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07/20/2017
In 2012, we saw the introduction of AmazonSupply, where the eCommerce giant began to experiment with the B2B marketplace. In 2015, Amazon inclined its B2B venture with the US launch of Amazon Business. By December 2016, Amazon expanded its business offerings to Germany, and we now await its next project in the UK. Amazon's expansion to new nations has many wondering if B2B eCommerce platforms will obsolete in its competition. Reports are focusing on Amazon's influential power and potential to seize the position of many specialized eCommerce platforms and web shops already in use by many businesses globally. In contrary, Amazon Business is more likely to give smaller companies the break to surge its market reach by creating challenges for B2B organizations who do not deliver a strong enough buying experience and understand the needs of their clientele. Amazon Business can be considered a motivating factor for B2B eCommerce corporations, if they can recognize where they being tested -- updating their standardized B2B services, providing flawless shopping experiences, and apprising offerings to the mass market.
Although Amazon offers procurement system integration, they do not have a fully integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. This lack in real-time and simplified updates within their software, allows for an open door of possibilities for eCommerce businesses to grow. Companies that sell within a large range of the market will profit by exporting detailed product information from the ERP directly into the likes of larger e-tail sites leaving B2B businesses that are incapable of offering more complex technologies to suffer in revenue and growth. Unfortunately, it will not be as simple as updating software alone. Keen businesses could simply use eCommerce platforms for composite services and products while using Amazon Business to market for simple transactions.
Industries who can also provide seamless shopping experiences through multiple channels will also be able to advance, for Amazon Business has trouble delivering through all customer touch points. This allows opportunities for businesses with specialty products where direct customer contact is a part of the online sales process. By creating an omni-channel approach that certifies every customer receives the best experience no matter where they are in the sales cycle, stronger customer relationships can be built. B2B is all about favored supply and repeat transactions, not searching for the cheapest price day to day. By meeting customer needs more closely, web stores will succeed.
Although Amazon offers procurement system integration, they do not have a fully integrated enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. This lack in real-time and simplified updates within their software, allows for an open door of possibilities for eCommerce businesses to grow. Companies that sell within a large range of the market will profit by exporting detailed product information from the ERP directly into the likes of larger e-tail sites leaving B2B businesses that are incapable of offering more complex technologies to suffer in revenue and growth. Unfortunately, it will not be as simple as updating software alone. Keen businesses could simply use eCommerce platforms for composite services and products while using Amazon Business to market for simple transactions.
Industries who can also provide seamless shopping experiences through multiple channels will also be able to advance, for Amazon Business has trouble delivering through all customer touch points. This allows opportunities for businesses with specialty products where direct customer contact is a part of the online sales process. By creating an omni-channel approach that certifies every customer receives the best experience no matter where they are in the sales cycle, stronger customer relationships can be built. B2B is all about favored supply and repeat transactions, not searching for the cheapest price day to day. By meeting customer needs more closely, web stores will succeed.
07/17/2017
After ringing in the new year, researchers are predicting that about 60% of all purchases done in 2017 will either be done online or directly influenced by digital media. If that doesn't sway you enough, by 2020 nearly all store sales are predicted to be inclined by online services. For companies to stay relevant and survive the digital era, they are encouraged to update their digital presence in homes across the world by investing in their own eCommerce speed and growth.
Consumer behavior has been changing for several years. With implementation of online B2B and B2C increasing in size, conventional shopping has slowed. In 2016, more than 50 percent of the US's digitally connected shoppers began their experience on Amazon, making making them a leading force in eCommerce. Within their last quarter alone, Amazon was has increased revenue by 22 percent, while simultaneously investing 27 percent more into technology and content.
Businesses that are refusing to enhance online services have taken hard hits with dipping in sales and profits. Conventional channels alone are no longer enough, forcing many retailers to down-size and even close many physical store locations. Brands from high end to sports and beyond are shifting their focus to accelerating online services. Investing in online services and apps are no longer a choice for businesses to remain relevant to their customers. Organizations of every size must adjust in order keep up with the change.
