The much-anticipated initial public offering of Facebook is expected to take place tomorrow. Although the news has garnered a lot of excitement, it has also brought up some questions. Numerous analysts have raised concerns over the future of the company …
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
ATLANTA, May 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Innotrac Corporation (NASDAQ: INOC), a best-of-breed commerce provider integrating digital technology, fulfillment, and contact center solutions, today announced that …
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
With Facebook’s recent transition to the timeline layout and its new algorithm reconfiguration, the platform might feel like it’s getting a little complicated, but optimizing your page to its fullest doesn’t have to be.
Here’s a list of ten quick and easy actions you can take to ensure that potential customers are noticing, and more importantly, liking your page.
Let’s talk more!
How do you spruce up your Facebook page? Share your insights below and feel free to add a link to your business page, so we can all learn a little something.
Happy selling!
Lauren Hill, Social Media Associate, Volusion
Original post by Lauren
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) recently issued a detailed press release regarding Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) cases for which it provided arbitration services in 2011 (http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2012/article_0002.html ) and, once again, the number of WIPO filings was up.
Original post by Philip Corwin
Demandware®, Inc. , a leader in on-demand ecommerce, today announced that Life is good, the iconic lifestyle brand whose mission is to spread the power of optimism and help kids in need, has selected Demandware Commerce as the central platform to support its digital growth strategy.
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kin Lane, an API Evangelist, blogger at KinLane.com and API Evangelist, contributor to Programmable Web, and all-around expert in APIs.
Kin is an engineer who has been building database driven web apps for 12 years, and working with data for over 20. Watching API usage really rise in the last few years and seeing it drive innovation in social, cloud computing and more, and so much talk on the technical side of the world, Kin began to explore the business side of APIs. What does it take to deploy, what business elements do you need to support an API? Not just what resources from what department, but what are the building blocks you need to support developers?
As an API Evangelist, Kin follows a broad spectrum of API players including Twitter, Facebook, Google, eBay and Amazon to figure out what the best practices are in order to educate business leaders and developers. He currently works on behalf of a local online advertising platform CityGrid to market its API to developers to bring in more, and cultivate the ones they already have.
What are the big mistakes businesses make when serving developers?
What’s the best way to gather feedback from developers to provide input into your roadmap?
Within your API ecosystem, a forum where devs can post comments is key, as well as some sort of email address or ticketing system. But you can’t expect developers to only dialogue on your domain. Have a presence on StackExchange, Twitter, LinkedIn, Stumbleupon, Reddit, HackerNews, etc, where developers already are. Gather feedback within and outside your ecosystem, and evangelize it internally to evolve the roadmap. (That’s a truly “open” API).
If you’re a developer, in terms of ecommerce, how important is social?
As a business that is using other people’s APIs, what are some of the ways can you protect yourself from that API not being around tomorrow?
There’s a lot of complaints around APIs that they can disappear at any moment, they don’t care about developers, or they’re unstable, and that’s true in some ways, but it’s true with any business vendor. The corner sandwich shop should have multiple vendors, if one doesn’t deliver one day, there should be a plan B, C or D.
But that doesn’t always apply, especially when it comes to Twitter and Facebook. Where else do you go to get Tweets? It’s difficult to have a plan B, but you should have some form of cache so that when Twitter breaks (which it often does) your app can still function. Have some kind of failover within your code. When applicable, have multiple APIs. For example when Google stopped supporting their Translation API, and then brought it back as a paid product, there are a number of other you could substitute to keep your app working.
Social is hot, but where is there opportunity outside social to build great new experiences in the ecommerce world?
Twitter Firehose and Facebook Timeline are obvious, second to that are some of the pioneers in the space like Flickr. Instagram built a very cool app with social hooks to the other networks, and these hooks made it a viral app. Another one is the video space, we haven’t seen it all yet. Youtube doesn’t embody it all, there’s room for innovation from some of the quiet players out there. E.g. mashups, splicing in products into television, movies, video games, layering in content to sell things to users, then beyond that console or online gaming. APIs allow splicing of products and services to embed commerce.
Kin and his partner have authored The Business of APIs, available on Amazon. Check it out.
Original post by Linda Bustos
MILAN, ITALY– - eCommerce NETCOMM FORUM 2012 — Wrapp, the first social gifting service that lets you give your Facebook friends free gift cards to top national, multinational and regional retailers, …
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
Shotfarm today announces a new standard for product image and rich media delivery with the launch of their Simple Image Hosting for Ecommerce product – another milestone on the com
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
InterCall®, a subsidiary of West Corporation and the world's largest conferencing and collaboration services provider, announced today the availability of Microsoft Office 365 productivity tools to small businesses through its eCommerce portal.
