The E-commerce industry hasn’t only grown bigger than ever. It has also become more social than ever. Thanks to the constant evolution of the Web – and to the popularity of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter – businesses and retailers are now doing more than just catering to individual Internet users and online shoppers. They’re also marketing to the people’s friends, inner circles, and communities, with the aim of bringing in more fans, followers, and dollars. Yes, dollars. In a recent story by Mashable, Jason Taylor, vice president of Platform Strategy at Usablenet, wrote that, when it comes to marketing, it’s “no longer just about ‘liking’ brands.” With a social network like Facebook giving way to new sales opportunities, businesses and online retailers are maximizing their social presence to drive not just marketing and branding campaigns, but also additional revenue. “By integrating purchasing into their branded pages,” Taylor said, “businesses can effectively take advantage of Facebook as a – Read the full article
We have been working with a client who asked us to help him rebuild his e-commerce website that has not seen any major updates in over 15 years. The site has continued to expand with new products over the years, but his content management system was in need of a massive upgrade. Whenever we take on any new web projects, one of the first things we analyze is the SEO of the site. We ask ourselves, how do we keep the current rankings and how do we improve the rankings after the launch. This site defiantly had some unique challenges, today I am going to share how we are approaching the URL redirects for our client’s aged website. We had a few ideas, for this store with thousands of products. Our ideas started with the concept of ripping it off like a bandaid and just 301 everything. Then we thought maybe it would be better to launch the new site – Read the full article
Are you an e-commerce merchant looking for iPhone or iTouch apps to make your life easier, especially on the move? Look no further. There is a wealth of electronic evolution for Apple products that are geared to making your life easier and more fun. Here are my personal favorites. Social Media has taken the Web by storm but it also has a vital place in mobile technology. One of the best ways to keep in contact with your customers, and to maintain a valued relationship, is via social media and there are apps that help you do just that. Take the Meebo, Twitter and Facebook applications to start with. You can share views, news, images and even videos. Check out the Apple App site for a wealth of other social apps that allow all types of possible interaction and functionality. Anyone that cares for their business should care for their customers and using social media is one way to do so. – Read the full article
Design is one thing. Development is another. The best and biggest in the ecommerce industry know the difference between the two, and so do we. That’s why here at Lakeshore Branding we focus on delivering the expertise, creative talent, technology, and savvy needed to make your ecommerce site not only look good, but drive your business. We bring value not just in terms of awesome color schemes, shiny new logos, and inspired designs, but also in terms of higher traffic, cost-efficient management, and increased revenue. We use Magento eCommerce as our platform for growth: the leading ecommerce content management system today. By leveraging the flexibility, scalability, and robust features of Magento, we are able to provide you with full-service solutions and technologies attuned to the trends and demands of the growing ecommerce industry. Why Magento? Our expertise in Magento, simply put, increases your presence online and grows your sales. Using this powerful ecommerce solution, we can develop your website with – Read the full article
Developing an e-Commerce site is an altogether different challenge from coming up with an official website or company blog. While the latter two are meant – in one way or another – to serve as means of communication and engagement, an e-Commerce site should be built to sell. And sell lots. Anyone who has ever shopped online will know that it takes more than just a piece of shopping cart software to be able to succeed in the online retail game. It also takes more than eye-catching web design or an impressive collection of product shots. Are you an online retailer or a small business owner looking to boost your online sales? To help you understand selling on the Internet, we present this list of traits that every e-Commerce site should have. Easy accessibility and navigation This is an absolute necessity. Your e-Commerce site should be accessible from various types of web browsers – Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Safari, – Read the full article
The recent release of the Apple iPad tablet computer has set the world abuzz – and not just the technology world. Industry experts say that the iPad is a game-changing device that can revolutionize the way we live, play, consume media content, and use the Internet. In other words, it’s not just for tech lovers and Apple fans; it’s also for regular people who aren’t exactly savvy in gadgets. Furthermore, many marketers are already pointing out the iPad’s potential impact on the eCommerce industry. The eCommerce industry is already pretty big right now, but it’s about to get bigger: online sales are projected to reach $335 billion by the year 2012 – and that’s in the U.S. alone. With the arrival of the Apple iPad, it’s safe to assume that new trends, technologies, and platforms supporting the online retail industry will continue to emerge. Here’s why. Same Channels, Richer Experience The Apple iPad is a state-of-the-art media consumption device that – Read the full article
It is tough to sell these days – even tougher if you try to do it online. It’s not just the similar businesses and stores in the neighborhood you would suddenly be competing against. Take it online, and you’re competing against the whole world. But times are changing, and often your online presence is critical to the success of your company. That’s where the customer base is obviously moving towards. In the US alone, ecommerce totaled over $200 billion in sales. In running an online store, one of the important first steps is finding the best ecommerce solution for your business. At Lakeshore Branding we use Magento, a versatile open-source cross-platform content management system that aims to handle all aspects of building and maintaining your ecommerce site. It is dubbed as the “platform for growth” for businesses looking to take it online and to the next level. We agree. What’s best about Magento is its robust set of features, scalable – Read the full article
Ecommerce is evolving. It’s certainly growing. By the year 2012, ecommerce sales in the US alone are projected to reach $335 billion. As the online customer base continues to grow, so will the number of online stores. Needless to say, it’s an increasingly fierce competition. In order to keep up and ahead of the pace, it is critical that businesses serious about growth in the ecommerce industry should find the best ecommerce solution for their companies. Enter Magento. Called the “platform for growth”, Magento is an open-source enterprise-level content management system whose flexibility, scalability, and robust feature set have been acclaimed by experts in the ecommerce industry. It’s the fastest-growing ecommerce solution in the market today, and with 750,000 downloads, the platform is bound to only grow bigger. Magento’s usable interface, analytics and reporting capabilities, SEO-friendliness, and catalog management tools have been praised by businesses, retailers, wholesalers, marketers, developers, and design firms. But what makes the ecommerce platform truly special – Read the full article
