. They have been extremely open with Windows 7, making beta copies really easy for just about anyone to get their hands on. They have been, and this is really a shift, very attentive and responsive to the "community at large" during the beta. And now it seems they are going to be releasing the shipping version on time or even a LITTLE EARLY! This is a monumental shift!!! Finally, just to punctuate the whole thing, they have recently announced some substantial discounts for early adopters! See article at Information Week. It…
Customer Contact plugin hints

25 Jun 2009 | 5:10 pm

Our new Customer Contact eNewsletter plugin allows you to send emails to customers and other contacts in your Cartweaver database. Sending email through a browser is a little different than using a service, if you have not done it before -- the execution time will vary depending on the speed of your server and number of emails you are creating. A list of 1000 emails might take 1-3 minutes to complete, and bigger lists can take proportionally longer. I used to send to lists of 50,000-100,000 for a large company, and the browser would be open for up to an hour. Sending personalized email can be…
Early Bird pricing for CFUnited ends Soon

25 Jun 2009 | 12:20 am

Early Bird pricing for CFUnited ends next Tuesday, June 30th! If you plan on attending what promises to be THE CF Developer's conference of 2009, might as well get your tickets at a discounted price. During the week of March 16 - 20, 2009, Authorize.Net will be deprecating all legacy support for the SSL 2.0 protocol. Changes have recently been made to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) which have made the use of SSL 2.0 a PCI DSS violation. Due to this change, it is critical that you update any applications or integrations that may be using the SSL 2.0 protocol to…
Don't Under Bid Your Projects

24 Jun 2009 | 10:00 pm

A few words of advice if you are new to developing shopping cart web sites. Just because you found an affordable ecommerce app that is easy to integrate - such as Cartweaver - doesn't mean you should be doing shopping cart sites for cheap! Sure Cartweaver provides a real leg up and makes things so much quicker and easier, but a fully dynamic, database driven, ecommerce site still has complexities and many times unforeseen complications, that have nothing to do with Cartweaver itself. There can be host issues. Issues with the payment Gateways. Merchant accounts, you know, all the elements…
As soon as I know, you'll know!

11 Jun 2009 | 10:00 pm

As I posted here eirlier, I'll be speaking at this year's CFUnited. While I'm there I'll also be posting videos to facebook and tweeting the goings on and new goodies that Adobe is rumored to be announcing at this years event. While CFUnited is pretty ColdFusion focused, it is rumored that Adobe will be spilling the beans on a number of things that will effect much more than just the CF crowd. If you'd like to be "in the know" as these events happen, then "Friend me up" on facebook and twitter!!! Facebook - Twitter I look forward to being a real "blabber…

e-commerce Blog
The next generation of Commerce Server 2009 codename "R2" is on its way…

Lynnette McL

22 Jun 2009 | 1:10 pm

The latest version of Commerce Server is under development and we are in the final stages of accepting applications for TAP (Technology Adoption Program) participation. TAP is a great program for those companies; interested in shaping Commerce Server...(read more)
Commerce Server 2009 compatibility with BizTalk

Lynnette McL

15 Jun 2009 | 10:52 am

To help clarify some questions around Commerce Server BizTalk support - Commerce Server 2009 does support BizTalk 2006 R2. We are currently doing test passes against BizTalk 2009 and will advise when our test passes are completed....(read more)
Commerce Server 2009: The Site Designer Experience - Video Now Available

b-megall

12 Jun 2009 | 6:23 am

The Commerce Server Product Unit has produced a series of videos that provide a visual overview of the features and benefits of Commerce Server 2009 from both a business and end-user perspective. The fourth video in this series, Commerce Server 2009:...(read more)
Astley Clarke to take full advantage of the powerful catalogue and promotion engines within Microsoft Commerce Server

Lynnette McL

8 Jun 2009 | 10:25 am

Luxury online jewellery boutique AstleyClarke.com has appointed Snow Valley to design and develop its new Web site. The new online store will be delivered using Snow Valley’s MUSE e-commerce platform, which is based on Microsoft technology including Commerce...(read more)
Commerce Server 2009 (June) Evaluation VPC Availability

