Advertisement
 
 

E-commerce Insights: The Online Retail 2.0 Ideas Tour

Your customers expect a top-notch site. Keep two steps ahead.

December 2006 By Alan Rimm-Kaufman
The Web is an essential channel for catalogers. Customers expect catalog companies to have effective, well-designed e-commerce sites. The Internet is undergoing a period of rapid innovation, often labeled “Web 2.0.” It includes tagging, visual search, wikis and Ajax.

Web 2.0 technologies will transform online retail over the next two years. Catalogers will need to upgrade their sites to remain competitive. I suggest you read this month’s column with a computer close by — as I’ll tour some Online Retail 2.0 ideas that will transform e-commerce.

The first stop is del.icio.us, the social tagging site. (Go to del.icio.us/catalogsuccess, and you’ll find a list of all links in this article indicated in print with underlines.) Del.icio.us allows users to organize the Web via tags, a so-called folksonomy.

To see power of tagging in retail, visit Etsy.com, a handmade goods site. Try searches like “knit hat,” “funny gift” or “squid.” You’ll get highly relevant results because of the user-contributed tags. Relying on the wisdom of crowds, customers may do a better job of organizing your products than your merchants. Tagging lets them do just that.

User-contributed content is central to Web 2.0 and Online Retail 2.0. You’re probably familiar with Wikipedia, the encyclopedia that anyone can edit.



Comparison Shoppers

The next stop on the tour, ShopWiki.com, brings the same concept to comparison shopping. ShopWiki lets visitors compare products from contributing retailers. It also contains thousands of user-written essays on topics such as men’s electric shavers, children’s car seats and women’s jeans. While checking out these articles, feel free to fix mistakes or add your opinion — all pages are open to edits from anyone. Before leaving ShopWiki, search for women’s jeans and note the “colors” button. Click the button and a color wheel pops up. Click a color and the search results page instantly re-sorts itself, first presenting the jeans closest to your color preference.

Consider your last two clicks: You stayed on the same Web page, but what was on that page changed. It’s fast, convenient and slick. Such pages use the magic of Ajax.

Coined by Jesse Garrett in February 2005, Ajax is a psuedo-acronym for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. It’s a mash-up of three established technologies: JavaScript, XML and the special XMLHttpRequest call. XMLHttpRequest lets Web browser software grab data from remote Web servers asynchronously — users don’t have to twiddle their thumbs waiting. Ajax makes Web browsing snappy and interactive, much like desktop software.
 

Companies Mentioned:

SPONSORED CONTENT

MORE ON E-COMMERCE >>

FROM THE BOOKSTORE

<i>Powered by the Email Campaign Archive, www.emailcampaignarchive.com </i> According to “The Power of Direct,” a late 2009 study from the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing returned an unbeatable ROI of $43.62 for every dollar spent on it in 2009. Thanks to this tremendous success, email marketing is on the rise … and increased volume means that marketers are faced with more and more competition resulting in overcrowded inboxes and frustrated, overwhelmed prospects. The challenge: How to break through the clutter and get your message opened and read within 3 seconds, for that’s how long your prospects allow before they hit the delete button. <b>“All About Email Creative” is here to help.</b> Through detailed analysis of hundreds of thousands of emails residing in the Email Campaign Archive (www.emailcampaignarchive.com), best-practice advice from industry experts, case studies and more, this groundbreaking report will give you the tools you need for success. Here are just a few of the take-aways that you will learn: • Month with the Highest Volume of Email • Day of the Week with the Highest Volume of Email • Time of Day with the Highest email Distribution • Top 20 Most Popular Words and Symbols in Subject Lines • Word with Highest Increase of Subject Line in Repeat Email • Top 10 Categories with Most Email Volume • Word Count Trends … What Could It Mean? • The One Single Tactical Move to Improve Email Response • Maximum Number of Characters in the Subject Line • How to Test Subject Lines • How to Avoid Junk Filters – the Trigger Words That Get You Trashed • Why you Should Pay More Attention to the “From” Line • Once Opened, What Should the Reader See Next? • 10 Steps to Getting Your Message Just Right • 5 Ways to Optimize the Email Preview Pane • How to Deal with Blocked Images • Web-Friendly Fonts and Font Sizes – What Are They? • The Top Reason People Unsubscribe from Marketing Messages • To Use Free or Not to Use Free … That Is the Question • 16 Most Effective Strategies for Email Branding • The Difference Between B-to-B and B-to-C Email Marketing • HTML or Text. Which Should You Use? • The list goes on … and on Filled with countless examples, more than 20 charts, several case studies, and privileged knowledge from top email marketers, “All About Email Creative” is must-reading for any marketer involved in email and cross-media campaigns. <b><u>100% Money-Back Guarantee</b></u> Your order is risk-free. If you are not completely delighted with “All About Email Creative,” notify us within 30 days for a complete credit or refund, no questions asked. <u>About DirectMarketingIQ</u> The Research Division of the Target Marketing Group, DirectMarketingIQ (www.directmarketingiq.com) is the go-to resource for direct marketers. Publishing books, special reports, case study stockpiles and how-to guides, it opens up a new world for those who seek more information, more ideas and more success stories in order to boost their own marketing efforts. DirectMarketingIQ has unparalleled access to direct marketing data - including the world's most complete library of direct mail as well as a growing library of promotional emails across hundreds of categories - and proudly produces content from the most experienced editors and practitioners in the industry. All About Email Creative

