May 21, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

The upcoming Lost Series Finale on Sunday is generating buzz online as people search for any information they can find pertaining to the last show. On top of information searching for the Lost Finale, people are also shopping online for Lost products. Not all fans of Lost started watching the show in Season 1, as many people have been recently turned on to the TV show and started catching up on prior seasons. Regardless if you are a new fan or an old fan, the bottom line is that you are hooked like millions of other Lost fans who are anxious and excited to see how the TV show will conclude. In anticipation of the Lost Series Finale on Sunday, people are buying a variety of Lost products online to remember this great American TV series. Below we have listed 5 of the Lost products which people are buying online in preparation for Lost finale parties. If you do not want a traditional Lost item like the ones below, consider attending the event Lost: The Auction, which will take place this summer in Los Angeles. Lost fans can preview some of the auction items now at the Profiles in History website, like Alex & Karl’s Slingshots with Stunt Rocks or Charlie’s “DS” Ring.

Lost: The Complete Sixth And Final Season (Pre-order)

If you want to be one of the first Lost fans to have the sixth and final season on DVD or Blu-ray, then you want to pre-order it now. This item comes out on August 24, 2010.

Lost: The Complete Seasons 1-5 on DVD or Blu-ray
If you do not already have the complete collection of Lost, then you might need to look into Lost: The Complete Seasons 1-5 on DVD or Blu-ray. This is a great addition to any DVD or Blu-ray collection, and if you also pre-order season 6, then you can get completely Lost anytime you want.

McFarlane Toys LOST Series 1 Set of 6 Action Figures

Todd McFarlane has been producing cool collectible action figures for various TV shows and movies for many years, and you still have a chance to get a set of 6 action figures from the Lost Series 1 set. This is a unique piece for serious Lost collectors.

LOST Dharma Pint Glasses – Set of 6

The Dharma symbols maybe one of the most well known and popular visuals that people recognize from the Lost TV show. If you want to watch Lost in style while drinking a beer, then you might want to get a set of 6 LOST Dharma Pint Glasses like other fans.

LOST I’ve Been Lost for 6 Seasons Men’s or Women’s T-Shirt
If you are a die-hard fan that has been wrapped up in this show for 6 seasons, then you might want to get this official I’ve Been Lost for 6 Seasons t-shirt. ABC offers a men’s and women’s version of the “I’ve Been Lost for 6 Seasons” t-shirt.

May 21, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

While you may think that the Season Finale of Lost and Google’s recognition of PacMan’s 30th birthday have nothing in common, the fact is that the combination of the two may make today the least productive day in the history of online business.* Faced with the season finale of Lost just 2 days away, a countless number of Lost fans are staying home for a long weekend to take in the phenomenon from episode one, timing it perfectly so that they can watch every episode up to this past Tuesday’s and be done with 10 minutes to spare before the finale preview show at 7/6 central (OK, maybe I just wish I was doing this). Despite this already low work force, on the stroke of midnight, Google flipped the switch that turned their logo into an interactive PacMan game too addicting to navigate away from. Yes, while ABC and Google did not plot the demise of productivity with this two pronged attack, it is quite clear that this one-two punch might even give Facebook a run for its money in the category of greatest time-suck.

So what does it all mean for you? Well, before panicking to the point of forcing your entire office to work by candle light and communicate through snail mail, it’s possible that we all can learn a lesson from today that will help to recoup the losses brought on by Lost and Google PacMan.

The fact of the matter is, Google PacMan and Lost have something in common beyond joining forces to steal the world’s attention span today. The two are perfect examples of how stickiness can be very successful. Their methods to success suggest that achieving stickiness can be done through something as simple as a logo change or as complex as a serialized television drama that lasts for 6 years. As an ecommerce merchant, stickiness can mean the difference between brand recognition and profit gains, or just getting by. Unfortunately, Achieving stickiness is not as easy as putting super glue on a co-worker’s computer, instead you will need to think outside of the box.

So What Can You Do To Achieve Stickiness??

