'Net Features : merchants

E-Commerce Email: Welcoming the Customer

Allison Howen — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 20:35:00 GMT

The World Wide Web of 2013 provides online retailers with a variety of options for reaching customers – from social networks to digital advertisements. Yet one tool tends to outperform the rest – email.

In fact, a recent study from marketing automation platform provider Eloqua found that email still drives more traffic than social media, which is likely because email provides a direct line of communication between businesses and consumers. Moreover, the most successful email campaigns are personalized and targeted so that messages not only grab attention, but are also relevant to each recipient.

That being said, you can learn a lot about a company from their email campaign. For example, an initial “welcome” email means that a company takes customer acquisition very seriously and is trying to foster a relationship with consumers, while a retargeting message that features items from an abandoned cart shows that the company is taking every step necessary to avoid a lost sale.

Luckily, merchants can learn from the email campaigns of other online retailers without filling up their inbox, because Website Magazine conducted an in-house experiment to analyze the email strategies of 10 retailers on the ’Net. The first installment of E-Commerce Emails will take a look at the tactics merchants use to welcome their customers, while Part 2 will analyze how merchants guide consumers through the purchasing cycle via email.

EDITORS NOTE: Website Magazine decided to analyze the email campaigns of online shoe retailers for this experiment. However, regardless of the type of items your e-commerce store sells, there are still many takeaways that can be gleaned from these merchants’ email strategies.

Only 80 percent of the targeted retailers for this experiment actually sent out welcome emails. Here is the list of the targeted retailers: DSW, Zappos, Macy's, Toms, Skechers, ShoeDazzle, JCPenney, Steve Madden, Overstock and JustFab.

DSW

DSW not only personalizes the subject line and message by using my first name, but also adds social elements by offering an incentive for me to “like” the company on Facebook.

Zappos

While Zappos didn’t personalize this message, the company does welcome me as part of the “family” and highlights its outstanding return and shipping policy at the top of the message. Additionally, Zappos uses a smart strategy by asking recipients to add the company to their address book at the top of the message, because this will ensure that future messages aren’t marked as spam.

Macy’s

Macy’s also didn’t personalize their subject line or message, but the company does offer a 15 percent off promotion and free shipping.

Skechers

Skechers attracts attention from recipients by personalizing their message, offering a promotional code and featuring a large and bright call-to-action button.

TOMS

The design of Toms’ email leaves a lot to be desired, however, the company does personalize both the subject line and message of their welcome email. Moreover, the company outlines the benefits of creating an online user account, as well as offers contact information for customer service needs.

ShoeDazzle

ShoeDazzle doesn’t mess around with promotions. Not only does this retailer offer the largest welcome discount at 25 percent off, but the company also tells consumers that the discount is only good for a limited amount of time. This gives customers a sense of urgency, especially if they are already considering making a purchase from ShoeDazzle.

JCPenney

JCPenney’s welcome message takes a similar approach to the aforementioned TOMS. It features a very simple layout, thanks consumers for registering with the company and outlines the benefits of having an account on jcp.com.

Steve Madden

Steve Madden doesn’t personalize their welcome message, however, the company does thank new subscribers and offers a 10 percent discount for the consumer’s next online purchase. Furthermore, the company tells new subscribers what type of future messages they can expect from Steve Madden.

Overstock

Although I did not receive a welcome message from Overstock.com, I did already receive a retargeting message from the company when I abandoned by shopping cart. However, most consumers will want to be welcomed before they are pushed into the sales cycle. Stay tuned to learn more about Overstock’s retargeting message in next week’s Part 2.

JustFab

After double checking my spam folder, it is safe to say that JustFab has made no attempt to reach out to their new subscriber via email yet.

Features Customers Love, According to Merchants

Allison Howen — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 21:00:00 GMT

Retailers on the ’Net face many challenges – from staying on trend with emerging technologies to providing a consistently user-friendly environment for customers.

But while there are numerous best practices and tactics that merchants can implement in order to optimize their sites for a better user experience, sometimes the best way to improve a site is to take into consideration the insights and opinions from other industry professionals. This is why Website Magazine recently asked a handful of Web professionals, who have experience managing and maintaining e-commerce sites, which features their customers like the most. Unsurprisingly, the answers they provided us covered a variety of topics:

Navigation

Mike Feiman, PoolDawg.com – We work with SLI Systems to provide our shoppers with a superior site search experience. Recently we added "rich auto complete" to our search tool which not only suggests search terms as they type words in, but also products with prices and pictures - which has led to higher satisfaction and conversion rates for customers using our search tool.

