Evan Carmichael Top Header about About About facebook Twitter YouTube Google+

Shopping Online for the Holidays



Free PDF Download
Weekend Favs May Twenty One - By John Jantsch

Name: Email:


A recent Yahoo!/Harris poll had some telling results for small business owners.

Some highlights:

76% of holiday shoppers said they will buy gifts online;

75% said they are likely to buy gifts online from a small business;

63% said online niche retailers are a 'best place' to shop for hard-to-find gifts;

55% said it is important for their favorite specialty or gift stores to have an online presence;

60% said recommendations from friends and family are key influencers for shoppers;

6% said 'social media' are important.


Wow! I hope that gets your attention. You don't have to sell gifts and doodads to read these numbers into your small business.


"Many consumers rely on small businesses that are online during the holiday shopping season because they offer variety, value and unique gifts that aren't always available in stores," said Rich Riley, vice president and general manager of Yahoo! Small Business, the division of Yahoo! that powers more than 40,000 online stores. "The survey shows that shoppers have high expectations, but also high confidence in buying holiday gifts online with small businesses."


A couple of other points of note.


If shopping at a small business online, what features would you find most important for an overall positive experience?


Trusted, secure online payment system (such as Paypal) 76%

Ease in navigating the site to browse, get information and make purchases 76%

Simplified customer checkout process 58%

Easy registration process 52%

24-hour customer services 47%

Attractive, professionally designed Web pages 39%


I want you to pay attention to the last point here - attractive design is where a lot of folks put the most attention. I'm not saying you should make homely pages (although there is some data to suggest testing this.) but I am saying that other factors may be more important. Don't ignore them.


I wrote an article on some of these trust building web practices in a recent newsletter issue. Read More


Related Articles

  It’s the Holidays!
  Christmas Shoppers Is Your Site Prepared
  Reasons to Buy Your Gifts Online
  Boosting Holiday Sales – 5 Mistakes to Avoid
  A Closer Look at Mystery Shopping
  Google AdSense Strategies – Anticipating and Maximizing Holiday Season Revenue
  Why everyone should GO for Online Shopping?
  PHP Shopping Cart Script Most Easy To Create and Manage an Online Store
  3 Better Ways to Get Wows From Your Holiday Season Business Networking
  Ready or Not, Here Come the Holidays!
  Online Shopping Business Is Evolving: Is Your E-commerce Store Ready For The Change
  Holiday Shoppers and the Economy
  How to Distinguish Better Shopping Cart Software
  Magento Is Not Just a Technology It Is a Virtual Salesmen
  10 Tips for Coping with Holiday Stress
  What Do I Want?
  Secure Your Financial Future
  Why Mobile Shopping Are Carts Such a Big Deal?
  Holidays are Coming, are You Getting Prepared?
  osCommerce: Your E-commerce Platform

Home > Entrepreneur-Advice > John Jantsch > Shopping Online for the Holidays >

Free PDF Download
Weekend Favs May Twenty One - By John Jantsch

Name: Email:

About the Author: John Jantsch

RSS for John's articles - Visit John's website
John Jantsch is a veteran marketing coach, award winning blogger and author of Duct Tape Marketing - The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide (foreword by Michael Gerber, author of The E-Myth) published by Thomas Nelson - due out in the fall of 2006 He is the creator of the Duct Tape Marketing small business marketing system and Duct Tape Marketing Authorized Coach Network. His Duct Tape Marketing Blog was chosen as a Forbes favorite for small business and marketing and is a Harvard Business School featured marketing site. His blog was also chosen as "Best Small Business Marketing Blog" in 2004, 2005 and 2006 by the readers of Marketing Sherpa.
Click here to visit John's website.
Dashed Line

Duct Tape Marketing
More from John Jantsch
The Ultimate Measure of Marketing Success
The Worst Business Advice You Ever Received
5 Tips For Getting More from Facebook
Keeping your employess in the light
What Do Successful Small Businesses Do That You May Not

Related Forum Posts

Re: Season's Greetings! Re: Season's Greetings!
Newbie from Africa Newbie from Africa
Selling on the Shopping Channel Selling on the Shopping Channel
Re: What is your worst / best month? Re: What is your worst / best month?
Internet Users Hbk http://www.internetscamsanonymous.com Internet Users Hbk http://www.internetscamsanonymous.com

Share this article. Fund someone's dream.

Share this post and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.
Share for a Cause
Featured Video


Expert author video by:
Canada Mortgage, Mortgage Canada Rates



Worksheets
By: Evan Carmichael

Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?

8 Powerful Steps to Finding Your Passion

Does your pitch suck?

Create a plan of attach to launch your new business.

8-Cover

Like this page? PLEASE +1 it! Evan Signature
Bottom Footer



Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Popular Articles

Avoid These Employment Background Check Mistakes

What Is The Foundation for Your Vision?

Why We MUST Reinvent The Wheel

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.