June 2008, No. 23
Welcome to the Latest Issue of eNews:
We hope you find the following information helpful and informative. As always, please do not hesitate to let us know of other news and resources that might be relevant for inclusion in eNews.
Bo Beaulieu, Director
Alicia Barnes, Editor
News and Research:
SMBs Should Consider Surveys
By Pamela Hazelton, Practical eCommerce
Online surveys are worthy investments for small businesses. Giving customers the opportunity to explain their preferences can present new business ideas and improve others. Read the article at http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/521/SMBs-Should-
Consider-Surveys/
The Shopping Cart Experience: Some E-Tailers Just Don’t Get It
By Andrew Daniel, E-Commerce Times
Some e-tailers don't realize that they need to streamline the shopping cart experience for consumers and make it more user-friendly. Instead, these retailers are wrongfully shoving customers through the checkout process and throwing offers for other products at them, notes Andrew Daniel, creative director for WhittmanHart Interactive. See the entire story at
http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/62839.html.
Five Fast Steps to Improve Web Site Usability
By Lisa Wehr, Practical eCommerce
When Web sites have easily fixable flaws, sales can be lost; however, by examining checkout, navigation, organization, security and privacy, and user friendliness website usability and sales can both be increased. Read more at http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/730/Five-Fast-Steps-
to-Improve-Website-Usability/.
Bill Me Later: The “Frictionless” Online Payment Alternative
By Keith Regan, E-Commerce Times
Given the powerful double-digit growth of e-commerce during the first decade of the industry, few merchants worried that a payment alternative to credit cards or the well-established PayPal was needed. More recently, however, as e-commerce growth rates slow, the fast-growing, credit card-free alternative Bill Me Later has proven that merchants and consumers alike are hungry for alternatives. See more at http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/62669.html.
Shopping Search Engines: Six To Consider
By Bill Hartzer, Practical eCommerce
Pay-per-click search-advertising can direct customers to small business sites. Besides the major search-advertising companies such as Google and Yahoo, there are other options that may work better. Find out six to consider at http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/731/Shopping-Search-
Engines-Six-To-Consider/.
Bringing up Broadband: Higher Traffic, Higher Costs
By Leslie Cauley, E-Commerce Times
By 2010, the average home will use 1.1 terabytes of bandwidth per month, according to the Internet Innovation Alliance. High-bandwidth applications like peer-to-peer sharing and high-quality streaming video are putting a strain on existing networks. Building up a greater infrastructure will cost plenty, so ISPs are eying new ways to charge customers. See the full story at http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/62672.html
Cyber-Attacks and Cyber-Disasters: Are You Prepared?
By Kevin Coleman, E-Commerce Times
Businesses, governments and industries have all become dependent on the Internet as a primary channel for businesses. They buy, sell and support their customers as well as their employees over the Internet. Given the significant role the Internet plays in our society and economy, it has become a primary target for attack by nation states and terrorists. Cyber-warfare and cyber-attacks have now become a reality. Read more about cyber-threats at http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/62725.html.
Online Reputation Management
By Paul Chaney, Practical eCommerce
There is a relatively new industry burgeoning on the Internet. It's called Online Reputation Management. This is the practice of monitoring the conversation going on about you or your brand via the various forms of social media, such as blogs, instant messaging, social networks, forums, ranking and review sites, or anywhere people have the opportunity to express their opinion. Learn some ways to monitor online reputations at
http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/719/Online-Reputation
-Management/.
E-Commerce to Ring Up 17 Percent Growth in ‘08
By Jim Offner, E-Commerce Times
Online retail sales are expected to rise 17 percent this year to reach $204 billion, according to a Forrester Research study conducted for Shop.org. Clothing, computers and automobiles will be the three largest online sales categories in 2008. See full article at http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/62494.html.
Enthroning the E-Shopper
By Paul Korzeniowski, E-Commerce Times
E-commerce suppliers face a difficult challenge. They must cultivate loyal customers, but that is becoming more difficult as the Internet enables consumers to roam freely from retailer to retailer. Now more than ever, the customer is in control, and that change is forcing many e-tailers to turn to customized shopping experiences to build brand loyalty. See more at http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/61965.html.
Secure E-Commerce From First to Final Click
By Tom Bowers, E-Commerce Times
Consumers are taking more notice of their individual online security after a string of recent identity theft cases made major headlines. According to a recent survey by the University of Southern California's Center for the Digital Future, 61 percent of adult Americans said they were "very" or "extremely" concerned about the privacy of personal information when buying online, an increase from 47 percent in 2006. Prior to 2007, that number had been decreasing for the past six years. See more about keeping private data private at http://www.ecommercetimes.com/story/61839.html.
E-Commerce Successes:
Lessons Learned: Wetsuitwearhouse.com’s Chris Moleskie
Chris Moleskie, owner and president of Wetsuit Wearhouse, Inc., relates his early successes and failures on the path from creating to expanding his business. Launched in 2003, with Moleskie as its only employee, it now has an annual revenue over $1 million and offers over 300 unique products. See Chris’s advice at http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/712/Lessons-Learned:-
Wetsuitwearhouse.com-Owner-Chris-Moleskie/.
E-Library Focus:
E-Library.net
The University of North Carolina
Helpful Tools and Resources:
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