Checkout

Sam Bispham, Discountfiresupplies.co.uk – One the most appreciated features on our website has to be the save-order function that we offer our customers. A lot of our customers buy a number of components from us in order to create their desired fire system and our save-order function gives them the option to create a quote, either to pass on to their clients or to give them the opportunity to check prices elsewhere, and then easily return to make their purchase from our website a later date. Prices are held for 30 days and our system even emails customers to remind them they have a saved order before it expires. Many of our customers have expressed how much time this saves them and how easy it is to use.

Product Images

Brian Coughlin, OpticsPlanet.com – We get a lot of feedback on our images, and we've found very often that customers like real-life photos, even if they're not as high quality as our regular product images. I recently wrote a post for our main blog GearExpert.com, and received comments from readers preferring the photos I took of a pair of sunglasses with my phone to the pics on the site.

Live Chat

Elaine Simon, deBebians.com – Our customers use live chat a lot and certain people seem to feel more comfortable chatting online versus picking up a phone and calling. Also, sometimes they are in situations where it's OK for them to chat online but not convenient for a phone conversation. What is interesting too is that we've even seen customers chat from their iPhones, as our live-chat terminal allows us to see the platform the customer is using.

Amir Learner, Doversaddlery.com – Our live-chat feature really seems to be something that customers enjoy. We sell pretty specific horse tack and riding gear so our customers like the fact that they have someone there to help with their online shopping experience. We receive comments almost daily on our Facebook page complimenting members of our live-chat team.

Videos

Brian Coughlin, OpticsPlanet.com – We embed our exclusive YouTube videos on many product pages to help not only show the products, but we also include tips to make the products easier to use. These tips come from our product specialists, who give info that you don't always come across but comes from their years of experience.

Elaine Simon, deBebians.com – This past year, we've begun to implement product videos, and that has helped us close sales and generate traffic from YouTube.

Product Reviews

Brian Coughlin, OpticsPlanet.com – We have thousands and thousands of reviews that our customers spend a fair amount of time leaving each and every day. We do offer an incentive, 10 percent off, for reviewing a purchase, so that certainly plays a role in generating interest in reviews, but we also have Facebook comments on our pages that have proven popular for both voicing opinions on products/brands, as well as for asking questions. We employ product and industry specialists that answer technical questions and our customer service team responds to questions about orders and processes.

Security

Mike Feiman, PoolDawg.com – Recently we added the BuySafe program, which provides an additional layer of security and 30-day price protection for our customers. We receive several emails every day from customers thanking us for providing this program.

Blogs

Brian Coughlin, OpticsPlanet.com – We put a lot of time and energy into being more than a retailer, and part of our approach to giving more is through our How-To Guides, which help customers make smart buying decisions, but also helps them use their gear once they've bought them. What's the difference between thermal imaging and night vision? Which works better for what activity? We answer these sorts of questions for a number of our products and we're always adding more.

Three Email Marketing Tips for Merchants

Allison Howen — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 19:30:00 GMT

Every Monday morning I wake up to an inbox that is exploding with emails – as I’m sure is also the case with most of you reading this article.

Thankfully I have multiple email addresses, so I can avoid the problem of having to separate my retail and daily deal promotions from the mail that requires more immediate attention. And although this strategy makes it easy for me to find exactly what I need, it also means that merchants who want to capture my attention have to work twice as hard to stand out from the rest of the promotional weekend emails that have overtaken my inbox.

Although many merchants may not spend a lot of time revamping their email strategies (especially with more time being put into emerging channels like mobile and social), it is important to remember that email is still the king of marketing. This is because this channel reaches a targeted audience that is made up of people who are already customers, and therefore are also more likely to engage with promotions and other content once they open the message.

But enticing consumers to interact with an email is easier said than done, which is why merchants should take a second look at their email strategies in order to receive the best return on investment (ROI) from this marketing avenue. Check out these three tips for delivering emails that consumers actually want to open below:

Catchy Subject Lines

First impressions are everything, and this is especially true when it comes to email marketing. In fact, 30 percent of an audience will decide whether or not to open an email based solely on the subject line, which is why a little creativity can go a long way.

There are a few best practices that email marketers should always implement when creating a subject line, such as staying away from heavy punctuation and using less than 50 characters. However, when brainstorming subject lines, merchants should also stay away from using too many capital letters or symbols, as well as words that can be associated with spam, such as “free” or “limited-time offer”. Although both of those words may seem ideal to include in the subject line of a promotional email, these terms can actually have a negative effect on deliverability metrics.

