Ecommerce News Feed

Bing Goes Social with New Resdesign

Tue, 15 May 2012 10:02:18 +0000

10 Photoshop Skills for Beginners

Tue, 15 May 2012 00:41:27 +0000

Adobe Photoshop is an incredibly powerful program that allows you to do professional grade image manipulations and adjustments. Whether you want to work with product images or design website layouts, Photoshop has the tools you need to get the job done. However, Photoshop is so powerful that approaching it as a beginner can seem daunting.

Using Google Analytics Advanced Segments to Find Actionable Data

Mon, 14 May 2012 10:02:02 +0000

Honor You Mother With Mother’s Day Gifts That Mean More (and are perfect for last minute)

Sat, 12 May 2012 08:07:58 +0000

By Susan Delly May 12th, 2012 Mother’s Day is a beautiful day that revolves around the celebration of motherhood and appreciation of maternal bonds. For many of us however, celebrating Mother’s Day is something we do on autopilot. We get her a card, a gift, take her out to a nice dinner or let her [...]

How to Update MySQL Data Across Joined Tables

Fri, 11 May 2012 19:44:12 +0000

MySQL allows rows from several tables to be simultaneously updated, accelerating many common database tasks.

Businesses often rely on a number of database-driven software solutions as well as external data for everything from purchasing and inventory management to sales and human resources.

SEO: How to Amplify Keyword Signals

Fri, 11 May 2012 19:24:27 +0000

Online Apparel Sales Explode

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:45:03 +0000

Books, music, software, and consumer electronics have been the mainstay of ecommerce transactions since online sales began. Apparel is now the fastest-growing segment — by growth percentage — in ecommerce thanks to the greater sophistication of shopping tools, free shipping, and more flexible return policies.

How to Choose an Email Service Provider

Thu, 10 May 2012 20:44:09 +0000

Would You Like to Guest Blog for ZippyCart?

Thu, 10 May 2012 06:41:08 +0000

By Susan Delly May 9, 2012 The 2012 eCommerce Software review season is underway here at ZippyCart and we have some exciting things planned for this summer and beyond! We are putting 100% of our energy into the review process and our Ecommerce News Blog and have concentrated our focus on the needs of small [...]

Inventory Rules Are Changing, Says Dropship.com CEO

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:52:01 +0000

Drop shipping is the process of selling an item that is then shipped by a manufacturer or wholesaler. Many ecommerce merchants utilize drop shipping, at least in part, to reduce inventory costs and to expand their product offerings. But drop shipping can be complicated.

Choosing Sales Channels to Reach Target Consumers

Wed, 09 May 2012 21:18:47 +0000

Using WordPress for Ecommerce, Part 35: The Contact Form

Wed, 09 May 2012 20:38:48 +0000

Every ecommerce site needs a contact form, giving users an easy way to ask questions or make suggestions.

Adding a contact form to a hosted version of WordPress is as simple as adding some HTML markup, writing a bit of CSS, and creating a short custom page template.

This article is the 35th in a series created to demonstrate how to use WordPress to develop an ecommerce site that sells vir

Drop Shipping: The Good and The Bad

Wed, 09 May 2012 00:58:36 +0000

18 HTML5 and CSS3 Generators

Tue, 08 May 2012 20:53:23 +0000

Code generators are good things. If you’re a new designer, HTML5 and CSS3 generators allow you to experiment with the code, manipulate it, and see how it works. If you’re an experienced designer, generators are simple and functional tools to complete your projects quickly.

Here is a list of HTML5 and CSS3 generators.

8 Social Shopping Sites for Ecommerce Merchants

Tue, 08 May 2012 19:57:18 +0000

Today's social shopping sites are the online equivalent of old-fashioned swap meets and flea markets. They bring thousands of buyers and sellers together in a social environment where shoppers can rely on friends to help them shop and connect with merchants.

Our New Website (or, “How It Took Us Two Years to Launch”)

Tue, 08 May 2012 04:20:00 +0000

The Short Version:

We finally launched our new website!

