September 27, 2010
By the ZippyCart Shopping Cart Reviews Content Team

Many were hoping for a big announcement at the last Apple event earlier this month, that would confirm or deny the latest rumors of a Verizon iPhone, but Steve Jobs stuck to a script that kept the subject off the table. Now, only a few weeks later, Verizon iPhone rumors have resurfaced, and this time leaks are coming from the actual technology companies that are said to be developing iPhones for Verizon’s CDMA network.

Rumors resurfaced last Friday, just 24 hours after Verizon’s CEO, Ivan Seidenberg, suggested that the iPhone would not be a Verizon reality anytime soon. According to a report by Digitimes, the latest rumors can be traced back to Taiwan-based hardware maker Pegatron, who will reportedly start manufacturing a Verizon-compatible iPhone in November. Other rumors say that Verizon is waiting to roll out their LTE 4G network for the iPhone, which should be out by the end of 2010. There are also leaks stating that the CDMA/LTE iPhone is already being tested on Verizon in Boston and component manufacturers are suggesting that Apple is preparing to build at least 3 million Verizon capable iPhones in December to prepare for a January 2011 launch.

As the Verizon iPhone continues to become more of a reality, ecommerce merchants should prepare for a large influx of mobile shoppers. Currently, many websites average 3% of their traffic from iPhone users, which is a number that could easily double with the iPhone expanding to the Verizon network. This means that mobile commerce could become a large revenue stream for many, giving mobile optimized sites a leg up on the competition. If your ecommerce store isn’t setup for mobile phones, consider switching to CoreCommerce or 3dcart before it’s too late.

September 1, 2010
By the ZippyCart Shopping Cart Reviews Content Team

In anticipation for today’s 10am PST Apple event, a variety of Apple related rumors have taken the Internet by storm with regards to what new technology or enhancements the infamous company will unveil today.  While most of these rumors are founded in leaks or logic, some come simply from those who dare to dream big.  One such “dare to dream” rumor is that of the elusive Verizon iPhone.  While this rumor stirs up before every Apple event, it became more of a reality in late June this year when Bloomberg Reporter, Amy Thompson, leaked the rumor that Verizon is set to have the iPhone in 2011, based on confirmations from internal sources.  This rumor was quickly picked up by well-known media outlets, and simply died out rather than meeting with any actual denials from Apple spokespeople.  It is because of this, that many feel today’s Apple event might culminate in the big Verizon iPhone announcement.

Many iPhone users are excited about the prospect of moving to Verizon, as many have reported that “it would be nice for my phone to actually work just as good as a phone as it does a pocket computer.”  Of course, the act of moving to Verizon would cause serious competition for AT&T, who are already needing to compete with Verizon’s answer to the iPhone, the Droid. This impact on AT&T could mean that AT&T will make it harder for Apple to leave, especially when AT&T also powers the 3G capabilities of the iPad and the iPod Touch.

This time last year, many were certain that a Verizon iPhone would be announced, only to face disappointment at the end of Apple’s yearly music event.  Today, we reached out to our own internal sources at Apple asking whether this rumor would ever come to fruition, and were met with mixed responses.  Many stated that an announcement about an Apple iPhone would not occur at a yearly event and instead will happen only a month or two before a move to Verizon.  Others suggested that even those at Apple are waiting in anticipation.  Overall, the overwhelming theme behind the answers we received was this: For the iPhone to go to Verizon, Apple would have to build an entirely new phone to work on Verizon’s technology.  This phone would have to be tested, and will likely not be as advanced as the current iPhone 4. Right now, the iPhone works on mobile technology that many other carriers use, so it is likely that the iPhone would move to those other carriers before Apple ever rebuilds the phone for Verizon.

That said, we can’t ignore the matter of supply and demand.  Many loyal Verizon customers are also avid iPhone fans, but have heard horror stories about dropped calls.  These customers now have the Droid to carry them for awhile, but if the iPhone were to move to Verizon, it’s assumed that many would drop their Droids fast.  Yes, the demand is definitely there with Verizon customers, but the question still remains: Will Apple every provide the supply?

August 30, 2010
By the ZippyCart Shopping Cart Reviews Content Team

Target is capitalizing on the popular online trend of customization, by recently launching a new advertising technology that is intended to provide shoppers with a customized version of their weekly ad. The new product called “My TargetWeekly,” looks to give online shoppers targeted coupons and deals each week that match their interests. It also allows for deals and coupons to be shared on Twitter and Facebook, which is another popular trend as more online retailers figure out ways to utilize social commerce. Facebook is also an entry point for Target shoppers to become part of “My TargetWeekly,” as there is a tab dedicated on Target’s fanpage for signing people up. Additionally consumers can create their own mobile shopping lists, so they can keep track of all the deals they want to buy in-store or online in the future. As Black Friday and Cyber Monday near, it is likely that Target will look to “My TargetWeekly” to drive consumers to their ecommerce site to take advantage of amazing deals.