Lynnette McL

5 Jun 2009 | 6:42 am

The Commerce Server 2009 (April) evaluation VPC has expired. It has been replaced with a June evaluation VPC which is now available for download on Microsoft Connect. The June evaluation VPC is complete with Commerce Server 2009 and Microsoft Office SharePoint®...(read more)

Retail, in the eyes of the everyday customer
We Know You’re Interested

betterretail

19 Jun 2009 | 7:04 am

My buddy Mike from Vexxt shared this great email from 1-800-PROFLOWERS:
Every Day Is A Winding Road

betterretail

17 Jun 2009 | 3:21 pm

I consider myself an astute student of retailing so was surprised to discover a very cool concept I knew absolutely nothing about. The name of the company is The Unclaimed Baggage Center. Unfortunately, they don’t retail online but you must go check out unclaimedbaggage.com and see their press coverage here.
The Trouble With $3 Jamba Juice Smoothies

betterretail

17 Jun 2009 | 1:55 pm

Retailers are working extra hard these days. On my afternoon walk I saw two guys standing near the station selling $3 Jamba Juice smoothies out of a white box. I know Jamba Juice wants to drive sales but I think this is a penny wise pound foolish strategy for three principle reasons: – Brand dilution: I thought the unique selling proposition of Jamba Juice was that one could walk up to the counter, order a smoothie and have the juice expert prepare it right in front of us? – Authenticity: How do I even know if this is a legit setup? The guys were wearing Jamba Juice tee-shirts…
KuKuRuZa Gourmet Popcorn

betterretail

5 Jun 2009 | 9:48 am

Jake is a huge fan of KuKuRuZa gourmet popcorn. He discovered the site 3 years ago and started off by ordering their Variety Pack. He enjoyed Caramel & Cheese Mix so much he bought it five times, thrice gifting it to friends and family. Jake’s life time spend on KuKuRuZa.com is a very impressive $197.00 and we know Jake is not a bargain hunter because his purchase habits are not localized around special price promotions. All in all, Jake is an ideal customer. He has often visited the Butter & Sea Salt page and lingered long enough for us to know that the flavor catches…
Discouraging WOM

betterretail

19 May 2009 | 4:16 pm

Primitivearthbeads.com is an online retailer of beads that receives over 12,886 monthly visitors. Check out their super complicated Captcha:

Retailer Daily
Unemployment Ticks Upward

daniel@watershed-publishing.com

2 Jul 2009 | 9:40 am

The U.S. unemployment rate slightly increased [pdf] from 9.4% in May 2009 to 9.5% in June 2009. The Bureau of Labor Statistics said job losses were widespread across the major industry sectors, with large declines occurring in manufacturing, professional and business services, and construction.
Crabtree & Evelyn Seeks Bankruptcy Protection

daniel@watershed-publishing.com

2 Jul 2009 | 8:16 am

Specialty retailer Crabtree & Evelyn, Ltd. has filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. The chain, which operates 125 stores in the U.S. and more than 500 stores globally, says it will pursue a plan of reorganization to capitalize on opportunities for future growth and profitability, including evaluation of its real estate portfolio, strengthening brand strategies and restructuring of its financial obligations.
‘Thursday Clearance’: News We Didn’t Cover, June 29 - July 2

daniel@watershed-publishing.com

2 Jul 2009 | 4:59 am

Below, some recent articles from the stock of news items that Retailer Daily just didn’t get to writing in the past few days, but still might be worth your while to check out.
Baskin Robbins Pursues New Markets, Store Concepts - Update

daniel@watershed-publishing.com

1 Jul 2009 | 8:00 am

Ice cream retailer Baskin Robbins is continuing its aggressive franchise expansion campaign this year with pushes for new franchise stores in two markets - Austin, TX and San Antonio, TX. Baskin Robbins seeks to open 20 new stores in the Austin market and 29 new stores in the San Antonio market.
Sears Covers Appliance Customer Job Losses

daniel@watershed-publishing.com

1 Jul 2009 | 6:28 am

Broadline retailer Sears Holding Company is offering protection against job loss for U.S. customers who buy major appliances with their Citibank-issued Sears cards. From July 6 – August 1, 2009, the Sears Buyer Protection Program will cover all purchase costs of appliances priced more than $399 if the accountholder loses their job.