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
TreeHouse Interactive™ , the technology leader in on-demand marketing automation and partner relationship management solutions, today announced significant growth of its business-to-consumer user base for the company's marketing automation solution, Marketing View.
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
Quick, list the three top brands that come to mind.
No matter which brands are at the top of your mind, they all have one thing in common: solid, consistent branding. While brand building is a critical, ongoing activity to crafting your story, there are some epic basics that you should always hold close to your ecommerce hearts.
To learn what these five critical branding elements are, check out today’s episode.
Can you think of others that should’ve made the list? Questions about branding in general? Leave me a question or comment in the box below!
Happy selling!
-Matt Winn, Social Media Manager, Volusion
Here’s the transcript if you’d like to read along:
Hi everybody! My name is Matt and I’m the Social Media Manager here at Volusion. Welcome to Two Minute Tuesdays, where we give you two minutes of ecommerce advice to bolster your online success.
Your brand is a critical element of your online success. In order to tell the story of your business, you need to know what elements, in fact, make up your brand. With this idea in mind, here are the top five most critical elements of your online brand.
The first on our list might seem quite obvious, but it’s quite relevant: your brand name. For example, our brand name is Volusion, which explains why you can find us at www.volusion.com and www.facebook.com/volusion. The same thing applies to you. Your brand name is going to be everywhere, and it’s what people actually say and read, so make sure it’s a good one.
Secondly, your logo is absolutely critical to your overall brand. Think about it this way: your logo should be the visual representation of your brand’s story. Think of iconic logos like Coca-Cola or Apple. People recognize those brands as soon as they see the label, and you should shoot for the same.
Thirdly, your brand slogan is also important. Your slogan summarizes your overall value proposition. For example, our slogan is “open a successful online store” and it summarizes exactly what we do. You can do the same by making sure your slogan is short, concise and catchy.
Fourth, your brand’s tone is essential to your overall branding. By tone, I mean how you’re communicating with your customers, particularly in your writing. Are you professional, friendly, stodgy or more laid back?
Last on our list, and most importantly, is brand consistency. Every single branding element, including your logo, slogan and tone must be consistent across every single communication piece because that’s how you actually build your brand. So keep it consistent and you’ll be in good shape.
Hopefully these five elements will keep you on track when building and promoting your brand. If you have any questions, just leave them in the comment section below and we’ll get back to you.
From me to you, happy selling!
Original post by Lauren
Micros eCommerce customers will benefit from OnFast’s robust social media promotions and analytics platform.Naples, FL (PRWEB) May 15, 2012 OnFast, a cloud-based enterprise social media marketing and analytics provider, is pleased to announce its strategic partnership with MICROS eCommerce, a subsidiary of MICROS Systems, Inc. MICROS eCommerce is one of the leading interactive marketing …
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
Adobe Digital Marketing Summit EMEA — Adobe Systems Incorporated today announced the availability of Adobe® CQ eCommerce, providing digital marketers capabilities for managing and optimizing the entire buying process on websites, mobile devices and social media.
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
The May 26 deadline for compliance with the EU cookie law is rapidly approaching, and my heart goes out to all our friends affected by this ridiculous “solution” to a poorly defined problem.
For a refresher on what the new law is about, check out Silktide’s brilliant (and humorous) explanation of it.
I was asked in an interview by Mike Arsenault of Rejoiner last week what I thought of the law’s impact on personalization. My biggest concern is that consumers unreasonably fear cookies and their impact on privacy, without understanding how they make life easier for web users in terms of personalization and time-saving.
According to the eCustomer Service Index survey conducted by the IMRG and eDigitalResearch:
Website optimization is about usability, persuasion, and addressing the FUD inside users’ heads. If you do business in the EU, you’re going to have to ask for permission. And the key to gaining permission is in your copywriting.
Remember to:
1. Stress the value proposition to the user of allowing cookies.
If the features you offer that require cookies are attractive enough, users will submit. Don’t be afraid to be specific, and think about what the customer wants to get out of your site.
2. Explain what cookies are and that they are not used for a sinister purpose on your site
Laws like this only reinforce the idea that cookies are bad. You have to re-educate the visitor that not all cookies are evil, and that the ones you use are not going to harm the user’s computer or track personally identifiable information.
3. Use bullet points in accordance to web usability best practice
Regular web copywriting standards apply. Users don’t want to read blocks of text.
