| News about digital retail commerce |  |
- Forrester predicts 8% increase in U.S. online holiday sales
Forrester Research said mass-market online retailers who are able to offer discounts will outperform others, but the overall online sales figures for the U.S. for November and December should be around $44.7 billion, up from $41.4 billion in 2008. "Despite the lingering effects of the global financial crisis, the online space remains the retail industry's growth engine," Forrester said. Reuters
(11/2)
     
 | Nine Keys to Winning this Holiday Season
GSI's Holiday Planning Guide, "9 Keys to Winning this Holiday Season" highlights lessons learned online from last year's peak season and discusses best practices for achieving retailers' holiday goals. Originally developed for clients, GSI is happy to share this guide with SmartBrief subscribers.
Download your copy. |
- Column: Consumers leave online retail sites for various reasons
Columnist Darpan Munjal, president of the Chicago-based e-commerce consultancy LeapMatrix, explains 15 reasons consumers will exit an online retail Web site. For example, Munjal says to stay out of the consumer's way during the checkout process. In other words, don't require shoppers to register. "If I click on checkout, that is usually a safe assumption that I have made a decision to purchase. Please get out of my way so you can take my money as quickly as possible before I change my mind," Munjal writes. Practical eCommerce
(11/3)
 | Webinar: "Taking the Production Line Online," featuring Crocs and Forrester.
Strategies and tactics for realizing the full potential of ecommerce to drive cross-channel sales.
Thursday, November 5th | 12:00pm ET
Register now. |
- Payment method may be key to opening micro-payment floodgates
The e-commerce world needs a payment network that can cope with low-ticket items, such as 99-cent music downloads, while being cost-effective for merchants and simple, secure and convenient for consumers. While many companies have made fortunes off of low-priced products, online sales present a different set of issues. For example, the shipping costs often are more than the price of the actual item. E-Commerce Times
(11/2)
- PayPal makes it easier to integrate into developers' programs
PayPal is planning to unveil a new open software system, dubbed Paypal X, that allows software developers to easily integrate the payments system. "We're taking all of our product capabilities and making them open and that much easier for you to use," said Scott Thompson, PayPal's president. The system will debut today in San Francisco. The move is part of PayPal's effort to protect its turf, which has seen increased competition from Amazon, Facebook and other companies. The Wall Street Journal
(11/3)
, Financial Times (tiered subscription model)
(11/2)
- Report: Online retail sites often at top of purchase funnel
A report from iPerceptions says 38.6% of visitors to online retail sites are there to gather information, rather than shop or buy. The report says that at this phase, visitors have a high satisfaction level with the sites. More than 85% of visitors are able to complete their desired task. As consumers make their way down the purchase funnel, however, the sites are less likely to meet their needs. The most common issues cited by shoppers include failure to find what they are looking for, pricing and navigation problems. eMarketer
(11/2)
 | In this free white paper, privacy expert Larry Ponemon of the renowned Ponemon Institute reveals the results of a 500+ consumer survey on anti-fraud technology's impact on perceived privacy. You'll learn why it's now easier to fake an identity than break into a network, and several proven ways to overcome consumer privacy concerns related to device fingerprinting. |
| Companies in the News |  | |
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- Best Buy shifts from DVD sales into movie downloading
Best Buy is joining forces with CinemaNow, an online video provider, to develop a service that allows consumers to download movies via the Internet. The service would be integrated into most devices that can be connected to the Internet and are sold by Best Buy, such as phones, computers, DVD players and televisions. The move is part of Best Buy's push into digital delivery. Los Angeles Times
(11/3)
- Zaldiva recruits exec to handle acquisitions
Zaldiva launched an initiative aimed at acquiring numerous independent dealers of comic books. The multichannel comic books and collectibles retailer has recruited Stephen Baird to facilitate the acquisitions. "We see the comic and collectibles industry being in a very similar situation to the video rental business of days gone by," said Nicole Leigh, CEO at Zaldiva. "These smaller comic retailers, the mom-and-pop stores, don't have the infrastructure to compete in the marketplace. We've built a solid foundation with our online Zaldiva.com store and have backed it up with eBay online auctions." InternetRetailer.com
(11/2)
- Woolworths promotes first Christmas since going online only
Woolworths is using the campaign line "back online with more toys than Santa" to promote its first holiday season since it relaunched as an online-only retailer. The Christmas campaign comes on the heels of a Halloween campaign. Woolworths is striving to reposition itself as the place to buy holiday essentials. MarketingWeek (subscription required)
(11/3)
| Interactive Advertising | | |
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- P&G debuts Spanish-language online fashion show
The Spanish-language Procter & Gamble-branded entertainment show "De Moda" has debuted with a story about women who wear inexpensive clothes on the red carpet. The program is intended to showcase P&G products through content that is culturally relevant. Advertising Age
(11/2)
| Shop.org Spotlight | | |
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- Social media safety: staying legal and out of trouble
Members, join a Shop.org webinar Nov. 18 at 1 p.m. Eastern to learn how to protect your brand and stay out of trouble. This comprehensive briefing on social media policy presented by Andy Sernovitz, CEO of the Social Media Business Council, and NRF Government Relations Counsel Elizabeth Oesterle will also include information on the upcoming privacy workshops to be held by the FTC. Learn more.
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- Retailers descend on Capitol to fight threat to instant credit
NRF will take senior-level executives from major retail companies to Capitol Hill this week to meet with lawmakers on proposed new rules that could put an end to retailers' highly popular instant credit programs. If requirements to verify information on income and assets are approved, "instant" credit could take days. Read more.
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 | Bore, n.: A person who talks when you wish him to listen."
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