Title
Five Web Strategies for Gaining Market Share in a Rough and Tumble Economy
Description
The goal of this white paper is to share thoughts and perspective in this time of conspicuous non-consumption. It includes an overview of the state of e-commerce then delves into five strategies for maintaining and gaining market share during this rough economy including: better resource allocation, global branding, category-centric merchandising, confidence building content, and white glove service.
The e-tailing group's 8th Annual Merchant Survey, fielded in the first quarter of 2009, yields insights from 195 merchants relative to industry benchmarks and peer perspectives on cross-channel challenges, planned strategic initiatives, top performing merchandising tactics, and customer service opportunities.
Highlights include 12 tables and charts plus 44 best-in-class website and email examples illustrate how merchants are truly using the web to maximize growth opportunities and gain traction beyond traditional channels.
Table of Contents
| I. | Introduction |
| II. | Profile of 8th Annual Merchant Survey Respondents |
| III. | Merchants Optimize to Profit in Turbulent Times: Merchant Survey Top-Line Findings
| IV. | Better Resource Allocation
| V. | Global Branding
| VI. | Category-Centric Merchandising
| VII. | Confidence-Building Content
| VIII. | White Glove Service
| IX. | Conclusion and Checklist
| X. | About the e-tailing group
| XI. | About Demandware
|
| | | | | | | |
Sponsor
Demandware
Information
Title
How to Finesse this High-Stakes Holiday Season (and the year ahead)
3rd Annual Mindset of the Multi-Channel Shopper Holiday Study
Description
The objective of this white paper is to translate what consumers told us about their holiday shopping intentions into actionable tactics. Findings from the e-tailing group's 3rd Annual Mindset of the Multi-Channel Shopper Holiday Survey have been organized in support of "nine practical plays" along with website and email examples to illustrate best-in-class strategies and execution.
Table of Contents
| I. | State of the Multi-channel Industry - Holiday 2008/span> |
| II. | A Message to Merchants - Introduction |
| III. | Survey Methodology and Sample
| IV. | Survey Summary
| V. | Holiday '08 Gifting Plans
| VI. | Nine Practical Plays
 1. Know today's multi-channel customer
2. Engage and inspire
3. Gift
4. Guide
5. Promote
6. Personalize
7. React
8. Service and support
9. Remember post-Christmas
| VII. | What's Ahead? Shopping via Mobile and Social Sites
| VIII. | Pre/Post Holiday Checklist
|
| | | | |
Sponsor
ATG (Art Technology Group)
Information
Title
The Executive Guide to Captivating Customers:
Personalized Product Recommendations through the Merchant and Consumer Lens
Description
The growth of e-tailing over the past decade has created an entirely new set of expectations on the part of consumers around the level of personalization in their shopping experience. This has in turn created challenges for merchants to adopt the right technology and business strategies to meet those consumer demands and drive incremental sales.
An online survey of 1,345 qualified consumers provides shopper insights while a questionnaire plus one-on-one interviews with twenty-four merchants sheds light on their perspective toward the goal of growing personalized shopping within the merchant community.
| What's Included |
| Executive Summary |
|
 The Customer Convenes - Highlights from the MyBuys/e-tailing group
1st Annual Personalized Product Recommendations Survey
Placement and Bottom Line Performance
Cross-Channel Strategies Increase Potential
The Merchant Perspective
Current Personalization Strategies Center on Manual Efforts
The Future - Personalization Efforts are Forthcoming
Marketing Tactics that Retain Customers
the e-tailing Group Personalized Product Recommendations Checklist
|
Sponsor
MyBuys
Information
Title
Peak Season Performance: A Field Guide
Description
MarketLive and the e-tailing group developed this Field Guide for Peak Season Performance to serve as a springboard for merchants as they ready websites for the all important holiday selling season.
Merchandising essentials have been identified based on feature presence among the 100 websites in the e-tailing group 10th Annual Mystery Shopping Study, conducted in 4Q '07. Once the basics are in place, the report presents ideas to elevate merchandising through imagination and innovation.
Along with additional supporting research from the e-tailing group and other industry sources, this guide showcases 41 site and email examples of best-in-class execution culled from our 2007 holiday season repository.