Consumer behavior has been changing for several years. With implementation of online B2B and B2C increasing in size, conventional shopping has slowed. In 2016, more than 50 percent of the US's digitally connected shoppers began their experience on Amazon, making making them a leading force in eCommerce. Within their last quarter alone, Amazon was has increased revenue by 22 percent, while simultaneously investing 27 percent more into technology and content.
Businesses that are refusing to enhance online services have taken hard hits with dipping in sales and profits. Conventional channels alone are no longer enough, forcing many retailers to down-size and even close many physical store locations. Brands from high end to sports and beyond are shifting their focus to accelerating online services. Investing in online services and apps are no longer a choice for businesses to remain relevant to their customers. Organizations of every size must adjust in order keep up with the change.
08/31/2016
Tag is a fun game played by elementary school kids, and it has turned into a fun way to categorize tweets and instagrams. But, tags are also used to help your website receive more traffic through optimizing popular words and phrases that describe your company or site.
Unless you're in the tech industry, you probably don't often think about the order of a search engine's results. Without the proper tools, your web page may not even be listed on search engines. By submitting your search engine return pages (SERPs), you can now find your site, and take advantage of the game of tags.
Usually, a search engine's top sites have taken time to look into content, strategy, and competition.
Content
Obviously fresh content that links to your site or gets your name out there makes the site visitor more intrigued and you, credible. But even with the best content on the web, without SEO, your site won't draw in the traffic that it deserves.
Often the credibility of the content is based on where the site ranks on the search engines, not necessarily on the content itself. For content, tags are necessary for each page, article, and photo to help your content show up in searches. So now that you have fresh content, how do you implement a better strategy?
Strategy
It's important to think about what kinds of phrases people are looking for when thinking about landing pages, tags, and topics for blog content. Using your own traffic reporting tools, take a look at your Keyword Referral Data for your site to see what keywords are generating new visitors. The highest quality keywords should give you some ideas of what to continue to blog about and develop within your site.
You should also use your traffic reporting tools to analyze your visitor activity. How long are people spending on your site and on what pages? Does it seem that they are finding the information that they need? You want your content to line up with what people are using your company for, as well as what pages don't seem to be intriguing your guests.
Google Webmaster Tools Search Queries will help you see where you show up in phrase searches along with how many clicks and impressions you're receiving. Take into consideration what phrases are showing up after position three on the search engine to see if you should develop more important content to move those search phrases up.
Third-Party Referral Reports can also be seen via Google Analytics. This will help you understand why people link and mention your website and should show yu how to gain more exposure using similar ideas and targets.
Social media list development is the final strategy you should be looking at. This has become essential to SEO. Building professional relationships helps you spread content and develops more traffic. You should be looking to build connection with bloggers, analysts, prominent journalisms, and other professionals in the communication field. Social media is also an excellent way to connect with customers, partners, and prospects.
Competition
The whole point of SEO is to beat out competitors at new prospects and to gain credibility as an industry leader. By using these strategies and comparing what tags you and your competitors are using, you'll be able to get creative with the most important subjects, tags, and phrases that help your site drive traffic.
Unless you're in the tech industry, you probably don't often think about the order of a search engine's results. Without the proper tools, your web page may not even be listed on search engines. By submitting your search engine return pages (SERPs), you can now find your site, and take advantage of the game of tags.
Usually, a search engine's top sites have taken time to look into content, strategy, and competition.
Content
Obviously fresh content that links to your site or gets your name out there makes the site visitor more intrigued and you, credible. But even with the best content on the web, without SEO, your site won't draw in the traffic that it deserves.
Often the credibility of the content is based on where the site ranks on the search engines, not necessarily on the content itself. For content, tags are necessary for each page, article, and photo to help your content show up in searches. So now that you have fresh content, how do you implement a better strategy?
Strategy
It's important to think about what kinds of phrases people are looking for when thinking about landing pages, tags, and topics for blog content. Using your own traffic reporting tools, take a look at your Keyword Referral Data for your site to see what keywords are generating new visitors. The highest quality keywords should give you some ideas of what to continue to blog about and develop within your site.
You should also use your traffic reporting tools to analyze your visitor activity. How long are people spending on your site and on what pages? Does it seem that they are finding the information that they need? You want your content to line up with what people are using your company for, as well as what pages don't seem to be intriguing your guests.