The best way that marketers can examine their subject lines before they send emails is by testing. Once a variety of subject lines have been created, marketers can send them to a portion of their lists and then gage success by comparing open rates. However, marketers on a time crunch can also quickly test subject lines with Twitter. Simply type the subject line, link to content and send the tweet – then monitor how many opens can be attributed to the social network.

Getting Personal

When attempting to stand out from the rest of the emails within an inbox, personalization is key. This doesn’t only mean personalizing the message with the recipient’s name (although, that is a good start), but also personalizing by the recipient’s interests.

There are multiple ways you can get personal with email, including offering different types of newsletters that enable consumers to sign up based on their interests, as well as segmenting your email list based on various factors, such as spending habits, demographics or preferences. For example, you would use different language to engage a 24 year old than you would to engage a 50 year old, and would also probably send different content to a male customer than a female customer. By segmenting your email list, merchants not only have a better chance at having more customers actually open their emails, but also a better chance that consumers will interact with the emails as well.

Another way that merchants can get personal with email is by asking for feedback. Feedback is a very valuable and free tool that all marketers should leverage. Even negative feedback can be looked at with a glass half-full attitude, because not only does it means that customers are interacting with your brand, but it can also provide you with valuable insights than can be used to improve email marketing campaigns.

Retargeting with Email

If a catchy subject line and personalized message didn’t get your consumers to convert, you could always try retargeting with email, which can help combat against one of a merchant’s biggest nightmares – shopping cart abandonment. Retargeting allows merchants to send emails to customers who recently abandoned their shopping cart, in order to remind them about the purchase that they almost completed.

For example, email marketing provider Listrak offers a shopping cart abandonment solution that can be leveraged to capture the consumer’s email address, name and other insights, including information about the merchandise the customer left in their cart. This data can then be used to create and send behaviorally-targeted emails to cart abandoners.

It is important to note that retargeting emails tend to see positive results, especially because the retargeted customers already have a strong interest in the products or services that they were previously browsing. In fact, a recent study from retargeting solutions provider SeeWhy reveals that an average of 20.8 percent of cart abandoners go back to a site and make a purchase after receiving a retargeted email, as well as spend 55 percent more than shoppers who didn’t abandon their carts.

Merchants Ready To Profit with Back to School Promotions

Allison Howen — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 20:00:00 GMT

It's time to focus on beating the bell for back-to-school sales if you’re an e-commerce merchant.

According to a recent infographic from AdRoll, 44 percent of parents start their back-to-school shopping in August. And many of these parents are looking toward digital shopping, because the infographic also reveals that online school shopping is expected to increase by 10 percent this year – meaning that 79 percent of back-to-school shoppers are buying supplies online.

Although there are many reasons why parents prefer shopping online over traditional brick and mortar shopping, the most popular reasons why parents are turning to the Web is because it offers an easier way to save money and find discounts as well as research products and pricing.

In order to grab some of the back to school traffic, merchants must be prepared to entice customers to not only visit their online shopping destinations, but also provide them with incentives to make purchases. So let’s learn from the experts – take a look at these big-named retailers back to school selling strategies:

Apple

Most college students know all about Apple’s special pricing and promotions for back to school. In fact, when I was in college I received a free iPod Touch with the purchase of a Macbook, and I am still receiving Apple’s emails regarding back to school promotions (good use of email retargeting, Apple).

However, Apple’s commitment to education hasn’t faltered, because the company is currently offering even more promotions than they have in the past. For example, qualified students receive a $100 gift card that can be used on apps, books, music and movies with the purchase of a Mac, as well as a $50 gift card with the purchase of an iPad. Additionally, students also receive special education pricing on Apple computers, software and select third party products.

Target

Target is one of the most popular locations for traditional brick and mortar back-to-school shoppers, however the company’s website is also looking to attract digital shoppers as well. In fact, the retail giant’s landing page boldly features back to school sales for college students, while the top of the site promotes free shipping and the left side of the site features a 20 percent savings promotion for back-to-school shopping.

Office Depot

I can almost smell the brand new crayon box aroma upon arrival at Office Depot’s website. Not only does this office supply retailer boldly feature back to school at the top of its website, but the company also makes it easy for consumers to shop for age-specific supplies by splitting the materials into grade categories. Additionally, Office Depot features a dollar deal section for shoppers on a budget, and also promotes free shipping with purchases that are more than $50.

Old Navy

Paper and pens aren’t the only supplies needed for back to school, especially since everyone knows the most anticipated part of the first day of school is the first outfit. This is why Old Navy has prominently featured a one day sale promotion for back-to-school clothes on its landing page. However, don’t be disappointed if your shopping for school uniforms, because the retailer is also promoting a sale for uniform clothing – including solid color polos and khakis.