Table of Contents
| I. | Introduction |
| II. | Macro State of the Industry |
| III. | Five Proven Tactics for Holiday Performance
A. Gifting Strategies
B. Promotional Ploys
C. Customer Service
D. Post-Order Best Practices
E. Last Minute Techniques & Email Essentials
|
| IV. | Field Guide - Checklist for Peak Performance |
Sponsor
MarketLive
Information
Title
The Executive Guide to Captivating Customers:
Personalized Product Recommendations through the Merchant and Consumer Lens
Description
The growth of e-tailing over the past decade has created an entirely new set of expectations on the part of consumers around the level of personalization in their shopping experience. This has in turn created challenges for merchants to adopt the right technology and business strategies to meet those consumer demands and drive incremental sales.
An online survey of 1,345 qualified consumers provides shopper insights while a questionnaire plus one-on-one interviews with twenty-four merchants sheds light on their perspective toward the goal of growing personalized shopping within the merchant community.
| What's Included |
| Executive Summary |
|
The Customer Convenes - Highlights from the MyBuys/e-tailing group
1st Annual Personalized Product Recommendations Survey
Placement and Bottom Line Performance
Cross-Channel Strategies Increase Potential
The Merchant Perspective
Current Personalization Strategies Center on Manual Efforts
The Future - Personalization Efforts are Forthcoming
Marketing Tactics that Retain Customers
the e-tailing Group Personalized Product Recommendations Checklist
|
Sponsor
MyBuys
Information
Title
No Retreat! Investing in eCommerce, Despite the Times
Description
As daily headlines focus on the mortgage crisis, collapsed investment banks, high fuel prices, and tough retail sales, it is obvious that todayıs current economic climate is challenging for many merchants. This also makes it timely to tackle tough issues surrounding eCommerce investment including how merchants are positioning their companies for growth while still addressing the bottom line.
To get the inside track and answers to questions like these, we sought out real experts from within the merchant community including:
Are you truly committed to eCommerce?
Are you concerned you don't have the right investments planned?
Will you have the guts to make the necessary investments in the tough times?
Is your eCommerce hampered today based on your legacy systems?
Will you have the ability to evolve your multi-channel efforts in a timely fashion to keep pace
Table of Contents
| I. | Introduction |
| II. | Macro State of Retail |
| III. | Defining Your Multi-Channel Strategy |
| IV. | Who is Driving Your Multi-Channel Strategy? |
| V. | Investments in eCommerce are Strong Despite the Economy |
| VI. | Roadblocks to Success |
| VII. | Making a True Commitment to eCommerce |
| VIII. | Moving Into the Execution Stage |
| IX. | Technology Prioritization Process |
| X. | Executing Key Tactics |
| XI. | Readying Your Company for Performance |
Sponsor
Acquity Group
Information
Title
The Executive Guide to Captivating Customers:
Personalized Product Recommendations through the Merchant and Consumer Lens
Description
The growth of e-tailing over the past decade has created an entirely new set of expectations on the part of consumers around the level of personalization in their shopping experience. This has in turn created challenges for merchants to adopt the right technology and business strategies to meet those consumer demands and drive incremental sales.
An online survey of 1,345 qualified consumers provides shopper insights while a questionnaire plus one-on-one interviews with twenty-four merchants sheds light on their perspective toward the goal of growing personalized shopping within the merchant community.
| What's Included |
| Executive Summary |
|
The Customer Convenes - Highlights from the MyBuys/e-tailing group
1st Annual Personalized Product Recommendations Survey
Placement and Bottom Line Performance
Cross-Channel Strategies Increase Potential
The Merchant Perspective
Current Personalization Strategies Center on Manual Efforts
The Future - Personalization Efforts are Forthcoming
Marketing Tactics that Retain Customers
the e-tailing Group Personalized Product Recommendations Checklist
|
Sponsor
MyBuys
Information
Title
Building Content You Can Bank On eCommerce Content Strategies that Drive Conversion
Description
This report explores why good content is essential and more importantly why today's demanding consumer has come to depend on category and product-related information or imagery. The content story begins by highlighting findings from a recent research study conducted by the e-tailing group in conjunction with ARS eCommerce. Best practices are illustrated via website examples in four distinct areas and a checklist provides merchants with guidance as to how they can best integrate merchandising content to extend cross-channel value.