Google Webmaster Tools Search Queries will help you see where you show up in phrase searches along with how many clicks and impressions you're receiving. Take into consideration what phrases are showing up after position three on the search engine to see if you should develop more important content to move those search phrases up.
Third-Party Referral Reports can also be seen via Google Analytics. This will help you understand why people link and mention your website and should show yu how to gain more exposure using similar ideas and targets.
Social media list development is the final strategy you should be looking at. This has become essential to SEO. Building professional relationships helps you spread content and develops more traffic. You should be looking to build connection with bloggers, analysts, prominent journalisms, and other professionals in the communication field. Social media is also an excellent way to connect with customers, partners, and prospects.
Competition
The whole point of SEO is to beat out competitors at new prospects and to gain credibility as an industry leader. By using these strategies and comparing what tags you and your competitors are using, you'll be able to get creative with the most important subjects, tags, and phrases that help your site drive traffic.
08/31/2016
When the rise of smart phones began in 2007 with the release of the iPhone, companies and designers raced to find the best way for websites to function on these new devices. Now, we are often navigated to the mobile version of the site.
However, now that new studies are showing that tablets are expected to outsell PCs this year, designers and companies are faced with a new dilemma.
How do we provide the best user experience for all platforms?
The main issues with delivering a desktop site to a mobile device or tablet are slower load times, inoperable flash or hover states, and broken images, videos, forms, etc. For these reasons building a mobile site is not an option anymore, but how you decide to build or redirect your site on tablets… the jury is still out.
Your options:
Responsive Web Design
Similarly to the way automatic doors open when they sense your presence, new design techniques have been developed to prevent that extra wait time that comes from transferring to a mobile website. Rather than being redirected and then having to click that hard to find “View Entire Site" button, why not make a website that knows how to be displayed without being redirected or on an app?
We can't just keep making new sites for every device that comes out. Responsive websites identify the screen size, layout and structural elements compatible with each device. By jumping ahead in trends, you'll save time and money by being prepared for the inevitable: an upcoming tablet nation. Consumers will be impressed by the user friendliness and innovation of your company.
Design a site exclusively for tablets
As you should know, Flash does not work on iPad devices and is not reliable on Android tablets. Flash websites can look gorgeous on desktops, but chances are, it doesn't work on tablets or mobile devices. Hover states (anything that needs a mouse to hover over it in order to trigger an action) are also nonexistent on tablets and mobile devices. For example, hovering over a menu to see sub pages. For these, you want a mobile site, but also a tablet site because the screen sizes are so different.
Another reason you might need a tablet version of your site is for more convenient usability. Some mobile sites rely on the way the user interacts with the device. For example, on an iPhone I mostly use my right hand to type or just my right thumb to navigate while holding the phone in my same hand. So how will usability be transferred to a tablet like the BlackBerry Playbook which has been built to be used with both thumbs? A site designed exclusively for users on tablets that are held in all different ways may get you those extra thumbs up.
Don't create a website for tablets
One of the top selling points of the iPad is holding the entire website in the “palm of your hand." Being able to literally touch and interact with a website already makes an impressive customer experience. Unlike smart phones, tablets are designed to function more like a desktop or laptop. Most would agree when I say that viewing a website on a tablet is much easier than trying to navigate through tiny buttons and painstakingly slow load times. If you can browse through your site with a breeze, why invest in something that you don't need?
So how do you decide? Take your site for a test run on a few devices. Pay attention to load time, forms, videos or hover states, and everything else that makes your website a desirable interaction.
The main issues with delivering a desktop site to a mobile device or tablet are slower load times, inoperable flash or hover states, and broken images, videos, forms, etc. For these reasons building a mobile site is not an option anymore, but how you decide to build or redirect your site on tablets… the jury is still out.
Your options:
Responsive Web Design
Similarly to the way automatic doors open when they sense your presence, new design techniques have been developed to prevent that extra wait time that comes from transferring to a mobile website. Rather than being redirected and then having to click that hard to find “View Entire Site" button, why not make a website that knows how to be displayed without being redirected or on an app?
We can't just keep making new sites for every device that comes out. Responsive websites identify the screen size, layout and structural elements compatible with each device. By jumping ahead in trends, you'll save time and money by being prepared for the inevitable: an upcoming tablet nation. Consumers will be impressed by the user friendliness and innovation of your company.