20 Most-Shared Marketing Videos

Mon, 07 May 2012 22:35:18 +0000

Online viewers share compelling content. A marketing video that makes an impact can go viral, whether the video is funny, sad, inspiring, or cheaply produced.

Here is a list of the most-shared marketing videos, based on the amount of times content is shared on Facebook, Twitter and in the blogosphere. The rankings, as well as the Facebook and blog post data, are from Unruly Media.

Using WordPress for Ecommerce, Part 34: Modifying the Page Template

Mon, 07 May 2012 19:58:41 +0000

Marketing Strategies for Small Business to Help You Stay Ahead of the Competition

Mon, 07 May 2012 18:03:03 +0000

March 7th, 2012 By Edmond Hong Often big marketing comes to mind when you consider small business, and perhaps you are right to think that way. The scope has changed significantly since the introduction of the Internet. The opportunities for business the Internet has fashioned are unrestricted. Staying ahead of the wave is the secret [...]

Google Drive: Cloud Storage For Small Business

Mon, 07 May 2012 08:46:29 +0000

Changes for the week ending 2012-05-06

Mon, 07 May 2012 08:45:00 +0000

Changes for the week ending 2012-05-06:

Lessons Learned: Wholesale Butcher Becomes Prime Retail

Sat, 05 May 2012 00:35:21 +0000

Australian Paul Tory studied accounting after leaving high school. But after “two very boring years,” he realized the profession wasn’t for him and decided to try a trade.

Learning to Build Webbots: A Book Review

Fri, 04 May 2012 21:23:38 +0000

Webbots, spiders, crawlers, screen scrapers, and similar scripts power major Internet firms like Google, provide significant competitive advantages for businesses, and may someday empower shoppers in what one technologist calls the “Intention Economy.” What's more, webbot development can be a career-accelerating skill for web developers.

“Your ability to write a webbot can distinguish yo

SEO Professionals Can Harm an Ecommerce Business

Fri, 04 May 2012 19:42:15 +0000

Social Gifting: friend or foe to the small business owner?

Fri, 04 May 2012 10:56:10 +0000

May 5th, 2012 By Susan D Social gifting – the newest online buzz. It’s actually an interesting new marketing idea that combines 3 hot items: mobile commerce, social networking and a gift buyer’s love of gift cards. It’s undoubtedly the new big trend but, is it right for your online store? Some experts think it’s [...]

Reading List: Neil Davidson of My Web Presenters

Fri, 04 May 2012 00:45:14 +0000

In “Reading List,” we ask ecommerce professionals to name some of their favorite recent books and blogs and tell us why they read them. For this installment, we corresponded with Neil Davidson, founder of My Web Presenters, a web video production company.

What's the Value Proposition of Your Ecommerce Company?

Thu, 03 May 2012 20:38:50 +0000

Image Tips: SEO-Friendly Images Make a Big Difference

Thu, 03 May 2012 18:55:30 +0000

What would you call this image?

20 New Productivity Apps in April 2012

Wed, 02 May 2012 23:54:52 +0000

The month of April brought virtual assistants, search tools, planners and task lists, text and dictation apps, and a laser pointer.

Here is a list of April’s new mobile productivity apps for Android and Apple iOS. There are both paid and free apps for your mobile productivity.

Android

Simple Scan To FTP Pro.

Using WordPress for Ecommerce, Part 33: Integrating MailChimp

Wed, 02 May 2012 21:21:37 +0000

While most web developers could build an application to send email newsletters and manage subscriber lists, it is often a lot easier to use an established email service provider (ESP).

In this article, I will described how to connect an email newsletter form running on a WordPress site to MailChimp, a leading ESP, using its API.

This article is the 33rd in a series created to demonstrate

Using Twitter to Promote Your Ecommerce Products

Wed, 02 May 2012 20:32:17 +0000

Survey Says: Pinterest-like Sites Drive Sales

Wed, 02 May 2012 00:10:58 +0000

19 Boilerplates, Templates and Resets to Jumpstart Your Project

Tue, 01 May 2012 20:52:26 +0000

Don’t start every project from scratch. Boilerplates, templates and resets offer base foundations to your projects, so you can focus on the fun stuff.