Industry analysts speculate that this style of targeted deals could become increasingly common among online retailers, as they work to innovate and give consumers a way to keep coming back to shop. Over the past couple years of rough economic times, consumers have become more conscious about how they spend their money, and shopping online has been a great way for them to save. Online spending for Target is always up during the holiday shopping season, but this year some analysts worry that Target may take a hit due to the continued boycott of Target initiated by national political organization, MoveOn.org. Because of this, it is hoped that this new marketing tactic will help bring back some lost customers and keep current customers engaged.

Savvy shoppers love testing out new technologies, as they’re always hunting for the next cool tool to help them find the best deals online. If you are a fan of Target and/or online deals, then the new “My TargetWeekly” technology is something you may want to try out for yourself.

August 2, 2010
By the ZippyCart Shopping Cart Reviews Content Team

The mobile commerce space is heating up as more companies raise money to help advance their efforts, which should help make mcommerce more mainstream in the U.S. and abroad. One of the latest investments in mobile commerce has landed New York based Payfone $11 million in Series B funding. This round of financing was led by Opus Capital, but also included Blackberry partners Fund and RRE Ventures, who was an original investor in Payfone. In addition to this news, it was also announced that former Apple iPhone marketing executive Bob Borchers would join the company’s board. Borchers is a partner with Opus Capital and brings his strong expertise and years of experience to the table to help Payfone advance in the space. Payfone looks to bring a new mobile commerce product to the market, with their mobile payment gateway that works with carriers to let consumers buy from online merchants with their phone number. Then the consumer would be billed for the transaction via pre-paid or contract mobile phone accounts. The company touts a 1-Time Registration and 1-Touch Checkout to make it easy for consumers, plus Payfone gives them security with a subscriber identity based fraud and chargeback prevention.

Payfone said in their announcement that they will use the new investments to help grow their presences in Latin America, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Middle East. The mobile commerce market in the U.S. is progressing very slowly in comparison to other parts of the world, so the move towards international expansion is a smart bet for Payfone. Over the next year, consumers should see more developments in mobile commerce in the U.S., which should give them a better sense of where the market is headed.

July 28, 2010
By the ZippyCart Shopping Cart Reviews Content Team

Dell fans were very excited yesterday as there Dell had reported that the Dell Streak would be available for purchase today, however this was a mistake that is supposed to be corrected. As of last night there were still many mentions on the site that say the Dell Streak will be available in July. Therefore there has been a lot of confusion around the Dell Streak, and many consumers waiting to buy the device are upset due to the error. The Dell Streak is still coming out in the U.S for consumers to purchase, but the release date is not planned to be in July as reported by Dell. Consumers thought that they could sign up for a pre-sale offer, and then get an email with a link to purchase the new Dell Streak phone/tablet hybrid for $299 with a new AT&T contract. Unlocked versions of the Dell Steak are supposed to run $549.99, but official pricing has still not been confirmed. Although it now looks like the pre-sale sign up will not do much for consumers, as everyone is now waiting to hear what the official launch date will be this summer.

Many consumers who have looked into the Dell Streak are a bit unsure where it fits in the smartphone and tablet market, as the device does both. At 5-inches, the Dell Streak is a bit of a mystery since it is smaller than most other tablets and bigger than almost all smartphones. Therefore it is unclear if consumers will jump at a chance to own this device, when they have so many other tablet and smartphone options. Other questions about the Dell Streak revolve around the operating system, which is set to be Android 1.6. Google Android smartphones are currently running the 2.1 operating software, and it is expected that the 2.2 operating software will come to all Android devices by end of year, so running on 1.6 is not very appealing. Once the real pre-sale begins, it will be interesting to see if the Dell Streak will survive, or go down the path of the now defunct Microsoft Kin and Google Nexus.

