|
Archive for
September, 2007
Expectations & behaviours of online shoppers
September 27th, 2007 by
Carolyn Gardner
When I look at the above chart, I see so many missed and easy customer service opportunities for anyone in the e-retailing space. When you get right down to it, shopping online is merely an extension of traditional shopping in malls etc. No matter where we buy, we still expect customer service at various stages of the purchasing decision.
It’s shocking that some e-retailers still fail to acknowledge a purchase. This post-purchase follow-up is the expected by 7 out of every 10 shoppers. And they’re not saying they want lots of bells and whistles, they’re saying that “any” type of post-purchase follow-up would be appreciated.
Another big one is the importance of email! Why don’t all e-retailers understand the importance of email in terms of being front of mind and driving web site traffic. If you’re not sending emails, you have to know your competition is. And at the end of the day, it’s going to come down to who makes it easier and more inviting to browse. Once again, 7 out of 10 online shoppers say that retailers emails do prompt them to visit retail sites.
The other big take-away from this chart comes down to getting answers while shopping or during the check-out process. There are numerous ways this can be accomplished - online chat, 1-800 customer service numbers, online FAQs, and of course through personalization campaigns that recognize when someone has been on the site for a while yet they’ve not yet made a purchase. We call these length of visit campaigns. Essentially it means that if someone is hanging around your site for a while without any conversion, you serve up a banner campaign that says something like - Can’t find what you’re looking for? Try our handy search tool or speak to a customer service representative now!
It all comes down to online etiquette. Retailers don’t typically ignore people in person so why do they still ignore them online? That’s the real question.
Related Posts
Posted in
Carolyn Gardner, eCommerce, Personalization, Email marketing |
No Comments »
Does your customer really come first?
September 24th, 2007 by
Kelly Rusk
“The customer always comes first”; “The customer is always right,” etc.
You hear it ALL the time. Heck, a lot of us are probably guilty of saying it. However– can you think of a time when you were personally a customer and you felt like you came first, or you were right?
People have a tendency to remember bad experiences over good ones–so your mission should not only be making sure you provide as many customers as possible with a positive experience, but also to limit negative experiences to as few as possible.
Now if you’re in eCommerce, I’m especially making this point for you. While there is a lot you have to worry about– as long as you have all your ducks in a row, your customer is in charge of his/her own experience.
Sounds easy, but unfortunately so few actually make it work. We’ve just replaced old challenges with new ones: slow load times, unsatisfactory search tools, bland and often undelivered transactional messaging. Sadly, instead of looking to the root of the problem, many try to cover it up by employing new tactics or adding more to the site.
There’s many reasons why these things happen… but how it happens is usually getting caught up in your own product/service/company that you fail to see how potential customers view and experience it. Chances are you’re probably web savvy and not thinking about someone new to the internet experiencing your site. So your homework today is to find someone who represents your average customer and is willing to give you an honest opinion. Heck, if you want to, contact me at krusk(at)sitebrand. com and I’ll tell you what I think!
PS- It may sound like I’m putting down web personalization… What Sitebrand does. But I’m actually thinking the opposite. I would definitely encourage using web personalization and I know it can help you boost conversion rates, but before you can dive in, you need to fix any fundamental problems on your site, which will help us keep you satisfied with your results, keep you happy because you’ll see improvements and most importantly –Keep your customers happy! That IS the ultimate goal… Right?
Related Posts
Posted in
Kelly Rusk, eCommerce, Personalization |
No Comments »
Blackberry’s rule…
September 20th, 2007 by
Carolyn Gardner
This just in! More than 2/3 of adult mobile users in the US are sending and receiving text messages. This is fascinating news but I’m still not convinced it means we’re all revved up for mobile marketing messages. Nor do I believe it’s going to be a big contender for email marketing - at least not in North America. Some of you surely differ, but with all due respect, this is my post so let me go on.
According to InsightExpress, Gen Y texts the most, but three-quarters of 45-to-54-year-olds can also text. Check out the chart below. Personally, I think we’ve got the kids to thank or blame - depending on your point of view. I’ve actually heard friends (older than me of course) admit they’ve almost been forced to text since that’s how their kids like to communicate. Texting is very much a way of life for our younger generation and this makes it a necessary evil for their parents too.
