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...

Access matters. When it comes to eCommerce, reaching out to mobile users by ensuring their apps are up to speed and running efficiently is paramount to building up a bigger mobile marketplace. Any number of issues can plague an app, but if the developers don’t know about a bug, they can’t address the problem. In some cases, it’s the elderly and/or disabled that have issues with apps that work perfectly for others. However, the elderly and the disabled represent a valuable...

We’ve watched the retail landscape change in recent years as eCommerce growth has outpaced that of the traditional brick and mortar stores. And 2014 proved to be another successful leap forward for eCommerce companies. To get a better idea of what is driving change, RJMetrics took a closer look at the numbers in its “2015 Benchmark Report Series: eCommerce Growth.” The growth pattern has been nothing short of a windfall for some companies, like Alex and Ani, a jewelry company that...

In the past years, the retail industry has totally transformed. While it continues to evolve from thriving on a local level, retailers are also seeking out global consumers and profits through international markets. To assist in making these global goals more attainable, retailers are looking to technology to reach consumers in faraway lands through online channels. From mobile integration to improved functionality of an organization’s website, retailers are looking for improvement at every turn. Manufacturers and wholesalers are also part of...

Last October, Internet Retailer published its 2015 Guide to B2B eCommerce. In it, the editors heralded that U.S. B2B eCommerce companies would generate $1 trillion in sales in 2014, significantly surpassing B2C eCommerce sales. With so many sales opportunities on the line, it’s not surprising to hear that B2B businesses are upping the ante when it comes to marketing their companies.  Although there can be some overlap in regard to how both B2B and B2C businesses go to market, there are...

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...

For today’s time-strapped shopper, boutiques are becoming more popular by the minute. Compared to shopping in an expansive department store, these smaller specialty shops can be much more enjoyable primarily because the selection isn’t as overwhelming. It also helps that the boutique owner has curated a collection of what he or she considers the best of the best, alleviating the shopper from sorting through racks and racks of items. Boutiques, however, aren’t the only respite for time-strapped shoppers. Online shopping...

After a new sales tax regulation went into effect Jan. 1, some eCommerce companies found themselves in scramble mode. For proponents of having online sales treated the same as sales through brick-and-mortar locations, however, their day has finally come true in Illinois, at least partially. Legislators in Illinois have worked for many months to create an online sale tax law to help bolster state revenues. The state’s supreme court rejected an earlier measure because it violated a federal rule against discriminatory...

Nearly 112 million people tuned in to the Super Bowl last year, representing one of the largest television audiences ever. It’s the most watched football game of the year, but as we know, many people are as equally excited for the commercials, which are some of the best you’ll see all year. However, does eCommerce see much action on Super Bowl Sunday? A study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that television viewership hurts online sales. The study, conducted...

It’s not difficult to spot the trends when the size of smartphones are concerned. What once fit compactly in the front pocket is now creating an obvious outline – smartphones are getting bigger, and that’s a good thing for eCommerce. The question remains though, how big is too big? A Saturday Night Live skit earning frequent play in “best of SNL” compilations comes from the 2001 season, a time when mobile phone producers were in a race to bring smaller phones...