Craftspeople Find a New Online Marketplace

Some say it is a consumer reaction to perceived over-commercialization in society. Whatever the reason, handmade craft-making has taken off as a very viable business for many online. Home-based entrepreneurs everywhere have been taking advantage of sites like 1,000 Markets, ArtFire and Etsy, which have given sellers of such craft items an outlet to reach a previously unheard-of amount of buyers. No longer are simple craft fairs and informal networks of friends the sole way for indie crafts to get sold in large numbers. In fact, so many have signed... 

Capitalizing on the Social Media Revolution

With the social media revolution in full swing in the retail industry, it would appear that Facebook is emerging as one of the most effective ways for companies to reach potential customers. Recent studies have indicated that Facebook is ahead of the pack amongst social networking sites being used by some of the biggest retail chains. The Limited Brands’ Victoria’s Secret is in the lead currently in this department, with 2.8 million fans on its Facebook company page. “Many customers say they really wanted to hear about sales and products,”... 

How Are Web Consumers Making Their Decisions?

Common wisdom in recent years has proven that social networking is an essential element of a company or brand’s online presence and marketing mix. However, as the scope of social networking broadens and becomes more commonplace, the danger exists that consumers can become jaded and less open to its influence. Now more than before, it appears that a strong social networking approach must be just one part of a larger strategy. “The events of the last 18 months have scarred people,” said Richard Edelman, CEO and President of Edelman Public Relations,... 

Study Discovers Holiday Web Shopping Negatively Impacted by Poor Site Performance

Is it possible that heavy traffic to your website could have a negative impact on your business? It may seem counterintuitive, but that’s exactly the scenario posited by a new study released today by Gomez, the web performance division of Compuware Corporation. Specifically, the study—entitled “When More Website Visitors Hurt Your Business: Are You Ready for Peak Traffic?”—found that unsatisfactory web performance is a major issue in the retail business, and most decidedly has an effect on how and where consumers make their online purchases. “Peak... 

Location a Factor in Consumer Response to Video Content

When it comes to video content, it’s long been conventional wisdom that mindset can be a determining factor in the consumer’s interaction. For example, if a commercial for a product airs during his favorite TV show, he might be annoyed by it; yet if he is in the market for said product, he might view the same commercial as highly informative. But there are also indications that physical location could be just as much of a determining factor in consumer response. For example, a consumer in a brick-and-mortar store is not likely to view a video... 

Wholesale Import Reaps Benefits of the Web

More and more, wholesalers are finding that the majority of their business is coming from the Internet. It stands to reason, then, that a company should be proactive when it comes to this phenomenon. One of these companies is Michelle and Scott’s Wholesale Import, based out of Memphis, Tennessee. Roughly 60 to 65 percent of Wholesale Import customers come from the web. In response to this, co-owner Scott McMillen created photos for every product for sale. He was, in fact, one of the earlier online wholesalers to do this, having to use a video... 

Identity Theft Grows

IN A RECENT survey on identity theft, Americans said their number one fear was having a bank account, credit card or other personal information stolen from their computers. Interestingly, the second greatest concern was Trojan viruses that can make a computer an unwitting accomplice in distributing spam, infections, or child pornography. The survey was conducted by independent research firm, Luntz, Maslansky Strategic Research, on behalf of Kindsight, developer of identity theft protection services. Identity theft is on the rise. In 2008, 9.9 million... 

Mobile Retail Sites Have Room for Improvement

As far as mobile Web shopping may have come in recent years, it’s still not quite in a position to threaten wired online shopping. A recent study by the Keynote Systems group indicates that wireless shopping levels during the past holiday season were less than spectacular. “Shopping on mobile websites still has a lot of catching up to do in both download performance and uptime when compared to the performance of connected Web sites,” said Keynote senior manager of Internet technologies Ben Rushlo. During the time frame ranging from late November... 

In 2010, Personalization More Important Than Ever

Over the past year, personalization was a major web buzz word, with companies seeking to better provide consumers with what they want, when they want it. That’s a trend that looks to continue in the coming year, and the way it’s being done is through the use of effective filtering and recommendations. In the world of e-commerce, recommendation engines have proven effective in providing customers with a general idea of products they might be interested in purchasing. Amazon.com remains the master of this approach. This form of personalization...