http://www.practicalecommerce.com/topic/21/Interviews--Profiles/ Interviews with prominent ecommerce business personalities and profiles of successful online businesses. en-us Copyright 2007 Confluence Publishing Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:39:48 -0600 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/rss/ Practical Ecommerce v2.0.1 Ecommerce kmurdock@practicalecommerce.com bgetting@practicalecommerce.com 60 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/724/A-Social-Media-Symphony/ How often do you find a classical musician who is not only a virtuoso on his or her appointed instrument, but who demonstrates Internet marketing virtuosity as well? Allow me to introduce you to classical pianist Grace Nikae (Gracenikae.com). From looking at her website, it's obvious the piano is not the only keyboard Grace spends time on. Her site is a convergence of standard web content, social media and ecommerce. Blog/email newsletter: a two-part invention I've long been a fan of using a blog in concert (yes, pun intended) with email, a more traditional form of marketing. The combination works as well together as two skilled hands playing two parts on a Bach composition. Grace utilizes this approach on her site. While I've yet to receive a newsletter to determine whether it's simply repurposed blog content (think Feedblitz) or something else altogether, the fact that she offers two forms of media to appeal to different audiences is a communications strategy worth... Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:39:48 -0600 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/724/A-Social-Media-Symphony/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/721/Interview-AuthorizeNet-President-On-Fraud-Prevention/ Authorize.Net, a CyberSource Solution, is a leading payment gateway company with many years experience in combating credit card fraud. We asked Roy Banks, President of Authorize.Net, about common errors that merchants make with fraud prevention. PeC: What's the biggest fraud-prevention mistake made by ecommerce merchants? BANKS: Failure to use the Address Verification Service. It's a free option from most payment gateway companies and will potentially lower a merchant's processing costs when used. Unfortunately, many merchants don't use it. Another common mistake is merchants don't always require the card verification code from the cardholder at the time of sale. This is also a service that is free from most payment gateway providers. By using both AVS and Card Verification Code, merchants will be able to better detect and prevent thieves who attempt to purchase with a stolen credit card number. PeC: Where can a merchant turn if he's confused or has questions related to... Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:11:16 -0600 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/721/Interview-AuthorizeNet-President-On-Fraud-Prevention/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/712/Lessons-Learned-Wetsuitwearhousecoms-Moleskie/ "Lessons Learned" is an occasional series where we ask seasoned ecommerce professionals about their mistakes and successes. For this installment, we've asked Chris Moleskie, owner and president of Wetsuit Wearhouse, Inc., a Hagerstown, Md.-based online retailer of wetsuits and accessories. It was launched in 2003, with Moleskie as its only employee. It now has three employees, but varies seasonally, with annual revenue of over $1 million. It offers over 300 unique products. Here we give you Moleskie's experiences and suggestions. On general advice for ecommerce merchants "It is tough to tell this to new merchants who are very budget conscious, but you get what you pay for. Most of our early mistakes could have been avoided by not going cheap." On shopping cart mistakes "We have always used Miva Merchant. It has been excellent for us, since anything is possible with regards to customization. One mistake was hosting with the cheapest provider who lacked top-notch tech support.... Wed, 09 Apr 2008 15:33:32 -0600 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/712/Lessons-Learned-Wetsuitwearhousecoms-Moleskie/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/709/Quick-Query-PayPal-Exec-On-Payment-Disputes/ Many ecommerce merchants allow customers to pay for their products using PayPal, the popular payment service that's owned by eBay. But some of these merchants say PayPal unfairly sides with customers if the customers dispute legitimate purchases. We asked Colin Rule, PayPal's Director of Online Dispute Resolution, about this assertion, and how, exactly, PayPal resolves disputes between ecommerce merchants and their customers. PeC: If an ecommerce customer pays for a legitimate product using PayPal and then decides he doesn't like it and complains to PayPal, what will PayPal do? RULE: In cases where the buyer is simply disappointed in the item, we would encourage the buyer to work directly with the seller. PayPal does offer buyer protection, but this protection covers buyers for items that they didn't receive and for items that are significantly not as described. It does not cover cases where the buyer is merely disappointed with the item or where the item did not meet the... Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:04:45 -0600 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/709/Quick-Query-PayPal-Exec-On-Payment-Disputes/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/705/Field-Test-Fraud-Prevention-Part-3-of-3/ In Field Test, Practical eCommerce gathered ten seasoned ecommerce merchants and asked each of them the same questions around a given topic. This month’s topic is fraud prevention. The participating ecommerce merchants are: Dave Norris, House of Antique Hardware; Chris Stump, Only Hammocks; Mike Feiman, PoolDawg; Dan Stewart, Xtreme Diesel Performance; Roman Kagan, Appliance Parts Pros; Cindy Barrileaux, Write Your Best; Claudette Cyr, Gear-Source; Mike Butler, Bloom Designs Nursery; Kristen Taylor, Juvie; Jeff Muchnik, RedBox Tools; Kara English, Candles And Such PeC: Has your ecommerce business been the victim of credit card fraud? FIELD TESTER 7: Yes. FIELD TESTER 8: Many people have tried to commit fraud with stolen credit cards, but no customers have been successful. FIELD TESTER 9: No. FIELD TESTER 10: One attempt, but we caught it before the order was processed and before the credit card was charged. PeC: How did the fraud occur? FIELD TESTER 7:... Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:22:15 -0600 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/705/Field-Test-Fraud-Prevention-Part-3-of-3/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/704/Interview-Ex-hacker-Mitnick-On-Avoiding-Fraudsters/ You know that hidden bomb shtick in the movies? There's a bomb that's going to go off and kill a gazillion people. First, the good guys have to find it. Then they have to figure how to get into to it to disarm it. Then they almost have it disarmed when they discover a booby trap they have to work around. Then they find the two wires - red and blue. The hero has to snip the blue wire but they both look black under the yellow light. Then he gets lucky. He snips the blue wire. When it comes to Internet fraud, however, some of us don't get so lucky According to master-hacker-turned-security-guru Kevin Mitnick, those layers of resistance set up by the mad bomber ought to be the way everyone thinks when they are trying to keep the bad guys out of their computers, networks and databases. Mitnick, who knows about as much as anyone concerning Internet security, says it is not easy keeping the bad guys out. He says there is no magic bullet (or wire snipper). Mitnick: The system... Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:04:27 -0600 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/704/Interview-Ex-hacker-Mitnick-On-Avoiding-Fraudsters/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/701/Bloglist-Eric-Leuenberger/ Name: Eric Leuenberger, Owner Company: Enhanced Concepts, Inc. In Bloglist, we ask ecommerce professionals to identify their favorite blogs. For this installment, we asked Eric Leuenberger, ecommerce conversion marketing expert and owner of Enhanced Concepts, Inc. Entrepreneurs-journey.com This blog provides some superior information on how to get the most out of monetizing your website. From informative tips on affiliate programs to traffic monetization strategies, this blog has it all. Copyblogger.com Great blog for keeping in tune with copy writing techniques that help you persuade visitors to act. Toprankblog.com This blog provides a range of useful resources that cover various search marketing techniques, including social media marketing, blog marketing and other online public relations ideas. Sethgodin.typepad.com These are some of the most enlightening marketing concepts you'll ever read. Seth Godin always has something to say that makes you step... Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:44:23 -0600 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/701/Bloglist-Eric-Leuenberger/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/700/Field-Test-Fraud-Prevention-Part-2-of-3/ In Field Test, Practical eCommerce gathered ten seasoned ecommerce merchants and asked each of them the same questions around a given topic. This month’s topic is fraud prevention. The participating ecommerce merchants are: Dave Norris, House of Antique Hardware; Chris Stump, Only Hammocks; Mike Feiman, PoolDawg; Dan Stewart, Xtreme Diesel Performance; Roman Kagan, Appliance Parts Pros; Cindy Barrileaux, Write Your Best; Claudette Cyr, Gear-Source; Mike Butler, Bloom Designs Nursery; Kristen Taylor, Juvie; Jeff Muchnik, RedBox Tools. The responses for three of the ten merchants follow below. The answers are shown to preserve anonymity. Pec: Has your ecommerce business been the victim of credit card fraud? FIELD TESTER 4: In over eight years in business we haven't had a single case of credit card fraud. While no company can claim to be 100 percent invincible, we try to utilize every option available to prevent fraudulent transactions. FIELD TESTER 5: No. FIELD... Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:22:27 -0600 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/700/Field-Test-Fraud-Prevention-Part-2-of-3/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/698/Field-Test-Fraud-Prevention-Part-1-of-3/ In Field Test, Practical eCommerce gathered ten seasoned ecommerce merchants and asked each of them the same questions around a given topic. This month’s topic is fraud prevention. The participating ecommerce merchants are: Dave Norris, House of Antique Hardware; Justin Hertz, MuttMart; Chris Stump, Only Hammocks; Mike Feiman, PoolDawg; Dan Stewart, Xtreme Diesel Performance; Roman Kagan, Appliance Parts Pros; Cindy Barrileaux, Write Your Best; Claudette Cyr, Gear-Source; Mike Butler, Bloom Designs Nursery; Kristen Taylor, Juvie; Jeff Muchnik, RedBox Tools. The responses for three of the ten merchants follow below. The answers are shown to preserve anonymity. Pec: Has your ecommerce business been the victim of credit card fraud? FIELD TESTER 1: Attempted fraud, but nothing that ever actually went through. FIELD TESTER 2: Hundreds of fraud attempts, but I think we actually only got stung once for a small amount. FIELD TESTER 3: Yes, we typically see a handful of... Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:00:26 -0600 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/698/Field-Test-Fraud-Prevention-Part-1-of-3/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/686/High-Performer-Garyweekscom-Handcrafted-Furniture-and-Impressive-Guarantee/ Thirty miles southwest of Austin along the Blanco River is Wimberley, Texas. Population 3,797. Among those who call Wimberley home is one Gary Weeks. And if you make your way to West Spoke Hill Drive, you’ll come to a wooden sign that simply reads, “Gary Weeks & Company — Furniture Makers.” Gary Weeks & Company makes tables, stools and dining furniture. It also makes rocking chairs — the Weeks Rocker, which is what Weeks calls his “signature piece.” Perhaps because it is his signature piece a unique guarantee accompanies the chair. It reads: “The Weeks Rocker is guaranteed to be the most comfortable, the most beautiful and the best constructed rocking chair you have ever experienced or we will refund your money, including all shipping charges.” If you’re wondering how often Weeks has had to back up his guarantee: He’s sold more than 1,900 rockers. Five have been returned. The rockers are available in five woods, cherry, walnut, maple, mahogany and... Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:11:09 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/686/High-Performer-Garyweekscom-Handcrafted-Furniture-and-Impressive-Guarantee/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/682/Visual-Bookshelf-Taps-Into-Social-Networking/ For those who are regular visitors to Facebook, you may have come across an application called Visual Bookshelf. It allows Facebook users to show on their pages the books they are reading or have read, and each of the book’s titles link back to Amazon.com. Users can also create book reviews and make recommendations. The company behind Visual Bookshelf is Hungry Machine, a six-person web development firm that specializes in Ruby on Rails technology and Facebook applications. Visual Bookshelf was launched less than a year ago, but it already has millions of users. Tim O’Shaughnessy is the firm’s co-founder and partner. High Performer Hungrymachine.com Who says you can’t sell products on Facebook? Hungry Machine’s Visual Bookshelf application sells thousands of books every month. Size: $1,000,000, approximate 2007 revenues from Visual Bookshelf Number of employees: 4 Biggest obstacle: “Keeping up with feedback and requests from users! We focus... Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:51:53 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/682/Visual-Bookshelf-Taps-Into-Social-Networking/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/685/Field-Test-Social-Networking-Part-3-of-3/ In Field Test, Practical eCommerce has gathered ten seasoned ecommerce merchants and asked each of them the same questions around a given topic. This month’s topic is social networking. The participating ecommerce merchants are: Dave Norris, House of Antique Hardware; Justin Hertz, MuttMart; Chris Stump, Only Hammocks; Mike Reiman, PoolDawg; Dan Stewart, Xtreme Diesel Performance; Roman Kagan, Appliance Parts Pros; Cindy Barrileaux, Write Your Best; Claudette Cyr, Gear-Source; Mike Butler, Bloom Designs Nursery; Kristen Taylor, Juvie. The responses for four of the ten merchants follow below. The answers are shown in random order to preserve anonymity. PeC: Which social networking sites do you visit? FIELD TESTER 7: Primarily Myspace.com and Youtube.com. FIELD TESTER 8: Industry specific forums, dot com journals, Digg.com, Linkedin.com and Youtube.com. FIELD TESTER 9: Digg.com. FIELD TESTER 10: Gardenweb.com, Davesgarden.com (a/k/a Garden Watchdog) PeC:... Mon, 25 Feb 2008 15:12:57 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/685/Field-Test-Social-Networking-Part-3-of-3/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/681/High-Performer-Powerbookmediccom-Parts-and-Repairs-For-Mac-Laptops/ If you have laptop, and it’s a Mac, you may feel like Apple is the only place to turn for parts and repairs. But since 2002, Powerbookmedic.com has been offering an alternative. The site specializes in installations, repairs, parts, and service for many portable Apple devices. What started out on eBay in 1998 has quickly established itself with its own site. Bradley Wallace owns the company, Powerbookmedic.com. High Performer Powerbookmedic.com Company has developed a convenient, profitable system to ship and repair laptops remotely. Size: $2,000,000, approximate 2007 gross revenue. Biggest Obstacle: “There aren’t any, really. That is the beauty of ecommerce. The Internet provides a level playing field.” PeC: Your company is an online business that sells replacement Mac parts and also offers Mac repair services. How do you coordinate repair services online? WALLACE: We’ve developed a three-step process with an in-house developed application. First,... Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:24:42 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/681/High-Performer-Powerbookmediccom-Parts-and-Repairs-For-Mac-Laptops/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/680/Field-Test-Social-Networking-Part-2-of-3/ In Field Test, Practical eCommerce has gathered ten seasoned ecommerce merchants and asked each of them the same questions around a given topic. This month’s topic is social networking. The participating ecommerce merchants are: Dave Norris, House of Antique Hardware; Justin Hertz, MuttMart; Chris Stump, Only Hammocks; Mike Reiman, PoolDawg; Dan Stewart, Xtreme Diesel Performance; Roman Kagan, Appliance Parts Pros; Cindy Barrileaux, Write Your Best; Claudette Cyr, Gear-Source; Mike Butler, Bloom Designs Nursery; Kristen Taylor, Juvie. The responses for three of the ten merchants follow below. The answers are shown to preserve anonymity. PeC: Which social networking sites do you visit? FIELD TESTER 4: Slashdot.org, Del.icio.us, Digg.com. FIELD TESTER 5: Myspace.com, Linkedin.com. FIELD TESTER 6: Myspace.com. PeC: Which social networking sites do you market your business on? FIELD TESTER 4: Wikipedia.org, Simpy.com and Digg.com. FIELD TESTER 5: ... Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:19:05 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/680/Field-Test-Social-Networking-Part-2-of-3/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/678/High-Performer-Pastycom-Sells-Meal-In-A-Crust/ On Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula are two old copper mining communities — Kearsarge and Calumet. Calumet is home to Pasty Central, which operates a pasty kitchen in Kearsarge, the Pasty Central Express. Pasty Central is an employee-owned company, and its website, Pasty.com, has been online since 1996. The site includes the Pasty Cam Photo Of The Day, contests and hundreds of Upper Peninsula photographs. The project all started with the Still Waters Assisted Living Community (the original owners), whose residents once peeled the pasty vegetables as a regular activity. Pasty.com’s employees bought the company in 2001. To date, Pasty.com has sold and shipped more than 375,000 hand-made pasties to 5,856 zip codes in all 50 states. Pasties are shipped frozen and cost $29 for four, which includes shipping. General Manager Charlie Hopper has been with Pasty.com since its inception. High Performer Pasty.com Early day ecommerce site capitalizes on niche food item,... Mon, 18 Feb 2008 14:04:03 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/678/High-Performer-Pastycom-Sells-Meal-In-A-Crust/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/676/Bikewagoncom-From-Classifieds-To-eBay-To-Its-Own-Website/ Dale Majors is passionate about cycling. So much so that in 1999, at age 16, he decided to take a chance with selling bicycle gear online. His original goal was simple: He was looking to upgrade his own cycling equipment and needed the money to do so. Like other young aspiring entrepreneurs, he headed to eBay. One thing lead to another, and before long Majors was making roughly $1,000 a month selling cycling parts. Five years later, what had started in his parent’s basement turned into a full-time business — Bikewagon, which quickly became one of the largest cycling stores on eBay. In February 2007, Majors launched a website, Bikewagon.com, and the Salt Lake City-based business shows no sign of slowing of down. High Performer Bikewagon.com Consistent, steady growth pays off for specialty retailer: Scales from classifieds, to eBay to its own site. Size: $1 million approximate 2007 gross revenue. Biggest Obstacle: “Establishing systems and processes that are not... Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:57:59 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/676/Bikewagoncom-From-Classifieds-To-eBay-To-Its-Own-Website/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/674/Quick-Query-Debbie-Levitt-CEO-of-As-Was/ Debbie Levitt is the CEO of eBay’s first Certified Service Provider, As Was (Aswas.com), which offers services for online sellers including branding, design, and personalized sales and marketing strategies. Levitt is eBay’s first Certified Consultant and the first Education Specialist trained by eBay. Her recognized expertise as well as her approach to online branding, marketing and strategy are redefining the model of what are “good” eBay listings, eBay Stores, or websites. eBay recently announced some serious changes. What can you tell Practical Ecommerce readers about those changes? We know that with what eBay is planning on changing, sellers need to start reassessing how they do things and finding ways to change as soon as possible. Rather than waiting for eBay Live or an event later this year, we know that sellers need to learn what they can immediately. If Detailed Seller Ratings (DSRs) give your buyer the chance to rate your communication and how they felt about... Wed, 13 Feb 2008 14:13:01 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/674/Quick-Query-Debbie-Levitt-CEO-of-As-Was/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/672/eCreamerycom-Ice-Cream-Made-To-Order/ In Omaha, Neb. is a historic neighborhood called Dundee. If it sounds vaguely familiar it may be because it is home to Warren Buffet, the second richest man in the world. It is also home to a unique parlor and online venture named eCreamery. High Performer Ecreamery.com Interactive cart allows consumers to create ice cream base, flavors and packaging. Size: $200,000, approximate revenue from in-store and online sales. Biggest Obstacle: “Shipping costs. We see the biggest falloff when people see the $38 overnight shipping fee.” - PeC Staff eCreamery and its website, eCreamery.com, sells ice cream but with a twist. All orders are custom made. You name the flavor and eCreamery will make it from scratch. Some favorites include Almond Joy, Banana Foster, Green Tea and Doug’s Happy Hour, which includes a mix of premium stout ice beer and pretzels. Business partners Becky App and Abby Klusmire purchased the company in 2007 and what they’ve done and... Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:52:50 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/672/eCreamerycom-Ice-Cream-Made-To-Order/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/668/Quick-Query-Wholesale-Indexs--Justin-Prescott/ 

Justin Prescott is the marketing manager for JP Communications, Inc, an Internet marketing and advertising company that publishes vertical search engines and directories, and it recently launched its Top Ten Wholesale Index site as a free tool for ecommerce managers to use in forecasting consumer trends and market opportunities. What is the Top Ten Wholesale Index? Top Ten Wholesale Index provides up-to-the-second and historical analyses of the top 100 merchandising items searched from JP Communications’ network. It also lists the most used keywords and terms. The site is designed to be a trend tracker with built-in keyword discovery. For instance, according to our data, handbags, dollar stores and clothing items were the most searched for items during the 2007 holiday season.