Netpreneur
Action List: Buy and sell .AU domain names

Netpreneur

16 Jun 2009 | 5:15 pm

Recently the Australian Domain Administrator (AuDA) changed its rules to permit the buying and selling of .AU domains. Previously it was not legal to transfer .AU domains for a fee, the justification being that AuDA wanted to avoid the blatant cybersquatting and spiralling domain prices that have occurred in other unregulated markets. Now, it is possible to trade .AU domains, albeit with some limitations - for example, you are not permitted to trade a domain until six months has lapsed from its time of registration. The full guidelines can be found here: …
Assorted Links and Stuff V

Netpreneur

14 Jun 2009 | 5:41 pm

Need a good feedback tool? Try Kampyle Prezi - the zooming presentation editor Qik - share live video from your mobile phone Twitter to introduce new tools for business Inside the new Google Search Eyetrack - where do people look when they view your home page 25 places to find awesome stock photos - free and cheap How do I get more people to view my YouTube videos? 99designs - run a crowdsourcing design competition online 10 Wordpress Plugins guaranteed to save you time 10 free digital tools for start-ups Related posts:Assorted Links and Stuff III A collection of interesting articles, links…
Making the most of Google Analytics to improve your website

melissanorfolk

3 Jun 2009 | 2:30 pm

Do you use Google Analytics? If you don’t, it is a free tool for tracking and improving how visitors are interacting with your website. To register you can visit www.google.com/analytics and set up a free account. Once you have set up an account you can add your website address as a profile you will then be provided with some code to place within your home page so that analytics can track what is happening and generate a series of reports. Perhaps you already have an Analytics account but it collects such a large amount of data and reports (over 80 reports plus the ability to generate…
Direct Mail - Part 9: The Response Device in Direct Mail

Netpreneur

27 May 2009 | 7:21 pm

Where possible, all direct mail marketing should contain some form of response device. A response device provides the recipient with a means of getting back in touch with you, either through a return mail coupon, website, email address, telephone number etc. A response device is very useful because it allows you to acquire new business, to capture prospective client details, and it gives you an indication of whether your mail campaign has been successful or not. Indeed, you can determine a response ratio if a response device is included in your communication. Here are some tips for good…
Direct Mail - Part 8: Words you shouldn’t use in Copywriting

Netpreneur

27 May 2009 | 7:08 pm

The seminar covered a host of words that you should NEVER use in copywriting and words that are WEAK and shouldn’ t be used, where possible. The source wasn’t attributed. NEVER USE Access At this point in time Define Despite the fact that Due to Etc. The fact is For (instead of because) Frankly Has got/have got However I mean, Impact Importantly Indeed In terms of Meaningful Muchly (didn’t even know that was a real word myself!) Needs Prioritise Remember, Thusly (is that a word?) Utilise What’s more Wise You know AVOID USING Available The fact that In fact, Feature One…

ColderICE eCommerce Video Blog
I Got My Twitter Glitter for the Forth of July, You Got Yours?

John

3 Jul 2009 | 3:00 pm

Share this article... More »I want all of you to have a safe and HAPPY 4th of July weekend. If you got a quick minute, please check out the video. I got some Twitter Glitter that is suppose to be satisfaction guaranteed! PLEASE Rate My Video With 5-Star DSR’s Post from: ColderICE eCommerce Video Blog I Got My Twitter Glitter for the Forth of July, You Got Yours? Related posts:How Do You Use Twitter? 10-Step Newbie Twitter Handbook Share this@ColderICE Twitter Re-Caps from 06.18.2009 Share this@ColderICE Twitter Re-Caps from 06.11.2009 Share this
Corporate Blogging is NOT For Wimps: You Got to Get It Right says @eBayInkBlog