Powered by the Email Campaign Archive, www.emailcampaignarchive.com According to “The Power of Direct,” a late 2009 study from the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing returned an unbeatable ROI of $43.62 for every dollar spent on it in 2009. Thanks to this tremendous success, email marketing is on the rise …...

ORDER NOW

<i>“You’ve heard of the Seven Deadly Sins … now let Denny Hatch introduce you to the Seven Key Copy Drivers That Make People Act! Successful advertising appeals to the wants and needs of our “hungry hearts” – and he reveals (in juicy language) the reasons why a product or service will uniquely meet those needs. Denny’s book provides not just the how-tos, but also the proven-winner examples. It’s a creative marketer’s treasure trove!”</I> - Susan K. Jones, professor of marketing at Ferris State University and direct marketing consultant and copywriter, Susan K. Jones & Associates Twenty-five years ago, Denny Hatch pioneered the study of direct response copy. He started collecting direct mail packages and tracked those that came in over and over again. Today, the Who’s Mailing What! Archive (www.whosmailingwhat.com) contains pure marketing gold—nearly 1,000 Grand Control mailings in more than 200 categories that were received continuously over three or more consecutive years. What do these hugely profitable mailings have in common? They rely on the seven key copy drivers: <center><b>Fear – Greed – Guilt – Anger Exclusivity – Salvation – Flattery</b></center> These are the emotional hot buttons that make people respond—order goods and services, donate money to charities and send for more information. <i>“Only Denny Hatch could put together a book like this. “The Secrets of Emotional Hot-Button COPYWRITING” delivers a double-whammy. It’s loaded with creative rules that not only make sense but, as Denny presents them, are easy to implement. And it’s chock-full of examples, some of which most of us have heard about but have never been able to see. Thanks, Denny. We owe you.”</i> <right>—Herschell Gordon Lewis, copywriter of several long-standing control mailings (such as Omaha Steaks and Red Cooper) and author of “On the Art of Writing Copy” and“Internet Marketing Tips, Tricks, and Tactics”</right> Filled with over 50 examples and 120 illustrations, “The Secrets of Emotional, Hot-Button COPYWRITING” is must-reading for any marketer involved in: • Direct mail • Email • Catalogs • Subscription Marketing • Fund raising • B-to-B • Financial Services • Continuity Series • Book Publishing • Insurance • And more! <b><u>100% Money-Back Guarantee</b></u> Your order is risk-free. If you are not completely delighted with “The Secrets of Emotional, Hot-Button COPYWRITING,” simply return it within 30 days for a complete credit or refund, no questions asked. <b><u>About Denny Hatch</b></u> Since 1976, Denny Hatch has been a consultant, copywriter and designer in the field of direct marketing. In 1984, with his wife Peggy, he launched the newsletter, Who’s Mailing What!, which was based on a library of over 200,000 direct mail samples. In 1992, his company was acquired by North American Publishing Co., in Philadelphia, where he is a regular columnist for <i>Target Marketing</i> magazine and editor of the e-newsletter, Denny Hatch’s Business Common Sense, published by the Target Marketing Group. He is the author of: <u>Business Books</u> Million Dollar Mailings • Method Marketing • 2,239 Tested Secrets for Direct Marketing Success • priceline.com – A Layman’s Guide to Manipulating the Media <u>Novels</u> Cedarhurst Alley • The Fingered City • The Stork <u>Memoir</u> Jack Corbett, Mariner The Secrets of Emotional, Hot-Button COPYWRITING

“You’ve heard of the Seven Deadly Sins … now let Denny Hatch introduce you to the Seven Key Copy Drivers That Make People Act! Successful advertising appeals to the wants and needs of our “hungry hearts” – and he reveals (in juicy language) the reasons why a product or...

