Zia Daniell Wigder says, “In last year’s global eCommerce predictions report, we wrote that in 2015, cross-border eCommerce would become “more seamless and less apparent to shoppers”. We’ve started to embark on this path: Today consumers around the world have access to growing selection of products as more retailers make their offerings available to shoppers in other countries. My colleague Michelle Beeson recently documented that cross-border sales in Europe alone will reach €40 billion by 2018. Retailers that haven’t yet started to ship cross-border—and those that... [...]

Dustin Thompson says, “Marble Slab Creamery has been in business for 32 years and has locations in more than 15 countries worldwide. In order to reach this level of greatness, we had to learn how to adapt at the first sign of trouble. One such instance occurred about two years ago. For roughly five years, we experienced a significant decline in sales. We knew that we had to do something to turn our business around—but what? Many people may have found themselves in a similar predicament, especially after the recession. So how do you combat declines in sales when the economy is to blame?... [...]

Thomas Stern says, “Consumer behavior does not solely apply to physical stores today as ecommerce has become more and more prevalent. Online shopping has grown in popularity with consumers due to the efficiency, speed and convenience it provides. As such, retailers and e-tailers alike must apply the “psychology of marketing” in order to satisfy customer needs and grow their sales. Identifying how online buyers think and feel about where they hangout online can help marketers improve existing campaigns and flesh out strategies that can reach consumers better”. The Mind of an... [...]

Christopher Ratcliff says, “There are many reasons why someone might buy something on your ecommerce site, aside from the promise of free cake and endless Gifs of kittens yawning. Here are the three most glaringly obvious: Because you are selling exactly what I’m looking for. Because you’re selling it for less than everyone else. Because you are Amazon and it’s just easier if I just do all my shopping with you. The first two are so glaringly obvious, that they’re hardly worth talking about. But I will anyway, because I like the sound of my own voice”. 17 ways your ecommerce... [...]

John Fetto says, “It’s actually a bit ironic that Amazon promoted Prime Day as having more deals that Black Friday. That’s because visits to Amazon.com have actually been growing so steadily that last year’s Black Friday isn’t even among the site’s 10 biggest traffic days of the last 12 months. Nearly half of the days in July this year, in fact, have had visit counts that surpassed Black Friday. Compared to the previous Wednesday (July 8), the number of visits to Amazon.com on Prime Day rose 68 percent. But Amazon wasn’t the only retailer celebrating. Prime Day was definitely... [...]

Denice Surjan says, “Labor Day weekend, signifying the end of summer, tends to bring customers back to reality — but not before one last bash. As such, the holiday can be an opportunity for retailers to make a final seasonal push before diving into the winter holiday madness. Luckily, we’ve just released a Labor Day Hot Sheet, which includes insights on online search, email and content trends to help marketers guide their content and messaging strategy for the holiday weekend. Recipes and store hours top the search keyword lists Labor Day-related searches, like those around many holidays,... [...]

Jen Gray says, “It may be July, but now is the time to start thinking about the holiday season. Although it’s one of the most important times for driving revenue, the holiday season is difficult for brands to set themselves apart from competitors andCONNECT with customers in meaningful ways. Therefore it’s important for marketers to harness emerging technology to drive customer engagement. From receipt validation to building sharable content, brands have more tools at their disposal than ever before as they prep their strategies for the biggest spending season of the year“. Four... [...]

Greg Wise says, “If you’ve ever signed up for a gym membership, then you’re already well aware of the power of sunk cost effect. Basically, every time you sigh and grumble your way to the gym to power up the elliptical, you’re falling prey to this phenomenon that says we’re reluctant to pull out of something that we’ve already put a lot of time, money, or effort into. The sunk cost effect is obviously a very real thing, as you’ve experienced for yourself. There are also studies surrounding other items that prove the phenomenon exists outside of the physical improvement realm.... [...]

Sam Edwards says, “To celebrate its 20th birthday, Amazon has officially declared July 15 “Prime Day” an event that will offer more deals than the traditional Black Friday. And while Prime Day could offer customers some pretty generous deals, business experts and savvy entrepreneurs know Amazon’s goals run much deeper than rewarding shoppers with hefty discounts. Amazon wants you to meet Prime Day In a July 6 press release, Amazon officials made it very clear that their new Prime Day wouldn’t just rival Black Friday — it would surpass it. (The title of the release reads “Step... [...]

Sucharita Mulpuru says, “The hottest topic in eCommerce these days seems to be “buy buttons.” The energy though appears premature. Pinterest announced its buyable pins with a press conference and sentimental Hallmark-like videos though the buyable pins are actually hard to find. Facebook, the king of all social networks, announced a buy button more than a year ago but it’s been relatively mum on the details (and they appear to only have one formal eCommerce partner). Media reports and blog posts of Instagram, Twitter, and Google doing the same seem to further excite merchants and vendors... [...]