|
Retailers Missing Lucrative Sales Opportunities
Listed under: Top Story
Published: Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Craft shop owners could be doing their businesses a disservice by not fully utilising their websites, according to a recent study conducted by digital marketing agency dotCommerce.
The findings, which reveal many retailers are failing to incorporate added value content, such as blogs (15%) and social networking links (75%) on their websites, suggest the majority of smaller enterprises are only covering the basics and not making the most of their internet offer.
The study found that less than half the businesses surveyed had any kind of editorial content to encourage further sales, with only ten percent offering customers the opportunity to post comments or product reviews online.
The report encourages retailers to focus on everything from their site content, design and product search tools, to their online marketing, checkout service and after sales care.
However, some craft shop owners feel the report is slightly misleading. “A lot of it has to do with the business themselves and how much time and money they have to devote to their site,” explains retailer Jenny Stevenson, who owns bricks and mortar store Crystals and Ice Bead Shop in Cardiff. “Over the past few years retailers have really upped their game when it comes to their websites and I think it's quite unfair to tar everyone with the same brush.
“We've recently put a lot of effort into improving our online offer and now email each and every one of our customers with a list of recommended purchases following their transaction,” she continues. “We also make sure we capitalise on any projects we have featured in magazines by devoting a whole area of the site to the materials used to produce them – which we have found to be incredibly beneficial. At the end of the day, your business is what you make it and the ones with the best overall serice will ultimately be the ones to survive.”
What are you doing to improve your internet offer this year? Email your stories to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
The findings, which reveal many retailers are failing to incorporate added value content, such as blogs (15%) and social networking links (75%) on their websites, suggest the majority of smaller enterprises are only covering the basics and not making the most of their internet offer.
The study found that less than half the businesses surveyed had any kind of editorial content to encourage further sales, with only ten percent offering customers the opportunity to post comments or product reviews online.
The report encourages retailers to focus on everything from their site content, design and product search tools, to their online marketing, checkout service and after sales care.
However, some craft shop owners feel the report is slightly misleading. “A lot of it has to do with the business themselves and how much time and money they have to devote to their site,” explains retailer Jenny Stevenson, who owns bricks and mortar store Crystals and Ice Bead Shop in Cardiff. “Over the past few years retailers have really upped their game when it comes to their websites and I think it's quite unfair to tar everyone with the same brush.
“We've recently put a lot of effort into improving our online offer and now email each and every one of our customers with a list of recommended purchases following their transaction,” she continues. “We also make sure we capitalise on any projects we have featured in magazines by devoting a whole area of the site to the materials used to produce them – which we have found to be incredibly beneficial. At the end of the day, your business is what you make it and the ones with the best overall serice will ultimately be the ones to survive.”
What are you doing to improve your internet offer this year? Email your stories to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
