Archive for e-commerce

Offline deliverability problems…

// October 24th, 2009 // No Comments » // e-commerce

Typically ‘deliverability problems’ for an online business means problems with their email marketing, but for many small online businesses around the UK the Royal Mail strikes have created a whole new type of  deliverability problem.

For businesses that are used to focusing on their PPC ROI and website conversion ratio, it’s often easy to take the normally reliable distribution of customers orders for granted. The recent strikes have resulted in a change of focus for pro-active, customer focused businesses from online to offline. Over the last week time has been spent:

  • Researching, contacting and negotiating with alternative couriers.
  • The implementation of a new third party courier into daily workflow and IT infrastructure (online & offline).
  • Adding and updating online content to keep customers informed and reduce the impact on their conversion rate.
  • The cost of upgrading customers orders to the least effected postal service Royal Mail offer (whilst negotiating with couriers) to ensure timely delivery and customer satisfaction.
  • Dealing with the increase in customer communication via phone, email and live chat that delayed deliveries causes.

Large volume mail order businesses are in the envious position of having the resources to be able to switch couriers and take a fairly small hit on their bottom line, but for a small-scale e-commerce venture that relies on Royal Mail the strikes have had a serious impact:

Quantitative estimates of the number of items delayed (30 – 65 million items!) gives only a partial impression of the real impact on businesses around the UK that rely on post as a key part of their business. The unknown factor in all of this is customer perception, will people simply not even consider firing up Google and searching for the item they need to purchase. Instead heading for the safe harbour of the local high street, knowing that it maybe more expensive, but that potential delivery problems are not a factor in their buying decision.

One thing is certain, ‘bricks and mortar’ shops on the high street will have benefited from all of this.

Only 94 Online Shopping Days…

// September 21st, 2008 // No Comments » // e-commerce

until Christmas! The reminder of how many shopping days that were left appeared in a number of online e-commerce stories to emphasize the fact that Christmas starts earlier every year online and that the countdown to 2008 has already begun.

At a recent event the Google Keynote highlighted that Google Trends data led them to believe that September 15th was the date that Christmas 2007 started online. That seems to have been beaten this year with Internet Retailing reporting that MyVoucherCodes.co.uk saw 47% of it’s traffic over the weekend of the 13th-14th September coming from Christmas Gifting related terms.

As a response to this surge in gifting related terms MyVoucherCodes.co.uk have put live their Christmas Deals and Discounts page, which even at this time is well populated with promotional offers from a wide range of retailers. So, if you’re not in the middle of preparing the go live for Christmas 2008 online, it’s probably worth starting soon!

Three e-commerce developments worth a look…

// September 14th, 2008 // No Comments » // e-commerce

Whilst browsing Internet Retailer today there were three stories that made me sit-up and pay closer attention to the headlines I was skim-reading:

1. Website Independent Gift/Wish Lists

One of those moments when you think – ‘Damn wish I’d thought of that’. The system has been developed by US retailer Best Buy, but in Web 2.0 tradition they’ve turned it into an seperate online service named – Giftag. Take a look at the Giftag site, where there are short videos of how it all works.

2. Consumer Reviews Everywhere and Anywhere

A new US service called TurnTo that allows you to see what your friends think of products and brands whilst on participating online retail sites.

TurnTo turns your customers into trusted references for their friends regarding your site and the things you sell. Nothing is more persuasive than advice from friends your visitors know and trust.

The big challenge her is to get the TurnTo brand established and build up a good size userbase for it be worthwhile using. Maybe a tight integration with an existing network like Facebook could give this idea a kick-start?

3. Transactional Banner Adverts

Not the first time I’ve heard about these (NMA had some coverage on a scheme trialled by Boots 6 months ago), but with Christmas just around the corner the idea of a customer being able to complete an order on someone else’s website within a transactional banner advert does sound like an interesting development.

Wanted: Magento Developer…

// August 29th, 2008 // 1 Comment » // e-commerce

I’m on the look out for an individual or company that’s experienced with the relatively new e-commerce platform Magento. Our current e-commerce solution has done extremely well, but it’s time to move to a more substantial e-commerce solution. If you can help, email me – info [@] simonlilly.co.uk