John

3 Jul 2009 | 11:33 am

Share this article... More »I am digging this video from Richard Brewer-Hay who is the top corporate blogger for eBay.com. He is by far the coolest dude in the organization (I got video to back that up ) and he is very savvy when it comes to social media. Richard is trailblazing the trends for corporate blogging and he is doing things and going where NO ONE has gone before at eBay. His influence on the way information is being handled at eBay is SIGNIFICANT! He is helping a once "ivory tower" organizational policy for communication, transform to a more open and inviting…
ICENews ALERT: Authorize.Net Goes DOWN Due To Major Fisher Fire & Turns to Twitter!

John

3 Jul 2009 | 10:08 am

Share this article... More »UPDATE: As of approx. 2:11 pm et. Authorize.net has reported that processing is BACK ONLINE, while the website, is still experiencing some recovery. I and MANY other internet retailers use services for credit card processing. Today due to a MAJOR fire Authorize.net, our credit card processor, is completely offline. Many sites hosted at Seattle’s Fisher Plaza are offline amid widespread reports of a “significant fire event” at the facility. The largest impact has been downtime at the payment portal Authorize.net, which has been offline for hours,…
Effective Uses of Linked-In: Interview with Chuck Hester

John

3 Jul 2009 | 7:32 am

Share this article... More »On of the great people I got a chance to meet and speak with during the PeSA Summit was Chuck Hester who is a master of communicating and using Linked-In. Chuck is the Communications Director with iContact and was really cool dude and knew his stuff. I was honored to be able to host a Social Media panel discussion that included (from L to R) Brent Leary, Jay Berkowitz, Chuck Hester, and James Wong. All of these great minds in social media converged in Atlanta for the Ecommerce Summit and it was on the the highly rated and talked about session at that…
ICE Tip: How To Use The Center HTML Command for Wordpress Widgets

John

2 Jul 2009 | 12:13 pm

Share this article... More »I do this ALL the time to simply make my widget get that uniform look, so check it out, you might like it… PLEASE Rate My Video with 5-Stars DSR!!! Post from: ColderICE eCommerce Video Blog ICE Tip: How To Use The Center HTML Command for Wordpress Widgets Related posts:WordPress 2.8 Is Ready For Immediate Download Share thisHow to Install a Custom Wordpress Blog in 5 Minutes Share thisIntro To WordPress.com Blogging: A Beginners Video Share this

THINKBIGBEBIG ENTREPRENEURS
Techcrunch Web 2.0: The 24 Minute Documentary

admin

30 Jun 2009 | 3:17 am

On August 8th, 2006 when I was really getting into launching my own ventures I came across this great video from Techcrunch, about web 2.0 which really got me excited about where the web was going. Nearly 3 years on, the question is whether web 2.0 “sooo last season” or is it “bang on trend.” Watch the original Web [...]
Music + Business = Philosophy

admin

30 Jun 2009 | 1:42 am

Music artist Pharrell Williams gives a short talk on the steps to success. The key is “listening to yourself”
Why we do what we do, & how we can do it better

admin

30 Jun 2009 | 1:10 am

Tony Robbins discusses the “invisible forces” that motivate everyone’s actions. It’s quite long (22 mins) however quite interesting. Enjoy.
How to Grab attention with your creative

admin

29 Jun 2009 | 4:24 am

With consumers barraged by advertising, sellers must be more innovative to get noticed. So what’s an advertiser to do? Making a message stand out calls for something new. Often this means using humor, new technology, eye-popping stunts, or an inventive approach or placement that consumers can’t simply tune out. It’s all about making—and leaving—an impression. Check out these [...]
How to Get Your Money

admin

29 Jun 2009 | 3:44 am

It’s old news now that many businesses, feeling the recessionary pinch, have been delaying payments to their suppliers. In boom times that might not create a crisis, but until the downturn ends, cash flow is probably a paramount concern. We collected some expert tips on how to get your hands on the money you’re owed: Invoice [...]

