Google Shopping Transitions to a Paid Platform
Today, Google officially replaces its free Product Search with a paid shopping platform. As discussed in an earlier post, the controversial change means merchants must now pay to be listed on Google Shopping's search results pages. Google's move to a paid comparison shopping engine sends a big message: the company is making a step toward e-commerce and taking on Amazon--the world's most popular "first stop" in shoppers' online product research. Critics...read more >>
Tablets: M-Commerce or Not?
A recent article on Internet Retailer talks about the debate over whether or not tablets should be counted as m-commerce. It's an interesting discussion and one that will continue to get more focus as m-commerce sales keep climbing. Industry studies show that tablet sales are currently included in m-commerce figures and are widely considered a mobile device among retailers. Mark Beccue, a senior analyst at ABI Research, argues that e-commerce that...read more >>
Tips for On-Page SEO Optimization
Paddy Moogan of SEOmoz recently shared a must-read list on how to jump to the head of the class when it comes to on-page optimization for e-commerce websites. The items that stand out are the significance of customer reviews, quality images, product videos, social sharing, and product descriptions. We've touched on the importance of each of these on Content Ping, but thought this was a terrific list that really puts it in perspective when thinking...read more >>
Utilizing Consumer Generated Testimonials
Over at Video Commerce, Grant Crowell talks with VideoGenie CEO Justin Nassiri about the growing benefits of user-generated video testimonials. Together, the pair delivers five reasons why this type of video can build better customer relations. The first thing Nassiri points out is that video testimonials can attract the attention of a consumer quickly. He says that most users spend only 5-10 seconds on a website before making a decision to stay...read more >>
Internet Shopping On the Rise in 2012
It's only April, but the early signs show online sales in 2012 blowing the roof off of previous years. The recent Deloitte Retail & Consumer Spending Survey tells us that 47 percent of consumers will be buying more online this year. That's an increase of 38 percent from last year and 33 percent from 2010. Over half of those surveyed said that Internet shopping often provides better deals and lower prices than those found in brick and mortar stores....read more >>
Video and its Impact on the Shopping Experience
The e-tailing group, with sponsorship from Invodo, recently released a report titled "Delivering Superior Shopping Experiences Via Video" that details the impact of video on retail and illustrates the increased demand for video content. Over 1,000 consumers were surveyed in an attempt to understand the current habits of video consumption and the role product videos play in the consumers' research and purchasing habits. The following is a recap of...read more >>
Key Metrics for Evaluating Your Mobile E-Commerce Site
I've seen the good, the bad, and the ugly when it comes to mobile versions of e-commerce sites, so I know it's not a level playing field out there. Regardless of where your mobile site lands on the scale of good-to-bad, it's important to know how much traffic your site is experiencing. A recent post on Mashable shares three key metrics that will help when evaluating your mobile site performance. The "ABCs of Mobile Metrics" as Mashable calls them...read more >>
How to Avoid Abandoned Shopping Carts
Running a successful e-commerce business is hard work. You may find that your shoppers respond well to your store but suddenly abandon their carts at checkout. What gives? According to a recent article on ZippyCart, several factors can lead to shopping cart abandonment. Studies regarding this issue vary, but reports show that anywhere between 35 to 75 percent of online sales are dropped when items are in the cart. You don’t have to be a math whiz...read more >>
Using Mobile Video to Drive Retail Sales
There is no denying our love for shopping with tablets and smartphones. According to comScore’s 2012 Mobile Future in Focus report, more than half of the U.S. smartphone population used their phone to perform retail research while inside a store in 2011. While e-commerce retailers work out new ways to turn that in-store research into more sales, a recent post on Video Commerce offers up four ways they can do just that through the use of mobile...read more >>
Increasing Sales with Customer Incentives
Fact: Consumers love a good deal. So why not offer incentives to gain traction on your shiny new e-commerce videos? A recent article by Grant Crowell of Video Commerce talks about how online retailers can increase sales, grow their customer base, and build brand loyalty by offering incentives in exchange for watching e-commerce and retail videos. Incentives might come in many forms, including donations to a cause, entries into a drawing, discounts...read more >>