Costco Plans E-Commerce Makeover
Do profitable brick-and-mortar stores need e-commerce? Costco Wholesale thinks so. The country's second-largest retailer has announced plans to overhaul its e-commerce operations, according to a recent report in the Seattle Times. Costco.com already does $2 billion in online sales, but feels like it's falling behind competitors like Amazon and Walmart. "The stakes are very high. The growth of e-tail is far sharper than the growth of retail in general,...read more >>
Amazon and eBay Pin Hopes on Pinterest
The marketing world has been quick to fall under the spell of picture-perfect Pinterest (it's "Facebook without the whining," coos Copyblogger). Amazon and eBay have also begun to show their love, but in a much more prosaic way. They've added Pinterest share buttons to their product pages. As we've reported, the social media darling of the moment doesn't have the merchandising capabilities to turn pinners into shoppers. But its gorgeous imagery can...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 >>
Social Sharing Drives Online Sales
Online shoppers rely on their social networks for product recommendations. A new study from social commerce provider Sociable Labs found 75 percent of consumers who read online comments about products from Facebook friends end up clicking through to look at the product page. Of those that click through, conversion rates can reach 50 percent, according to the study. For more findings, check out the infographic below. This "high-velocity frictionless...read more >>
CNET’s Eli Marcus: “A Holistic Approach to Content”
Syndication forms only a small part of the services offered by CNET Content Solutions (CCS). While most of the division's resources are focused on its product database, the company does offer ContentCast, a syndication service that delivers manufacturers' branded content to retailer and partner websites. For more about CNET Content Solutions, check out our overview. Content Ping recently caught up with Eli Marcus, Senior Director of Products for...read more >>
CNET Content Solutions Overview
When CBS purchased CNET in 2008, the website had already established itself as a well-known brand for technology news and reviews. CNET Content Solutions (then known as CNET Channel) was part of the $1.8 billion deal. Syndication forms only a small part of CNET Content Solutions (CCS) and the company is relatively new to the syndication landscape. While CCS offers sales automation and after-market merchandising, most of the division's resources...read more >>
WebCollage’s Scott Matthews: Staying Ahead of the Market
New York-based WebCollage's technology roots run deep: the company started out designing software for web applications before evolving into its role as a leading content syndicator. For more about WebCollage, check out our overview. Content Ping recently caught up with WebCollage CEO Scott Matthews to learn more about how he sees technology advances made by WebCollage playing an important role in the future of content syndication. Content Ping:...read more >>
WebCollage Overview
WebCollage currently hosts and distributes content from approximately 1,000 manufacturing clients, making it available to more than 200 e-commerce sites. The New York-based company's technology roots run deep: WebCollage scored its first major round of venture capital funding in 2000 based on software that allowed companies to syndicate web-based applications. This technology know-how has allowed WebCollage to develop a highly automated approach...read more >>
SellPoint’s Rick Martin: “We Eliminate Complexity”
SellPoint, Inc. creates and syndicates product tours for manufacturers. Content Ping recently caught up with President and CEO Rick Martin to discuss what SellPoint is doing to convince customers of the value of rich media content. For more about SellPoint, check out our overview. Rich Media Drives Purchases Content Ping: What sets SellPoint apart from its competitors? Rick Martin: Since the majority of online product pages are still comprised...read more >>
SellPoint Overview
SellPoint, Inc. creates and syndicates product tours featuring 360-degree images, video, animation, and product specs. Formed in 2000, SellPoint started out as Tentoe, Inc., the name a reflection of the company's California surfer ethos. Tentoe began by working with manufacturers interested in syndicating catalogue information (features, specs, images, and descriptions) to e-commerce sites. The company also created a product content portal that...read more >>