Conversion
Fewer than 5% of visitors to an ecommerce site typically convert to customers. In this Conversion category, we offer insights to increase that percentage. Our expert contributors address ratings and reviews, social proof, site search, product page enhancements, product descriptions, checkout options, live chat, and much more — anything to help close online sales.
Analytics & Data | Checkout Tactics | Customer Retention | Customer Service | Photography & Video | Product Pages-
Customer Retention
Amid a Cash Crunch, OneBlade Retrenches
December 30, 2022 • Eric Bandholz
COO Charles Pyles implemented forced economizing when the company's sole investor couldn't inject additional funds. He shares his story in this week's "Ecommerce Conversations."
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Customer Retention
PetPlate Exec on Selling ‘Human-grade’ Dog Food
December 23, 2022 • Eric Bandholz
PetPlate makes and sells dog food via subscriptions, having launched in 2016. The company's in-house advertising exec describes acquisition tactics and more.
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Customer Retention
How to Turn Holiday Returns into Sales
December 11, 2022 • Pamela Hazelton
Consumers who seek to return holiday gifts are an opportunity for engagement, acquisition, and long-term revenue.
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Checkout Tactics
10 Last-minute Holiday Revenue Boosters
November 27, 2022 • Pamela Hazelton
Plenty of late-season marketing and selling tactics can boost holiday ecommerce revenue. Here are 10 of them.
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Photography & Video
On-site Lifestyle Videos Enhance a Brand
November 15, 2022 • Barbara Carneiro
Many sites now stream silent, auto-play videos to communicate their mission and target desired prospects. Here are five compelling examples.
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Customer Retention
A New Voice for Ecommerce Customer Retention
November 14, 2022 • Armando Roggio
Amazon sends customers voice notifications for delivery and order status. Smaller merchants can do the same, increasing engagement and retention.
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Checkout Tactics
Convenience, Savings Drive 2022 Holiday Shoppers
November 9, 2022 • Pamela Hazelton
Amid inflation worries, holiday shoppers in 2022 seek savings combined with convenient experiences. Here are seven ways merchants can meet those needs.
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Customer Retention
8 Gift Guide Ideas for Frazzled Shoppers
September 25, 2022 • Pamela Hazelton
Finding the perfect gift can be time-consuming and stressful. Merchants can ease the stress by creating gift guides that appeal to a wide range of budgets and personalities.
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Customer Service
HelpFlow, a Live Chat Service, Ramps Up
September 23, 2022 • Eric Bandholz
Jon Tucker founded HelpFlow in 2015, providing customer support services to ecommerce brands. He speaks with host Eric Bandholz in this week's podcast episode.
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Analytics & Data
iOS ‘Debacle’ Spurs Triple Whale
September 16, 2022 • Eric Bandholz
Overcoming the impact of iOS 14.5 requires ad testing and better attribution. That's according to Rabah Rahil, the chief marketing officer of Triple Whale, an analytics platform.
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Analytics & Data
Tools for Data-driven Ecommerce Decisions Trending
September 6, 2022 • Armando Roggio
Ecommerce businesses often face the dilemma of too much data or too little, complicating critical decision-making. Hence, the need for data intelligence tools.
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Customer Retention
A/B Testing Can Make or Break a Store
September 6, 2022 • Pamela Hazelton
The king of A/B ecommerce testing (and conversions) is Amazon. Affordable tools make testing doable for all merchants. Here's how to get started.
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Customer Retention
6 Steps to Identify Your Target Audience
August 21, 2022 • Pamela Hazelton
The first step for a successful brand and product is identifying the likely customers. But the process is not always obvious. Here's how to get started.
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Photography & Video
20 Sites for Free Stock Photos
August 16, 2022 • Sig Ueland
Many sites offer free stock photos to download and use commercially without attribution. Here's a list of 20 choices — from small, curated collections to large stock-image search engines
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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.
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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.
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Product Pages
17 Product Demo Videos, for Inspiration
July 19, 2022 • Sig Ueland
A good product video tells a story and solves a problem simply and concisely. Here is a list of compelling product demo videos to inspire merchants.
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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.
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Analytics & Data
20 Tools and Resources for Market Research
July 5, 2022 • Sig Ueland
Market research can help merchants identify product opportunities, expand an audience, and analyze competitors. This all-new update includes survey tools, data providers, demographic info, and more.
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Customer Retention
Ecommerce Profitability Revisited
June 26, 2022 • Charles Nicholls
In 2013, most ecommerce merchants generated losses from first-time shoppers. It's the same for 2022, although the circumstances differ. Contributor Charles Nicholls revisits the drivers of ecommerce profitability: 2013 vs. 2022.
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Customer Retention
Is Text Messaging the Next Commerce Channel?
June 16, 2022 • Armando Roggio
Gary Vaynerchuk's Wine Text is a pioneer in selling goods via text messaging. Other services have followed. Will consumers embrace text commerce?
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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.
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Checkout Tactics
15 Discount and Promo Plugins for WordPress
May 31, 2022 • Sig Ueland
Promotional discounts can motivate potential buyers and otherwise drive sales. Here is a list of promotional plugins for WordPress merchants.
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Analytics & Data
My Favorite Ecommerce KPIs
May 2, 2022 • Christopher Dobroth
Key performance indicators help a business stay on track. Contributor Chris Dobroth has managed ecommerce companies since 2006. Here is his list of essential KPIs.
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Analytics & Data
Unsure about a New Project? Try a Pilot Program
April 26, 2022 • Armando Roggio
Launching a new product or feature is exciting but risky, especially if it requires capital. A well-structured pilot program can provide answers.
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Customer Retention
Online Shopping Has Shifted to the Edge
April 26, 2022 • Charles Nicholls
In a bygone era, shoppers entered an ecommerce site directly or via a search engine. No more. In 2022 it's social media that increasingly starts the process, creating opportunities and challenges for merchants.
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Analytics & Data
Do You Need a Business Intelligence Tool?
April 24, 2022 • Armando Roggio
In an age of massive data, a business intelligence tool can be a necessity for ecommerce merchants. Here's an example using QuickSight, Amazon's tool, with hypothetical Meta Ads data.
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Customer Retention
Text Commerce Is Upfront Permission to Sell
April 10, 2022 • Armando Roggio
Text commerce is the process of obtaining payment and shipping info from shoppers upfront as well as permission to send offers. The model can solve multiple hurdles for merchants.
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Product Pages
13 Augmented Reality Examples from Retailers, Brands
February 1, 2022 • Sig Ueland
Augmented reality allows consumers to visualize the appearance of products on their bodies, in their homes, and more. Apple's ARKit has made the technology accessible.
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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.