retail | Internet Marketing Blog

Nordstrom increases sales by merging inventory

Nordstrom has added a new tool to its well-regarded customer service efforts: a seamless connection between the company's online and offline inventory. According to The New York Times:

"The change works this way: Say that a shopper was looking at a blue Marc Jacobs handbag at Nordstrom.com. She could see where it was available at nearby stores, and reserve it for pickup the same day."

It may seem like a no-brainer to allow customers to purchase any item sold by a single retailer. But the unusual thing about this story is that many traditional retailers aren't already doing it.

by Meghan Keane 25 August 2010 23:54pm 1 comment

Retailers: understand your search revenue through integration

Recovery. Confidence. Spending. These are terms that will that will be welcomed by retailers across the world as the global economy inches away from recession. They will now be looking to capitalise on the more optimistic outlook and report more positive results.

We are clearly not out of the woods yet, so all such supporting marketing activities, such as search, need to be justified with accurate measurement. However, to date there has been a fundamental flaw in the way that it is measured and could prove to be a major stumbling block.

by Ed Stevenson 22 July 2010 10:53am 0 comments

Social media advertising for retailers

It is hard for any marketer to ignore the hype that surrounds social media. Facebook, Twitter, performance display and ad exchanges are bringing opportunities for retailers to generate demand within these massive new channels.

Facebook is probably the most accessible and it’s understandable that retailers are getting excited about its possibilities. We’re looking at a site with more than 400m active users, all of whom can be individually targeted and engaged through Facebook Ads.

by Ed Stevenson 29 June 2010 10:53am 4 comments

Seasonality and search marketing for e-commerce

Having been at eTail Europe this week, and it has got me thinking about the different challenges etailers face, many of which should have been solved by now. One of the things I've noticed is how seasonality is a key consideration for all retailers. Online marketers are no exception.

We all know that sales tend to be stronger in the run up to Christmas and slower throughout the summer months and the overall impact of seasonality will depend on what type of products you are selling, but it will undoubtedly affect all retailers in some way or another.

In the article below I will highlight some practical ways that retailers can use paid search marketing techniques, including advice on the use of Google Ad Parameters and the Long Tail, to ensure that the seasonality of the market works in your favour.

by Ed Stevenson 18 June 2010 11:14am 2 comments

comScore: Flash buying sites are making people spend more money online

Group buying sites are growing like weeds in the digital commerce space. Every day it seems there's a new one offering discounts to expensive restaurants or a new approach to the flash sale. That's because the category is bringing in revenue hand over fist.

Just yesterday, I wrote about how these sites are using gaming tactics to separate shoppers from their money. And today comScore released some numbers that help explain the growing popularity of these sites. In addition to the great revenue they bring in, they're actually getting people to spend considerably more money online.

by Meghan Keane 27 May 2010 22:53pm 0 comments

Gap unveils its new iPad shopping experience

Publishers have been hard at work getting products ready the iPad (and charging for them) for the past few months, but the deluge of iPad friendly publications and games has been met with silence from one sector — retail.

This week, Gap has launched a new app that shows how retailers can take advantage of the new platform — and how well free applications can thrive in the new space as well.

by Meghan Keane 08 April 2010 17:52pm 2 comments

Leveraging cross-channel shopping trends

cross channel shopping The majority of consumers surveyed at bricks-and-mortar locations of Macy’s, The Gap, Best Buy and the Apple Store said they use the retailers' web sites to help make their in-store purchase:
•    88% said they had shopped that retailer's web site
•    75% said visiting the brand's web site helps them to shop in-store
•    85% compared prices online
•    44% visited a competitor's web site
•    26% will visit the retailer's web site to continue shopping after leaving the store

by Rebecca Lieb 26 March 2010 17:41pm 0 comments

Selfridges: site review

Selfridges.com Homepage On Monday, after a year of industry rumours and hushed gossip, luxury retailer Selfridges launched their full commerce offering, having previously only sold sundries such as hampers online.

As someone who spends an inordinate amount of time looking at pretty bags, I couldn't but help get stuck in with a site review.

by Matthew Curry 26 March 2010 09:44am 21 comments

Gomez: That slow website of yours isn't just annoying. It's sending business elsewhere.

Online retailers have made a lot of progress in the past year, increasing conversions, sales and customer satisfaction rates in the 2009 holiday season. But that doesn't mean that consumers are happy with the online shoping experience. According to a survey from performance monitoring company Gomez, 1/3 of consumers had a poor online shopping experience during the 2009 holiday shopping season.

More problematic for retailers is the fact that consumers couldn't care less about the increased pressures that retailers are under during these times. Of those surveyed, 88% of consumers who have a bad experience on a website during peak hours may never come back.

by Meghan Keane 24 February 2010 23:02pm 6 comments

Retailers are stepping up their digital efforts in 2010

Retail has been hard business in this recession, but over the 2009 holiday season, there were many winners, and those companies that learned how to listen and serve their customers online reached well deserved sales figures.

Traditional retailers have worked hard to compete with online brands on price and consumer satisfaction. And while they may not have reached their goals just yet, they are getting closer. According to a new survey from RIS and IHL Group, many retailers are focusing on improving their cross-channel capabilities in 2010. And if there's a lesson from 2009, it's that those retailers that don't keep up in digital will fall behind in sales goals overall.

by Meghan Keane 21 January 2010 20:47pm 1 comment