Design a site exclusively for tablets
As you should know, Flash does not work on iPad devices and is not reliable on Android tablets. Flash websites can look gorgeous on desktops, but chances are, it doesn't work on tablets or mobile devices. Hover states (anything that needs a mouse to hover over it in order to trigger an action) are also nonexistent on tablets and mobile devices. For example, hovering over a menu to see sub pages. For these, you want a mobile site, but also a tablet site because the screen sizes are so different.
Another reason you might need a tablet version of your site is for more convenient usability. Some mobile sites rely on the way the user interacts with the device. For example, on an iPhone I mostly use my right hand to type or just my right thumb to navigate while holding the phone in my same hand. So how will usability be transferred to a tablet like the BlackBerry Playbook which has been built to be used with both thumbs? A site designed exclusively for users on tablets that are held in all different ways may get you those extra thumbs up.
Don't create a website for tablets
One of the top selling points of the iPad is holding the entire website in the “palm of your hand." Being able to literally touch and interact with a website already makes an impressive customer experience. Unlike smart phones, tablets are designed to function more like a desktop or laptop. Most would agree when I say that viewing a website on a tablet is much easier than trying to navigate through tiny buttons and painstakingly slow load times. If you can browse through your site with a breeze, why invest in something that you don't need?
So how do you decide? Take your site for a test run on a few devices. Pay attention to load time, forms, videos or hover states, and everything else that makes your website a desirable interaction.
08/27/2016
The latest study on Teens and Technology was posted today in a
Pew Report showing that two in every five teenagers (12-17) now own smartphones. Almost doubling in size since 2011, this group of generation Xers are relying on their phone for internet more than ever before.
Even though teens have continuously been the highest percentage of internet users since 2004, their presence online on tablets and smartphones is still on the rise.
For web developers and ad agencies, this may cause clients to invest more on tablet and mobile sites, as well as on app advertising.
Even though teens have continuously been the highest percentage of internet users since 2004, their presence online on tablets and smartphones is still on the rise.
For web developers and ad agencies, this may cause clients to invest more on tablet and mobile sites, as well as on app advertising.
07/08/2016
eCommerce doesn't always mean there is a credit card on file or that you have to decide between priority and ground shipping. The purpose of B2B commerce is enabling other businesses or your partners to access inventory, past orders, credit terms, or any other kind of electronic transaction that may occur between your company and another.
Oracle White Paper survey on B2B eCommerce showed that there is 50 percent more revenue in B2B commerce than B2C, and that's with only 25 percent of B2B companies having online commerce sites.
DreamingCode recently launched an eCommerce site for Sukesha All-Nutrient Hair Color, but not so the public can order hair color tools from the company. This B2B site allows approved salons and partners to have access to inventory and other services.
Sukesha wanted to put in place online commerce to provide an Apple or Amazon like experience for salons and partners to make any transaction easier and more accessible to other businesses. But B2B eCommerce also makes things easier for the distributor.
Sukesha used DreamingCode to create their own personalized B2B eCommerce platform to specifically cater to the statistics, consumer portfolio information, and order information that they need in their industry.
B2B eCommerce can be utilized by any service or product provider. The new trend is to make the platform customized for your industry, like Sukesha has.
07/04/2016
On my personal Twitter account, I get an idea of how many of my friends appreciate my tweets or how many they relate to by how many time the tweet is retweeted. Thousands of Twitter Analytic Tools have told me what Tweets have been retweeted the most this week, where my biggest following is located on the globe, and what hashtags are working in my favor.
Instead of finding out how many followers I gained this week or what platform is the best to tweet from, HubSpot, a Boston-based marketing software company, released a new kind of analytic tool this week.
The Retweet Lab tool looks at about a thousand of old tweets, runs them through some algorithms, and tells helps you understand why your tweets are being retweeted so you can get an idea of how to maximize your online impressions and influence.
I'm usually not one for graphs or numbers, but the Retweet Lab shows percentages, graphs, and gives me a conclusion about the information.