VideoRetailer.org
Video Commerce Chronicles Episode 6: Justin Foster’s full keynote at the Video Commerce Summit ‘09

Xavier Casanova

26 Jun 2009 | 10:34 pm

Following our live notes from the Video Commerce Summit presentation from Justin Foster, here is the full length video and the presentation slides. Video (62 minutes) Slides from the presentation Video Commerce Summit: Justin Foster Keynote Presentation View more documents from videocommercesummit.
Video Commerce Summit: Emerging uses of video in ecommerce

Xavier Casanova

2 Jun 2009 | 4:43 pm

Moderator: Faramarz Farhoodi, Motosport.com Faramarz remarks: Strategically analyze the objective of your video program - Driving traffic to your site (Google Network, Affiliate sites, SEO?) - Increasing conversion - Increase average order value - Increasing page views - Length of video quite important: under 1 minute, even 30 seconds to avoid distractions - Importance of testing: measure and test conversion - Misplaced content can hurt conversion Impact of video on site performance - working with onsite production. Professional resource - How to videos (how to change tires, change exhaust)…
Video Commerce Summit: Video SEO Smoke and Mirrors or Real Results, Mark Robertson ReelSEO.com

Xavier Casanova

2 Jun 2009 | 3:40 pm

Video SEO Smoke and Mirrors or Real Results? Mark Robertson, ReelSEO Intro - Shift to search: people search more for the word video more than “god”. Trend - May 2007 Google Launched video results - Now, 40% of search results page on Google contain video - Eyetracking shows that video thumbnails get a lot more attention than regular links Video SEO overview and strategy - How does video affect overall SEO. Positive: generate buzz, inbound links, website traffic. Negative: needs to be thought about. Not everybody is a SEO expert - Video SEO is about best practices. Not a magic…
Video Commerce Summit: Using Video as the Fuel in Your Social Media strategy, Jimmy Healey, Onlineshoes.com

Xavier Casanova

2 Jun 2009 | 2:36 pm

Using Video as the Fuel in Your Social Media strategy Jimmy Healey, Onlineshoes.com Onlineshoes.com Seattle-based online retailer - one of the first brick-and-mortar business to go online mid-90’s. - Online, trying to recreate the traditional experience, online - Video seeing as the way to bridge between brick-and-mortar and online shopping experience - Convinced of the value of video, question was about how to start and how to convince the team to do it Why social media/video? In this tough economy seeing erosion of other marketing channels, getting more and more expensive to do…
Video Commerce Summit: No video? No problem! Control Costs with Production and Content Acquisition Strategies

Xavier Casanova

2 Jun 2009 | 12:58 pm

No video? No problem! Control Costs with Production and Content Acquisition Strategies Moderator: Jed Alpert Alison Jeske, drugtore.com John Weaver, FansEdge.com Wes Pomeroy, RIVR Media Initial remarks from Jed Alpert Video is here to stay When people do their online research, they are twice as likely to get it from retailers What Webcollage does. Example with ToysRUs. Lift of 6% to 15% in sales with syndicated content on product page from manufacturers. Wes Pomeroy - RIVR media 9 key cost control consideration - Productivity: careful planning. By far most essential aspect. How many videos…

XModus eCommerce Blog
Privacy Filters Blocking Google Analytics eCommerce Tracking

Chris Kerslake

22 Jun 2009 | 10:02 am

Some of our customers use Google Analytics' eCommerce tracking on their website to record order revenue information into Analytics for matching with their Google AdWords spend. In theory this should be perfect because they can record their website analytics and at the same time also record their marketing spend on Google. Unfortunately Google Analytics relies on a script embedded within the order confirmation page to be executed at the time of purchase and this particular method of reporting is falling victim to various privacy protection mechanisms employed by online shoppers today.Here is…
Keep your customer's passwords safe