 How is the data collected? Top Ten Wholesale Index pulls data entered and keyword term outcomes from more than 30,000 unique daily visitors per day who perform nearly 100,000 searches... Mon, 04 Feb 2008 14:15:58 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/668/Quick-Query-Wholesale-Indexs--Justin-Prescott/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/665/Online-Merchant-Caters-To-Serious-Musicians/ Andy Rothstein has been playing electric guitars for more than 30 years. However, he had a problem that lead to an idea. The problem was that guitars did not sound as well as they should. The idea was Rothstein Guitars and its website, Guitar-mod.com, which Rothstein runs with his wife, Alissa. But Rothstein Guitars doesn’t sell guitars. The New Jersey-based business sells prewired electronic assemblies for guitars and basses. And it sells these assemblies entirely through its ecommerce site. PeC: How did the business and the site come to be? ROTHSTEIN: I’ve been playing for quite a long time and over the years I started getting somewhat dissatisfied with the types of guitars you would find and what types of sounds you can get out of them, which is a common story. Lots of people look to upgrade their guitars and enhance them, trick them out so to speak. However, I really wasn’t finding what I was looking for. I just had some ideas for things that I would like to... Wed, 30 Jan 2008 11:55:30 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/665/Online-Merchant-Caters-To-Serious-Musicians/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/662/Booklist-Brulant-CEO-Len-Pagon/ In Booklist, we ask ecommerce professionals to name some of their favorite books. For this list, we asked Len Pagon, CEO and president of Brulant, a company that combines technology, interactive marketing and creative design. The Fifth Discipline By Peter M. Senge A great source for understanding mental models, systemic thinking, and the power of dialogue, designed to help companies develop dynamic ways to pinpoint the threats that face them and to recognize new opportunities. The Art of Profitability By Adrien Slywotzky A book of parables that reveal the invisible, but important governing principles that can mean the difference between business failure and success. How to Grow When Markets Don’t By Adrien Slywostky This work uses case studies to demonstrate how to leverage hidden assets and move toward a more integrated relationship and higher value relationship with customers, and implicitly touches upon the phenomenon of business process... Mon, 28 Jan 2008 15:07:25 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/662/Booklist-Brulant-CEO-Len-Pagon/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/659/Quick-Query-Miva-Merchant-EVP-Rick-Wilson/ Miva Merchant is a pioneering shopping cart. First launched in 1995, it rose, and then fell, with the dot-com boom and bust. Findwhat.com, a publicly traded company, purchased Miva Merchant in 2004. Findwhat.com subsequently renamed itself Miva, only to sell the Miva Merchant shopping cart division to private investors in August 2007. One of these investors, Rick Wilson, is a former Miva Merchant executive who rejoined the company. We asked him about the new Miva Merchant. PeC: What’s going on with Miva Merchant? WILSON: We're very much in a growth mode and are fully committed to ensuring Miva Merchant is the best in class ecommerce product available. PeC: There are more than 300 shopping cart choices. Why should a business choose Miva Merchant? WILSON: Because no other shopping cart in our space has the flexibility, scalability or proven track record that comes with Miva Merchant. We have customers just starting out in ecommerce going all the way to the multi-million... Wed, 23 Jan 2008 14:57:38 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/659/Quick-Query-Miva-Merchant-EVP-Rick-Wilson/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/656/Booklist-Juice-Media-CEO-Rick-Enrico/ In Booklist, we ask ecommerce professionals to name a few of their favorite books. For this list, we asked Rick Enrico, President and CEO of Juice Media Worldwide, a media and marketing technology company. 
 Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die By Chip and Dan Heath
 This book will change the way many marketers create and execute promotion campaigns and messages.

 Lucky or Smart? Secrets to an Entrepreneurial Life 
By Bo Peabody
 This is a great insight into the minds of some entrepreneurs. If you feel an affinity toward the author, you may in fact be one!

 The Long Tail: Why The Future of Selling Less of More
 By Chris Anderson
 Finally, the buzzword explained in terms that marketers can use!

 The Art of the Start: The Time-Tested, Battle-Hardened Guide for Anyone Starting Anything 
 By Guy Kawasaki
 After reading this, you’ll have a blueprint to start business initiatives and a smile on your... Mon, 21 Jan 2008 16:47:46 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/656/Booklist-Juice-Media-CEO-Rick-Enrico/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/653/Quick-Query-Certona-CEO-Meyar-Sheik/ Certona Corporation helps ecommerce merchants deliver product recommendations and customized content to their visitors. The technology, called Resonance, automates visitor traffic patterns, among other variables, and then recommends relevant products and content to each and every visitor. We asked Meyar Sheik, Certona’s president and CEO, to explain the technology further. PeC: What is Resonance? SHEIK: Resonance is a Web 2.0 optimization and personalization platform that automates a company’s ability to provide relevant, individualized web content. It increases an organization’s ability to enhance the visitor experience and raise key performance metrics such as sales conversions, average order value online revenues and content viewed per visit. PeC: The beef against personalization and behavioral targeting is that it requires the visitor to give up some of their privacy. How does Resonance approach this? SHEIK: The system leverages the traffic patterns of... Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:02:06 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/653/Quick-Query-Certona-CEO-Meyar-Sheik/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/650/Booklist-Mercado-CEO-Corey-Leibow/ In Booklist, we ask ecommerce professionals to name books they are currently reading. For this list, we asked Corey Leibow, CEO and President of Mercado, an ecommerce search and merchandising provider for small-to-mid sized business. Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping By Paco Underhill ECommerce is ultimately about understanding and servicing shoppers — not just about technology.

 The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People By Stephen Covey One of my favorites. I reread it every year and give it to all my executives when they join Mercado
. 
Chasing Cool: Standing Out in Today’s Cluttered Marketplace By Noah Kemer and Gener Pressman We are constantly looking for ways to stay innovative in our brand and approach to business. This book is a light read and very inspirational.

 The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari: A Fable About Fulfilling Your Dreams & Reaching Your Destiny By Robin Sharma For business executives, this is a must for... Mon, 14 Jan 2008 16:24:48 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/650/Booklist-Mercado-CEO-Corey-Leibow/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/646/Ten-More-Great-Ecommerce-Ideas/ Practical eCommerce recently asked 50 industry insiders to share a great, innovative idea that could potentially help an ecommerce firm. Here’s what ten of them had to say. BRYAN EISENBERG CHIEF PERSUASION OFFICER & CO-FOUNDER FUTURE NOW, INC. FUTURENOWINC.COM Determine Valuable Variables Doing multivariate testing use to require some in-house programming expertise or expensive third-party software. Thankfully, Google Website Optimizer has provided us with a free alternative. You don’t need to have the right answer, your customer will. GARY PAULINO CO-OWNER TRACKSIDE SALES TRACKSIDESALES.COM Don’t Fail To Plan Having been through the personal experience of becoming involved with a young business, and trying to slide a foundation under the building, after it has begun construction, has taught me the importance of planning. Take the time to plan your site. The end result will pay you back more than you can imagine. MICHELLE GREER MARKETING... Wed, 09 Jan 2008 11:55:23 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/646/Ten-More-Great-Ecommerce-Ideas/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/644/Bloglist-Roy-Rubin/ Name: Roy Rubin, President Company: Varien Blog: Varien.com/blog In Bloglist, we ask ecommerce professionals to identify their favorite blogs. For this installment, we asked Roy Rubin, president of Varien, the company behind the open source platform Magento. Techcrunch.com