ORDER NOW

 

SPONSORED CONTENT

MORE ON CREATIVE >>

FROM THE BOOKSTORE

<i>Powered by the Email Campaign Archive, www.emailcampaignarchive.com </i> According to “The Power of Direct,” a late 2009 study from the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing returned an unbeatable ROI of $43.62 for every dollar spent on it in 2009. Thanks to this tremendous success, email marketing is on the rise … and increased volume means that marketers are faced with more and more competition resulting in overcrowded inboxes and frustrated, overwhelmed prospects. The challenge: How to break through the clutter and get your message opened and read within 3 seconds, for that’s how long your prospects allow before they hit the delete button. <b>“All About Email Creative” is here to help.</b> Through detailed analysis of hundreds of thousands of emails residing in the Email Campaign Archive (www.emailcampaignarchive.com), best-practice advice from industry experts, case studies and more, this groundbreaking report will give you the tools you need for success. Here are just a few of the take-aways that you will learn: • Month with the Highest Volume of Email • Day of the Week with the Highest Volume of Email • Time of Day with the Highest email Distribution • Top 20 Most Popular Words and Symbols in Subject Lines • Word with Highest Increase of Subject Line in Repeat Email • Top 10 Categories with Most Email Volume • Word Count Trends … What Could It Mean? • The One Single Tactical Move to Improve Email Response • Maximum Number of Characters in the Subject Line • How to Test Subject Lines • How to Avoid Junk Filters – the Trigger Words That Get You Trashed • Why you Should Pay More Attention to the “From” Line • Once Opened, What Should the Reader See Next? • 10 Steps to Getting Your Message Just Right • 5 Ways to Optimize the Email Preview Pane • How to Deal with Blocked Images • Web-Friendly Fonts and Font Sizes – What Are They? • The Top Reason People Unsubscribe from Marketing Messages • To Use Free or Not to Use Free … That Is the Question • 16 Most Effective Strategies for Email Branding • The Difference Between B-to-B and B-to-C Email Marketing • HTML or Text. Which Should You Use? • The list goes on … and on Filled with countless examples, more than 20 charts, several case studies, and privileged knowledge from top email marketers, “All About Email Creative” is must-reading for any marketer involved in email and cross-media campaigns. <b><u>100% Money-Back Guarantee</b></u> Your order is risk-free. If you are not completely delighted with “All About Email Creative,” notify us within 30 days for a complete credit or refund, no questions asked. <u>About DirectMarketingIQ</u> The Research Division of the Target Marketing Group, DirectMarketingIQ (www.directmarketingiq.com) is the go-to resource for direct marketers. Publishing books, special reports, case study stockpiles and how-to guides, it opens up a new world for those who seek more information, more ideas and more success stories in order to boost their own marketing efforts. DirectMarketingIQ has unparalleled access to direct marketing data - including the world's most complete library of direct mail as well as a growing library of promotional emails across hundreds of categories - and proudly produces content from the most experienced editors and practitioners in the industry. All About Email Creative

Powered by the Email Campaign Archive, www.emailcampaignarchive.com According to “The Power of Direct,” a late 2009 study from the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing returned an unbeatable ROI of $43.62 for every dollar spent on it in 2009. Thanks to this tremendous success, email marketing is on the rise …...