The information specifically tells me that on Wednesdays I get the most retweets around 2 PM, and that my followers usually don't retweet my tweets that are under 200 characters.
This information shows up on one page, using one tool instead of using Twitter Map for location, then logging into Tweetstats to check out what days I'm getting the most replies.
Other tools like The Archivist can still be helpful in showing you what the top URLs and words you've used are, but I think I'll be taking advantage of Retweet Lab to come up with a new Twitter marketing strategy.
Instead of finding out how many followers I gained this week or what platform is the best to tweet from, HubSpot, a Boston-based marketing software company, released a new kind of analytic tool this week.
The Retweet Lab tool looks at about a thousand of old tweets, runs them through some algorithms, and tells helps you understand why your tweets are being retweeted so you can get an idea of how to maximize your online impressions and influence.
I'm usually not one for graphs or numbers, but the Retweet Lab shows percentages, graphs, and gives me a conclusion about the information.
The information specifically tells me that on Wednesdays I get the most retweets around 2 PM, and that my followers usually don't retweet my tweets that are under 200 characters.
This information shows up on one page, using one tool instead of using Twitter Map for location, then logging into Tweetstats to check out what days I'm getting the most replies.
Other tools like The Archivist can still be helpful in showing you what the top URLs and words you've used are, but I think I'll be taking advantage of Retweet Lab to come up with a new Twitter marketing strategy.
07/01/2016
It wasn't even a decade ago that we carried around novels, textbooks, and other chunky pieces of literature to provide us with entertainment during commutes or in waiting rooms. With the end of each adventure, we closed the cover and passed it on to a friend, coworker, or family member to embark upon the same great read.
With the invention of Kindles, Nooks, and other eReaders, the landscape of reading and boring books has evolved. We are all aware of their pros: portability, accessibility, and also their biggest con: PRICE. With the introduction of the eBook, we lost the ability to borrow, share, and lend books as was previously done for generations. But it was only a matter of time before technology caught up with the consumer's desires, and the libraries of the world caught up to the new technology.
With the introduction of eBook services such as Overdrive, which works with Public Libraries, and eBookFling, which lets individuals share and borrow their personal collections, eReading is finally catching up to speed with the natural way reading has been forever.
We are going to break down three popular services to rent and/or share books, and provide you with all the features, pros, and cons.
Who are the service providers?
Overdrive
What you need to get started:
1. A valid local library ID
2. An eReader or
a. Any device that you can download the Kindle app on (iPod, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone or Tablet, etc.)
Functions
Overdrive is the number one supplier of eBooks for loan to public libraries worldwide. You can access Overdrive through any web browser to find your local library. Once you pull up your library's specific page, you can input your ID number in order to rent from their collection of eBooks. Once your rental has been selected, your book will download directly to you Kindle, Kindle app, or other eReader by accessing your eReader account information.
Features
Availability
ebookfling
What you need to get started:
1. An ebookfling account (free to sign up)
2. An eReader or
a. Any device that you can download the Kindle app on (iPod, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone or Tablet, etc.)
Functions
eBook fling is a book-sharing program that allows users to lend their eBooks, and borrow from other lenders throughout America. For each book lent, the user receives a credit to borrow any book of their choice. When a book is delivered, you'll receive an email indicating this, with a link to right to the download page at Amazon or at Barnes & Noble for your reading device.
Features
Not only do these options open the pages of many great adventures right on your eReader, but they also bring back the thrifty tradition of passing on a great read. Overdrive and eBook Fling are cost-effective, have thousands of great reads, and are convenient.
Check out more about sharing audiobooks and magazines later this week!
With the invention of Kindles, Nooks, and other eReaders, the landscape of reading and boring books has evolved. We are all aware of their pros: portability, accessibility, and also their biggest con: PRICE. With the introduction of the eBook, we lost the ability to borrow, share, and lend books as was previously done for generations. But it was only a matter of time before technology caught up with the consumer's desires, and the libraries of the world caught up to the new technology.
With the introduction of eBook services such as Overdrive, which works with Public Libraries, and eBookFling, which lets individuals share and borrow their personal collections, eReading is finally catching up to speed with the natural way reading has been forever.
We are going to break down three popular services to rent and/or share books, and provide you with all the features, pros, and cons.