Step 1. Identify What Your Visitors Need
Visitors to your ecommerce store are in search of a product and usually are looking for a good deal as well. The Internet lets visitors comparison shop with ease, so if they can find your product cheaper somewhere else, they might not buy from you. But what they need to make a purchase isn’t always finding the best deal. Often, it’s actually trust. Take a lesson from Google and Lost. Google became an authority search engine because it gained trust from its visitors by providing the best possible results rather than selling their organic results to the highest bidder (think about how Paid Inclusion harmed trust in Yahoo). Lost, has never underestimated their viewers; the writers don’t sugar coat things or hold a viewer’s hand to help them understand what is going on. Instead, they trust that the viewer is smart enough to get it on his/her own. As an ecommerce merchant, offering the best deal might not always win you a customer, especially since the cheaper you go, the more likely they are to feel like it’s too good to be true. Instead, you need to establish trust with the customer by ensuring your online store has an up-to-date look and feel, shipping packages in a timely manner, providing a clear phone number for people to call with questions, and providing the tools necessary to suggest the best products to your visitors rather than the products that will make you the most money. By identifying your visitors needs, you will be able to provide solutions that will earn their trust and turn them into customers.

Step 2. Identify Your Most Visited Pages

Now that you know what your visitors need, you need to provide it at the right place and the right time. Google knows that their home page gets millions of daily visits, which is why that page is the best place to display changes and updates like today’s logo. ABC changed the time-slot of Lost 2 times over the past 6 years, getting it to a place where the most eyes would see it. Once you have identified what your users need, create a solution that helps them find it and place this solution on your most visited page or pages. This could be something as simple as a customer service phone number or as complex as an interactive widget that lets people input what they need and get matched to the best products.

Step 3. Update Often

The twists and turns of Lost may frustrate fans that just want their questions answered, but there’s no doubt about it, these changes keep fans coming back for more. Similarly, Google changes their logo very often as a way to commemorate an event or holiday. Because of this, people often check the Google home page just to see if there’s a special logo on display. Take a tip from Google and Lost and give your visitors a reason to keep coming back to your online store. This can be daily tips, a blog, or a daily product deal. A deal of the day is probably your best bet, as it almost always ensures some sales that day. Also, it shows your customers that you are always working on your storefront, which helps them know that they’ll be able to access support should they have questions about a product.

Conclusion: By Becoming Sticky, Your Online Store Can Also Steal Someone’s Attention Span
If you make it your goal to own the attention span of your customers, then you too will help lower the productivity of someone working at their cubicle counting down the minutes to the weekend!

*This point is not grounded in fact. It is simply what we see happening here at the ZippyCart office and we truly hope it is happening everywhere else!

May 21, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

While you may think that the Season Finale of Lost and Google’s recognition of PacMan’s 30th birthday have nothing in common, the fact is that the combination of the two may make today the least productive day in the history of online business.* Faced with the season finale of Lost just 2 days away, a countless number of Lost fans are staying home for a long weekend to take in the phenomenon from episode one, timing it perfectly so that they can watch every episode up to this past Tuesday’s and be done with 10 minutes to spare before the finale preview show at 7/6 central (OK, maybe I just wish I was doing this). Despite this already low work force, on the stroke of midnight, Google flipped the switch that turned their logo into an interactive PacMan game too addicting to navigate away from. Yes, while ABC and Google did not plot the demise of productivity with this two pronged attack, it is quite clear that this one-two punch might even give Facebook a run for its money in the category of greatest time-suck.

So what does it all mean for you? Well, before panicking to the point of forcing your entire office to work by candle light and communicate through snail mail, it’s possible that we all can learn a lesson from today that will help to recoup the losses brought on by Lost and Google PacMan.

The fact of the matter is, Google PacMan and Lost have something in common beyond joining forces to steal the world’s attention span today. The two are perfect examples of how stickiness can be very successful. Their methods to success suggest that achieving stickiness can be done through something as simple as a logo change or as complex as a serialized television drama that lasts for 6 years. As an ecommerce merchant, stickiness can mean the difference between brand recognition and profit gains, or just getting by. Unfortunately, Achieving stickiness is not as easy as putting super glue on a co-worker’s computer, instead you will need to think outside of the box.

So What Can You Do To Achieve Stickiness??

