In this FREE whitepaper, eM+C has pulled together 13 tips we believe comprise the best mobile tactics and strategies our experts have to offer to succeed in mobile marketing and advertising.
E-Commerce
As we dive into the second decade of e-commerce as a mass market retailing vehicle, it's important that retailers identify some of the solutions which could have as big of an impact on this second decade as live chat and free shipping had on the last.
Launched on June 23, 2009, as an online marketplace not unlike eBay, Alice.com enables CPG manufacturers to sell their household essentials — think toothpaste, laundry detergent, trash bags, toilet paper, etc. — direct to consumers. By making thousands of products typically not found online available for purchase, Alice.com has tapped into an underserved market, albeit surprisingly so to the company's founders.
How do you get the result you want out of your redesign or upgrade project? Start by avoiding the common mistakes that lead to costly project overruns, long delays and plenty of second-guessing.
More and more, traditional media sites and magazines are entering the world of e-commerce, while more and more e-tailers are offering content that's very similar to what could be found in fashion magazines.
Lunchtime wouldn't be nearly so fabulous for budget-conscious fashionistas if it weren't for Alexis Maybank and Alexandra Wilkis Wilson. The duo joined forces in 2007 to launch Gilt Groupe and bring designer sample sales — famous in New York for inducing tug-of-war frenzies — to an online audience. A few minutes before noon Eastern time each day, the Manhattan company sends an email alert to its nearly three million members, announcing the day's online private sales in women's and men's luxury brands at up to 70 percent off retail prices.
Problem: Lead Apparel, a retailer of men’s, women’s, children's and even baby clothing, as well as accessories, totes and luggage, wanted to launch an e-commerce website.
Problem: Skinstinct, an eco-friendly clothing, towel and spa product designer, manufacturer and distributor, wanted an e-commerce platform that accounted for scalability, security, hosting and checkout.
In the genteel world of luxury, companies long felt that the Web was no place for merchandising exclusive products. And there was a gentlemen’s agreement with department stores not to siphon sales by reaching out directly to wealthy customers. Then, in came the recession, and out went the niceties. Department stores slashed prices on $1,200 handbags, while luxury lines fretted about losing their exclusivity. Now, come September, marcjacobs.com is going retail, 10 years after most brands opened Web showrooms.
1. Online retail growth in the context of overall retail and Amazon.com. Online sales today far outperform retail stores, and they continue to be a bright spot in the industry and a growth driver in retail overall. But retailers should also think about the web's impact on offline sales. "Looking at the impact the web has on offline sales makes you think about things differently, and makes you think about the fact that online sales are just the tip of the iceberg," Silverman said.