Macy’s

Not only is Macy’s landing page solely dedicated to back-to-school, but the retailer also offers digital consumers an innovative way to shop for clothes. The back-to-school style mixer enables users to mix and match clothing items and accessories in order to build the perfect back-to-school outfits. This technology not only makes it fun for consumers to shop online, but it can also help minimize consumer returns since outfits can be viewed together before purchases are made.

What's New With Google Shopping?

Michael Garrity — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 20:15:00 GMT

The Internet was buzzing last week at the beta launch of Google’s latest service, Google Shopping. As always, the most recognizable name on the ‘Net is trying to wedge its way into another industry, but what will this mean for the e-commerce industry?

First of all, it’s important to understand exactly what Google is up to here, in case you haven’t heard. Essentially, Google is re-branding its Google Product Search services with a whole new business model. Soon, only merchants that pay to advertise with Google will be listed in the company’s product search.

In other words, Google has created a secondary retail-focused search engine that exclusively features paid advertisers.

However, as far as anyone can tell right now, this will definitely also play a role in regular search engine results, at least when users are searching for a specific product (or when a search can be construed as product-related). When Google presumes that the user has a potential intent to purchase, they’ll offer up paid (sponsored) listings next to the Web search results, so that they’re actually the first thing users see. Although the organic results will remain the same, they will not necessarily be the focal point of the SERPs any longer.

Of course, these product listings are more than just text ads, as they feature images, descriptions, links to the retailer’s sites and the current price. All of this is presented as a single, separate experience from the rest of the search results.

Either multiple product listings partitioned off in their own “sponsored” box, or a single product can appear on the right side of the page that includes a more detailed description. The former is typically designated for more general product searches, while the latter is reserved for very specific product queries (see examples below).

This practice combines product ads and Google Product Search, and helps to ensure that the paid listings don’t actually affect the organic search results – if we’re still calling Google Search organic. While this is all currently in a very experimental beta period, it's clearly an idea to which Google appears committed.

So, what does this mean for online retail, Google ads and product search?

Well, for one, it will force merchants to keep their ads up-to-date and accurate, since they are going to be charged as advertising partners just for the opportunity to list their products. This will be easy for them, as Google Shopping ads will come complete with an API that merchants can use to update their listings.

Bidding will be different, as now merchants will no longer be competing for keywords, but rather bidding how much they’d be willing to pay, if their listings appear and get clicks or generate conversions. Higher rankings will then depend on a combination of perceived relevance and the price of the bid.

Theoretically, these Google Shopping listings will help weed out redundant or irrelevant results for searchers, making them more enticing to consumers and, thus, more profitable (or worth the investment) for retailers.

Most of all, this whole scheme seems to be Google’s attempt to combat major e-commerce retailers, specifically Amazon. Whereas before Amazon was something of a one-stop shop for consumers looking to buy online, Google has now presented itself as an (arguably more efficient) alternative, allowing users to base their purchasing decisions on more product options from a wider variety of retailers.

This could drastically alter the e-commerce landscape and give smaller online retailers a much better chance at competing with the big boys.

Of course, it also runs the risk of shutting out those same smaller businesses that don't have the budget to afford buying product listings. Those companies that survive on the Web largely through the existence of free product search listings could also see some negative effects from this change.

Details are slim at the moment, and there is no official word on when Google will do away with free product listings, but the company did state in a blog post that it would like to have Google Shopping up-and-running by the fall of 2012.

Merchants have two incentives for transitioning to the new format, a 10-percent monthly credit through 2012 for ads created by August 15, or a $100 AdWords credit for existing Product Search merchants who fill out a form by the same date.

ControlScan Merchants Can Rest Easier on PCI Issues

Michael Garrity — Thu, 10 May 2012 17:00:00 GMT

ControlScan, a provider of Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliance and security services for small and medium-sized online businesses, has announced its purchase of cloud-based secure payments solution CRE Secure.

The acquisition will allow ControlScan to considerably reduce the "scope" of PCI.

CRE Secure was already a level-one PCI Data Security Standard (DSS) certified service provider. It gives users a hosted payment page powered by patent-pending HTML cloning technology for a consistent consumer experience, and a secure e-commerce solution for merchants that is PCI-compliant.

By combining an already PCI-compliant object, such as a credit card form, with a merchant’s site template, merchant’s can simplify the compliance process by outsourcing consumer payment data to CRE Secure, putting their website out of the scope of PCI regulations, since it will not actually store, process or transmit cardholder information. This allows them to host their site wherever they want and save a lot of money on those annual PCI scans.