Step 1. Identify What Your Visitors Need
Visitors to your ecommerce store are in search of a product and usually are looking for a good deal as well. The Internet lets visitors comparison shop with ease, so if they can find your product cheaper somewhere else, they might not buy from you. But what they need to make a purchase isn’t always finding the best deal. Often, it’s actually trust. Take a lesson from Google and Lost. Google became an authority search engine because it gained trust from its visitors by providing the best possible results rather than selling their organic results to the highest bidder (think about how Paid Inclusion harmed trust in Yahoo). Lost, has never underestimated their viewers; the writers don’t sugar coat things or hold a viewer’s hand to help them understand what is going on. Instead, they trust that the viewer is smart enough to get it on his/her own. As an ecommerce merchant, offering the best deal might not always win you a customer, especially since the cheaper you go, the more likely they are to feel like it’s too good to be true. Instead, you need to establish trust with the customer by ensuring your online store has an up-to-date look and feel, shipping packages in a timely manner, providing a clear phone number for people to call with questions, and providing the tools necessary to suggest the best products to your visitors rather than the products that will make you the most money. By identifying your visitors needs, you will be able to provide solutions that will earn their trust and turn them into customers.

Step 2. Identify Your Most Visited Pages

Now that you know what your visitors need, you need to provide it at the right place and the right time. Google knows that their home page gets millions of daily visits, which is why that page is the best place to display changes and updates like today’s logo. ABC changed the time-slot of Lost 2 times over the past 6 years, getting it to a place where the most eyes would see it. Once you have identified what your users need, create a solution that helps them find it and place this solution on your most visited page or pages. This could be something as simple as a customer service phone number or as complex as an interactive widget that lets people input what they need and get matched to the best products.

Step 3. Update Often

The twists and turns of Lost may frustrate fans that just want their questions answered, but there’s no doubt about it, these changes keep fans coming back for more. Similarly, Google changes their logo very often as a way to commemorate an event or holiday. Because of this, people often check the Google home page just to see if there’s a special logo on display. Take a tip from Google and Lost and give your visitors a reason to keep coming back to your online store. This can be daily tips, a blog, or a daily product deal. A deal of the day is probably your best bet, as it almost always ensures some sales that day. Also, it shows your customers that you are always working on your storefront, which helps them know that they’ll be able to access support should they have questions about a product.

Conclusion: By Becoming Sticky, Your Online Store Can Also Steal Someone’s Attention Span
If you make it your goal to own the attention span of your customers, then you too will help lower the productivity of someone working at their cubicle counting down the minutes to the weekend!

*This point is not grounded in fact. It is simply what we see happening here at the ZippyCart office and we truly hope it is happening everywhere else!

May 20, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

Japanese Internet giant, Rakuten, announced that it has finalized an agreement that would allow it to purchase ecommerce site Buy.com. Rakuten has been pushing into the U.S. ecommerce space since 2005, when it acquired affiliate marketing company, LinkShare.com. This new deal to purchase Buy.com will be an all cash transaction which is valued at roughly $250 million, and gives Rakuten a great addition to their U.S. portfolio of Internet companies. In Japan, Rakuten is the top ecommerce site, but this acquisition reinforces their desire to expand globally to become the top ecommerce and Internet company in the world. Outside the U.S., Rakuten has also been expanding as of late with other deals in China, Taiwan, and Thailand. However the Buy.com acquisition could be one of the most strategic to date, as Rakuten has an established affiliate network in the U.S. to allow them to significantly grow the market share for Buy.com.

One challenge that may still be difficult for Rakuten to tackle, is to compete with the big players in U.S. ecommerce like Amazon, Ebay, and Wal-Mart. These companies have been aggressively fighting for ecommerce dollars in the U.S. for the last few years, and Buy.com has a long way to go to give these companies a run for their money. The ecommerce space in Japan is limited, so it is inevitable that companies like Rakuten will need to grow via global opportunities which allow them to expand their market share. Buy.com is based in California, so this infusion of cash and the Japanese company should help contribute to the deficit in the state.

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

A recent report from iVillage/SheSpeaks looked deeper into how influence from the online world factors into the shopping habits of women. The wealth of information online has made it extremely easy for women to do the in-depth research needed to make a confident purchase. Online social networks, some of which are geared specifically towards women, are great places for women to read more about a product or discuss it with their peers. Women are already big followers and fans of their top brands on sites like Twitter and Facebook, with roughly half of the female shoppers in the iVillage/SheSpeaks report indicating this was true. However the study indicated that those social pages are not the big driving force causing women to make purchases, and that other factors were more important. Many women want to find coupons online or product reviews, which allow them to get a great deal and gain more confidence that the product is a good buy.

