Pamela Hazelton - Practical Ecommerce

Articles by: Pamela Hazelton

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Pamela Hazelton

Pamela Hazelton

Pamela Hazelton is a senior contributor to Practical Ecommerce, providing actionable articles and webinars since 2005. She's a pioneering online business consultant, marketer, and speaker.

She is the author of The Official Guide to Miva Merchant books and additional ebooks on the topics of shopability and security.

Pamela resides in Florida with her husband, Joe, her red beagle, and a black cat.

Her site is PamelaHazelton.com. Email Pamela.

Customer Retention
To Drive Conversions, Spy on Competitors

August 8, 2022 • Pamela Hazelton

The best ideas often come from competitors. Here are eight ways to scrutinize the tactics of rival sites to improve your own.
Product Pages
7 Holiday Revenue Generators amid Inflation

July 24, 2022 • Pamela Hazelton

Consumer spending could decline this holiday season owing to inflation. However, online merchants can implement selling strategies to support gift-giving needs without losing revenue.
Customer Retention
6 Subscription Ideas to Stabilize Revenue

July 10, 2022 • Pamela Hazelton

Subscriptions are not new for ecommerce. But done well, they remain an effective way to stabilize revenue, especially during economic downturns. Here are six ideas to get started.
Email Marketing
6 Email Triggers for Max Conversions

June 20, 2022 • Pamela Hazelton

Shoppers' actions on an ecommerce site create opportunities for automated, triggered emails. Such behavior-based email automation is a sure-fire tactic to drive revenue.
Checkout Tactics
‘Less Is More’ Boosts Conversions

June 12, 2022 • Pamela Hazelton

The basics — not bells and whistles — drive ecommerce conversions. Pamela Hazelton reminds us to display product benefits, demonstrate trust, emphasize transparency, and more.
Checkout Tactics
Harness Customer Behavior to Boost Conversions

January 31, 2022 • Pamela Hazelton

The actions of shoppers on-site and off indicates their preferences and needs. Merchants who act on that behavior can greatly improve sales. We explain.
Product Pages
8 Ways Social Proof Sells (Much) More

January 9, 2022 • Pamela Hazelton

Consumers need confirmation of their shopping decisions. Social proof can be the nudge for online shoppers to complete a purchase or sign up for a newsletter.
Customer Retention
Need Repeat Customers? Try Low-tech Selling

December 29, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

If you lack the budget for high-end automation tools, there are still plenty of ways to fill the gaps left by massive competitors. Here are nine ways to catch the attention of savvy online shoppers and keep them returning for more.
Payments
Expand Payment Options to Convert More

December 7, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

Essential features for many online stores in 2022 include enhanced chatbots, virtual product sampling, and real-time order tracking. But what happens once shoppers reach the checkout page is equally important. Plenty of issues — such as limited payment options — can interrupt the process.
Conversion
It’s a New Normal for Ecommerce in 2022

November 23, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

The pandemic has accelerated the worldwide digital transformation. Online businesses have opportunities for massive growth. But it comes with a cost: elevated consumer expectations. Merchants who opt for "business as usual" may find survival difficult.
Product Pages
Honest Messaging Drives Conversions This Holiday Season

November 8, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

The 2021 holiday shopping season is unpredictable for both shoppers and merchants. Supply chain interruptions and likely shipping delays have prompted many consumers to wrap up gift-buying earlier than usual.
Product Pages
Conversion Lessons from the Luggage Industry

October 24, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

The pandemic challenged online luggage merchants to find unique ways to entice consumers to purchase items they might not put to immediate use. Led primarily by independent, direct-to-consumer manufacturers, successful mid-priced luggage and travel-bag sites are setting the pace for conversion practices.
Product Pages
3 Rule-breaking Product Pages, Designed for Conversions

October 6, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

Most ecommerce platforms have a standard layout. Their product page designs are relatively conventional, with a left-to-right display and a dominant image. Calls-to-action almost always appear near the top, especially on mobile. But the norm isn't always the best.
Checkout Tactics
Remove These Distractions to Lower Cart Abandons

September 22, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

Cart abandonment rates remain high. I've seen estimates in 2021 ranging from 50% to 80% depending on the product and industry. A common culprit is sticker shock from excessive shipping and handling fees. Another is distractions: unnecessary or confusing checkout fields. In this post, I'll address steps to streamline checkouts to save the sale.
Product Pages
11 Product Page Features to Drive Conversions