Who are the service providers?
Overdrive
What you need to get started:
1. A valid local library ID
2. An eReader or
a. Any device that you can download the Kindle app on (iPod, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone or Tablet, etc.)
Functions
Overdrive is the number one supplier of eBooks for loan to public libraries worldwide. You can access Overdrive through any web browser to find your local library. Once you pull up your library's specific page, you can input your ID number in order to rent from their collection of eBooks. Once your rental has been selected, your book will download directly to you Kindle, Kindle app, or other eReader by accessing your eReader account information.
Features
- Currently hosts more than 1 million digital titles from more than 1,000 digital publishers
- Digital distribution services used in more than 19,000 libraries, schools, and colleges worldwide
Availability
- Support for iPod®, iPhone®, iPad™, Android™, Sony® Reader, Kindle® (US libraries only), and thousands of other mobile devices
- Largest collection of premium audiobooks, eBooks, music, and video for the library – all available on a single website for browsing, checking out, and downloading.
ebookfling
What you need to get started:
1. An ebookfling account (free to sign up)
2. An eReader or
a. Any device that you can download the Kindle app on (iPod, iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone or Tablet, etc.)
Functions
eBook fling is a book-sharing program that allows users to lend their eBooks, and borrow from other lenders throughout America. For each book lent, the user receives a credit to borrow any book of their choice. When a book is delivered, you'll receive an email indicating this, with a link to right to the download page at Amazon or at Barnes & Noble for your reading device.
Features
- 14-day lending
- 100% safe with books automatically returned within 14 days
- Tens of thousands of books available
- Earn a free rental by lending one of your eBooks
- Pay anywhere from $1.49 (for bulk orders) to $2.99 for rental credits
- Works with Kindle and Nook eReaders
- An owner of a book can only lend it one at a time
Not only do these options open the pages of many great adventures right on your eReader, but they also bring back the thrifty tradition of passing on a great read. Overdrive and eBook Fling are cost-effective, have thousands of great reads, and are convenient.
Check out more about sharing audiobooks and magazines later this week!
06/10/2016
Infographics are a powerful way to explain the key elements of building the best ecommerce site. A successful ecommerce website should combine attractive design, smooth navigation, fast loading speed, and mobile responsiveness to create a better shopping experience for users. Through clear visuals and structured information, infographics help businesses understand what customers expect from an online store.
An ecommerce site should also include high-quality product images, detailed descriptions, secure payment gateways, and a simple checkout process. These features improve customer trust and help increase conversions. Infographics make it easier to present these important ecommerce strategies in a simple and engaging format.
Search engine optimization is another essential factor in ecommerce success. Optimized product pages, SEO-friendly content, and proper website structure can improve search visibility and drive more traffic. Infographics can visually explain how these elements work together to support online growth.
As competition in the ecommerce industry continues to rise, businesses need websites that focus on performance, usability, and customer satisfaction. Using infographics to understand ecommerce best practices can help brands create stronger online stores, improve engagement, and support long-term business growth.
An ecommerce site should also include high-quality product images, detailed descriptions, secure payment gateways, and a simple checkout process. These features improve customer trust and help increase conversions. Infographics make it easier to present these important ecommerce strategies in a simple and engaging format.
Search engine optimization is another essential factor in ecommerce success. Optimized product pages, SEO-friendly content, and proper website structure can improve search visibility and drive more traffic. Infographics can visually explain how these elements work together to support online growth.
As competition in the ecommerce industry continues to rise, businesses need websites that focus on performance, usability, and customer satisfaction. Using infographics to understand ecommerce best practices can help brands create stronger online stores, improve engagement, and support long-term business growth.
06/08/2016
Companies like Kindle and Nook have used their platforms on Amazon and Barnes & Noble to promote daily deals on books for 24 hours for as low as $1.99. As a result, they have seen instant sales boosts and wider exposure for the author.
However, other online stores have remained skeptical. Recently, the New York Times, Social Media Examiner, and Warc have researched this subject with the wider marketing community, finding that these 24-hour sales make the product "almost irresistible."
While these low prices make it difficult to make a large profit from the sales, this marketing tactic introduces new products to the consumer without making them feel like they are investing in something they might not have been looking for.