July 22, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

The ereader market has been heating up as manufactures like Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Sony recently reduced the prices on their ereaders making them more accessible to a wider audience. There are now multiple ereader options for consumers under $200, and new models keep coming out which is helping to drive down the prices. Consumers also have the options to read ebooks on their smart phones or Apple iPad, which makes the market even more competitive. Now Japan based Sharp Corp wants to enter the ereader market by debuting two different devices later this year. Not only does Sharp want to get into the ereader market, they also want to make a dent in ebook distribution when they launch their two devices. Ebooks are becoming increasingly popular, as Amazon recently reported that sales of ebooks have finally started to surpass hardcover books. This is why Sharp has already partnered with publishers in Japan and overseas, so that they can be positioned to have a great selection of digital content when the devices launch later this year.

Sharp ereaders will come in two display sizes, at 5.5 inches and 10.8 inches, but the devices are still in prototype stage. No pricing as been announced yet, but we do know that they will both have color touch screens and read the popular XMDF format. This format is very popular in Japan, and will allow Sharp to compete with Google on their home turf, as they plan to launch Google Editions ebook service in Japan later this year. Consumers will have a variety of choices for the 2010 holiday shopping season, but it is unclear if any of the ereader or ebook distribution services will give Amazon serious competition. Amazon is expected to release a new Kindle ereader next month, which could help them to stay atop the market for 2010.

July 19, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

Verizon debuted the Motorola Droid X at the perfect time, as people were venting online about the antenna issues on the iPhone 4 and Consumer Reports did not recommend it. Therefore it was expected that retail and online sales of the Droid X would be strong, but it was not expected to sell out so fast. Anyone wanting to buy a Droid X online will now have to wait until July 27 for it to ship because of the abnormally high demand. This type of demand may mean that the iPhone 4 is finally facing a worthy competitor, in the $199 Droid X. The Droid X stacks up very well next to the iPhone 4 with a 4.3-inch display, a 1GHz processor, 8GBs of internal data storage, an included 16GB microSD card, an 8.0 mega-pixel camera and the ability to record 720p HD videos. In addition the Droid X will soon get the update to the Android 2.2 operating system (known as Froyo) and Flash 10.1, which will make it an even more attractive option in the smart phone market.

Verizon did not expect to sell out so quickly, as they thought they could handle a high volume of demand when they launched the Droid X. Hopefully this short delay will not scare off too many customers, as they are still excited to get their hands on the new Droid X this month. While the Droid X continue to sell fast, Apple is trying to appease their users who are having antenna issues by giving them a free bumper case. However it is still unclear if the Droid X will really make a dent in the massive market share that the iPhone 4 currently possesses.

June 16, 2010
Guest Post by Jimmy Rodriguez is the CTO and co-founder of 3dcart.

3dcart just released their latest update, 3dcart 3.2. Because this update is rich with social media tools, we asked Jimmy Rodriguez to discuss his views on social commerce and how 3dcart 3.2 helps merchants in this arena:

In today’s wired world, one of the most effective strategies for driving traffic to your site is social media. As a leader in the e-commerce industry and a pioneer in Social Commerce, 3dcart recognizes that social shopping is the new motor driving the e-commerce trend. Based on observations from over 6,000 online businesses looking to tap into the latest social marketing trends, remain competitive and extend their reach; we have found that, when properly used, a close relationship between social media tools and the effects on website traffic and online conversions has been established. For any merchant looking to increase traffic to their site, the 7 social commerce tools listed below will help provide merchants with an easy, simple, yet innovative way to get immersed in the social media and become part of the real-time web.

1) Twitter & Facebook Updates
Without a doubt, the two biggest social media sites on the web today are Facebook and Twitter. With their social networking capabilities at your disposal, you can reach out to fans and friends in a scope that word-of-mouth advertising could never come close to. Use these capabilities to your advantage! For example, post a Facebook status update about your business and product offerings. Announce your promotions by way of a tweet and get your twitter followers (and their followers) to your store.

2) Blog
Most people think of a blog as an online journal. However for business owners like yourself a blog can be a powerful tool to keep your customers “in the loop” about your store’s news and updates! Use a blog to post news about your upcoming products. Post some ideas about how your products can be used, or offer your customers updates about new features within your store.

3) Facebook Store
Rather than using a personal Facebook page, you can create a Facebook Store page for your business, and use it to advertise your products. Acquire fans to your store and post business specific updates about your business to them. But why stop there? With an Online Store Facebook Application, you can easily link your online store directly to your Facebook Fan Page within its own tab! Select which products are displayed, such as products within a specific category, Home Specials or items “On Sale”. What’s more, you can empower your affiliates with the ability to create their own online stores within their Facebook profiles and choose which products will be displayed.