If I need to communicate with someone who is not accessible by email (aka without a blackberry) or phone (maybe they’re tied up in a workshop), I will revert to the texting option. It’s quite handy but always my last resort. And when I do text on my blackberry, I feel almost blessed. After all, I’ve got a decent keyboard!
At the end of the day I think the world would be a better place if we all had a blackberry - it’s your one-stop communications tool!
Forgive me for sounding like a RIM evangelist! I’m just a huge fan of being easy connections!
Related Posts
Posted in
Carolyn Gardner, Email marketing |
No Comments »
110 Ways Retailers are Using Social Media…
September 19th, 2007 by
Kelly Rusk
Are you fascinated with using social media apps like Facebook, MySpace, You Tube, Twitter, Second Life etc? Do you long to get a piece of the hot and influencial audiences using these new tools? Are you infatuated with taking advantage of the social media phenomena in order to help your retail business succeed?
Social media is so in right now, who wouldn’t want to get in on it?
However, before you can dive into these things, it’s really important to know what you’re doing. In this medium, the biggest advantage AND disadvantage is that consumers have more control than ever before. This means you’re number one priority is keeping these people happy and speaking positively about your brand– and that can be a challenge.
That’s why I’m thrilled that the Get Elastic eCommerce blog has posted 110 Ways Retailers are Using Social Media…
Related Posts
Posted in
Kelly Rusk, eCommerce |
No Comments »
Macleans and an edgy subject line = oops
September 17th, 2007 by
Carolyn Gardner
Last Friday afternoon, I received an email from Macleans.ca which is home to Canada’s only national weekly current affairs magazine. In Macleans’ own words, they “enlighten, engage and entertain 2.8 million readers with strong investigative reporting and exclusive stories from leading journalists in the fields of international affairs, social issues, national politics, business and culture.”
But this past Friday, it appears they also offend readers. Yup, one email with a very edgy subject line resulted in a follow-up email with an oops apology. Here are the details…
The first email arrived at 1:46 pm and it had the subject line:
Macleans.ca | ‘Why don’t you go f*@! yourself’
Of course everyone knew it related to a quote from Brian Mulroney that had been pulled from the much talked about book titled “Memoirs”. What else could it have possibly meant? 
Though risque, I actually found the subject line rather catchy. Made me open for sure. But knowing the typical Macleans.ca subscriber, I was very surprised to say the least.
So when the second email, aka the apology email, arrived at 5:37 pm, I wasn’t at all surprised. It had the subject line:
Macleans.ca | On second thought…
And it read:
“Our Apologies…
We regret that a quote from our leading newsletter article was placed into the subject line of this week’s Storyline. For any readers who were offended, we sincerely apologize.”
—————————
I’m not sure anyone lost their job over this, but it’s quite a serious reminder to really understand your audience. Subject lines need to be clever and enticing, compelling and engaging, and all that stuff - but if you’re going to push the envelope, sender beware. What was Macleans.ca thinking when they hit send on this one. Perhaps there were barley sandwiches for lunch and this wit seemed appropriate. Who knows?!
I’m guessing the apology email went out right after someone on the email team got the axe. But maybe I’m wrong, the PR around such a negative might be creating quite a buzz for Macleans. Look at me, I’m posting about it and I linked to the e-newsletter too!
Just think back to the PR wow factor associated with the IKEA catalog and the inside photo of the dog? Look at the attention IKEA got from that! Not sure what I’m referring to, please click that link!!
PS - Major favour! Your vote for Persuasive e-Marketing for the Blogger’s Choice Awards would be very appreciated. Take two secs and go to:
Vote here…
Related Posts
Posted in
Carolyn Gardner, Email marketing |
No Comments »
What the? Prince to sue YouTube & eBay
September 14th, 2007 by
Carolyn Gardner
The music industry and the web make for an interesting battlefield…
On one side you’ve got the up and coming new bands who embrace online file sharing since it means they can create a buzz and build a fan base.