Here is a collection of boilerplates, templates and resets to jumpstart your projects. There are HTML and CSS tools, WordPress templates, and some additional aids to launch your plugin and app development.

HTML and CSS

HTML5 Boilerplate.

Affiliate Marketing: Communicating with Your Affiliates

Tue, 01 May 2012 13:53:59 +0000

6 Product Page Factors that Drive Sales

Tue, 01 May 2012 01:13:18 +0000

Using WordPress for Ecommerce, Part 32: Processing Newsletter Form Data

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 20:17:35 +0000

Capturing and storing form data is a fundamental web development skill that is often done many times on a website, so if one is going to use WordPress for ecommerce and ecommerce marketing, form data will be part of the process.

This article is the 32th in a series created to demonstrate how to use WordPress to develop an ecommerce site that sells virtual products.

3 Examples of Contest Marketing

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 19:34:59 +0000

Contest marketing seeks to give shoppers a positive retailer-related experience, create an affinity for the products a retailer sells, and collect information about shoppers that may help with future sales-oriented marketing campaigns.

The idea of giving away hundreds of dollars worth of merchandise and advertising may seem like an expensive proposition for small and mid

Changes for the week ending 2012-04-29

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:45:00 +0000

Changes for the week ending 2012-04-29:

How Can Small Businesses Compete Globally?

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:00:55 +0000

April 30, 2012 By Matt Bramowicz Business is not what it used to be. While in the past it may have been acceptable practice for a small or medium-sized business to cater only to its native language market, it is no longer the case. From the onset, small businesses are already at a disadvantage. Whether [...]

10 Effective Magento Extensions

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:37:30 +0000

Google’s Over-Optimization Penalty an Evolution, Not Revolution

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:25:02 +0000

How’s Your Customer Service Experience?

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:07:18 +0000

7 Things to Know about Your Customers

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:31:15 +0000

22 Free Keyword Research Tools

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 11:46:38 +0000

Choosing the right keyword is the foundation of successful search engine optimization. Fortunately there are a number of free online tools to help you identify potential keywords and analyze their strengths.

Here is a list of tools for researching keywords. There are tools to generate keyword ideas. There are also tools to rank keywords, track searches, compare multiple terms, and more.

Ecommerce Owner Sells the Business; Explains the Process

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:40:14 +0000

Merchants tend to put a lot of thought into starting their businesses, but not so much into leaving. Having a proper exit strategy can allow merchants to sell their businesses much more effectively, as well making the process less emotionally taxing.

We recently spoke with Dale Traxler about his experiences in selling his business.

Using WordPress for Ecommerce, Part 31: Composing the Newsletter Form

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:26:29 +0000

A well-made HTML form should do everything possible to help users quickly submit data and achieve their goals.

In the case of a newsletter submission form, users want to register to get information that they believe will be helpful or interesting.

Emphasizing Site Search in Web Design

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:17:03 +0000

A website's own search engine is fundamental to helping customers find products, make purchases, and have a positive shopping experience.

Speaking at an ecommerce conference in Brazil, Ed Huffman, vice president of global sales and business development for SLI Systems, a site search provider, told his audience that 43 percent of site visitors use search to navigate and f

Coupon Codes: using them to promote your web shop

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 17:45:58 +0000

Marketing strategies come and go as current trends and customer demands change. Today, one of the most popular ticket items for online marketing is the coupon code… aka promo, voucher, or discount code. They’ve proven themselves to be an effective sales incentive as they help with customer acquisition, sales completion and abandoned shopping cart re-marketing but, [...]

Managing Your Company’s Trade Secrets

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:46:31 +0000

Using WordPress for Ecommerce, Part 30: Newsletter Page Template and Database

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 21:45:09 +0000

Email marketing is important to most any ecommerce site's success, so developers are wise to build in mechanisms for collecting shopper information and, eventually, marketing to those customers via email.

This article is the 30th in a series created to demonstrate how to use WordPress to develop an ecommerce site that sells virtual products.

