Learn and Interact:
ONLINE PARTNERING Online partnering can take many forms. Amazon (and Yahoo and others) display items for sale that are actually sold by 3rd parties. Amazon displays the items on their Web site and processes the credit card. But Target or Cruchfield (or any one of thousands of other large and small businesses) will handle the order processing and fulfillment (the “pick and pack and ship”). Both entities share in the profits. Amazon and others also support small businesses through their “z stores”. Many other partnerships are possible online. One basic element of marketing is called “cross-selling.” When a customer wants to buy something, try to sell them something related. For example, “would you like fries with your hamburger?” or “do you also need some batteries to go into that?” Car dealers try to also sell you financing, insurance, extended warranties, or rust proofing. Online, you can identify linkages between products so that when a customer adds one item to the shopping cart, you can offer a related product to sell them also. For example, when some one selects a wooden rocking chair, offer them a matching footstool. Or offer a gift-wrapping service. Or when a customer reserves a room, partner with a rental car company or other travel service to pass along the link and get revenue for the sales tip. |