| What's Included |
| Why Good Content Matters |
| Three charts explain why: |
|
Detailed product information is critical across categories
The quality of a site's content matters
Shoppers are impatient when information is lacking
|
Telling the Content Story |
|
Merchant rankings of merchandising features that deliver ROI
|
Content Best Practices (18 website examples, 6 charts/tables) |
| Three charts explain why: |
|
Product Page Essentials from the Consumer Perspective
Rich Media Tactics Enhance the Customer Experience
Category/Channel-Centric Tools Differentiate and Elevate Your Brand
Integrating Merchandising Content to Extend Cross-Channel Value
|
Checklist for Comprehensive E-Commerce Content
Sponsor
Demandware
Information
Title
Merchant and Customer Perspectives on Customer Reviews and User-Generated Content
Description
A two-pronged approach was undertaken to learn about customer reviews beginning with The Social Shopper Study conducted in 4Q '07. Via an online questionnaire, 1,200 consumers who shop online at least four times per year, and spend $500 or more annually were surveyed to understand how online shoppers use reviews today to make informed buying decisions.
Consumers' preferences and interests in "Social Navigation," defined as the ability to narrow product selections based on reviews from like-minded people, were also explored. Among the key findings was insight into the mindset of "Social Researchers." Their research-orientation coupled with their social approach turns the table on the customer/merchant relationship; signaling that reviews are only the beginning of a new shopping paradigm.
The second component of the paper highlights interviews with a broad cross-section of merchants, supported by platforms ranging from PowerReviews and BazaarVoice to those maintained on proprietary systems. Interview discussions covered the state of user-generated content, implementation and execution along with ROI plus issues and challenges that resulted from the customer review experience.
| Consumer Charts:
|
|
How often customers read reviews prior to making a product decision
Stages in the shopping process when customers typically read reviews
Percent of overall shopping that involves researching products online
Time spent typically reading customer reviews of products
Minimum number of customer reviews on a product needed to give sufficient confidence to judge that product
|
| Merchant Charts:
|
|
Three most important factors in the addition of reviews to a site
Percent of customers who have completed a review
Percent of products that have reviews
Independent of what is measured, how reviews impact e-commerce business
How reviews are actually measured on sites
The overall increase in conversion seen as a result of adding reviews to sites
|
Table of Contents
| I. | Introduction |
| II. | The Consumer Perspective |
| III. | The Merchant Perspective |
| IV. | Execution - Start with Building a Review Network |
| V. | Measurement Techniques |
| VI. | Future Initiatives |
| VII. | Loyalty - The Last Horizon |
Sponsor
PowerReviews
Information
Title
The Content Dilemma - Customer Insights and Merchant Execution:
the e-tailing group/ARS eCommerce Online Content Impact Survey
Description
To find out how online impacts consumer buying decisions in August 2007 the e-tailing group fielded an online questionnaire to 1000 adults (65% female/35% male) who shop online four or more times per year, spending over $500 online annually.
Results clearly conclude that merchants must provide comprehensive content to satisfy today's multi-channel shoppers. The bottom-line is that limitations in product content prohibit consumer decision-making and can result in lost sales.
What's Included
| The Customer Speaks
|
|
Quality of content is paramount
Research fuels cross-channel shopping
Lacking content = lost sales
The product page as a destination
Product page feature selections
Rankings of 26 text, image, tools, and customer service features for their importance when selecting and ultimately purchasing a product
|
| A Look at the Product Page
|
|
Category-centric merchant examples
|
| 5C's of Consumer Content Demands
|
| The Merchant Perspective
|
|
Investing in product page content
Scenario review
Content creation evaluation questions
- Strategic brand review
- Execution
Let buyers be buyers
Build vs. buy
Content assessment grid
|
| Checklist: Executing Comprehensive E-Commerce Content
|
|
Execution
Text/image
Tools
Customer service
|
| Examples of best-in-class website product page execution (E-tail Detail)
|
Sponsor
ARS eCommerce LLC
Information
Title
2nd Annual Pay-Per-Click E-tailer Stress Study
Description
In October 2007, 137 e-commerce executives representing both Internet Retailer 500 and smaller merchants completed an online survey consisting of 15 questions. The goal of this study was to benchmark the e-commerce community's knowledge about pay-per-click (PPC) marketing including its current state, outsourcing vs. in-house strategies, performance results, priorities, and their implications for online marketers. Where applicable, throughout this report, year-to-year comparisons are shown versus the 1st Annual Study conducted in November 2006.