CRE Secure is based on a unified technology that utilizes a single cloud-based system to support a merchant’s payment channels, which includes everything from online, mobile and even mail/telephone orders. E-commerce sites can even take advantage of plug-ins that allow them to connect with their favorite payment processors and existing solutions, to create a seamless, secure customer experience that is light on the merchant’s wallet, too.

All of this is good news for ControlScan and the merchants who use their services, as CRE Secure technology and existing partnerships will now complement ControlScan solutions, opening up new opportunities in the card-not-present (CNP) space. ControlScan also hopes to build upon the current CRE Secure product.

The Direct Approach to Affiliate Marketing

Michael Garrity — Wed, 09 May 2012 20:15:00 GMT

Relationships are an important part of any working environment, right? Well, that goes double for affiliate marketers and their merchant partners, as the publisher is almost totally reliant on the advertiser to make money, all the way down to utilizing the affiliate content they create.

Fortunately for affiliates, there are plenty of networks that can connect them to merchants in their desired industries and help them establish and manage these critical partnerships. But that doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for every affiliate, nor for every merchant.

Sometimes marketers prefer to take the direct route and forge partnerships with merchants on their own, which can also have positive results for both parties.

So, what exactly are the differences between using an affiliate network and going directly through a merchant? We will take an in-depth look at both processes below:

Relationship Advice
Finding the right business partner can be a taxing endeavor, which is why many affiliates prefer to use affiliate networks. These organizations not only help marketers and merchants begin their business relationship, but they also help manage the commission flow, and we all know how stressful money matters can be.

Using an affiliate network is certainly an acceptable choice, as it allows publishers to manage a lot of relationships using a single interface or dashboard, and keeps everything neat and organized. They also keep track of an affiliate’s performance so that merchants can make an educated judgment entering into a partnership. It’s like an affiliate résumé that updates automatically.

That being said, what publishers gain in manageability, they lose in personalization. And while this may be fine for an affiliate with hundreds of smaller relationships, it may be hurting the earning potential of larger-income opportunities.

Foregoing the route of the affiliate network allows a marketer to create a more personal, customized deal with a merchant that clearly outlines the objectives and expectations of both parties. And as a bonus, it also helps publishers lobby for higher commissions, and commission increases for a job well done. By cutting out the middle-man, both parties are able to quickly make changes to their arrangements with less hassle.

Pretty much any affiliate marketer worth his or her salt will tell you that the key to a successful (i.e. profitable) merchant relationship is communication. And most people will probably agree that the more personal and clear that correspondence is, the better.

Directly establishing a one-on-one business partnership with a merchant can vastly improve communication between both parties, and allows them to be more open and clear about the state and direction of their pairing.

But ultimately, the major difference is the commission flow. Affiliate networks are a business, after all, and all of the legwork they exercise for both affiliates and merchants, in terms of finding the best partners, getting them together, handing payouts and more, isn't free.

Somewhere in the transaction from merchant to marketer, some money has to go to the network. This could mean that the rates an advertiser pays out feel inflated, or that publishers have to accept they will be parting with a percentage of their earnings.

A direct partnership obviously means the commission will go directly from merchant to publisher, and neither side has to adjust their earnings/payouts to include the cost of using a network.

Going Direct
If you’re an affiliate marketer looking to ditch the affiliate network, or just add to your impressive list of revenue opportunities, going direct is a surprisingly simple process. In some ways, it could even be considered easier than using a network.

The first thing to do is identify those merchants that you think would be most appropriate for your website, as in the products or services that you would most like to promote that will have mutually beneficial results. If you don't already have specific merchants in mind, you can always look to one of the many affiliate program directories online.

These sites list a variety of companies that offer affiliate programs and are often divided into different categories, making it easy to browse your particular target industry to find the programs that best meet your criteria.

Once you’ve targeted potential advertisers, simply contact them directly. Most merchants with affiliate programs will have a link to the program’s Web page at the bottom of their site, and typically this page features a registration form. If a merchant doesn’t have this link and/or form, but you are aware of an existing affiliate program, then you can always find additional contact information and express your interest the old-fashioned way.

Then, it’s just a matter of waiting for the merchant to respond and hashing out the details. It’s best to be up front about how much you feel you should earn, and why, and be willing to compromise to find the commission structure that will work best for both parties.

Mother’s Day Marketing Tips for Merchants

Allison Howen — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:00:00 GMT

The mother of all holidays is quickly approaching, which means that merchants should be focusing their marketing initiatives on all of their gift-giving customers.

