Posted by: Andy on January 31st, 2005
Category: General eBusiness
Viewed: 925 times
Since 1997, a US based e-commerce consultancy the E-Tailing Group has been buying products from 100 web sites a year. The firm then records and tabulates the results of its shopping experiences, using the data to help them advise clients and set e-commerce benchmarks. Some of this research is published for public use.
For example, the firm found,
The best technology doesn’t make the sale. If someone has live chat but they have crummy products or bad prices, it’s not going to make shoppers purchase. Closing the sale is still all about product — rich content, virtual modeling or bulletin boards won’t move SKUs that people don’t want or that are priced too high.
Interested in learning more? Read this article at e-commerceguide.com and click through to the firm’s website for up to date research from the 2004 holiday shopping season.
Be the first to comment »
Posted by: Andy on January 30th, 2005
Category: General eBusiness
Viewed: 887 times
We’ve done it! A recent Ipsos Reid study shows that, after two years of flat on-line gift shopping, Canadians increased their on-line gift purchasing during the 2004 holiday season to outspend Americans online. The Globe and Mail reports on the survey:
More than 3.5 million adults purchased at least one gift on-line, up from 2.2 million in 2003, representing an increase of 59 per cent. The increase beat figures released in the United States, which indicate that on-line shopping south of border increased only 29 per cent this past holiday season.
Of course, we have a long way to go before we consistently outspend American shoppers, but this rise does indicate that we are becoming more comfortable with the online sales platform.
Read the rest of this article here.
Be the first to comment »
Posted by: Andy on January 29th, 2005
Category: General eBusiness
Viewed: 921 times
Webopedia is a great resource for technology related ‘did you know’ information. For example, their newest ‘did you know’: What is a server? provides a comprehensive explanation of what servers are, the different types of servers that are out there and the kinds of jobs servers do. And the nice thing is that it’s all explained in plain english.
This online encyclopedia can also keep you up to date on the newest tech terms, or you can enter a word for definition, or even search by category.
Now, you’re probably itching to find out what a server is, right? Check it out here.
Be the first to comment »
Posted by: Andy on January 28th, 2005
Category: General eBusiness
Viewed: 903 times
We may have mentioned the Government of Canada’s exporting website, but did we tell you about their guide: Exporting to the US? We get a high number of clients in our offices who’s target markets have unexpectedly expanded since they began selling online. As a Canadian, selling to the US market has it’s own set of challenges. And most small business owners who happen into it by accident, don’t realize that they are actually exporting, and that there are certain regulations that they should be aware of. Check out this site and this US guide for practical information on US market research, customs clearance, getting paid and more. By the way, if you have questions about exporting, there is also a phone number available on the site which will connect you to an export specialist.
Be the first to comment »
Posted by: Andy on January 27th, 2005
Category: General eBusiness
Viewed: 883 times
Need to hire a web designer but don’t know where to look for one, or what questions to ask to ensure you get the right designer for your project? Susan Villecroze (a Vancouver web designer) just published a pretty comprehensive article on sitepoint.com on just this topic.
In it, she outlines how you should determine your website needs, how to research designers and assess their qualifications, the difference between freelancers and full service firms, and she even goes over pricing and contracts.
No matter what you’re budget, it’s worth a read — the more informed you are about the process, the more likely you’ll get just what you want in a website.
Read the article here.
Be the first to comment »