In recent studies, social media marketers have indicated that social media tools like Groupon and LivingSocial were at the bottom of their marketing mix for the near future.
For new online products or products that have been low in sales, your eCommerce store may benefit from these short sales if marketed correctly.
Information about the sale should be announced via email blast as well as social media.
For the consumer, it's a low-risk buy. Make it cool. Make it new. And, make it interesting.
However, other online stores have remained skeptical. Recently, the New York Times, Social Media Examiner, and Warc have researched this subject with the wider marketing community, finding that these 24-hour sales make the product "almost irresistible."
While these low prices make it difficult to make a large profit from the sales, this marketing tactic introduces new products to the consumer without making them feel like they are investing in something they might not have been looking for.
In recent studies, social media marketers have indicated that social media tools like Groupon and LivingSocial were at the bottom of their marketing mix for the near future.
For new online products or products that have been low in sales, your eCommerce store may benefit from these short sales if marketed correctly.
Information about the sale should be announced via email blast as well as social media.
For the consumer, it's a low-risk buy. Make it cool. Make it new. And, make it interesting.
06/06/2016
Recent updates to the Pinterest search engine have SEO analysts and techies debating over the best search engine. While I do still often use Google to search for images when I'm making PowerPoint presentations and Photoshop images, the question comes down to: what are you looking for?
If you want stylish images and infographics, Pinterest has you covered, but when searching for literal brands, I think Google takes the cake. Let's look at some comparisons.
3 Features Google Doesn't Have
If you want stylish images and infographics, Pinterest has you covered, but when searching for literal brands, I think Google takes the cake. Let's look at some comparisons.
3 Features Google Doesn't Have
- Categorized Browsing Pages: If you don't know exactly what you want to look at, you can get general results without pulling up literal images of film or music notes.
- Pinterest will show you what's popular so you can see what people are talking about.
- The home newsfeed shows you what the people you follow are interested in, so you don't miss photos about subjects you're interested in.
- Search for other images using an image.
- Search for GIFs right from the images tab.
- Google helps you find related searches so you can find exactly what you're looking for.
- Polka Dots
- Robot
- Little Mermaid
06/03/2016
It's true. Businesses are spending more of their budgets making online purchases, but is it possible that they would be interested in spending even more online?
Acquity's "2013 State of B-to-B Procurement Study," conducted in March and April, has found that B2B buyers would be even more likely to make purchases online if the search technology and purchasing process were easier to navigate.
According to the report, 37% of those surveyed plan to increase their spending online in the next year, including on technology.
"B2B suppliers have a significant opportunity to increase their revenue from e-commerce," said Robert Barr, senior VP at Acquity Group, according to B2B Online. "Our study revealed corporate buyers are comfortable and willing to make major purchases online - and many are already doing this - but not on suppliers' websites."
Other major factors to encourage purchases of $5,000 or more online are increased security, free delivery, available customer service reps by phone, customer service online chat features, faster delivery, friendlier design, and better online research sources.
In addition to these features, 28% of those surveyed said that they would make purchases on their mobile devices if suppliers offered easier-to-use, mobile-optimized sites.
If your B2B eCommerce site can't make some of these changes, it might be time for an eCommerce platform facelift, according to these findings.
Acquity's "2013 State of B-to-B Procurement Study," conducted in March and April, has found that B2B buyers would be even more likely to make purchases online if the search technology and purchasing process were easier to navigate.
According to the report, 37% of those surveyed plan to increase their spending online in the next year, including on technology.
"B2B suppliers have a significant opportunity to increase their revenue from e-commerce," said Robert Barr, senior VP at Acquity Group, according to B2B Online. "Our study revealed corporate buyers are comfortable and willing to make major purchases online - and many are already doing this - but not on suppliers' websites."
Other major factors to encourage purchases of $5,000 or more online are increased security, free delivery, available customer service reps by phone, customer service online chat features, faster delivery, friendlier design, and better online research sources.
In addition to these features, 28% of those surveyed said that they would make purchases on their mobile devices if suppliers offered easier-to-use, mobile-optimized sites.
If your B2B eCommerce site can't make some of these changes, it might be time for an eCommerce platform facelift, according to these findings.