Mother’s Day madness is in full force because the big day is less than a week away, which means that there is related content floating all over the Web – from sales and promotions to inspirational photos and videos. Let this act as your wake-up call! Although merchants should have already started their marketing campaigns, it’s not too late to get started or to step it up a few notches.

Here are three tips for implementing a Mother’s Day marketing campaign onto your website:

A Mom-optimized Website
If you haven’t already, it is time to optimize the customer experience of your website for Mother’s Day. This means featuring the best-selling and most appropriate gifts on your landing page, as well as adding a special Mother’s Day section to the top of your menu bar.

By doing this, you will cut out the guesswork for your customers and enable them to find exactly what they want. Merchants can also provide special coupon codes or free gifts for purchases that exceed a specified amount.

Nordstrom’s provides a great example of a Mom-optimized website by prominently featuring a “Gifts For Mom” section in the menu bar, as well as featuring “Mother’s Day Gifts Under $100” on its landing page. Look through your analytics data from last year at this time to see just what was driving traffic and generating sales.

Email Marketing
This is an especially good week to put your email list to good use. Merchants should be promoting last-minute gift ideas for the big day via a series of email suggestions. Remember to use catchy subject lines that convey both the immediacy and importance of finding the perfect gift.

I have been the recent recipient of many Mother’s Day-themed emails, including this Smashbox message, which reinforces the limited amount of shopping days left and prominently features free shipping – which could be the determining factor of a sale.

Social Media Marketing
Social Media is a marketer’s best friend, especially for pushing sales when there is limited time left to make purchases in time for a holiday. If you are lucky enough to be one of the first businesses with the Facebook Offer feature at your disposal, waste no time in taking advantage of it this week by offering a coupon that will push them to your website and/or brick-and-mortar store.

Additionally, aside from normal promotions on social sites like Facebook and Twitter, merchants can leverage newer sites to step up their social game. For example, merchants can create a Mother’s Day pinboard on Pinterest to keep consumers thinking about the holiday and encourage gift ideas.

Nine West not only used this strategy for Mother’s Day, but also made a contest out of it by enabling website visitors to win gifts after they have followed the company on Pinterest and re-pinned images from the “Nine West Hearts Mom” board.

What's New in Google Product Feeds?

Pete Prestipino — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:36:00 GMT

Google announced several important changes to its product search feed specification this week. If you're an Internet retailer and use Google Product Search as a channel to promote products, the developments should be top of mind.

The changes relate primarily to providing shoppers with more accurate and "fresher" information. Google is now requiring merchants to show availability of products, include the appropriate Google product category, and is making the image link mandatory as well. For retailers selling apparel, merchants will need to include information such as size and color as well as for whom the product is designed (age and gender).

Perhaps the most important aspect of the announcement was that starting September 22, 2011, Google will take "taking action" against accounts with feeds targeting the United States, France, United Kingdom, Japan, and Germany that do not comply with the new specification and policy requirements.

Google Commerce Search 3.0 Boasts New Features

Pete Prestipino — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 17:49:00 GMT

Google announced an update to its Commerce Search (GCS) product today and the new features aim to provide merchants and shoppers a more interactive and engaging experience.

Google has integrated its instant search feature (search as you type – see below for image from babyage.com) into GCS 3.0, returning product results as users type into the search box. Merchants will also be able to better align offline and online sales by displaying to shoppers when a product is available in a nearby store – right in-line with the search results.

Merchants will also be excited about the enhanced merchandising capabilities within the updated GCS. Retailers can now create product promotions that will display in banners alongside related search queries and even set up query-based landing pages.

Still in development but apparently upcoming for GCS are product recommendations. The feature will enable shoppers to make purchase decisions by showing them what others viewed and ultimately bought.

While none of these features is terribly unique as other commercial platform have offered similar technologies in terms of recommendations and merchandising capabilities, it does show Google’s renewed focus on created a competitive offering for merchants.

Content Strategies for Merchants

Linc Wonham — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:10:00 GMT

Trust in a brand or retailer is now more important to online consumers than any other time in the Web’s history. It is absolutely essential for today’s e-commerce merchants to build trust in order to be successful, and along with the quality of products and services they sell there is no better way to earn trust than by producing reliable and informative content that users can share with one another.

This requires constant and careful attention, and for some merchants a complete shift in their content strategies. Online retailers that can earn the reputation as a trusted resource as well as a seller of products and services create a distinct advantage over the competition. Consumers are much more likely to buy those products and services from merchants who provide useful insights to their customers and to the overall community.

