As the technological landscape changes, so too does the expectation of consumers who shop in stores and online. Mobile technology, social networking and advanced analytics have aided in changing the shopping experience. The IBM Institute for Business Value embarked on a multi-year study to get a closer look at the shifts in consumer behaviors and preferences that have taken place. Consumer preference shifting to online sales IBM’s study reveals that there is no longer a question of whether or not consumers... Category - Online Retailing
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As the technological landscape changes, so too does the expectation of consumers who shop in stores and online. Mobile technology, social networking and advanced analytics have aided in changing the shopping experience. The IBM Institute for Business Value embarked on a multi-year study to get a closer look at the shifts in consumer behaviors and preferences that have taken place. Consumer preference shifting to online sales IBM’s study reveals that there is no longer a question of whether or not consumers... 
Approximately 150 million cards are sent out on Valentine’s Day, which has prompted the least romantic among us to scoff that the Cupid-themed day is actually a Hallmark Cards-generated “holiday.” While the origins of Valentine’s Day are fuzzy and lie somewhere between pagan and Christian traditions, the impact on consumer spending is massive: $19 billion on Valentine’s Day-related gifts. The National Retail Federation (NRF) says consumers will drop an average of $142.31 on gifts by this weekend. That’s about $19 billion... 
With the holiday shopping season in full swing, U.S. retail trends are coming to full light. As digital door-buster deals continue throughout the month of December, it's clear to see that retailers aren’t as reliant on the post-Thanksgiving weekend as they used to be. Many retailers, like Amazon and Walmart, extended their door-buster deals beyond the typical shopping period. They started prior to the Thanksgiving holiday and are pushing further into December. According to multiple sources, however, Cyber Monday could still... 
The upcoming holiday season should provide plenty of cheer for retail businesses and their employees in 2014. According to a recent forecast, the National Retail Federation is predicting a jump in sales of more than 4 percent as compared to sales from the previous year. NRF president and CEO, Mark Shay, expressed cautious optimism, citing moderate growth in consumer sales over the course of the year. “Retailers could see a welcome boost in holiday shopping, giving some companies the shot in... 
The mall just isn’t what it used to be. Partly due to perceived safety issues and partly due to a fading level of interest, the mall is becoming less and less of a hangout spot for teens today. According to the Piper Jaffray 27th semi-annual Taking Stock With Teens market research project, teen mall traffic over the past 10 years has plunged by 30 percent. “Shopping frequency has declined from a peak rate of 38 trips/year to 29 trips/year (one every... 
For online storeowners, the best-case scenario this holiday season is a flood of new customers and in turn, new orders. The worst-case scenario is a site that crashes because it can’t handle the influx in activity. To avoid the possibility of lost sales or even worse, a bad site reputation, webstore owners need to know the importance of performance testing, especially the benefits that can come from load tests and stress tests. The first line of defense will be to... When Forbes asked the question, “Will Video Be The Next Generation In E-Commerce Product Reviews?” they already knew the answer. According to the article titled the same, “This revolution in the traditional review process is quickly garnering steam, and for good reason. As the attention span of the average E-Shopper dwindles, these critical moments are extended if they’re watching a video review (as opposed to reading one).” To understand this new brand of eCommerce, Forbes explains how the power of body...
Between June 5 and June 8, the Internet Retailer 2012 Conference and Exhibition hosted record numbers. During the four-day span, more than 8,600 attendees flocked to McCormick Place in downtown Chicago. Compared to last year’s attendance, the show grew 18.3%. Additionally, the IRCE boasted its largest exhibit hall in the conference’s history, with 564 participating companies. “We benefit from the e-commerce market growing by 16% a year and we benefit from being the No. 1 show in the market,” said Jack... 
When it comes to selling your product or service, using a third-party marketplace just makes sense. The wider your coverage base, the bigger the sales, right? Well, probably. The success you find with websites like eBay and Amazon will be based on your familiarity with how the services work, harnessing those services to their fullest extent and choosing the right platform that meshes well with your customer demographics. According to New York Times editor, Kelly Spores, there are a few rules...