ORDER NOW

<i>“You’ve heard of the Seven Deadly Sins … now let Denny Hatch introduce you to the Seven Key Copy Drivers That Make People Act! Successful advertising appeals to the wants and needs of our “hungry hearts” – and he reveals (in juicy language) the reasons why a product or service will uniquely meet those needs. Denny’s book provides not just the how-tos, but also the proven-winner examples. It’s a creative marketer’s treasure trove!”</I> - Susan K. Jones, professor of marketing at Ferris State University and direct marketing consultant and copywriter, Susan K. Jones & Associates Twenty-five years ago, Denny Hatch pioneered the study of direct response copy. He started collecting direct mail packages and tracked those that came in over and over again. Today, the Who’s Mailing What! Archive (www.whosmailingwhat.com) contains pure marketing gold—nearly 1,000 Grand Control mailings in more than 200 categories that were received continuously over three or more consecutive years. What do these hugely profitable mailings have in common? They rely on the seven key copy drivers: <center><b>Fear – Greed – Guilt – Anger Exclusivity – Salvation – Flattery</b></center> These are the emotional hot buttons that make people respond—order goods and services, donate money to charities and send for more information. <i>“Only Denny Hatch could put together a book like this. “The Secrets of Emotional Hot-Button COPYWRITING” delivers a double-whammy. It’s loaded with creative rules that not only make sense but, as Denny presents them, are easy to implement. And it’s chock-full of examples, some of which most of us have heard about but have never been able to see. Thanks, Denny. We owe you.”</i> <right>—Herschell Gordon Lewis, copywriter of several long-standing control mailings (such as Omaha Steaks and Red Cooper) and author of “On the Art of Writing Copy” and“Internet Marketing Tips, Tricks, and Tactics”</right> Filled with over 50 examples and 120 illustrations, “The Secrets of Emotional, Hot-Button COPYWRITING” is must-reading for any marketer involved in: • Direct mail • Email • Catalogs • Subscription Marketing • Fund raising • B-to-B • Financial Services • Continuity Series • Book Publishing • Insurance • And more! <b><u>100% Money-Back Guarantee</b></u> Your order is risk-free. If you are not completely delighted with “The Secrets of Emotional, Hot-Button COPYWRITING,” simply return it within 30 days for a complete credit or refund, no questions asked. <b><u>About Denny Hatch</b></u> Since 1976, Denny Hatch has been a consultant, copywriter and designer in the field of direct marketing. In 1984, with his wife Peggy, he launched the newsletter, Who’s Mailing What!, which was based on a library of over 200,000 direct mail samples. In 1992, his company was acquired by North American Publishing Co., in Philadelphia, where he is a regular columnist for <i>Target Marketing</i> magazine and editor of the e-newsletter, Denny Hatch’s Business Common Sense, published by the Target Marketing Group. He is the author of: <u>Business Books</u> Million Dollar Mailings • Method Marketing • 2,239 Tested Secrets for Direct Marketing Success • priceline.com – A Layman’s Guide to Manipulating the Media <u>Novels</u> Cedarhurst Alley • The Fingered City • The Stork <u>Memoir</u> Jack Corbett, Mariner The Secrets of Emotional, Hot-Button COPYWRITING

“You’ve heard of the Seven Deadly Sins … now let Denny Hatch introduce you to the Seven Key Copy Drivers That Make People Act! Successful advertising appeals to the wants and needs of our “hungry hearts” – and he reveals (in juicy language) the reasons why a product or...

ORDER NOW

 

SPONSORED CONTENT

MORE ON MARKETING >>

FROM THE BOOKSTORE

<br>BrandAbout is an experiential, do-it-yourself, creative playbook for energizing brands and their product lines and/or services. With 10 practical lessons based on more than 25 years of hands-on, in-the-trenches merchandising and marketing experience, BrandAbout provides companies of all sizes—from startups to Fortune 500s—with more than 40 creative homework exercises that can be customized to their unique needs and applied over and over again. BrandAbout is an adventurous practicum for companies. The main prerequisite is an open mind, an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for delighting customers! BrandAbout’s inspirational and personal approach is based on Syverson’s real world multi-channel expertise in the marketplace as she encourages companies to collaborate both interdepartmentally, intradepartmentally and directly with their customers. Like a stylized syllabus, BrandAbout is organized into 10 individual building blocks that can be worked through all at once in a self-directed two or three day offsite or integrated individually into weekly or monthly meetings. Part Purple Cow, part Whack on the Side of the Head and part inspirational branding guidebook, BrandAbout is actionable, practical and empowering and a must read for creative dreamers and doers looking for a fresh approach to their brand and product challenges. Think of BrandAbout as creative brain food for busy marketers and merchants! <i>"Beginning with the introduction, and continuing in every chapter, it is clear Andrea Syverson’s BrandAbout is not a conventional business book. She brings a soulful quality to something that is often justly criticized for having none. Brands often die because they are thought to be static. Successful brands and brand managers understand that businesses, and the brands that define them, need to evolve. If you think you don’t have a brand, think again. In today’s crowded marketplace having a well-defined, evolving brand may be your key to survival and success. This book will help you to better understand the importance of your brand and the critical relationship between brands and merchandising. Reading Andrea’s book will inspire you to look at your brand with fresh eyes and will help distinguish your brand in the marketplace. A must read."</i> --Bob Allen, interim president/CEO, Direct Marketing Association, and former president/CEO, Vermont Country Store BrandAbout