There are many different angles from which a merchant can look at developing or revisiting content strategies, but we have identified the four areas you must assess before putting any content strategy into action. If you start the process by following these suggestions and closely examining these four areas, you will be on your way to launching a brand new or improved content strategy for your e-commerce business.

Really know your niche
You may think this one goes without saying, but the more a merchant knows about his or her products, services, business and industry, the better equipped they are to create great content that users will find valuable. Whether your e-commerce site is a new project that is just getting off the ground or if you have been selling the same product for 30 years, there will always be more useful information available for you to share with your customers.

Staying current with all the activity within your industry does go without saying, but by formulating and sharing your thoughts about those activities requires a greater commitment that will pay dividends. When a hot-button issue like Internet sales taxes comes along, or something more directly related to your specific niche, potential customers can benefit from the opinions of a trusted online retailer such as yourself.

If you are truly the reigning expert in your field and not an ounce of new knowledge is available to you, then consider conducting a variety of surveys to get a fresh perspective from consumers. Chances are, you will emerge from the process with some new insights about your niche that you hadn’t considered before.

Really know your audience
That last suggestion about surveys can be used to get to know your audience better, which may be the most important piece of any content strategy. Countless e-commerce merchants have spent a great deal of time developing what they considered to be highly useful content but somehow misjudged what their audience wanted; or spoke to the audience in a language they did not understand, or distributed the content through a platform that the audience did not use in great numbers. Consider that ill-advised approach the ivory tower content strategy, where the merchant assumes that no one knows better than he or she what content the audience needs and how they would like to receive it.

Instead, take the time to really get to know your audience, and only then can you develop an appropriate content strategy that adequately meets their needs and serves their purposes. Additional best practices for doing this can include monitoring and participating in forums, comments sections, microblogs, etc. The more you know about your audience’s lifestyles and behaviors, the more able you are to establish yourself as a trusted source of information.

Assess your existing content
Whether you are developing your first content strategy or redefining one that’s already in place, you have some content at your disposal. Even if it’s a brand new venture, if you follow the two previous steps and give your niche and your audience careful examination, you will accumulate some content of value in the process. If your e-commerce site has been operating for some time, then you most certainly have existing content in the form of product information and perhaps blog posts, email newsletters, video, etc.

All of this previously used or unused content can be divided into categories, preferably using a spreadsheet that will become an important tool in all future content development. Categorize what you have at your disposal by placing everything in sections such as “blog posts”, “product info”, “customer reviews”, etc., and then move on to the next phase.

Assess your distribution options
This is where knowing your audience becomes so vitally important. With so many options for distributing content on the Web today, it is essential that you distribute the appropriate content through the channels that your customers will be using to access that specific content. And some channels, you may find, are not appropriate for your audience at all. The important thing is to look at all the available platforms and determine which content belongs on which platform and for what part of your audience.

Over time you can start creating platform-specific content on a regular basis and distribute it on a carefully planned schedule. Carefully weigh the value that your content and the distribution channels bring to your audience, and then assign the most appropriate content to the most appropriate platform as the first step toward launching a new content strategy.

Be sure to include weblogs, press releases, email, video, ebooks, microblogs/Twitter, social networks/Facebook, audio/podcasts, case studies and user-generated content/testimonials as part of the overall evaluation of your content distribution options, and whenever you are unsure about what your audience really wants or how they want to receive it … simply ask them.

Merchants Want to Re-platform, Re-launch

Pete Prestipino — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:30:00 GMT

A report released today by ATG reveals mid-market merchants' thoughts about their current online storefronts and their plans for the future.

The survey found that 80 percent of mid-sized merchants see e-commerce growth as very important or critical to their overall business in the next 1-3 years. While driving revenue should be the objective of every company, 40 percent of the merchants surveyed said they are not satisfied with their site’s current shopping experience, as it pertains to maximizing revenue potential.

Ninety-eight percent of mid-sized merchants said segmentation and targeting are important to their overall Web and cross-channel merchandising strategy, yet the majority are not satisfied with the business tools they use. Below are some of the specific areas of concern:

• 62% said they would like to improve their ability to offer, control, and manage cross-sells and up-sells to encourage more sales
• 60% said they would like to improve their site search functionalities
• 55% said they would like to improve their ability to offer, control and manage promotions
• 37% said they would like to improve the “help” and customer service features on the site

In regards to current merchandising and promotions tools:

• 66% said they are too manual, not automated enough
• 38% said they are difficult to use
• 30% said they do not have enough control over site content
• 23% said they do not have enough control over the product catalog

