Building a successful online business entails many factors, not the least of which is ensuring that current and potential customers can find you.
Retailers that possess only one domain name – a website bearing the company name – may be missing out on potential sales from online customers who misspell the company name or use a search engine to seek a retailer by category or geography. Conversely, purchasing domains with names that attract the kinds of customers a company covets significantly boosts opportunities for website visits – and sales.
With a background in technology, Keith Riewe is not your typical small business owner. After purchasing 34-year-old Bice’s Florist and closing all but one of its stores, Riewe managed to increase sales 38 percent or more than $1.5 million. Read more...
Dogeared, a trendsetting brand that creates handcrafted jewels and gifts in Los Angeles, is celebrating the second anniversary of their flagship retail store, www.dogeared.com. In recognition of this milestone, a newly designed site with upgraded features was launched in November. The retail website, which joined the existing wholesale website two years ago, was a key tactic in Dogeared's five year strategic marketing plan, which included growing direct and international business. Read more...
(Washington) —Though traffic in stores was brisk over Black Friday weekend, millions of Americans saved some of their shopping for Cyber Monday, the ceremonial kickoff to the online holiday shopping season. Read more...
(Washington) — People who don’t want to fight Black Friday crowds will have a less chaotic shopping option just three days later. Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving, is expected to be more promotional than ever this year as retailers offer one-day sales and special offers to bring holiday shoppers online. Read more...
Attention, online shoppers! This may be the last holiday season you can dodge sales taxes by buying presents on the Web. (Admit it, you do this.) State legislators, retailers and lawyers say 2009 may be the year Internet taxes finally come to pass.
The idea, which would levy sales tax on most goods bought online, has been tossed around for nearly a decade. A perfect storm of factors, including record state budget deficits, a new Congress and continued e-commerce growth, appear likely to rekindle the issue. Experts say that cash-strapped states view this revenue, estimated to be several billions of dollars, as money left on the table. Read more...
(CAMBRIDGE, Mass.) -- Greenward, local favorite eco-boutique in Cambridge, has opened an online store at Greenwardshop.com. The site offers modern, elegant, environmentally friendly goods for everyone. As with all products featured in Porter Square shop, the online store features gifts, housewares, baby goods, stationery, cleaning products, bags, and accessories. Every product is carefully screened to ensure that it adheres to Greenward's eco-crtiteria. Read more...
(LONDON) - WorkLight, the Web 2.0 for business specialist, says the e-tail industry is growing strong as Web 2.0 and social eCommerce initiatives are adopted to promote customer-focused, cost-effective business in a time of economic uncertainty, based on two industry reports recently published by Forrester / Shop.org and Retail Systems Research. Read more...
Herndon, VA -- Whereoware, a web-based technology provider with a strong reputation for its work with some of the top names in the gift and home décor industries, announces the launch of a new business-to-business website and integrated web marketing campaign for Bungalow, a fashion forward lifestyle designer, importer and manufacturer of decorative bags, tabletop, flooring accents and home accessories. Read more...
San Francisco, CA — Smashing Katie is a startup born from a breakup.
An online store geared to women who have recently gone through a divorce or breakup, Smashing Katie sells items ranging from a wedding ring coffin to the Ex, a kitchen knife block shaped like a person.
Owner Angie Schmidt got the idea from her own divorce - and named the store after the neighbor she believed was the other woman behind the collapse of her marriage. Read more...
Question: I've been learning about SEO and trying to work it into my company Web site, fretzels.com, which can definitely use an SEO makeover. My company, Fretzels by Jill, makes really unique hand-dipped gourmet chocolate-covered pretzels like you've never seen or tasted before.
I have Google Analytics set up and notice that most of the traffic comes from those who are searching for my site. What can I do to increase my Web site's visibility when people are searching for more general keywords related to my product? For example, I'd love for people searching for "corporate gifts" or "unique gifts" to be able to find my site. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. - Jill
Dear Jill: Your Web site designer did a fantastic job with the layout of your site: The colors, text and images are crisp and fun and convey a unified brand image. However, the designer missed out on some back-end stuff that can really enhance your search-engine rankings. We recruited three search-engine optimization (SEO) experts to reveal tips on how to get better rankings - and on how to get visitors to make purchases once they find your site. Read more...
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