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Consumers will return to online shopping sites that embrace Web 2.0, survey reveals

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With consumers continuing to spend briskly online, and social websites aggregating ever-larger numbers of participants, the twain–online shopping and social networking–may finally be meeting.

That’s the main finding of a new nationwide survey from Guidance, a specialized technology advisor that envisions, builds and supports web technology solutions that help businesses thrive online. In the new survey, more than 60 percent of respondents report being drawn to online retailers that employ Web 2.0 tools and techniques.

In association with Chicago market researcher Synovate, Guidance asked 1,000 online consumers, “When thinking about shopping online, what is most likely to make you return to a given shopping website?”

According to the Guidance/Synovate eNation study, conducted in March, 35 percent of total respondents said they’re most likely to return to a shopping website if it makes recommendations on products or services for sale–recommendations being among the most dominant activities in a Web 2.0 world. Another 26 percent want “a unique experience each time” they shop. Continually changing content is likewise a hallmark of Web 2.0.

Eighteen percent said they’re more likely to return “if the site solicits their feedback” on its products and services–feedback being the flipside to product and service recommendations. Sixteen percent said “a welcome when they arrive” at the site is the factor most likely to make them return, while 6 percent said they’re most likely to return “if the site makes them feel part of a community” with other shoppers/site visitors.

Originally posted on April 20, 2008 @ 10:58 am

High gas prices driving many consumers to shop online

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iCongo, Inc. released the results of a consumer survey conducted by Harris Interactive that reveals how the rising price of gasoline is reflected in American attitudes towards shopping.

One third (33 percent) of online U.S. adults indicated they are more likely to shop online rather than in-person at a store due to the high price of gasoline.

The iCongo survey also provides insight into consumer attitudes regarding the upcoming U.S. federal tax rebate. A full 45 percent of adults said they plan to make retail purchases with their rebate, if they receive one. By contrast, just 21 percent of respondents in a recent CCH survey said they intend to spend it. A survey commissioned by the National Retail Federation came close to the iCongo number with 41 percent of respondents indicating they plan to spend their rebate.

Some notable findings include:

  • 57 percent of online adults said free shipping is a reason they are more likely to shop online as opposed to in a physical store;
  • 55 percent said lower prices lead them to shop online over in a store; and
  • 61 percent cited the ability to shop at any time as a reason they are more likely to shop online instead of in a store.

    • Free or discounted shipping and online-only pricing are widely available from e-retailers and are powerful factors that drive consumer interest in online shopping.

    In a data point of interest to multi-channel marketers, the iCongo survey found that six percent of online adults would complete their purchase in store and have the merchandise shipped to them if the merchandise were out of stock at that store. This number may be considered rather large as only a small percentage of shoppers entering a store actually end up completing a purchase.

    Originally posted on April 17, 2008 @ 10:17 pm

    BOOMj partners with National Lampoon for co-branded e-commerce store

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    boomj.pngBOOMj, Inc. announced an agreement with National Lampoon to create a co-branded eCommerce platform. National Lampoon will make the store available across the many National Lampoon online platforms, reaching over six million visitors each month. The agreement will also include making National Lampoon DVDs, books, and merchandise available across the BOOMj eCommerce platforms.

    The new eCommerce store will be live at nationallampoon.com along with the many other National Lampoon owned sites, offering millions of products across a multitude of categories, including computers, books, dvds, music, electronics, housewares, wellness products and more.

    Originally posted on April 8, 2008 @ 9:28 pm

    Online sales to climb despite struggling economy– Shop.org

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    In a year where retail industry sales are expected to experience sluggish growth, Americans will continue to flock to the Internet for clothing, computers, and even cars. According to The State of Retailing Online 2008, the 11th annual Shop.org study conducted by Forrester Research, Inc. of 125 retailers, online retail will continue to be a bright spot in the industry with retail sales* rising 17 percent this year to $204 billion. Apparel ($26.6 billion), computers ($23.9 billion), and autos ($19.3 billion) will be the largest three sales categories.

    As the number of people new to the Internet begins to wane, online retailers are constantly struggling between investing in strategies that retain current customers or those that attract new ones. According to the report, online retailers allocate 53 percent of their marketing budgets to online customer acquisition and 21 percent of marketing dollars to online customer retention. However, retailers are finding that traditional acquisition programs such as search engine or affiliate marketing may also serve as retention tools that attract existing customers as well as new shoppers.

    According to the survey, retailers report that search engine marketing continues to be the most effective way to reach new customers, citing 35 percent of sales coming from that initiative. As a result, nearly all online retailers surveyed (90%) use pay-for-performance search placement, and 79 percent said they will make this tactic an even greater priority this year. Companies are also using offline marketing tactics to drive customers to the web, with catalogs and other direct mail pieces taking priority over methods like television and newspaper advertising.

    Originally posted on April 8, 2008 @ 1:56 pm

    Quebecor Media Inc. selects ATG’s e-commerce platform to upgrade subsidiary websites

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    ATG announced that Quebecor Media Inc. has selected the ATG Commerce platform to enhance personalization capabilities and extend the web sites for some of the most popular web properties in Canada.

    Technology experts at Quebecor were impressed with the flexibility, scalability and ease of integration of the ATG platform. Key attributes of ATG Commerce that attracted Quebecor Media and ultimately led them to choose ATG were its ability to easily leverage cross-selling and multi-channel opportunities.

    Originally posted on March 20, 2008 @ 11:10 pm