What are you doing different in 2013?” Odds are, we’ve all been asked some variation on this question several times since 2013 burst through the door and told 2012 it had worn out its welcome—it’s time to go. We may have even looked in the mirror and asked ourselves this question. Now that we’re several days into 2013, we may hear the question less, but the theme remains. Others are prone to making dramatic New Year’s resolutions”—not me. I believe you’re either a committed person or you’re not. If you’re serious about stopping a bad habit, losing weight, or changing something ...

Pop Quiz! Now that we are in 4th quarter, which best describes your strategic state of mind? A) I’m ready and have been ready. Bring it on! B) I barely have time to read this article—too busy preparing! C) I know I need to do something, but I’m not sure what. D) I really don’t even want to think about it. If you answered A,” then great! You also may be very lonely in your e-commerce peer group, because most of the people I’ve been talking to indicated one of the other three answers. No matter where you’re at, if you’re ...

I’m writing this in the hottest part of the year, and it gets pretty hot in Hotlanta, let me tell you. The very last thing I’m thinking of is Christmas. That seems like a long time away. And yet, it isn’t. Many merchants feel the same, and they haven’t even started thinking about 4th quarter strategy. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are fast-approaching. Just look at how quickly the first part of the year flew by! We’re just past the mid-point of the year, and it’s time to look at where you’re at with your business. I’ve put together some thoughts ...

If you're interested in getting your site to make you more money, you're probably constantly making changes to it. Monitoring your site's analytics is the best way to ensure that all of these changes are improving your site's performance. Analytics will reveal weak spots in your site's user experience that can then be improved. There are several different ways to go about reviewing analytics and countless reports you can analyze. So much can be done that it can often be overwhelming.If you are new to the idea of analyzing your site or just lost and confused, remember to keep it simple. ...

As Cyber Monday 2011 begins to fade into history, online retailers are evaluating how they did and some are asking, What now?” While many merchants experienced a sales bump between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, the ones that were well-prepared with their promotional strategy came away with the biggest gains. As we plunge along into December, remember some of the following holiday strategies.Take a breather, and let your customers come up for air as well.The temptation to get all you can while you can” can be severe. Several stores have sought to extend the hype of Cyber Monday into Cyber Week,” taking ...

As you’re in the midst of fine-tuning your holiday strategy, remember that how you attract customers is as important as where you direct them on your store. Online merchants can find themselves thinking along the lines of As long as enough people come to my store, my odds of selling them something becomes higher.” The natural traffic that events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday produce can fuel this mindset further. Merchants may decline any sort of strategy” at all, preferring instead to just wait on the flock of holiday-deal-seeking customers to show up. The reason why this is so dangerous ...

Well into fourth quarter, many merchants are wondering exactly what they can do to maximize holiday sales. Focusing entirely on what” can drive sales may not offer the full answer. That’s why we recommend beginning a strategy by asking, Why?” When you develop a mindset that is focused on why customers shop the way they do during the holidays, it will help you launch a compelling merchandising strategy filled with useful tools that are specific to your brand. Read on to get your strategic holiday mindset in place!1.) Don’t go cookie-cutter! As much as you may be tempted to save money, ...

I talk to a lot of clients who are too hung up on what their competition is or isn't doing. If you're not careful, you can base an unhealthy portion of your strategy around their strategy. In order to survive today's competitive online landscape, aggressive confidence in your chosen direction is required.I look at competition like I do highway traffic: Everybody's trying to get ahead at the same time or faster than you are, but if you keep your eyes on them and not the road-- you'll crash! If you never switch lanes, others will get there faster. When you do ...