Most retailers are familiar with “shopping bulimics” – the consumers who make purchases and promptly return their merchandise. Retail consultant Kurt Salmon told the Wall Street Journal in an article last year that one third of all Internet transactions result in returns. While this might not be the best-case scenario for retailers, some of whom lose millions a year on returns, it’s important to note that consumer behavior often dictates best practices for retailers. Just as marketers will seek out many...

eCommerce sales have grown exponentially over the last decade, nearly reaching $300 billion in 2014. Retail consumers are now spending half their shopping time online, whether it’s via computer, tablet or smartphone, to research their purchases before they make them. Because of the ramp-up in time spent shopping online, consumers are demanding a better experience. Part of those expectations include a more seamless, immersive experience across all retail channels. With the volume of online sales increasing rapidly, however, so has the...

On Aug. 15th, the advanced eCommerce sales report for Q2 2014 was published by the U.S. Census Bureau. As could be expected, business owners were anxious to see how Q2 fared in comparison to its predecessor – especially those business owners who have invested in omni-channel marketing initiatives. According to the U.S. Census Bureau report, Q2 maintained the upward momentum that eCommerce has been experiencing for quite some time. The estimate of eCommerce sales was set at $75 billion, an increase...

On June 11, 2014, the 10th annual Internet Retail Conference & Exhibition kicked off in expected style. As in years past, the eCommerce industry’s biggest event delivered in the department of big names and hot topics. John Donahoe, CEO and president of eBay Inc., discussed the wisdom of crowds and the commerce revolution in his keynote speech, titled Connected Commerce: The New Opportunity for Retailers in an Evolving Retail Environment. With 16 years of experience under its belt and a revenue growth...

As the retail and eCommerce trade show circuit continues – with the Internet Retail Conference and Exhibition less than two weeks away – folks in the industry are abuzz with the insight that comes with attendance. Just recently, IBM hosted its annual Smarter Commerce event in Tampa, Fla., where attendees learned about the latest trends emerging in the industry. Likewise, shows like eTail East and West are also educating retail business leaders how to go to market more effectively. No...

Last year, the Oxford English Dictionary dubbed ‘selfie’ as the word of the year. If it were up to the retail industry, however, 'omni-channel' should have been the word to define 2013. As a new way of thinking about multi-channel retailing, omni-channel dominated conversations in 2013 and will continue to rule the day in 2014 and beyond.  Although consumers might not be privy to the term, merchants can't seem to escape it. The thing is, however, that merchants shouldn’t want to...

Omni-channel retailing became one of the biggest buzzwords of 2013, and its popularity among business owners will only continue to increase. Essentially, those that adopt it will thrive while those that don't will, inevitably, wither on the vine. Despite its sometimes intimidating ways, omni-channel retailing is being better understood by the eCommerce community as a whole. Business owners are becoming more familiar with what it entails and what degree of adoption is appropriate for their businesses. No matter the level of...

With the 2013 holiday shopping season almost in full swing, retail business leaders around the nation are relieved to hear that U.S. consumer spending rose more than expected in October. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that their minds will be at ease during the busiest shopping season of the year. As one would expect, their thoughts will be wrought with economic uncertainty, increased competition and the challenges surrounding omni-channel retailing – a multi-faceted (and often difficult) push toward creating a seamless...

As online competition increases, eCommerce site owners fervently work to blur the lines between online and in-store shopping. If a customer can get the same level of experience on a website as they can at a brick-and-mortar location, the chances for repeat visits and purchases is heightened by leaps and bounds.   The methods to achieve a unified cross-channel experience – also known as omni-channel retailing – are vast and include everything from allowing consumers to buy online and return in-store...

Whether you’re taking public transportation, at a family gathering, or shopping at a mall, there will, undoubtedly, be individuals who are buried in their mobile devices. Distracted from the world around them, smartphones and tablets are a growing outlet for consumers to get quick answers to their daily, hourly or by-the-minute queries.   And as mobile platforms gain in sophistication and ease of use, those same consumers will lean on those devices even further to buy goods. But for most, this...