Chris Kerslake

21 Apr 2009 | 3:42 pm

A few years ago a friend of mine had the unfortunate task of being forced to fire an employee for cause. In this case the employee in question did something to my friend's online customers which at the time if his customer's had discovered it could have meant the end of his online business. The crime here was the result of a bored customer service representative (CSR) who accessed customer's email accounts using the same email address and site password the customer had used on my friend's e-commerce web site. This CSR didn't set out to break into customer's email accounts instead one fateful…
Why you should care about Twitter

Chris Kerslake

29 Mar 2009 | 9:07 pm

I've been using Twitter now for the past month and I have to say that I can appreciate why people are excited about it but I can also appreciate why not everyone is keen on it, bottom line: lots of people are doing it, it's still very early and it can take a lot of time.What is Twitter?Twitter is an online service where users submit short text messages, up to a maximum length of 140 characters at a time (called 'tweets'), to individuals or simply to the steady stream of other 'tweets'. Think of a web page where new information is appearing every time you refresh the page from individuals…
Go back to the floor to reconnect with your business and customers.

Chris Kerslake

29 Mar 2009 | 5:03 pm

Recently Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon.com decided to spend a week working at one of Amazon's distribution centers. From the article:Jeff Bezos is spending this week working in an Amazon distribution center in Lexington, Kentucky (AMZN). He apparently wants to see what it's like to be a rank-and-file Amazon employee. More CEOs should try that once in a while.Like many entrepreneurs a friend of mine started off in the family business, starting off in the stock room, and growing with the business. Recently one of his key employees needed an extended time off and rather than hiring someone into the…
Don't Make Customers Test Your Website – It's Cheap and They Won't!

Chris Kerslake

2 Mar 2009 | 11:31 pm

When was the last time someone other than you and your team reviewed your website? Your customers visit (and test) your website every day but have you ever asked them to comment on your website – other than having them comment by just leaving your website frustrated because they can't find what they are looking for or you possibly seeing them exit, via a page bounce report, after you have already paid for the click to bring them there in the first place? Simple usability testing is a great way for you to review your shopping site without spending much money and before your customers do.Joel…

The Forrester Blog For eBusiness & Channel Strategy Professionals
Transacting Value: Obama Calls for Sweeping Financial Changes

Ed Kountz

17 Jun 2009 | 5:51 pm

[Posted by Ed Kountz] On the regulatory front, another ominous sign for the financial services industry, with likely impact on e-Business strategists. President Obama today proposed a massive overhaul of the nation’s fiancial system, as an essential regulatory cornerstone for the future and to ensure that the factors underpinning the economic crisis are not repeated. His changes would create a new consumer protection watchdog to prevent credit and financial practices deemed abusive, and increase the strength of the Federal Reserve with monitoring and oversight responisibiltiies to…
Observations after the Microsoft Travel Marketing Summit

Diane Clarkson

15 Jun 2009 | 11:16 am

[Posted by Diane Clarkson] On June 10 - 12, I had the opportunity to attend the Microsoft Travel Marketing Summit along with 40 marketing executives from across the travel industry. It was a summit in the best sense of the word: a forum of open and frank conversation about the challenges and opportunities within the travel industry today. Here are a few points raised in conversations and panels that I thought were particularly interesting: Travel marketers understand the importance of social media to travelers. At the same time, the appropriate strategy can be elusive. Travel marketers…
Quick take on UK online retail from a US perspective

Zia Daniell Wigder

9 Jun 2009 | 9:20 am

By Zia Daniell WigderI just returned from a short trip to London where I had a chance to speak with a series of different UK-based online retailers. Most conversations included at least some discussion of how the economic climate was affecting the market, both within the US and the UK. When it comes to international expansion, the consensus seemed to be that the current economic environment was driving globalization rather than slowing it down. A few observations from my conversations: Cross-border interest is growing, with most online retailers taking a first step through…
Join Us in Boston on Monday 6/15 for a Tweetup

Brian Walker

18 May 2009 | 5:09 pm

Coming to the Internet Retailer conference in Boston? If so, please join me, Forrester Research, and your eCommerce colleagues for a tweet-up Monday evening June 15th. This promises to be a fun, casual evening of conversation and networking around eCommerce, social media, and online marketing. We will be meeting at 7:00pm at City Bar in the Westin Hotel, just blocks from the convention center.Please register here to receive updates closer to the event. We have no set agenda and there will not be any formal sponsorship of the event. Our goal is simply to have a great time connecting and…
Thoughts on ATG's LiveStore Product Launch