BrandAbout is an experiential, do-it-yourself, creative playbook for energizing brands and their product lines and/or services. With 10 practical lessons based on more than 25 years of hands-on, in-the-trenches merchandising and marketing experience, BrandAbout provides companies of all sizes—from startups to Fortune 500s—with more than 40 creative homework exercises that...

ORDER NOW

<i>Powered by the Email Campaign Archive, www.emailcampaignarchive.com </i> According to “The Power of Direct,” a late 2009 study from the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing returned an unbeatable ROI of $43.62 for every dollar spent on it in 2009. Thanks to this tremendous success, email marketing is on the rise … and increased volume means that marketers are faced with more and more competition resulting in overcrowded inboxes and frustrated, overwhelmed prospects. The challenge: How to break through the clutter and get your message opened and read within 3 seconds, for that’s how long your prospects allow before they hit the delete button. <b>“All About Email Creative” is here to help.</b> Through detailed analysis of hundreds of thousands of emails residing in the Email Campaign Archive (www.emailcampaignarchive.com), best-practice advice from industry experts, case studies and more, this groundbreaking report will give you the tools you need for success. Here are just a few of the take-aways that you will learn: • Month with the Highest Volume of Email • Day of the Week with the Highest Volume of Email • Time of Day with the Highest email Distribution • Top 20 Most Popular Words and Symbols in Subject Lines • Word with Highest Increase of Subject Line in Repeat Email • Top 10 Categories with Most Email Volume • Word Count Trends … What Could It Mean? • The One Single Tactical Move to Improve Email Response • Maximum Number of Characters in the Subject Line • How to Test Subject Lines • How to Avoid Junk Filters – the Trigger Words That Get You Trashed • Why you Should Pay More Attention to the “From” Line • Once Opened, What Should the Reader See Next? • 10 Steps to Getting Your Message Just Right • 5 Ways to Optimize the Email Preview Pane • How to Deal with Blocked Images • Web-Friendly Fonts and Font Sizes – What Are They? • The Top Reason People Unsubscribe from Marketing Messages • To Use Free or Not to Use Free … That Is the Question • 16 Most Effective Strategies for Email Branding • The Difference Between B-to-B and B-to-C Email Marketing • HTML or Text. Which Should You Use? • The list goes on … and on Filled with countless examples, more than 20 charts, several case studies, and privileged knowledge from top email marketers, “All About Email Creative” is must-reading for any marketer involved in email and cross-media campaigns. <b><u>100% Money-Back Guarantee</b></u> Your order is risk-free. If you are not completely delighted with “All About Email Creative,” notify us within 30 days for a complete credit or refund, no questions asked. <u>About DirectMarketingIQ</u> The Research Division of the Target Marketing Group, DirectMarketingIQ (www.directmarketingiq.com) is the go-to resource for direct marketers. Publishing books, special reports, case study stockpiles and how-to guides, it opens up a new world for those who seek more information, more ideas and more success stories in order to boost their own marketing efforts. DirectMarketingIQ has unparalleled access to direct marketing data - including the world's most complete library of direct mail as well as a growing library of promotional emails across hundreds of categories - and proudly produces content from the most experienced editors and practitioners in the industry. All About Email Creative

Powered by the Email Campaign Archive, www.emailcampaignarchive.com According to “The Power of Direct,” a late 2009 study from the Direct Marketing Association, email marketing returned an unbeatable ROI of $43.62 for every dollar spent on it in 2009. Thanks to this tremendous success, email marketing is on the rise …...

ORDER NOW

 

COMMENTS

Most Recent Comments: