The Convenience of E-tail E-Commerce and Online Shopping
Who thought shopping online could be so easy, simply opening a browser, conducting a search, finding a great product online and making a purchase is nothing out of the ordinary for millions of consumers each day.
The advantages of shopping online are (1) zero traffic or commuting time (2) no need to stand in long checkout lines and (3) the ability to peruse dozens of shops to compare pricing (with a few keystrokes of due diligence). In addition, if you factor the convenience of online shopping it is a perfect synergy for savvy online consumers who maintain hectic schedules and are inclined to make the most efficient use of their time.
To capture the e-generation shopper in the competitive online shopping industry, the e-tailer requires a firm grasp of usability (to keep traffic on the site), search engine optimization (to get them there) as well as ways to to gauge trends, sales cycles, inventory management and all of the trappings that accompany e-commerce, enterprise and cycles of supply and demand.
In an ideal scenario, optimization would start with keyword refinement, on-page analysis of the content and site structure to create a laser-like focus for the site theme to appease the target audience. Additionally, identifying which click-triggers emotionally rouse the core consumer and weaving the call to action into every page without over-selling is equally as important.
Tackling these objectives from the planning stage as opposed to trying to remedy them after the fact is one way to gain a competitive advantage and outrank a competitor selling virtually the same items.
If your e-tailing / market plan does not factor search engines as a crucial contributor to your promotional plan, driving traffic would rely on off-line or paid online sponsored advertising. Dependency on platforms such as PPC alone could erode profit margins dramatically by comparison to organic search engine optimization. In this instance, the e-tailer is optimizing their pages for popular brands or niche or specialty items. The more mainstream something is, the more competitive the arena. It boils down to price point, value proposition and packaging for most as far as online shopping goes.
The Takeaway for E-tailers:
Having clearly delineated and optimized site architecture and enough topical content (unique product descriptions) can distinguish your site with spiders.
Use keyword rich categories instead of long CMS (content management system) gibberish URL strings such as ?973-21.aspx instead of websitename/products/category/even-more-descriptive-title/ which uses a topical naming convention which translates as a structured and organized boilerplate to assist search engines find semantically related material.
A simple mod-rewrite can handle this, or some tweaking to your shopping cart are enough to overcome this obstacle from the start. Also, make sure the sitemap is linked to every page product page in the template (or a sitemap for every sub folder / section), you can use it later to tie everything together and ensure that spiders can traverse the sites vast categories and pages.
Every page indexed in search engines is another page out there working on your behalf bringing potential customers back home to your site, or helping your site gain more authority under the auspices of link popularity.
It is no secret that purchasing and the power of preference has reached new heights as e-commerce is paving the way for millions of entrepreneurs to break free from traditional brick and mortar based retail outlets.
The Additional Benefits of Online / Off-line hybrids:
If you own a local business that features items that are in high demand, then a targeted online campaign could drive hordes of qualified walk in traffic to your storefront.
It depends on your preference, standing in a store waiting for walk in traffic as a result of location or using the online shopping hybrid and leveraging link building, content and promotion to increase the bottom line. The idea is, to have positioning for your brand using both. In either case, it boils down to the same thing, the swipe of a credit card, a payment in cash and a monetary transaction for a product in demand.
Despite the fact that online shopping has its sensory limitations (like trying to sell fragrances over the internet) or not having the ability to physically touch the merchandise does not preclude online shoppers from purchasing online.
Its only a matter of time before we see "hybrid retail / e-tail based stores" with the ability to order online and then simply pick up the item to go from a drive-through / delivery window.
If retailers wanted to add value they could create express checkout allowing the person to purchase online, the retailer would then pick and pack the items and have it available for convenient pickup (like a fast food restaurant) with the payment already processed online (while the consumer is in route). Even if you are in the parking lot ordering from your mobile device, you can see the value of a V.I.P. elite (skip the line) shopping service that allows you to Checkout Now!
Since millions of consumers already purchase online as a result of convenience and emotional impulse, adding value to the proposition with new processes to aid the transaction process are pure win / win solutions for all parties involved.
There are three facets to consider about shopping online (1) the reason why consumers want to purchase (branding, the cycles of desire and fulfillment) and (2) the search terms one would use to find the most relevant match and (3) the landing pages ability to convert.
E-tailers not only live or die by the trends in search, but having a firm grip on the who, what, where, when and how factor when assessing a markets strength can come in handy in the event that you are interested in setting up shop.
Knowing that a profitable niche site if populated, promoted and managed properly with engaging content, give-always, incentives and the like, coupled with social media, GEO specific targeting to maximize psychographic purchasing (knowing your niche) can equal tremendous profit margins at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing.
The Convenience of Etail ECommerce and Online Shopping - To learn more about this author, visit Jeffrey L. Smith's Website.
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John AlexanderJohn has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center. I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander's Website |
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
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Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
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