August 13, 2009
By the ZippyCart Shopping Carts Content Team
Oregon based Columbia Sportswear recently gave their website a face-lift and for the first time ever added an online shopping channel. This advance in ecommerce will allow them to be on par with competitors in the outdoor industry. Quickly after browsing the Columbia.com website, you will see the extensive amount of inventory they have brought online. The executives at Columbia Sportswear view this ecommerce push as a way to connect directly with consumers instead of relying on other retailers who carry their products. There have not been any financial goals stated that are tied into the online store as it is considered not only as a sales opportunity but a branding opportunity. It will allow visitors to the site to filter products by activity, color, size, price and technology which will help them find the right outdoor gear they need.
Columbia also established a dedicated ecommerce team to oversee the online store operations. Paul Zaengle, senior director for ecommerce recently moved from Polo Ralph Lauren to lead the new group. Last month, as a way to counter poor financial results, they announced the upcoming website to bolster confidence in investors. This push should not only help direct consumer sales online but should also spill over to an increase in visits to traditional brick and mortar stores that Columbia operates. Ultimately the biggest challenge will be penetrating an online market in which they are a very late entrant. Washington based REI for example has had great success selling online and has amassed a huge following which will be tough to match.
Amy is the co-founder of ZippyCart. She went to school for film in Cleveland, Ohio and ended up working in the field of viral video marketing, which eventually led her to her real profession: SEO. When she's not writing for ZippyCart, she can be found out and about Seattle, WA.
Could I quote some of the content of this article and use it on my website, with a credit link back of course