The biggest trend in the study was that 77% of women surveyed were influenced by peer recommendations, with 68% of purchases being driven by coupons. Therefore it is extremely important for brands to find advocates of their products that will promote them online, and the brands need to make sure corresponding coupons are online that will drive more women into their online store and brick and mortar retail stores. The poor economic conditions over the pas few years has allowed women to use resources online to becoming savvier shoppers that will get the best products they need for the lowest price possible. This trend is likely to continue, regardless if the economy improves, as everyone loves getting a deal with a coupon and feeling confident in their purchase based on product reviews.

May 18, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

Famous singer, Ronnie James Dio, died this past Sunday due to stomach cancer and Ebay is already full of memorabilia from the late singer. Ronnie James Dio is best known for two things, with the first being that he replaced Ozzy Osbourne as the lead singer of Black Sabbath. Dio was also the first to make the “devil horns” hand gesture that became synonymous with the heavy metal music culture. In addition to Black Sabbath, Dio also performed with numerous bands over his career including Rainbow, Elf, Heaven & Hell, as well as his own metal band Dio. Dio must have not been shy about autographing items, as Ebay is flooded with hundreds of pieces of memorabilia, much of which are autographed.

There looks to be at least a dozen autographed guitars, numerous autographed prints and photos, signed CD and albums, as well as a signed drum head. The most expensive items look to be the guitars, which are being listed for up to $999.99 right now. However there are also two Ronnie James Dio signed Tournado Box Sets from the Black Sabbath days, which start at $699.99 and $750. As of now there are over 1,100 items that show up on Ebay for sale or auction when you search for Ronnie James Dio, many of which seem to be from his years with Black Sabbath. This Ebay pattern is quite common, when someone famous passes away, hundreds if not thousands of pieces of memorabilia go up for auction or sale. With Dio, there are also hundreds of random items from Black Sabbath or any merchandise related to Dio also up for sale or auction on Ebay.

May 17, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

At the beginning of this year, Google launched an ecommerce phone store to sell their own Nexus One handset to people directly. However sales of the Google Nexus One were very poor, with only 135,000 units sold in the first 74 days. Whereas other popular smart phones like the iPhone have sold millions during their initial launch period. Google is not giving up with the mobile space, and instead it is reported that these Nexus One smart phones will start to be available in retail stores very soon. Consumers are warming up to the Android platform, but buying a phone direct from Google to run Android was not a success. It has never been a strength of Google to sell direct to consumers, as their main ecommerce effort to date is their online store selling Google and YouTube themed gear.

Another reason why the Google Nexus One and their smart phone ecommerce store did not succeed was poor marketing. There was very little buzz created at the start of the year when Google debuted their ecommerce phone store, however Google traditionally does not spend a lot of money advertising. Unfortunately this venture is one that needed more advertising dollars behind it, so the word could get out about how great this smart phone is when paired with the Android platform. It is unclear if Google will revisit their ecommerce phone store, or just stick to pushing adoption of the Android platform via smart phones sold at mobile retailers. Android based smart phones are gaining in popularity, now clearly leading the way with the Apple iPhone as the go to choices for smart phone fanatics.

May 14, 2010
Guest Post By Baruch Goldwasser of NetSuite

An abandoned shopping cart should not mean a lost sale. With effective marketing you can convert a majority of your abandoned carts into sales. Since the shopper has already told you what products they’re interested in, you have a perfect opportunity to provide that shopper with personalized marketing to help close the sale.

Most ecommerce sites have cart abandonment rates of 60% or more. But few realize that a lot of those are still salvageable transactions. The shopper may have just gotten distracted, clicked away, or closed their browser for later use. If you reach out to them soon and remind them about the product they were interested in, give them more information about it, or give them a discount on that product, many of those sales can be closed.

When a shopper abandons your cart, you should immediately provide them with personalized information to convince them to complete the sale. Send them an email with additional information about the product they abandoned, and with a coupon for that product that is valid for a limited time. This is very easy to do with many shopping cart software solutions. Follow-up with a drip marketing campaign that sends a sequence of emails until the shopper completes the purchase, with additional information pertinent to the product and reminders of the limited time discounts available. But make sure the follow-up emails do not drive the shopper away, and they end as soon as the shopper completes the purchase.

Using intelligent ecommerce business software will make these tactics a breeze. You can set your shopping cart software to automate a process like this and will find that abandoned shopping carts are no longer a loss, but instead an opportunity to build a loyal customer.

