Understanding Postal : USPS Offers Sneak Peek at January 2012 Pricing Change
This summer the U.S. Postal Service provided cross-channel retailers with its January 2012 software release overview for customer-facing postage systems such as PostalOne after hearing from mailers and service providers that software changes need to be made in a more...
Catalog Doctor : The Lost Art of Effective Cataloging
Producing catalogs using what used to be catalog best practices — is now almost a lost art. Can I cover the lost art of cataloging for you in 1,000 words? No way. But I can lay out some best practices...
On the Web : An E-Commerce Holiday Checklist, Part 2
In the July/August issue of Retail Online Integration , I discussed how important merchandising, strong navigation, instigated chat and customer reviews will be to achieving online selling success this holiday season. Here are five more things you should consider doing...
B-to-B Marketing : Traits, Tips and Practices of Top B-to-B Retailers
The U.S. Postal Service has just wrapped up a postage sale for various mail pieces that included a QR code. When the USPS made the announcement, several respected and knowledgeable B-to-B cross-channel retailers asked me what a QR code was...
Search Engine Marketing : Finding Santa's Helpers
In June, BIGresearch reported that 89.9 percent of Americans with jobs don't expect to see a pay increase in 2012. As a result, people plan to continue their belt-tightening habits: 58.9 percent plan to spend less on clothing, 53.1 percent...
Case Study : Chico’s Drives Awareness, Sales Via Display Ads
Chico's was a company in transition at the end of 2009. It was coming off a turnaround year that had seen its net sales grow 8.3 percent, comparable store sales increase 6.1 percent and direct sales jump 39.3 percent. But...
Shop Talk : How to Approach Online Contests
Contests are a great way to expand a company's marketing reach if the message gets out to the right people. Online promotions of all types, including contests, require a combination of paid advertising and a top-quality network to be successful....
Prospecting : Paul Fredrick Uses DRTV to Recruit New Customers
Paul Fredrick , a cross-channel retailer of men's tailored clothing and accessories, is returning to its roots as an old-school direct marketer to acquire new customers — albeit in a slightly different medium....
Prospecting : PureFormulas.com Finds New Customers and Sales With Paid Search
PureFormulas.com, an online retailer of health supplements, has realized a 30 percent increase in sales and a $30,000 reduction in ad spend since implementing a search program that focuses on in-stock inventory....
Editor’s Note : Retailers in Search of Another Type of Green
Lately the staff and I here at Retail Online Integration have been hearing a lot about retailers' environmental initiatives. Consider the following, all of which have been announced in the last few months....
Check it Out : An Entertaining Union
Abe's Market, an online retailer of natural, organic and green products — from gourmet foods to apparel to home décor and more — had entered into a partnership with Endemol USA, a producer of television and digital programming that's...
Cover Story : Reason to Smile
For the last 25 years, Dennis May has been involved in the retail industry — and he's loved every second of it. From his modest beginning selling audio equipment to help support himself while in college (that was the cool...
Cause Marketing : Doing Well by Doing Good
With today's consumers more likely than ever to be involved with some aspect of environmental, health and humanitarian issues, cause marketing has become a win-win for retailers. Getting behind a worthy cause (e.g., donating to relief efforts after Japan's tsunami,...