True story. Since attending the Hilary Duff concert (with my 7 and 9 year old daughters I might add), I’ve actually admitted she’s quite good! Now hold on a second…she seriously put on a fun show here in Ottawa a couple of weeks ago and if you weren’t there, you simply won’t understand. But that’s beside the point…
Since confessing my fondness for Duff Stuff, I’ve taken a little heat from friends and colleagues. These same people are feeling obliged to email me alternative listening options and they almost always come complete with a link to YouTube. I love it! Not only do I get the trusted recommendations, but I also get the chance to have immediate listening and viewing pleasure. It’s converted me on more than one occasion and it’s thanks to YouTube closing the deal so to speak.
On the other side, you’ve got artists like Prince who is planning to sue YouTube and eBay!
According to the globe and mail, Prince’s legal action “is the latest bid by the music industry to wrest back control over content in an age where file sharing, mobile phones and video sites make enforcing copyright increasingly difficult.”
I could ramble but I have a meeting to get to so let me put this simply - I personally think Prince is being a selfish whiner. End of story.
Oh wait  - if you are curious about Duff’s new music, including the big hit “Stranger” - go to:
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=hilary+duff
Related Posts
Posted in
Carolyn Gardner, eCommerce |
No Comments »
Who could have predicted online shopping?
September 11th, 2007 by
Kelly Rusk
 Remember back before the computers, the internet, online shopping and email? Could you even imagine coming to where we are today?
Well apparently a short film titled ‘1999 A.D.” could. Produced in 1967, it provides a chillingly accurate depiction of online shopping/banking. I’m not sure about its authenticity, but it sure is fun to watch!
See it here…
Thanks to the etailology blog for pointing me to this.
Related Posts
Posted in
Kelly Rusk, eCommerce |
No Comments »
Elastic Path Webinar - Boosting Holiday Conversion
September 7th, 2007 by
Carolyn Gardner
If you’re here, 10 bucks says you’re a keener for learning everything you can about maximizing conversion this holiday season. Or anytime for that matter = why slack off when the holidays end? Well great news, Sitebrand is thrilled to be co-marketing a webinar with Elastic Path this coming Wednesday, Sept 12.
It’s called: ”7 Simple Ways to Boost Your Holiday Conversion Rate”, it’s absolutely free and you can sign up now.
Straight from the registration page, and without a lot of heavy lifting in terms of implementation (cuz who has time right now), this webinar will help you learn what it takes to:
 - Attract more shoppers with simple SEO tweaks
- Reduce your PPC costs while staying competitive
- Increase shopper confidence and trust
- Increase sales with better merchandising decisions
- Help shoppers find what they are looking for faster
- Enhance product pages for a lift in conversion
- Increase the likelihood of future purchases
Related Posts
Posted in
eCommerce, Search Marketing |
No Comments »
Shopping Online ~ Canada vs. the U.S
September 6th, 2007 by
Carolyn Gardner
Proportionately, Canada has more people online than the US. And in terms of broadband penetration/general affordability, we’re right up there rivaling other developed countries on this great planet of ours. See below…
 Yet turn the table to e-commerce and Canada lags the US.
According to a new e-commerce report from eMarketer (yours for the low, low price of $695), Canada’s online potential is very much untapped…
“Canada’s e-commerce has languished in the absence of retailers and online offerings that genuinely address Canadian tastes and requirements. Moreover, the country’s mobile networks and operators are not as well prepared as they should be to supply reliable data services at competitive prices.” eMarketer goes on to say: “These social, technical and commercial obstacles threaten to hold Canada back when the country should be setting online standards for North America and the world.”
Canadian tastes and requirements? What the heck does that mean? I don’t think our tastes our that different than our friends south of the border. And as for requirements, what can be so special here? Like anyone, we Canadians just want to have online choices that can be purchased securely, returned easily, shipped nicely etc.
Ahhh shipping. Yes, this brings me to what I believe to be the major challenge for e-commerce and Canadians. Specifically the hefty costs or the genuine lack of shipping available to Canada.
As Canadians, we tire of teasing ourselves with online shopping only to be stopped at the checkout by order forms that only accept “state” and not ”province” = clue #1 that they won’t ship to Canada. Or perhaps even more frustrating, order forms that get you through the complete process but then at the end on a new screen, as if it is nothing, a shipping charge that’s double the cost of the deal in your cart get casually introduced! Argh. Talk about ruining the experience.
But let me get back to the cross-border shipping thing. Why don’t more US retailers take advantage of Canadians online dominance? Well some do. And the really smart ones are using technology like Sitebrand’s Retail Marketing Suite since it can recognize Canadian visitors (or visitors from anywhere for that matter) and fire appropriate content to that visitor - i.e. We ship to Canada! Talk about giving us the confidence we need to build our e-commerce spends to something more inline with our potential!
Related Posts
Posted in
Carolyn Gardner, eCommerce, Personalization |
1 Comment »
It’s the little things - 4 small tips for BIG holiday conversions
September 5th, 2007 by
Kelly Rusk
Who doesn’t love spending money during the holiday season? There’s obviously no shortage of people looking to spend money, but getting more people to spend at your online store can be a challenge. While you may not have the time and resources necessary to revise your strategy or test new theories, don’t be afraid to dabble in some tried and tested techniques to boost conversions.
1. Improve (or add) a Search function
It’s time to take a good objective look at your site’s search feature; you may even want someone outside your company help out. Is it easy to find? Are people able to easily find what they’re looking for via the search function?
It’s likely no surprise to you that many people’s first action when reaching your web site is to search for what they are looking for. Google has turned us all into search maniacs, and unfortunately since Google searches are very accurate, we all have high expectations. If your search function is confusing, or not providing the results people are looking for you may want to change.
2. Let customers review your products
“But… what if we get a bad review??” Is what you’re probably thinking right now. Truth is, you might get a bad review, maybe even a couple. However, the information-overloaded world we live in now has given consumers more buying power than ever before. The more transparent and honest your company is, the more you will be rewarded by customers. According to a recent e-Marketer article, most online retailers using consumer-generated product review found that it improved conversion rates and customer loyalty, as well as helped with search engine optimization.
Linus Gregoriadis (head of research at UK-based E-consultancy) said one-third of online sellers were concerned about negative reviews, “but retailers are finding that they can improve conversion rates, drive sales and increase customer satisfaction even if customers aren’t necessarily singing their praises all the time.”
As long as you provide a great product and have solid customer service staff, there’s no need to worry about bad reviews. We all know people can be very different creatures, so most of us are willing to forgive a bad review or two - and we’re likely to actually think positively about it since you aren’t trying to hide it.
3. Change a button
It’s almost ridiculous - something as silly as changing the color of a button affecting your conversion rate. However, according to MarketingSherpa, these little changes can have a fantastic effect on your conversion rates. Unfortunately the case study is no longer open access, but here are some highlights:
- A larger ‘Proceed to Checkout’ button lifted conversions 44.11% over the existing ‘Add to Cart’ one. On the cross-sell page test, the words ‘Proceed to Cart’ beat ‘Add to Cart’ by 21.8%
- With the Buy Now button on the product pages, red out-converted dark blue and the existing light blue by 4.03%
- Rather than apply a consistent look and feel across all buttons on the site, key learnings demonstrated you must continually test in order to make sure you don’t make false assumptions.
This is definitely something you need to test, but if your results are anything like this case study — it’ll be well worth it!
4. Use triggered emails
What, you think I was going to get through a whole post without mentioning email??
I could go on all day about changes you could make to your email program to improve conversion, but the point of this post is about fast & easy changes to boost conversions. So assuming you are already using email effectively enough and have a good tool, setting up triggered mailings can be quick and easy and have a very positive effect on conversion goals.
Depending on your email marketing tool, triggers are dead simple to set up. It usually just involves creating a trigger (i.e. When someone abandons a shopping cart) and then content to go with it. Three no-brainer email triggers would be for shopping cart abandonment, “email me when in stock” and purchase reminder emails, which I’ve blogged about before…
There you go! Have you tried any of these before? What were the results? What about other techniques you’ve used? Drop a comment below, I’d love to hear some feedback on this!
Related Posts
Posted in
Kelly Rusk, eCommerce |
No Comments »
|