 This is the go-to blog to stay informed of major developments in the Internet tech industry as a whole. It’s the first blog I read in the morning, and the last I check at night. Its ability to break stories in this industry is unparalleled. The Open Road (Blogs.cnet.com) 
Matt Asay provides a coherent overview of the open source industry in a style that is both personal and informative. It provides a glimpse into the trends and developments that can be missed by more general tech blogs, and as a member of the open source community, it is important for us to stay up-to-date on these developments. Smashingmagazine.com
 A great way to stay informed of design and usability trends. We’re... Mon, 07 Jan 2008 16:49:01 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/644/Bloglist-Roy-Rubin/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/640/Bloglist-Michelle-Greer/ Name: Michelle Greer, Marketing Specialist Company: Volusion, Inc. Blog: Onlinebusiness.volusion.com In Bloglist, we ask ecommerce professionals to identify their favorite blogs. For this installment, we asked Michelle Greer, marketing specialist at Volusion, a company that offers ecommerce software, website services and advanced online solutions to large and small businesses. Sphinn.com When I found this site, I felt like it was tailor made for me. Sphinn is a social site for online marketers created by Danny Sullivan and the staff at Search Engine Land. Rather than reading news submitted by editors, Sphinn readers can submit news relevant to Internet marketing, and other users can push relevant content to the top by “sphinning” it. Copyblogger.com Copyblogger is like the fun English teacher you had in high school. It is engaging and it does prod you to improve your writing. This does not apply solely to bloggers — it helps anyone writing anything for... Wed, 02 Jan 2008 04:48:59 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/640/Bloglist-Michelle-Greer/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/638/More-Great-Ecommerce-Ideas/ Practical eCommerce recently asked 50 industry insiders to share a great, innovative idea that could potentially help an ecommerce firm. Here’s what ten more of them had to say. SUSAN DENISON MANAGING DIRECTOR COOK ASSOCIATES, INC. COOKASSOCIATES.COM Hire The Right Employee Clearly define job scope and match candidate profile to responsibilities. Seek out individuals with relevant brick and mortar and new media experience who have already successfully transitioned into ecommerce. Determine whether you want the best executive irrespective of where the prior retail experience was or whether you are specifically targeting ecommerce expertise. LEN PAGON CEO BRULANT, INC. BRULANT.COM Talk To Your Customers The most important exercise before heading into any ecommerce discussion is to truly understand your customers and what they want from you and your site. You need to formally approach customers (and do so on an ongoing basis) to understand the role of your site to them,... Wed, 26 Dec 2007 21:07:27 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/638/More-Great-Ecommerce-Ideas/ http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/632/Great-Ecommerce-Ideas/ Practical eCommerce recently asked 50 industry insiders to share a great, innovative idea that could potentially help an ecommerce firm. Here’s what ten of them had to say. AL PASCALE DIRECTOR OF SITELINK SERVICES DYDACOMP DYDACOMP.COM Implement Product Descriptions Use relevant and informative product descriptions. Not only will those descriptions help the shopper in their buying process but the content of that description will also be indexed by search engines, increasing the visibility of your website. GREG LAPTEVSKY SEARCH MARKETING AMBASSADOR PRIME VISIBILITY PRIMEVISIBILITY.COM Research And Exclude Negative Keywords Invest at least one hour every week to research negative keywords for your pay-per-click campaign. Be sure to exclude keywords such as free, no charge, no cost, problems, trouble, negative, bad, worst, rebate and similar keywords that you don’t want your ads showing up for. JEFF DAHLBERG OWNER CHEAP SEEDS CHEAPSEEDS.COM Use Article... Mon, 17 Dec 2007 09:37:16 -0700 http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/632/Great-Ecommerce-Ideas/