4) YouTube Video Integration
Bring your products to life and improve your visitor experience by adding video footage to your product pages. Product images are important, but a full motion video of your product can really help you sell it to your customers. Many e-Commerce solutions, like 3dcart, allow you to easily search YouTube directly from your store’s control panel, select a video – whether it’s a product review, demonstration or viral commercial – and instantly display it on your product page.

5) Social Bookmarking
Visitors to your site may not always buy at that specific moment in time, but will likely return to your store when they’re ready to purchase. Make it easy for them to return to their favorite products by adding social bookmarking to your products! With Social Bookmarking added to your item listings, your customers can instantly bookmark individual products to their browsers, email, or even to the popular social sites like Facebook and Twitter at the click of a button.

6) Facebook “Like” Button
Add a Facebook “Like” button to your website and let your customers advertise your products for you on their Facebook pages. Their friends can see this and perhaps take enough of an interest in the item to become your customer as well!

7) Embracing Mobile Apps
Mobile phones today are so much more than just phones. In fact, these are essentially hand-held computers complete with Web browsing capabilities used by consumers to share products, information and comments with their friends in real-time. Your online store should provide a complete Mobile Commerce interface for visitors shopping your site on an iPhone, Android or favorite smartphone. This includes optimized pages for Home, Products, Categories, View Cart and Checkout. In this way, Visitors can easily browse and add products to their cart and checkout, all within the Mobile interface.

Making these tools part of your e-commerce strategy will help your business expand into the social era. Thereby generating more traffic and creating an active community of returning customers around your online business.

About the Author:
Jimmy Rodriguez is the CTO and co-founder of 3dcart, a leading Shopping Cart Software provider, that has been helping over 10,000 online merchants grow their businesses and sell online since 1997. 3dcart has grown exponentially in the past 3 years and has just introduced innovative SocialCommerce and mCommerce tools in their new 3.2 release aimed at taking online businesses into a new era.

July 15, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

Since the release of the iPhone 4, Apple has been scrambling to deal with antenna reception issues, customer concerns, and the recent Consumer Reports review, which added fuel to the fire as they confirmed the antenna problem and did not recommend the product. Additionally the new iPhone 4 is facing stiffer competition as the smart phone battle heats up with the release today of the new Droid X on Verizon. Now amidst all the news and rumors, Apple is planning a conference tomorrow morning at 10 a.m in Cupertino, California. However there are not many  details on what exactly Apple will do at the conference, but it is clear that something big is going down and it is confirmed that it will be about the iPhone 4. Apple invited select press to this special conference tomorrow, so there will be a number of sites like Engadget covering the event live as it happens.

The most talked about prediction for the Apple conference tomorrow is that it will there will be an iPhone 4 recall announcement, however most industry analysts doubt that this will happen. An iPhone 4 recall would be a massive undertaking, and could cause major problems for Apple as they work to hold the top spot in the smart phone market. There are a number of other possibilities about what this conference could be about, but many think that Apple will discuss the new software update to iOS 4.1. Developers started to receives iOS 4.1 on Wednesday, but many have already blogged about how the new update does not solve the antenna issue. So if the update does not solve the antenna issue, then how will Apple tackle this problem so that they can continue to sell more iPhones online and in their retail stores? The answer may be free bumpers or discounted bumpers, which have been shown to solve the issue. However iPhone 4 owners do not want to pay extra money for their device to function properly, which increases the likleyhood that Apple may just give the bumpers away for free.

July 2, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

PayPal is expanding their mobile commerce efforts by bringing their extremely popular Express Checkout product to the mobile arena. The new product from PayPal called Mobile Express Checkout, will allow ecommerce merchants with a payment card merchant account to add PayPal as another option. All of the pricing with Mobile Express Checkout is the same as their standard Express Checkout product. Initially this new product will be targeted for Google Android and App iPhone, with support for other mobile platforms coming in the near future. In addition to Mobile Express Checkout, PayPal also announced other advancements for mobile commerce. The biggest of which is that PayPal is working on a new feature for their Adaptive Payments service which allows consumers to pay ecommerce merchants with their credit card while in a mobile application. This new feature would not require a PayPal account, so it is likely that it will be a great success for PayPal and their mobile commerce efforts.

The company has been making progress in the mobile commerce space since 2005 when they began to offer mobile payments. PayPal processed $141 million in mobile payments in 2009, and has expectations that they can exceed $500 million in 2010. Mobile commerce is still in the early stages in the U.S., but the trend is expected to continue to rise as more people purchase the Apple iPhone or Google Android based mobile phones. PayPal wants to secure their position in the mobile commerce space now, so that they will be able to grow with the market and diversify their business efforts to help increase revenues.