When it came to how merchants plan to improve customer experience and their site’s performance to drive additional growth in the near future:

• 53% plan to improve by experimenting with emerging sales channels, such as mobile and social commerce
• 42% plan to improve by investing in add-on services, widgets and tools they can implement on their existing sites
• 33% plan to improve by completely replacing their existing commerce platform and re-launching their web store

"Our study reiterates the strategic role of online channels in growth strategies for mid-sized companies," said Nina McIntyre, ATG's senior vice president of marketing and chief marketing officer. "It's clear many mid-market brands are recognizing the need for more agile and sophisticated business tools that can help them target customer segments efficiently and effectively. Given the importance of e-commerce growth to mid-sized business today and the high dissatisfaction with current business tools and platforms, it's not surprising that a large portion of the market is planning to re-platform their e-commerce infrastructure."

Pay-By-Call Comes From mopay

Pete Prestipino — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 02:30:00 GMT

Mobile payment solution provider mopay announced an offering that will enable merchants to bill purchases directly to consumers land line phone accounts.

“Today, mopay sets the pace in the mobile payments industry and provides a global billing system tailored to meet the unique needs of online merchants,” said Kolja Reiss, Managing Director of mopay Inc. “With mopay call, we are solidifying and expanding our market position and establishing mopay as the global leader in innovative alternative payment options.”

The solutions works as you might expect. When users select mopay during checkout, a mopay payment screen prompts the shoppers to authorize the purchase through an automated call. Mopay then places the charge to the land line phone account and the purchase is completed. The best part for consumers is that no registration is required.

German-based Travian Games is among the first to extend its payment options with mopay call. Travian operates in more than 50 countries and its games are played by over 5.2 million active gamers worldwide.

“When we integrated the mopay platform several years ago, we were able to monetize a uniquely new target group – the unbanked and underserved,” said Florian Bohn, CEO at Travian Games. “Historically, mopay has had a major impact on our revenue stream and we are already seeing significant contributions from mopay call. The commitment and dedication to innovation that is inherent at mopay affirms our decision to partner with this experienced industry leader for cutting-edge payment solutions.”

Low Price Guarantee from BuySafe Brings Bonding in Focus

Pete Prestipino — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:49:00 GMT

Those shopping online have every reason in the world not to buy from you - they question your reliability and the performance of your products, they fear you will use their financial and personal information nefariously, they worry about getting the best deal. Until now.

E-commerce bonding service Buysafe took a step towards minimizing these consumer concerns today by releasing a “Lowest Price Guarantee” to its already confidence-inspiring product offering.

BuySafe is now providing in total a 3-in-1 bond guarantee which includes a $25,000 purchase guarantee (a third-party guarantee of all the purchase terms of sale), $10,000 worth of ID Theft protection coverage and now the $100 Lowest Price Guarantee. If the store price drops within 30 days of a purchase, BuySafe will pay the difference. For many consumers that will be just the push they need to buy from your e-store.

Jeff Grass, CEO of buySAFE said, “As one merchant told me recently, ‘buySAFE now gives my shoppers every reason to buy from me and to buy right now. The Lowest Price Guarantee encourages the shopper to not wait, but rather buy today.” Mr. Grass adds “After extensive consumer research and months of live tests, we know that the Lowest Price Guarantee is highly valued by online shoppers. This significantly expands buySAFE’s overall value to buyers and is one of the core benefits of our new buySAFE 3-in-1 Bond Guarantee.”

Get It On With Groupon - E-commerce 2.0

Pete Prestipino — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:02:00 GMT

Shopping website Groupon has been on the radar at Website Magazine for quite a while. The service, which is now operational in 18 cities (and they just announced the addition of Nashville) is based on a rather interesting principle - collective buying.

Groupon negotiates deals with businesses (merchants). Subscribers to the Groupon service receive daily email alerts. What is unique and fulfills the collective buying principle is that deals are only "activated" if a minimum number of people agree to buy. Should subscribers really want the item/service in question, they are prone to share the "deal" with those in their social network (family and friends) through services like Facebook or Twitter.

While the viral-friendly aspect of Groupon will certainly appeal to merchants, the biggest selling point might just be that it is risk-free. Merchants pay only when the deal is "accepted" by the network, paying nothing to simply appear on Groupon and make an offer to members. Groupon collects money from participants upfront and sends a check based on campaign participation (the number of members who accepted the offer).

“Groupon brings buyers and sellers together in a fun and collaborative way,” said Groupon founder Andrew Mason. “We offer the consumer a great deal they can’t get anywhere else and deliver the sales directly to the merchant.”