3 Tips for Managing Shopping Cart Abandonment

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:58:32 +0000

Design 1, 2, 3: What is (and Should be) Trending in eCommerce

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:58:35 +0000

For someone working in eCommerce, I have pretty high expectations when it comes to my shopping experience. (Turns out, so do regular shoppers.) So, when I have a positive experience or notice something good happening on multiple sites, I feel it’s my duty to tell you about it, so you can implement it or repurpose it for your eCommerce shop. This month’s Design 1, 2, 3 focuses on some trends I’ve been seeing recently.

10 Marketing Examples of Facebook Photo Albums

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 00:03:54 +0000

There are many ways for ecommerce merchants to use Facebook's photo gallery. My article last week — "Facebook Photo Albums: Maximize the Marketing Value" — outlined a number of them.

Here are 10 examples of ecommerce merchants and small businesses that are taking advantage of Facebook photo albums for marketing purposes.

18 Tools and Tutorials for Modernizr

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:30:55 +0000

Modernizr is an open-source JavaScript library that tests for HTML and CSS features. If a feature does not work in certain browsers, Modernizr enables you to offer those browsers a fallback experience. Modernizr helps you deliver the best site experience, no matter what browser or device your visitors use.

Here is a list of tools and tutorials for Modernizer.

How To Reduce the Expense of International Shipping

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:19:11 +0000

There are so many things involved in owning your own online shop. Customer acquisition, product management, shopping cart software, and shipping costs are just a few of the big concerns! After you’ve got everything set-up and settled in, you get to start making decisions about shipping. Shipping costs can really drain your profit margin but [...]

Changes for the week ending 2012-04-22

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:45:00 +0000

Changes for the week ending 2012-04-22:

How To Appease Google’s Panda Update

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:21:13 +0000

Who Needs an Ecommerce Strategy, Anyway?

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 08:00:36 +0000

Changes at the USPS

Sat, 21 Apr 2012 01:54:19 +0000

Going Public? How to Decide Which Exchange to List On

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:41:46 +0000

Thinking about taking your company public? After you get through all the paperwork you will have to decide at which stock exchange you want to list your company. Each publicly traded company may trade shares on only one domestic stock exchange.

Using WordPress for Ecommerce, Part 29: A Third Loop and the Footer

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:17:46 +0000

Displaying multiple Loops on a single WordPress page allows a developer to pick and choose the posts or categories to be displayed.

This article is the 29th in a series created to demonstrate how to use WordPress to develop an ecommerce site that sells virtual products.

6 Ways to Increase Prices on Your Ecommerce Site

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 01:04:45 +0000

SEO: Avoid Link Building Shortcuts

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:59:13 +0000

Developer’s Toolbox – Get a Handle on Handles in Magento Layout XML

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:56:00 +0000

Magento’s layout XML can be intimidating for a developer, new developers in particular. Because there is so much flexibility with XML inside of the Magento framework, there is a lot to learn. One of the most powerful functions you should master when in the layout XML is the ability to group, focus, and/or segment your XML code with Layout Update Handles.

Lessons Learned: U.K. Online Ink Store Celebrates 10 Years

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 22:28:52 +0000

"Lessons Learned" is a series where we ask ecommerce business owners to share their experiences, good and bad. For this installment, we corresponded with John Sollars, founder of Stinkyink, a U.K.-based printer ink business.

Stinkyink.com celebrates 10 years of trading this month.

Using WordPress for Ecommerce, Part 28, Managing Thumbnails and Article Teasers

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 20:26:19 +0000

How to Manage Tracking Tags on an Ecommerce Site

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 19:47:42 +0000

Ecommerce sites track visitor behavior in a variety of ways. One of them is the use of "tags," small pieces of code from third-party websites, such as analytics programs and affiliate marketing partners. An active site can have many tags, and they sometimes conflict with each other. Monitoring and managing tags can be burdensome.

Tagman is a company that provides tag management services.

Groove to Host eCommerce Forum in Philadelphia

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:12:58 +0000

Online merchants are invited to join Magento, Groove, and Listrak for an eCommerce Forum in Philadelphia on May 10^th. This is a “can’t miss” event for etailers who are considering or already using Magento. Attendees will hear success stories from merchants just like themselves and learn how they can leverage Magento to achieve their own online success.

