Online Marketing

Over the last few years, Home Depot has expanded its retail stores aggressively, adding more than 200 outlets annually. However, the retailer has recently embarked on a $1.1 billion program aimed at improving its web presence while planning to dramatically reduce the number of new store openings to around 10 in 2011.

Antique and collectibles shoppers are now using Skype to communicate in real time with dealers as they shop on RubyLane.com. Company spokesperson Palmer Pekarek said many of Ruby Lane's sellers have enabled Skype in their shops so they can provide answers to questions and develop relationships with shoppers. Both buyer and seller must have Skype to communicate via instant messaging and can also engage in video conversations.

Predictive analytics can allow you to best find who you should be contacting, what should you be offering, when to make the offer and how to make the offer for optimum results.

Using a multi-store e-commerce strategy can significantly increase customer acquisition, loyalty and conversion rates. Leading online retailers are currently benefiting from an effective multi-store ecommerce strategy, now is the time to learn how.

We're excited to offer you Retail Online Integration's 50 best tips of 2010. Our editorial staff reviewed every word published in our print publication, e-newsletter (The ROI Report) and website over the past year. From there, we've extracted the best money-making and cost-saving pointers. Enjoy.

To unveil its new fall line of fashion footwear — and capture the surge of consumers gravitating towards online video — women's fashion footwear, handbags and accessories cross-channel retailer Nine West launched a clickable online video campaign. For the campaign, Nine West partnered with ConciseClick, a provider of online clickable video, and debuted the technology in late August.

Sephora has announced the launch an online social shopping community for Sephora customers.  Customers can use the service to talk about the products they're buying, discover trending products, and write product reviews to share with others.

The 2010 Mindset of a Multi-Channel Shopper Survey gives insight on how multi-channel retailers can refine their marketing, merchandising and promotions strategies to effectively reach holiday shoppers. 

In a post on its Facebook page, Wal-Mart launched the deals app Crowdsaver, which unlocks a discount once enough consumers opt in - much like the group deals phenomenon the start-up Groupon has made popular in recent months.