Without Steve Jobs, the designers at Apple are finding inspiration in unexpected places. And actually, that was always the case – even during the days when Jobs resided over the company.   According to Scott Forstall, former senior vice president of iOS software, in a recent report compiled by the editors at Fast Company, tackling the iPhone keyboard can be linked back to an old episode of The Simpsons where a memo is erroneously changed from “Beat up Martin” to “Eat...

On Sept. 18, 2013, in downtown Chicago, a wide variety of IBM business partners gathered at 71 S. Wacker Dr. to learn about the wide array of products found under the Smarter Commerce umbrella. The overarching theme of the business partner event, however, focused on how those solutions can put the customer in context.   John Davidson, sales executive with the Global Smarter Commerce team, kicked off the two-day event by setting expectations for attendees. He explained that the Smarter Commerce...

Open an issue of Real Simple magazine and it’s easy to see who their target audience is: successful women, working moms, fashion-conscious ladies and don’t forget, aspiring domestic goddesses. The content found within is all geared at making the modern woman even savvier than she already is, and that was definitely the case with a recent issue.   “Web shopping is ultra-convenient,” penned the Real Simple editors, “but getting it when you want it (how much for two-day shipping?) and how...

In this week’s three-part blog series, the team at NetSphere Strategies laid out the pros and cons of various options related to launching a new eCommerce website. In part one, we weighed the benefits of hosting a site, and in part two, we looked at the pluses and minuses behind buying a commercial eCommerce solution.   For our third installment, we investigated why a business owner should or shouldn’t choose to build his or her own site using open source software....

As we here at NetSphere Strategies mentioned in a blog posted earlier this week, we will be looking at the options available to eCommerce businesses in a three-part series that addresses whether to buy, build or host your new site. For our second installment, we’ll focus on the pros and cons of buying a commercial eCommerce package.   Like the snowflake, no two eCommerce businesses are alike. And that’s why it’s important to weigh the odds to determine what’s best for...

Decisions, decisions. Life is wrought with them. And that’s especially true for new players in the eCommerce game. Retailers wishing to establish or enhance their online presence have the choice to either buy or build their own website. On top of that, they also need to decide whether to host their website off-site or in-house.   To address the factors that play into these decisions, we here at NetSphere Strategies will publish a three-part series that lays out the pros and...

Take a screen grab of any random inbox and it’s sure to contain a smattering of promotional e-mails offering potential customers everything from good deals on hotels to discounts on clothing. Regardless of the product du jour, consumers are constantly being wooed to try and buy new goods and services. And that’s a good thing. It means that marketers are taking advantage of the tools and data that have been made available to them.   But marketers often live in a...

Non-transactional sites used to be reserved for luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Rolls-Royce. They served as a digital preview of what A-listers could expect once they made their way to the shops on Rodeo Drive. Primarily, the sites showcased the high-end products, leaving off details like the cost. After all, if you had to ask the price, you probably couldn’t afford it anyway.   Today, however, non-transactional sites are finding VIP status for a wide range of businesses. Manufacturers of...

Optimizing an online store’s checkout process is not a new idea. It is, however, something that eCommerce business owners are still working to tackle. Some sites have found success while others can learn from their achievements.   Last year, the Baymard Institute, an independent web research institute, conducted a survey of online checkout processes and who’s doing it best. The group’s efforts were, and are, focused on discovering, documenting and sharing the best ways to improve the online user experience.  ...

As social media needs increase, more businesses are looking to hire a dedicated individual to carry out the work. Gone are the days of assigning random employees to – on occasion – post an article on Facebook or send out a tweet. The time is now to get serious about creating a social media strategy and sticking with it.   Doing it without a designated employee who is held accountable for its execution just won’t cut it. Hiring someone just because...