What's Included
The state of PPC marketing
Merchant commitment to PPC
A tactical approach to PPC priorities
Resources devoted to PPC
In-house and outsourcing of PPC
Costs of PPC
Stress levels associated with PPC
Checklist: Guidelines for PPC Management & Optimization
Company backgrounds
|
Sponsor
NetElixir
Information
Title
Listen, Learn, and Leverage:
Merchant Views of Personalization and Lasting Customer Relationships
Description
An in-depth examination of personalization based on 25+ interviews conducted in June 2007 to get the merchant perspective along with e-tailing group proprietary research findings from a Consumer Loyalty Study and the 6th Annual Merchant Survey, both conducted in 2Q '07.
What's Included
Executive summary that contains:
A "merchant" definition of personalization
The historical perspective
The role of personalization within organizations, including who owns personalization
The nuts and bolts: what is actually being done, the impact, and how personalization is being measured
A look at email relative to personalization
Call center tactics and personalization
Where merchants believe personalization will be in 2010
Reflections on execution
Checklists for savvy personalization and merchant rules of the road
|
Table of Contents
| I. | Introduction |
| II. | Defining Personalization |
| III. | The Historical Perspective |
| IV. | The Rebirth of Personalization |
| V. | Personalization as a Differentiator |
| VI. | Strategies Employed to Achieve Personalization |
| VII. | Personalization and its Challenges |
| VIII. | The State of Personalization within the Retail Environmentt |
| IX. | Building a Personalization Culture |
| X. | Measuring its Success |
| XI. | Marketing |
| XII. | Personalizing the Call Center |
| XIII. | Personalization Core to E-Commerce Future |
| XIV. | Personalization and Merchant Execution |
| XV. | About Us |
Sponsor
ATG
Information
Title
Online Inventory Impact Study
Description
To find out how out-of-stock products impact consumer behavior online in May 2007 the e-tailing group fielded an online questionnaire to over 950 adults (61% female/39% male) who shop online four or more times per year, spending over $500 online annually.
What's Included
Executive summary that contains:
Key research findings
- Consumer reactions and actions when out-of-stock products are encountered while shopping online or in emails
- Category-specific data
- Factors that impact loyalty
Brand/Tactical Strategies
Related statistics from the e-tailing group's 9th Annual Mystery Shopping Study
Examples of best-in-class website feature execution
Checklist: Customer Communication about Out-of-Stock Products
|
Sponsor
Between Markets
Information
Title
the e-tailing group 6th Annual Merchant Survey Report-
MINDING A 'SOPHISTICATED' ONLINE STORE: THE NEXT MERCHANT PRIORITY
Description
 |
Feedback from 167 senior executives with e-commerce responsibility; representing a cross-section of major B2C and B2B product categories |
|
A robust 32-page compilation of aggregated responses and anonymous commentary to a 40-question survey just completed in 1Q 2007 |
|
A comprehensive resource when planning site upgrades and enhancements |
|
A reference source for strategy, merchandising and marketing trends online |
|
Over 44 charts and tables for benchmarking website performance |
|
Insights from the e-tailing group's 15 years of e-commerce and 50+ years of retail experience |
What's Included
Information
Title
Building a Publisher Site for Pay-Out and Performance
Description
Based on pioneering new research conducted by the e-tailing group expressly for Performics,
a cross-section of affiliate publisher websites, in four unique sectors, are examined with the goal of showcasing best-in-class tactics and execution. For both small and large-scale publishers, cost-effective growth opportunities are also identified in this newsletter.