4. Include a link to a more detailed privacy policy
Show you have nothing to hide by linking through to a reader-friendly privacy policy, written to address the FUD (fears, uncertainties and doubts) that your visitors are likely to have.
In addition to crafting your copy, download EU Cookie Law: a Guide to Compliance which includes information on performing a cookie audit, adhering to the ICO’s requirements and understanding your UI options for implementation.
Image credits
Edudemic
The Daily Dose
The New Yorker
Original post by Linda Bustos
Small business ecommerce website experts offer their design tips — and advice on hiring a designer — to help you attain ecommerce success.
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
Demandware, Inc. , a global leader in on-demand ecommerce, today announced its expanded Multichannel Commerce Offering with its new solution, a comprehensive and prescriptive framework that enables high-growth retailers to extend the power of digital commerce to point-of-sale, kiosks, smart phones, tablets and other web-enabled devices.
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
Today Alltopics.com has launched a new information source on the topic of Ecommerce. Alltopics.com is a news information site that instantly compiles the top news articles of the day or week on a given topic. The information is always interesting, since the news is rated by popularity based on Facebook, Twitter and Google+. Ecommerce.alltopics.com has now included the top issues on the menu of …
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
Looking to make your mark with customer communications? Trust our team of experts to efficiently get your message across with our latest email and social media marketing services.
In an age where consumers are surrounded by marketing messages (as many as 5,000 per day according to Yankelovich Research), it’s more important than ever to deliver targeted messages exactly where your customers are.
But where, exactly, are your customers spending time online? It’s simple: email inboxes and social media sites.
In fact, social networks now account for 20% of time spent online, while 92% of internet users actively check email. In other words, if you’re not engaging customers here, you’re ignoring a gold mine of marketing opportunity.
Fortunately, our team ofexperts is here to help, thanks to our new email and social media marketing services. We understand that you’re busy running your business and may not have time to adequately execute these effective marketing strategies. That’s why we’re happy to diligently research your customers and industry, ensure engaging, brand appropriate creative and actively monitor your results to keep you fully informed of your success.
Each of our affordable plans is designed to provide effective results, no matter your experience or budget. To get started, check out more details at the following webpages:
If you have additional questions, give one of our friendly consultants a call at 1.800.646.3517 x 105.
Happy selling!
-Volusion Services Team
Original post by Lauren
Last week we noted that the draft ICANN FY 2013 Budget contained $175,000 in funding for two “Summits” to be devoted to reconfiguring the Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS) rights protection mechanism for new gTLDs in order to achieve a “lower cost model” (http://internetcommerce.org/URS-Summits).
Original post by Philip Corwin
Is it the year of the mobile yet?
Perhaps tablet penetration is only 13%, but 69% of tablet owners make a purchase from their device every month.
This week’s infographic is courtesy of Mobtext and inMobi: The Role of Connected Devices in the Customer Sales Journey. It breaks down how tablets, laptops and mobile phones are used at home, at work and on the go throughout the purchase funnel.
Click to enlarge infographic to full size
Surprised that tablets are rarely used in the purchase funnel on the go? Not so surprising when you consider 9 out of 10 tablet owners prefer wifi to 3G. Smartphones are more likely to be connected to 3G, and perhaps tablet owners don’t want to shop over insecure wireless networks.
Considering many report tablet conversion rates to be the same or higher than desktop, ignore your mobile strategy at your own peril.
Original post by Linda Bustos
“Making the decision to have a child – It’s momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”- Elizabeth Stone
Volusion would like to take this opportunity to remind sons and husbands across the nation that Mother’s Day is THIS SUNDAY, so don’t forget! Oh, and more importantly, we’d like to say Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms out there who so selflessly give their energy, time and endless love to their children and grandchildren.
In honor of Mother’s Day, here are some fun facts about Moms!
1st Mother’s Day: May 10, 1908; Founded by Anna Jarvis; made a national holiday in 1914 by President Wilson
Total amount of money spent on Mother’s Day Cards annually: $671 billion
Busiest Phone Day: 68% of people plan to call Mom on Mother’s Day, totaling 122.5 million phone calls
Card Giving: 50% of households give Mother’s Day cards, totaling some 152 million cards
Total number of mothers in the world today: 2 billion (82.5 million in the U.S.)
Number of Diaper Changes for Moms: 7,300 by baby’s 2nd birthday
Diaper Changing Speed: Moms take 2 minutes, 5 seconds (adds up to three 40-hour work weeks each year!)