3 Tips for Deciding What to Sell Online

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 22:02:18 +0000

18 Tools and Tutorials for HTML5 Canvas

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:36:37 +0000

HTML5 canvas allows scripts to dynamically render 2D bitmap images. In addition to basic shapes, canvas can be used to build graphs, animations, games, and image composition.

Here is a list of tools and tutorials for HTML5 canvas. There are basic tutorials and resources to get started. There are multi-part guides to learn advanced canvas functionality.

Facebook Photo Albums: Maximize the Marketing Value

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:05:53 +0000

In last week's article, "Using Facebook's New App Icons to Promote Your Business," I discussed how to modify Facebook Page app icons, which are located just beneath the cover image.

23 Twitter Chats for Small Businesses

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:44:24 +0000

One of the best ways to harness Twitter is by participating in chats, scheduled hashtag discussions that focus on specific topics. Small businesses can utilize chats to develop a social media plan, discuss brand strategy, and take advantage of free legal advice.

Here is a list of chats for small businesses. To join the conversation, search the hashtag at Twitter during the chat’s scheduled time.

The Vacuum Center Cleans Up an Outdated Design with Magento Enterprise

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 20:19:58 +0000

The Vacuum Center has been selling vacuums and vacuum accessories online since 2001. With access to over 70,000 parts, they are one of the largest etailers in the industry. When Chad White, Owner of The Vacuum Center, decided the time was right for a full redesign, he choose Gold Solution Partner Groove Commerce to carry out his vision on the Magento Enterprise Platform.

Setting Up a Basic REST Server with Zend

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:38:19 +0000

The representational state transfer (REST) software architecture defines web services that can be accessed easily with a simple URL GET request.

The Zend Framework's Zend_Rest component, which can be used in a Zend application or as a standalone resource, makes it easy to create REST web services to complete just about any task.

As an example, developers could create a RESTful service that prov

Changes for the week ending 2012-04-15

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:35:00 +0000

Changes for the week ending 2012-04-15:

5 Unique and Effective Email Offers

Mon, 16 Apr 2012 07:06:55 +0000

The offer in an ecommerce email campaign is key. Coming up with offers that stand out from the competition and get your subscribers' attention, however, can be difficult.

A straight dollar-off discount gets boring over time, and email recipients will eventually ignore the same types of offers coming to their inboxes.

What Happens When You Swipe Your Credit Card?

Sun, 15 Apr 2012 03:25:46 +0000

April 14th, 2012 By Susan Delly What happens when you buy something online? To the average consumer, it’s a simple process of adding an item to the virtual shopping cart and pressing the ‘buy now’ button… but what really happens? The truth is, your simple check-out process is a series of steps that go through [...]

Two Key Things For SEO Success

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 22:17:11 +0000

Running Multiple WordPress Sites from a Single Backend

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 20:05:37 +0000

Beginning with WordPress 3.0 in March 2010, developers can create multiple WordPress sites that run on a single installation, making it possible to operate and manage a WordPress site network.

WordPress' multiple site solution, called Multisite, “has a host of practical purposes.

SEO: Build Relationships, Not Links

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:34:50 +0000

Must You Really Have Keywords In Domain Names?

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 08:30:54 +0000

Credit Card Processing: Red Flags for Ecommerce Merchants, Part 3

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 20:49:46 +0000

Using YouTube Videos to Drive Ecommerce Sales

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:54:36 +0000

The use of video by ecommerce merchants can increase sales. We recently spoke with Ian Hackett, senior director of ecommerce and user experience at TRX Training, a retailer of exercise equipment, about the use of video for product sales.

The Future of Regulated Mail, and Ecommerce Shipping

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 20:53:27 +0000

Using WordPress for Ecommerce, Part 27: The WordPress Loop

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 19:52:13 +0000

Google AdWords Ad Extensions Basics

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 01:04:48 +0000

Google AdWords extensions give potential shoppers more information about a merchant and more options to engage with that merchant before clicking a search ad.