Brian Walker

12 May 2009 | 12:08 pm

by Brian K. WalkerOn Monday, ATG announced the relaunch of their on-demand product, now called ATG LiveStore. This marks ATG’s second real focused attempt at an on demand solution. To recap, here are some of the challenges* represented by the earlier product: Rocky implementations with missed commitments around time and cost. A reliance on ATG professional services, often with middling results. Account management and issue resolution challenges, typically identified with poorly prepared or seasoned resources. Lack of flexibility in the application. Costs, especially when balanced with the…

The Interspire Blog
Introducing the Interspire Secure Payment Gateway

23 Jun 2009 | 10:00 pm

In case you missed the press release that went out earlier today, we've partnered with PayLeap to offer our own branded payment gateway to US-based customers, called Interspire Secure Payment Gateway. Available today as part of Interspire Shopping Cart version 5.0.4, our payment gateway helps those new to selling online get started - and has the lowest credit card rate available anywhere at just 2.10% plus $17 per month.So what does this mean to you? Put simply, we can now help you with everything you need to sell online - software, design services and accepting credit cards. Integrating…
Interspire Featured in the Austin American Statesman's Tech Monday

15 Jun 2009 | 10:00 pm

Our founders Eddie Machaalani and Mitchell Harper thought long and hard before choosing Austin as the headquarters for their new North American office. When they set up a 4300 square foot office in North Austin, the city took notice.Interspire was featured in Austin's only newspaper, the Austin American Statesman on Monday. In the article Eddie discusses why they chose Austin over San Francisco, as well as how Austin is different from Sydney, where Interspire's headquarters are located.Take a look at the article and help spread the word!
How Interspire Shopping Cart Helped HoodiePeople.com Rank Top 10 on Google

31 May 2009 | 10:00 pm

The Internet is the perfect platform for businesses which sell one thing and sell it really well. Wired Magazine editor Chris Anderson calls this concept the longtail. Instead of going after everyone, pick a specific niche as your market and focus on giving that niche everything you've got - a great product, great customer service and great support.One such business using the longtail concept and Interspire Shopping Cart to sell into what some would consider a crowded niche is HoodiePeople.com. By focusing on youthful hoodies from brands such as Zoo York, Marc Ecko, Atticus, and…
3 Tips for Creating Ads People Actually Want to See

24 May 2009 | 10:00 pm

At one point in time when I was freelancing, I hated my job. I was underappreciated, underpaid, and totally miserable. My friend suggested that I go to tech happy hours to network and let people know I was an online marketer for hire. There, I could meet CEOs, coders, designers, and other people who could help me find a better job.As a somewhat shy female in a male dominated field, I needed something catchy so people would actually remember me instead of toss my card in the trash. Ironically that's how I landed the gig of community/social media manager for Interspire, but I…
3 Ways to Keep Track of What is Said About You in Real Time

20 May 2009 | 10:00 pm

Keeping track of what is said about your product or industry can be quite hard. Google rewards sites that have been up for a long time, so just doing an ego search on your company on Google isn't telling of what's going on right now.There are conversations occurring online right now about your company and in your industry. What are the best tools for keeping track of what is said about your company or a certain trend either within a day or so or even right now?1.) Google Alerts has been around a while. Setting up a Google Alert with your company's name, your competitors'…

AuctionBytes
RetailMeNot.com Offers Discount Shoppers New IE Plug-in

RetailMeNot.com, a top consumer destination for coupons, discounts and promotional codes for merchandise, groceries, travel and services, announced its newest plug-in for Internet Explorer.
Overstock.com Reinstates Hawaiian Affiliates

Overstock.com has reinstated its Hawaii-based affiliate advertisers after Hawaii's Governor Linda Lingle vetoed HB 1405.

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