WebPlus X2 Simplifies E-commerce Design

WebPlus X2 helps eBay and online sellers quickly design their own Web shop—complete with shopping cart, buy now and other e-commerce functions.

What makes WebPlus X2 stand out in a crowded software market is that it offers basic e-commerce functionality straight out of the box.

You can include e-commerce functions in your Web site by using the built-in WebPlus X2 PayPal wizard. The wizard correctly inserts all the information and functionality into your product pages for successful online selling.  WebPlus X2 also provides wizard functionality for Roman Cart and Mal’s Cart.

WebPlus X2 also supports larger stores and catalogues through its database merge technology. This lets retailers easily feature large amounts of database information, like product descriptions, pictures and prices.

Review: WebPlus X2 Simplifies E-commerce Design
By Vangie Beal, June 30, 2009

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Survey Says: Trustmarks Increase Sales for E-tailers

A McAfee study indicates that security trustmarks build consumer confidence in online shopping.

A study released today by McAfee, Inc., and conducted by Harris Interactive, revealed that nearly half of consumers have terminated an online order or abandoned their shopping cart due to security fears at check-out time. Even when faced with the possibility of getting a really good deal online, sixty-three percent of shoppers say they won’t purchase from a Web site that does not display a trustmark or security policy, such as McAfee Secure for Web Sites.

Survey Says: Trustmarks Increase Sales for E-tailers
By Vangie Beal, June 29, 2009

Best Ecom Headline Ever!

Total hats off to Michelle Megna over at InternetNews.com. This has got to be one of the best e-com headlines I’ve seen this year:

E-Coupon Trend Grows at Rapid Clip
[June 26, 2009] The online coupon category experiences huge growth as whole new demographic discovers digital coupons.

I just love that headline!

Tips for Selling Crafts Online

This week we speak with James Dillehay, a nationally recognized expert on marketing arts and crafts, about how to successfully sell your crafts online.

Dillehay said that most artisans who are just getting started tend to look at one of two options for online craft sales;  creating their own Web site or setting up a new Web shop on an existing marketplace.  Those new to selling their crafts online tend to choose Web shops simply because it’s easy to get started—most Web shops have automated processes that let you list and sell in minutes with no previous online selling experience required.

Despite the popularity of using existing marketplaces, like eBay, Etsy, and other eBay alternatives, Dillehay recommended that crafters also invest in their own domain name and Web site, since the craft business online is largely connected to one’s own presence.

“It’s no longer a case of deciding if you should set-up shop here or there,” Dillehay said. “It’s a growing need of the ands. You need to show your product here, and here and here.”

Tips for Selling Crafts Online
By Vangie Beal, June 24, 2009

Secret-Shopper Expedition Reveals Live Chat Trends

A new online secret-shopper study shows retailers what customer communication tactics work best—and what retailers should avoid.

Smith’s secret-shopper experience found that retailers don’t always make it easy for shoppers to contact them by means other than phone support. Smith observed that most retailers prominently display toll-free numbers, but they tend to bury chat buttons and e-mail tools several layers deep in the Web site.

Secret-Shopper Expedition Reveals Live Chat Trends
By Vangie Beal, June 23, 2009

Silkfair Launches Custom Shops for Online Sellers

 Silkfair’s new custom-shop platform lets online sellers build a stand-alone e-commerce Web shop using their existing branding and domain name.

Custom Shops provides sellers with an online dashboard for managing their store. From one user-friendly interface you can set your store profile, add products and product categories, and see your transaction details, store statistics and other functions. You can activate many Custom Shop features, including the option to use your own domain name, with a single click from within the seller’s store dashboard.

When you first open your Custom Shop, Silkfair’s platform lets sellers add new products or import product list using the commonly used CSV format. Additionally, you can also use the platform’s eBay and Etsy importers to get products you currently have listed on those marketplaces added to your new Web shop. To use the automated importers, sellers simply need to provide their Etsy or eBay username in their account profile.

Silkfair Launches Custom Shops for Online Sellers
By Vangie Beal, June 18, 2009

Bidz.com Cashes in on Bling

We look at Bidz.com to find out how this gem of a company reached yearly sales of $207 million with live, online-jewelry auctions that start at a dollar.

The big incentive for consumers to buy on Bidz.com is that they can bid on jewelry with just a dollar – and we’re talking jewelry that typically retails for tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. At any given time you can expect to see 2,000 or more items open for bids on the site.

Bidz.com turns a profit even when selling product below market value because the company buys direct from manufacturers—this includes distressed products, manufacturer overruns and closeout merchandise.

Kuperman said that the dynamic-pricing business model is why Bidz.com can offer such extreme value to its customers. Offering well-known brand names on the site helps bring repeat customers back to bid and purchase.

eBiz Profile: Bidz.com Cashes in on Bling
By Vangie Beal, June 17, 2009