Retail Blog Marketing » Retail Blogging News

Shop Online or at the Mall?

admin — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 05:41:01 +0000

What’s the single most wonderful thing you can do during the 06 Holiday season? You can “SHOP” online for all of your gifts instead of mall crowds. I really don’t see why people go to the mall because all of the stores have websites that you can buy from. For all of you holiday shoppers here’s some helpful tips that I found from KVBC.
The Internet is expected to play a bigger role than ever before when it comes to holiday shopping this year. Experts believe shoppers will buy a fourth of their gifts online this year. But while logging on is convenient, there can also be risks if you’re not careful.

Amazon.com and Ebay are frequently visited sites, especially during the holiday season. If you do plan on buying online, here are some tips you should keep in mind.

Know who you’re dealing with. If you’re buying gifts on an online auction site that provides a feedback forum, check the track record of the seller before you bid.
Look for signs that online purchases are secure. A lock icon will appear on the website telling you the transaction is secure.
Pay the safest way. It’s best to use a credit card, especially when you’re buying something that will be delivered later, because under federal law you can dispute the charges if you don’t get what you’re promised.
Keep documentation of your order. Print out the confirmation and keep it handy in case you need it later.

You should also make sure to check your credit card and bank statements carefully and call your bank or credit card company if you notice any charges you didn’t make.

The National Retail Federation says shoppers are expected to shell out nearly $800 each this year online.

Retail Blog Market Ready for Uproar

admin — Fri, 03 Nov 2006 21:35:45 +0000

Is there any online retailer out there that has the following situation……I have a retail site and my biggest quarter is Q4. I’m about to ramp up my Pay-Per-Click spending so my margins will drop significantly. What should I do? Pay my SEO firm more money to do things that don’t affect my rankings or should I put some of my ad budget into offline advertising. I may do some local or National Ads on Radio and TV. I know I’ll be spending a ton on advertising but it’s what everybody else in my industry is doing and I need to keep up. Does this sound like you?

Solution: The companies that do well online are well ahead of the curve and they adapt themselves into different marketing programs to do so. If you had a Retail Blog, you’d be able to attack what so many in your industry don’t know about, Like,

1. 57 million readers in the United States

2. Starting the Viral Marketing Process

3. Stabalize your Reputation

4. Exploiting Keyword Niches

5. Video Advertising and Poscasting
Your time is now for a strategic gameplan to get in front of your audience. A business blog is step one.

Retail Web 2.0 Marketing Walmartish Speculation

admin — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 16:19:20 +0000

Over on BBM there is a quick article about web 2.0 and how it may impact retail marketing as the web evolves. Check it out.

Google’s Custom Search Engine

admin — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 12:45:18 +0000

Google has launched a custom search engine in a new way to bring tailored search to websites and blogs. “The company said that in just minutes, anyone can use the Google search platform to create a search engine focused on any content they like, from Hollywood heartthrobs, to favorite sports team, to personal hobbies and more” Google claims that they are merely following what other engines have done before. What will Yahoo do next? More….

Top Search Terms

admin — Thu, 12 Oct 2006 21:37:46 +0000

Here’s an interesting report on search terms by industry. If you have a word or term on the following lists, what are you doing to get in front of people searching for them? It goes to show you by having a blog that is set up correctly, you have a chance to get in front of people looking for you. In your honest opinion, have you done everything possible to grow your online business? Start now.