Although ad extensions have been around for a couple of years, Google recently added conversion tracking data to extensions, making it significantly easier to measure extension performance relative to actual sales.

This addition to Google's p

eCommerce Site Analysis – The Basics

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 17:12:50 +0000

eCommerce is constantly evolving and your strategy should be too. If not, the competition will eat you for breakfast (num num). The first step in your eCommerce strategy moving forward should be a thorough eCommerce site analysis. Your site needs to be firing on all cylinders before you focus on increasing traffic. This means it should be optimized using current industry best practices and converting visitors to customers.

Special MOLPay Promotion For InstanteStore Merchants

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:15:42 +0000

Equity Crowdfunding Is Now Legal in U.S.

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 11:06:40 +0000

Last week President Obama signed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act) that includes revisions to the 1930s era financial regulations that limited equity funding for start-up businesses.

Equity crowdfunding is now legal in the U.S.

Using Facebook's New App Icons to Promote Your Business

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:34:43 +0000

Now that Facebook has transferred commercial Fan pages to the new Timeline format, links to custom tabs — now called "apps" — reside in a row below the cover image. These were previously located in the left-hand column, with small icons. No matter how many apps you have, only four appear in the row, accompanied by a button with a drop-down arrow that reveals others.

Using WordPress for Ecommerce, Part 26: Completing the Header.php File

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 19:50:57 +0000

Converting an HTML and CSS draft into a working WordPress theme takes a bit of work. But it is a fairly simple process of comparing and updating files from the draft and a working example theme.

This article is the 26th in a series created to demonstrate how to use WordPress to develop an ecommerce site that sells virtual products.

Changes for the week ending 2012-04-08

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:30:00 +0000

Changes for the week ending 2012-04-08:

Pinterest: Choosing Cover Images, Tracking Pins

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 10:03:53 +0000

Pinterest released a new feature last week, giving marketers significantly more control over how their companies' Pinterest boards are represented.

This new feature allows users to choose the cover images for their pin boards, which serve as a sort of directory for a user's Pinterest presence.

Tips for Creating the Right Sales Message for Your Online Store

Sat, 07 Apr 2012 18:12:09 +0000

April 7, 2012 By Susan Delly Do You Have the Right Sales Message for Your Online Store? Welcome to the world of online commerce. In this digital world, your ability to sell is almost entirely dependent on the effectiveness of your website’s sales messages. Are you delivering an effective message? It’s challenge enough to take [...]

How to Place Pinterest Pins in a Facebook Tab

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 20:32:57 +0000

You can show recent Pinterest updates in a Facebook tab with PHP and a single component of the powerful Zend Framework.

Pinterest lets users “pin” — which is posting or publishing — interesting images or videos to boards that are available to anyone visiting the site. Some marketers see Pinterest as an opportunity to engage shoppers.

SEO and PPC: Synergistic or Cannibalistic?

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 18:02:07 +0000

How Much is Your Ecommerce Business Worth?

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 11:57:21 +0000

From time to time, I get emails from customers saying that they have decided to move on from having an online business and they are wondering if I can tell them how much their online business is worth.

Business valuation is a tough one and we certainly are no experts in that arena. But we do have some insights on the topic. Here are some of the factors that a prospective buyer will likely consider in determining what they will pay.

1. Customer Base

8 SEO Pointers for Ecommerce Product Pages

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:44:04 +0000

Analyzing Customer Review Platforms; Amazon's Example

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 22:23:38 +0000

A customer review system is one of the top features of an ecommerce website. It provides credibility through the word of others who have previously purchased the products or services. This singular feature differentiates the online shopping experience from brick-and-mortar stores more than any other.

Does Google Analytics Track Visits From Search Engine Crawlers? Nope!

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 14:18:21 +0000

A frequent question I get from customers is whether their Google Analytics data is skewed by all the traffic their site gets from search engine crawlers. The simple answer is – No. Let me explain in more detail.

Your website receives a barrage of traffic from a multitude of automated programs. The major search engines have crawlers (sometimes called spiders or bots) that systematically and relentlessly visit websites to index pages and gather data for their search engines.