Giving Attention: Preschooler requires mom’s attention once every 4 minutes or 210 times per day
Most Kids: Mrs. Vassilyev of Russia gave birth to 69 children between 1725 and 1765
Oldest Mom: Rosanna Dalla Corte gave birth to a baby boy when she was 63 years old in Italy in 1994
Heaviest Newborn: Signora Carmelina Fedele gave birth to a 22 lb 8 oz boy in Italy in 1955 (Whoa, I thought my 9.2lb baby was big!)
Working Mom Stats: 72% of moms with children over one year old work (about the same as childless women), vs. 39% in 1976. Also, 55% of moms with a child under one year old work, vs. 31% in 1976.
Mom Chores: Moms with a full-time job spend 13 hours working at the office or at home on family chores
I think those stats say it all…Moms rock!
On a side note, all you Moms out there who own your own business (online or not), make sure to enter our Volusion Mompreneur Makeover Contest and read the other entries. They’re incredibly inspirational (I’ve cried a couple of times reading them), and we’re in awe of all you do as entrepreneurs and mothers.
Also, make sure to visit our Mompreneur Pinboard on the Volusion Pinterest page for fun recipes, inspiration or just a good laugh.
Happy Mother’s Day and Happy Selling!
Molly Sylestine, PR Associate (and new Mom), Volusion
*sources: DIY Father, Pro Flowers
Original post by Lauren
eCC Cloud is a SaaS application that connects eCommerce platforms with QuickBooks Online through Intuit Partner PlatformSan Francisco, CA (PRWEB) May 10, 2012 Webgility, a leading provider of eCommerce integration software, launches its latest product eCC Cloud for eCommerce merchants using QuickBooks Online. eCC Cloud is a SaaS application that enables eCommerce merchants to integrate their …
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
MONTCLAIR, NJ– - CorraTech, a leading provider of eCommerce and Multi-Channel Commerce solutions, announced today it has been presented with the 2011 Magento Partner Excellence Award. CorraTech received …
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
Ignify eCommerce is listed as a platform to be considered by small and medium-size companiesLong Beach, CA (PRWEB) May 10, 2012 Forrester Research’s April 2012 report, “SMB eCommerce Solutions 2012,” cites Ignify eCommerce in its research as one of the solutions that small and medium-size businesses should consider when selecting an e-commerce system. …
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
GSI Commerce, a leading provider of ecommerce and interactive solutions, today announced that it has been selected by Karmaloop to handle fulfillment, freight and warehouse management under a multiyear contract.
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
Demandware®, Inc. , a leader in on-demand ecommerce, will host its second annual Demandware XChange Conference on May 14-16, 2012 at the Westin Copley Place in Boston, Massachusetts.
Original post by Ecommerce - Yahoo! News Search Results
With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, we looked back on some of our favorite “mom-isms” we often heard growing up. And as is the case with most adults, we now realize that mom was right about just about everything. But did you know that some of mom’s most common quotes also apply to your online business?
Here’s a look at three motherly sayings you can use to keep your customers happy, and more importantly, keep from turning them away.
What’s one sure-fire way to turn off potential customers? Talk negatively about your competitors on public channels. Think about it: if you’re comfortable blasting your adversaries at the drop of hat, chances are you‘ll have no problem doing the same to your customers. So, keep your tweets and status updates pleasant, informative and about your company only (unless you’re sending out kudos).
As your mother probably told you, “kill them with kindness.” In the case of online selling, kill them with better prices, excellent customer service and a great looking website.
Make your brand experience all about your customers, instead of all about you. While it’s tempting to talk about how incredible you and your products are, customers are more concerned about how your business and products can help them. Remember, people buy goods and services because they have a need that has to be fulfilled, not because of how incredible you claim to be.
If you absolutely have to brag about your company, there’s a better way to do it. Use your customers to tell the story of your business by requesting that they review your site or services. Their words will seem more genuine and provide a better idea of who you are and what you have to offer to future customers.
Believe it or not, we can all learn from what mom said here. If you’ve attracted an online shopper to enter your website, chances are they’re looking to make a purchase, so it’s important for you to steer them in the right direction. By creating clear calls-to-action, you’ll create a sense of urgency for shoppers that’ll make them more likely to purchase.
While nobody likes a pushy business owner, it’s important to guide customers through your website with great product listings and easy navigation. Keep their attention with clear and interesting visuals and product descriptions and you’ll be well on your way to closing the sale in no time.
Thanks for life lessons, mom! What’s the best advice your mom gave to you that you’ve applied to your online business?
Happy selling!
Lauren Hill, Social Media Associate, Volusion
Are you a mom turned mompreneur? Don’t forget to check out our Mompreneur Makeover Contest that we’re currently holding in your honor.
Original post by Lauren
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