Top 10 Search Terms by Category, Four Weeks Ending September 30, 2006 (%)
IT and Internet		Automotive Manufacturers
Search Term	Search Volume	Search Term	Search Volume
paypal	4.75	toyota	2.69
paypal.com	1.00	honda	2.68
white pages	0.75	nissan	2.12
people search	0.59	ford	1.83
ups	0.54	dodge	1.08
www.paypal.com	0.54	chevrolet	0.98
pay pal	0.52	hyundai	0.86
mapquest	0.51	suzuki	0.85
experian	0.50	bmw	0.83
people finder	0.32	jeep	0.83
Movies		Internet Advertising
Search Term	Search Volume	Search Term	Search Volume
imdb	1.10	free samples	0.74
netflix	0.99	free stuff	0.51
movies	0.68	work from home	0.36
blockbuster	0.64	work at home	0.35
fandango	0.35	smcorp.com	0.34
netflix.com	0.24	free music downloads	0.31
hollywood video	0.22	free	0.27
blockbuster.com	0.21	adwords	0.21
harry potter	0.19	unclaimed money	0.21
movie times	0.19	myspace.com	0.20
Food and Beverage Brands and Manufacturers		Pharmaceutical and Medical Products
Search Term	Search Volume	Search Term	Search Volume
pizza hut	2.06	lexapro	0.90
starbucks	1.30	cymbalta	0.59
mcdonalds	0.98	viagra	0.48
subway	0.72	zoloft	0.43
candystand	0.65	pfizer	0.43
dominos pizza	0.60	herpes	0.38
www.maxwellhouse.com	0.54	depression	0.37
betty crocker	0.54	phentermine	0.36
candystand.com	0.52	wellbutrin	0.28
burger king	0.49	merck	0.27
Blogs and Personal Web Sites		Broadcast Media
Search Term	Search Volume	Search Term	Search Volume
xanga	1.48	steve irwin	2.48
myspace	1.07	cnn	2.47
xanga.com	0.48	cnn.com	1.14
livejournal	0.47	msnbc	1.07
perez hilton	0.38	news	0.87
myspace.com	0.37	fox news	0.86
www.xanga.com	0.35	crocodile hunter	0.49
yahoo 360	0.35	anna nicole smith	0.48
360	0.23	bbc	0.43
yahoo360	0.21	good morning america	0.41
Shopping Rewards and Directories		Travel Destinations and Accommodations
Search Term	Search Volume	Search Term	Search Volume
consumer reports	0.24	hotels.com	0.49
coupons	0.12	hotels	0.49
mycokerewards.com	0.12	holiday inn	0.33
froogle	0.09	disneyland	0.21
ebay express	0.08	las vegas	0.20
free samples	0.08	motel 6	0.20
webkinz	0.07	best western	0.18
free samples	0.06	hampton inn	0.18
pch.com	0.06	comfort inn	0.16
consumer report	0.06	marriott	0.15

View: Top 10 Search Terms by Category, Four Weeks Ending August 26, 2006

Free Shipping for Online Retail Shoppers

admin — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 17:59:50 +0000

According to a survey done by Shop.org, 83% of online retailers plan to offer free shipping during the holiday season which is the most important factor to online shoppers. A couple of keynotes from the article:
:By the end of October, about 63% of online retailers will have started running holiday promotions

:About 12% of retailers will add early shopper discounts this year, with nearly 39% offering the enticements this year

:By October, about 34% of consumers will make a holiday purchase, with another 26% starting in early to mid-November

The article also states that 97% of online retailers will invest in marketing through search engines and comparison sites.

More….

Online Ad Revenue’s surpass 4 Billion in Q2

admin — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 19:40:23 +0000

U.S. Online Ad revenues for the first half of 2006 surpassed 7.9 billion dollars, 37% higher from the same period last year. According to Pricewaterhousecoopers, Q2 revenues surpassed the 4 Billion Dollar mark a 36% increase from last year. Video Ads will continue to emerge for advertising, “While search advertising remains the largest format in terms of revenues, we expect to see new formats like video ads to continue to emerge as advertisers seek to leverage the branding opportunities afforded by the growing installed base of broadband users,” David Silverman, Partner, Entertainment & Media Practice, PricewaterhouseCoopers. More….

Blog is crucial for Online Retail

admin — Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:25:25 +0000

Thinking of starting your own online retail business? Now may be the best time to do so. With online retail sales in the U.S. estimated to be over $211 Billion Dollars you may want to start fast. According to Emily White: “Small businesses need to be where their customers are — and, increasingly, that’s online. As this trend continues, small businesses should embrace the Internet as the most cost-effective way to find new customers, whether they are just around the corner or across the globe,” said Google’s director of online sales and operations. This may be a great time for you to invest your money in a retail blog. More…..

Facebook looking to expand

admin — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 20:12:32 +0000

Facebook is planning to roll out it’s expansion. Facebook primarily focuses on College students and is looking to grow their network space. Facebook was once offered 750+ million and turned it down. It seems they are focused on more members and more $$$. They believe that the web is evolving and that evolution can only mean their company is worth much more than 750 Million. Article……

Blogs help make Purchasing Decisions

admin — Mon, 11 Sep 2006 15:53:26 +0000

Blogs are becoming a powerful B2B presence. In a study done by Knowledgestorm, blogs are becoming even more critical for any website business. In the study, 53% of the respondants claim that content from blogs has an impact on a buying decision. 80% read blogs and 51% read blogs once a week. More…….