May 13, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

More online media companies are working to better monetize their sites and the newest trend is pushing them into ecommerce to add an additional revenue stream to their bottom line. Men’s online media site, Thrillist, already has a huge following, but now their move into ecommerce will give them a much larger audience. Thrillist users will now have exclusive access to private men’s shopping community, JackThreads, as part of their online subscription. This is because Thrillist announced that they would be acquiring JackThreads to help increase revenue and their user base. CEO and Co-founder of Thrillist, Ben Lerer, is very excited about the purchase and the possibilities that this unique combination of companies brings to the table. JackThreads is one of the few group buying sites that focus on men, as most sites target a female demographic. Members of JackThreads can get great deals on new merchandise daily, with sales starting at noon EST. Typical items for sale each day at JackThreads include sunglasses, sneakers, and hoodies.

Jason Ross is the founder and CEO of JackThreads, and he is expected to stay on and continue running the company which will now be part of Thrillist. No official numbers were disclosed on how much Thrillist acquired JackThreads for, but the small company is already profitable which is a great instant benefit. The industry will continue to watch for more of these media and ecommerce partnerships via mergers and acquisitions, as more companies diversify their revenue streams to stay profitable. This trend makes a lot of sense, as these media sites have a massive user base who frequently visit and trust their recommendation for products.

May 11, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

In early April 2010, the dust and ash spewing from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano caused major flight delays throughout Europe. Thousands of people were stranded, and many others were prevented from taking flights to travel anywhere around Europe. This is one of the biggest disruptions in the history of airline travel, and now you can buy part of this historic event via ecommerce sites. Nordicstore.net and Nammi.is are both Icelandic based ecommerce sites where you can purchase some of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano Ash. Many weird things are put up for sale in ecommerce, but the profits from ash sales at Nammi.is will be donated to the ICESAR (www.icesar.com) association. This group has been helping with the safety in the area around the Eyjafjallajökull volcano and has also been helping clean up the farms close to the epicenter of this event. Farmers need to stay in business and their farm sites are a mess after all of the ash fall, which should be cleaned up soon, thanks to ICESAR.

Buying volcanic ash from Eyjafjallajökull is not cheap, as small amounts in a glass container go for $26-$30 depending on which ecommerce site you purchase it from. It is still unclear how many people are buying the volcanic ash online, but Nammi.is did report that most of the orders had come from the US and Australia thus far. People from around Europe are also beginning to purchase the volcanic ash, so it seems that this idea is starting to take off. This online venture may spark similar ecommerce ideas the next time a natural disaster comes around, giving people a chance to buy a piece of the event.

May 10, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

Emarketer senior analyst, Jeffrey Grau, recently completed a report entitled US Retail E-Commerce Forecast: Room to Grow, which indicates that things are trending in the right direction for retail ecommerce. Ecommerce merchants should be happy to hear that 2010 US retail e-commerce sales (excluding travel) should increase by 12.7% on volume of $152 billion. This data, compounded with Q4 data from the US Census Bureau which showed that Q4 2009 had the best gain in 2 years, should give ecommerce merchants added confidence that things are looking up for the sector. Online sales continue to increase as more cost conscious consumers hunt for bargains at ecommerce sites. In addition, online shopping is much easier than the traditional method of driving to a retail shop or mall, which often times does not result in a purchase as you cannot find what you want. Shopping online allows customers easy access to a massive amount of products to review and compare, which would be hard to find in only one retail shop.

Ecommerce merchants should prepare for Q4 2010, as this data shows the sub-par growth is over and sales should be much stronger throughout the rest of the year. Ensure that you have proper information, pictures, and video of your top selling products to entice consumers to purchase online as opposed to going to a traditional retail store. As the younger generation continues to gain access to credit cards, it will result in a a direct increase in the amount of money spend online. The younger, tech savvy generation is more inclined to shop online as they grew up experiencing this option, and enjoying it over traditional retail shopping. Based on data from the report, the online retail ecommerce sales trend looks to continue through at least 2014.

