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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.

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.
Checkout Tactics
Resolve in 2021 to Drive More Conversions

January 7, 2021 • Pamela Hazelton

Consumer shopping habits changed drastically in 2020. Ecommerce sites experienced dramatic growth. Resolve in 2021 to capitalize on that momentum and convert more visitors. Here are three tips to help.
Checkout Tactics
My Top 6 Conversion Tactics for 2021

December 6, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

Despite the unprecedented changes in 2020, the standard ecommerce usability requirements remain constant: simplify navigation, ensure mobile-friendliness, and streamline the checkout process. But there are plenty more conversion tactics merchants should deploy heading into 2021. Here are my top six below.
Checkout Tactics
6 Tweaks to Streamline the Checkout Process

November 24, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

Ecommerce should see significant spikes this holiday season. However, merchants must consider the need for speedy, no-hassle checkout processes to lower abandons, especially from shoppers on mobile devices. What follows are six tweaks to streamline an ecommerce checkout.
Product Pages
7 Quick Tips to Drive 2020 Holiday Sales

November 8, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

Consumers will rely on online merchants more than ever during this year’s holiday season. Here are seven tips for retaining shoppers and closing more sales. 7 Tips for the 2020 Holidays Integrate ...
Customer Service
To Sell More, Understand Shoppers’ Motives

October 27, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

Does your store sell products or experiences? Think about it for a moment because the two are vastly different. And how you approach shoppers' questions and concerns plays a significant role in closing sales. Focus on what shoppers hope to accomplish with particular products.
Checkout Tactics
Feedback from Shoppers Is Gold

October 8, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

A product question from a shopper is an opportunity. Consumer inquiries provide critical keyword search terms. They also help you understand your audience's vernacular to include in product descriptions, calls to action, and checkout funnels.
Conversion
Forget Black Friday Sales This 2020 Holiday

September 22, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

The upcoming holiday shopping season is bound to shake the ecommerce sector. If you haven’t yet finalized your holiday sales schedule, now’s the time to get it done. But you may want to rethink your strategy for November and December.
Payments
4 Payment Methods to Integrate for the Holidays

September 14, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

Convenience and security increasingly impact online selling. That's especially the case for the upcoming holiday season, as consumers will likely seek flexible, seamless payment options. Here are four payment methods to consider for this year's holiday selling.
Conversion
9 Holiday Selling Tips to Pandemic-driven Consumers

August 23, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

The holiday 2020 shopping season will be unique. Pandemic-driven concerns of safety and economic uncertainty will prompt shoppers to look for both functional and entertaining gifts at competitive prices. Here are some tips for ecommerce merchants to gear up now.
Product Pages
Use Purchasing Trends to Merchandise Products

August 6, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

You are not alone if confused about the products people are apt to buy today. Even consumers aren't always sure. Most consumers have opted to stay closer to home during a time when family vacations and festivals would have been the norm. How we present information on the home page, landing pages, and across social media impacts sales.
Customer Retention
It’s the Perfect Time to Launch a Loyalty Program

July 21, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

The pandemic is prompting consumers to stay at home and buy online. It's a perfect opportunity for ecommerce companies to introduce a well-defined loyalty program. Also called rewards or points, loyalty programs help the business and its customers in three key ways.
Product Pages
Tailor Product Descriptions to the Channel and Audience

July 6, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

Product descriptions are vital to attracting website traffic and closing sales. But the type of description to use depends on your target audience and the channel, beyond your own ecommerce site. Potential customers are everywhere, waiting to be found.
Product Pages
6 Ways to Drive FOMO on Ecommerce Pages

June 22, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

The "fear of missing out" is nothing new. Humans have always coveted what others possess. FOMO marketing is about urging shoppers to buy what is popular or in high demand. What follows are unique ways to trigger shoppers' FOMO on ecommerce pages.
Customer Service
10 Essentials for ‘Contact Us’ Forms (and 6 Mistakes to Avoid)

June 8, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

"Contact Us" forms enable visitors to request information, ask questions, and submit concerns. The forms are important for customer acquisition and retention. Yet most contact forms fail usability tests. In "How to Get More Form Submissions, Even on Checkout Pages," I addressed key points, such as requesting only what you need and explaining why.
Customer Retention
Building Trust during the Pandemic Drives Long-term Loyalty

May 20, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

As most U.S. states start to reopen, it's easy to consider ditching temporary coronavirus policies. Instead, online businesses should focus on retaining customers and addressing concerns. Consider the following pointers.
Product Pages
Write for 5th Graders to Drive Conversions

May 5, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

Ecommerce content is more than sales pitches and technical info. Shoppers who cannot understand your communication will not convert. To grab their attention, write at a fifth-grade reading level.
Customer Service
Need Sales in the Pandemic? Boost Customer Service

April 23, 2020 • Pamela Hazelton

As the coronavirus keeps millions of people at home, traffic to online stores continues to increase. According to Statista, even non-essential purchases are shifting online. The keys for businesses are two-fold: encourage sales during the shutdown and retain as many new customers afterward.

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