September 8, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

When it comes to compelling product pages, less can be more. Cluttered pages distract from selling points. Focus on the crucial details. Embrace a minimalist approach to lessen the thinking process and close the sale. What follows are 11 product page features from three online stores.
Customer Retention
9 Ways to Reduce Customer Acquisition Costs

August 23, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

Customer acquisition costs can make or break an ecommerce business. Efficient spending could produce new, profitable customers. Spending too much could bankrupt the company. Computing the CAC is straightforward: Divide total promotional costs by the number of new customers.
Checkout Tactics
Ecommerce Conversion Rates beyond the Averages

August 9, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

Monitoring the percentage of visitors that convert to paying customers helps businesses track the performance of marketing campaigns, landing pages, design and navigation, and the checkout process. Email signups, survey responses, and social media shares are important conversions, too.
Product Pages
What Online Shoppers Expect in 2021

August 4, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

The pandemic-induced shift to online shopping is permanent for many consumers. That's the good news for ecommerce companies. The not-so-good news is those consumers have heightened expectations. Here are seven of them.
Customer Service
Policy Pages, Done Well, Enhance a Brand

July 6, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

Shoppers search an online store's policy pages for details on shipping, returns, and more. Rarely are these vital pages engaging. But they should be.
Conversion
What Is Your Company’s Secondary Audience?

June 21, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

Ecommerce sites rely on a primary target audience. These are the people who are most apt to purchase products and become loyal customers. It's the same audience marketers use for advertising. However, secondary audiences can be lucrative, too.
Conversion
The 3 Common Mistakes of Ecommerce Launches

June 6, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

I've consulted over the years on dozens, perhaps hundreds, of ecommerce launches. Here are three frequent mistakes in the building of online stores.
Product Pages
3 Keys for High-converting Product Descriptions

May 20, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

Writing product descriptions sounds simple. But it takes planning. The best descriptions address a broad audience, which is why many companies employ marketers to help. When writing descriptions for the masses, focus on the following three elements.
Product Pages
Can Pantone Colors Drive Online Sales?

May 6, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

Adopting retail and societal trends can keep your brand fresh and relevant. Some fads are short-lived, lasting just days or months. Others might stick around for years. Here are three trends that inspire consumers to buy.
Photography & Video
Using a Smartphone for Stellar Product Photos

April 25, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

Manufacturer-supplied photos are not the greatest. Professional photographers can help tell a product’s story. However, photo sessions are cumbersome and pricey. Need an alternative? Consider a modern smartphone.
Product Pages
Product Page Headlines Drive Conversions

April 8, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

Every product has a name. It could be short and simple or long and tedious. It can be definitive, witty, or subtle. And unless it's your company's product, you have no control over it. But there's an alternative way to grab shoppers' attention: headlines.
Checkout Tactics
4 Pricing Strategies to Increase Average Order Values

March 22, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

Price isn’t everything, especially for quality and niche products. When boosting average order values, take things up a notch by focusing on the overall value of each product. That, coupled with stellar service, can provide a much better return on investment.
Shipping & Fulfillment
Sustainable Packaging Drives Customer Loyalty

March 7, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

How merchants pack online orders makes a difference. One needn't look any further than Apple's product packaging to understand the cherished tradition of unboxing. But packing materials are as important as the overall appearance. More than half of U.S. consumers are concerned about the environmental impact.
Customer Retention
5 Ways to Prompt First-time Customers to Buy Again

February 22, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

Loyal customers talk about the business and its products, driving more shoppers. So it makes sense to shift some of your marketing efforts to retain the buyers you already have. Here are five ways to do it.
Customer Retention
Want Repeat Customers? Foster Long-term Relationships

February 8, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

Successful brands make a point of building long term relationships with customers. It’s a crucial step in a company’s growth. But it takes more than exclusive deals and special features. Here are seven ways to foster long-lasting relationships.
Customer Service
Pandemic-driven Shoppers Expect More from Ecommerce

January 21, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

The pandemic has upped consumers' digital expectations. What was once the exception is now the norm. Telemedicine, online learning, virtual meetings — all have advanced in the past year. Ecommerce stores must evolve, too, in how they engage and interact with shoppers.

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