May 7, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

White Castle has been extremely popular over the past few years after movies revolving around the burger chain brought the brand a new group of fans. Those who really love White Castle can even visit their ecommerce store to pick up a wide array of gear with the White Castle logo. At the House of Crave online store for White Castle you can even use their craver customization tool, which allows you to pick an item, logo, and a personal phrase. This allows you to stand out as your White Castle gear will be customized to match your style, but if you want to stand out even more you might check out a couple unique items in the House of Crave. The most unique item is a White Castle scented candle which just went on sale this week, but it is a limited edition item selling for $10 that already sold out their first batch. Net proceeds are going to be donated to Autism Speaks, so it is unclear if people want their house to smell like White Castle, if they want to support autism, or a bit of both. White Castle fans who missed out on the first batch of candles can sign up to receive an update via email as soon as the next batch is ready to purchase at the House of Crave.

It is great that the net proceeds benefit Autism Speaks, but those who have lit the scented candle say that it is too intense and not something enjoyable that they want to smell so closely in their home. However the love of White Castle and desire to support autism is overcoming the strong caramelized onion smell that the candle emits. Those White Castle fans who do love that smell, can spend $25 or more at the House of Crave to get a White Castle air freshener (while supplies last). This could allow the biggest White Castle fans the ability to almost always have the White Castle smell near them at all times. Despite how crazy of an idea this might be, it is definitely a success as all of the people flocking to the House of Crave online store are buying more than scented candles. White Castle burger chains are still only present in the mid-west and east coast, so a scented candle may be as close as those of us on the west coast can achieve.

May 6, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

Consumers are becoming savvier about shopping online at ecommerce sites, therefore expectations have risen as to what they want from their ecommerce shopping experience. There are a variety of things that consumers want when shopping at your ecommerce site with one of the most important being excellent customer service. Ideally consumers want to be able to reach out to your ecommerce site via many mediums like Facebook, Twitter, email, and phone. If you do not make it easy for consumers to get the answers and help they need, then you are likely to lose them to an ecommerce site which is doing a better job of addressing their needs. Another thing that consumers are becoming more accustomed to from ecommerce sites, is a fresh design with simple navigation. People do not want to feel like a website has not had any major redesigns since 2003, as it reduces the ecommerce site creditability because of the out dated look. When at your ecommerce site, you should ensure that consumers can navigate around with ease to find exactly what they want to purchase.

Another aspect of online shopping that consumers want in their ecommerce experience is an increase to site speed and delivery. If a consumer has to wait multiple weeks to receive products they order, then it reduces the allure of shopping online. Consumers want everything fast, from the moment they get to your site, through the shopping cart checkout process, to delivery. An ecommerce site that provides this type of experience, is much more likely to have return visits and new visits as people boast about how much they enjoyed the online shopping experience.

May 5, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

Google announced their plans to get deeper entrenched in the ecommerce space, by offering up ebooks and other digital content which will be compatible with a variety of ereader devices. This expansion into ebooks is a perfect compliment to their book search service and many view this effort as a precursor for the release of a Google tablet computer. It is not officially confirmed yet by Google, but the addition of a tablet computer to their ecommerce ebook store would be a smart move. It would allow them to compete directly with the Apple iPad and Amazon Kindle, and give them access to even more information about what consumers are doing online. However Google has not yet shown great success selling their own products, as indicated by the Google Nexus One Phone which is experiencing slow sales. This new ebook venture will be called Google Editions, as that generic term will cover all digital content you can purchase through their ecommerce ebook store to use on a variety of ereader and tablet devices.

Amazon and their Kindle ereader have been dominating the space for a couple years, but their ebooks currently have some limitations and cannot be used on other ereaders, although you can read Kindle ebooks on an Apple iPhone or iPad. Most consumers still prefer reading Amazon Kindle books on the actual Kindle device since it is tailored for just that, unlike the iPhone or iPad which are not 100% intended to be ereaders. Google definitely has the reach to attract millions of people to their ecommerce ebook store, and they also have the ability to easily allow any book retailer or shop to sell Google Editions on their own site. One thing still up in the air is who will set the price for ebooks, whether it will be Google or the publishers controlling the digital price.

May 4, 2010
Guest Post By David Mitzenmacher, Chief Customer Officer, Volusion

Every entrepreneur knows that repeat customers are more profitable than new ones. This fact is amplified for online businesses, where most first-time visitors come through relatively high-dollar channels, like pay-per-click advertising.

What can online merchants do to ensure that more of their customers are coming back again and again? Here are three easy steps you can use to turn that first-time buyer into a repeat customer.