Sectors
Comparison Shopping
Loyalty & Rewards
Community & Content
Shopping/Promotions
|
What's Included
Publisher Sectors And The Site/The Merchant Experience
Brand/Tactical Strategies
Search/Shop/Sort
Sort Options/Product Compare
Traditional Merchandising Tactics
Gifting
Content
Tools
Community
Profiling/Marketing
Customer Service
|
Sponsor
Performics
Information
Title
Brand Personalization Workbook
Description
A comprehensive workbook with questions that enable merchants to self-score their company's likelihood and readiness to pursue a multi-channel personalization and segmentation strategy. Developed based on insights from the e-tailing group's Annual Merchant Survey and Exmplar's proven segmentation and personalization methodology, completion of this workbook can serve as a guideline to sell this strategy within one's organization or simply as an excellent team exercise. The results should aid merchants in their efforts to execute wisely across all channels.
What's Included
About Your Company
About Your Customers
About Your Internet Strategy
About Your Email Contact Strategy
About Your Current Personalization
About Your Campaign Delivery, Tracking & Analysis
|
Sponsor
Exmplar
Information
| These workbooks are available in limited supply. Please contact Lauren Freedman at lf@e-tailing.com to obtain copies. |
Title
The 97% Unconverted Factor: Syndicated Vendor Content - Turning Browsers into Well Informed Buyers.
Description
This report examines the role of vendor content from the all perspectives within the triangle encompassing the manufacturer, merchant, and customer. It draws upon industry statistics, proprietary research, and interviews with manufacturers/merchants in select product categories where brand exerts significant influence.
What's Included
The State of Multi-channel Shopping
The Evolving Content Triangle
The Ever-changing Consumer
The Retailer as Editor
The e-tailing group Brand Research Study
The WebCollage Model
|
Sponsor
WebCollage
Information
Title
Gift Services as Year-Round Retention Tools.
Description
This report explores the potential of year-round gifting as well as the current state of gifting online. It focuses on the essence of gift giving and what it takes to be in the right place at the right time with relevant products and services. Interviews with select players where gifting plays a central role in their business gauge the seller's perspective.
What's Included
Gifting Is a Year-Round Business
General Gifting Strategies
Gift Services and Beyond
The Seller's Perspective
Build vs. Buy
The BigDates Opportunity
|
Sponsor
BigDates
Information
Title
Merchant Secrets for Driving Conversion - It's Not the Numbers but the Direction that Counts.
Description
The role of conversion in e-commerce based on research and interviews with analytics companies and respected e-commerce experts as well as the merchant community
What's Included
The Buzz Around Conversion; Defining Conversion
Industry Research and Insights on Conversion
Advice on Utilizing Conversion to Drive Your Business
An Extensive Series of Key Page Tactics for Taking Conversion to the Next Level
Checklist for Merchants to Optimize Conversion
75 Conversion Tactics at a Glance
|
Sponsor
marketlive
Information
Title
Tactics for Capturing and Sustaining Your Share of the Gift Market.
Description
This report explores how merchants can optimize multi-channel gifting opportunities.
What's Included
Industry statistics on the gifting market
Merchant opportunities and tactics to capture a greater share of this market
Benchmarks of online features and functionality that enable gifting
Five mini case studies from merchants who have successfully included CardintheBox© functionality in their gifting strategies
|
Sponsor
CardintheBox©
Information
Title
Shop The Catalog- Consumer Appeal Marries Merchant Satisfaction.
Description
A merchant's look at the Shop the Catalog application including reflections from merchants, consumer sentiment and checklists and considerations for deployment.
What's Included
The Merchant Perspective
The Technology Players
Best-in-Class Execution
Checklist for Evaluating & Executing Product Enhancement Tools
The Consumer Value Proposition
|
Information
Title
Self Service Search-The Secret Weapon for e-commerce.
Description
A merchant's look at onsite search starting with the shoppers and exploring the critical nature of the application, why it matters and how to select a search partner.
What's Included
Why Search Matters
The Shopper Factor
The State of Search
What Makes a Smart Search-The Merchant Checklist
Evaluating Search Technology-Q&A
The Business Side of Search
Conclusions-Merchant Next Steps
|
Information
|