Keep in touch

Too many online merchants treat the first sale with a customer as a transaction, as opposed to the beginning of a new relationship. This wasted opportunity is staggering – with just a few easy strategies, you can easily begin developing each new customer into a loyal advocate.

• Use your automatically generated order confirmation email messages to introduce yourself and direct new customers to your company’s Facebook, Twitter and other social media accounts. This is a great time to establish connections which can have a long term benefit.
• Send out a monthly email newsletter that contains helpful information about your products. By staying at the top of your customers’ inbox, you can position yourself at the top of their mind. The key is offering useful, valuable content that your customers look forward to reading every month. (Bonus tip: make sure you are asking new customers to sign up for your newsletter during the checkout process!)

Make loyalty worth something

You shouldn’t be the only one benefiting from the relationship. Loyalty is a two-way street, and it is crucial that you give customers a reason to be loyal to your company.

• Each month, include a special coupon code in your email newsletter. Not only will this generate additional sales, it will also decrease the unsubscribe rate for your newsletter.
• Periodically offer special incentives to customers who follow you on Twitter and Facebook.
• Some shopping cart software providers offer built-in loyalty rewards programs, which is an easy way to attract repeat shoppers. Many merchants also report an increase in their average order total because of customers buying additional items to gain more rewards points.

Let your raving fans help you grow your business

How easy do you make it for your customers to tell their friends about you? If this isn’t a part of your growth strategy, it should be! Shoppers trust recommendations, which can easily translate to increased sales, lower acquisition costs and a higher conversion rate.

• Make it easy for your customers to share your products with their friends. This can be as simple as allowing them to email a product to their friends, but many merchants are seeing even better results by enabling their customers to share a product across a variety of social networks.
• Allow your customers to leave product reviews. It’s a fact: customer reviews increase conversion rates. Make sure you are taking advantage of this shopping cart feature, because chances are your competition is!
• Consider creating an affiliate program as a way for your customers to be rewarded when they refer new customers to you. By offering a tangible incentive for referrals, you can create an army of passionate promoters who are selling your products for you.

These ideas provide a solid foundation for you to build a growing army of advocates that will help grow your online business. Keep in mind that once you establish relationships with repeat customers, it is important to invest the time in maintaining that relationship. The benefits of creating this type of loyal legion are undeniable.

Happy selling!

-David Mitzenmacher, Chief Customer Officer, Volusion

The Volusion shopping cart is considered an all-in-one ecommerce solution because of its robust feature set that empowers the merchant to not only run their online store, but also market the store with a 5 tier affiliate system, email marketing tools, and more. What many merchants do not know, though, is that Volusion considers customer service its primary focus. Because of this, they hired a Chief Customer Officer before hiring a CFO. Volusion CCO, David Mitzenmacher, works extremely hard to ensure that all Volusion customers are happy and have the tools necessary to make their online business a success. His in-depth knowledge of the customer experience makes him an expert in the field of consumer needs and behavior. Because of this, we asked him to help give all our Zippy readers the above tips on creating loyal customers.

May 4, 2010
By the ZippyCart Ecommerce Software Reviews Content Team

Major retailers are getting serious about ecommerce in 2010, planning to invest more money into improving and expanding their online presence, which the e-tailing group 9th Annual Merchant Survey indicates. Specifically 59% are planning on investing more this year, then they did in the prior year, in their ecommerce efforts. As broadband penetration has increased across the U.S. and ecommerce sites have improved, it has made the online shopping process even easier for people. There are a variety of things that retailers are doing to ensure that their ecommerce sites are generating online sales to help drive revenue for their company. The beauty of the ecommerce channel is that it is easily measurable and performance driven, with merchants continually striving to improve conversion rates and maximize ROI. Therefore, much of the investment from retailers this year will be on initiatives that will help conversion rates, with projects like site redesigns, cross-sells, A/B testing, and analytics.

Retailers are also looking into other ecommerce investments in 2010 to help position themselves to capitalize on the uptick in consumer spending which is expected as the economy rebounds over the next few years. Other projects include improving customer service, increasing customization and personalization options, advancing social networking efforts, and ecommerce blogs. Video is also another component which retailers are adding more and more to their ecommerce sites to help conversion, as customers get a better feel for the products via video. Lastly, mobile is still top of mind for many retailers, but it is lower on the list compared to other previously mentioned initiatives. As mobile technology improves in the U.S., and more people shift to smart phones, retailers will jump on board and shift more budget toward those efforts.