August 12, 2010
·
Posted by
Melany Gallant ·
0 Comments·
0 Links to this post
Earlier this month, Visa launched Rightcliq, a free online shopping tool designed to make e-commerce more social and convenient for consumers. Rightcliq offers users a centralized online location to store and share products of interest and to manage and track purchases.
By creating a seamless shopping experience across the entire purchasing process, it would seem Visa’s goal is to make Rightcliq a social commerce destination that benefits consumers and online retailers.
How Rightcliq works
Currently available to U.S. consumers only, Rightcliq enables users to create visual wish lists ...
August 4, 2010
·
Posted by
Melany Gallant ·
0 Comments·
0 Links to this post
The golden rule for getting men to shop for clothes online? Make it as effortless as possible.
A recent article by WSJ.com (Wall Street Journal) indicates high end fashion websites want to get more men shopping online. Why? Quite simply, men shop online less often than women but tend to spend more.
WSJ.com reports,
Affluent men, those with income levels in the top 20% of U.S. households, spent an average of $3,970 on Internet purchases during the fourth quarter of 2009 compared with $1,958 for women, according to Unity Marketing.
When it comes to shopping in brick and mortar stores,...
July 26, 2010
·
Posted by
Caroline Zenss ·
0 Comments·
0 Links to this post
You may think that I get that question quite often. As a matter of fact, I can't remember the last time it was brought up by anyone in my work environment.
Wikipedia states that "User eXperience (UX) refers to the interaction of a person with a system, including their actions and perceptions, i.e., what the person wants to do, what they actually do and their feelings about using a product, a service, (…) or a combination of them."
Let's try to see how this definition would translate into e-commerce. Does User Experience cover features or look & feel ? Is it the satisfaction ...
January 15, 2010
·
Posted by
Wanda Cadigan ·
0 Comments·
0 Links to this post
We’re just back from the 99th annual National Retail Federation show in New York, and as usual it was larger than life. Cactus was one of a few select partners chosen to participate with Microsoft at their ‘Connected Experiences for Retail’ booth.
Kicking off the event on Sunday night, Microsoft hosted a fabulous Opening Night Reception at the Marriott Marquis for a several hundred of their closest friends. I haven’t seen any official numbers yet, but in general show attendance did seem to be up from last year.
We showcased the CommerceLive e-commerce microsite solution built for the...
November 24, 2009
·
Posted by
Melany Gallant ·
0 Comments·
0 Links to this post
When it comes to site search and e-commerce, displaying relevant data is key to driving Return on Investment (ROI). While that may sound obvious, there are plenty of retailers who are missing on key opportunities to leverage data to improve product findability and of course conversions on their sites. According to a recent E-Commerce Times article, retailers can help customers find exactly what they are looking for by taking available data - such as product information, shopper profiles and buying preferences, shipping options, and user ratings - and incorporating this information into s...
November 20, 2009
·
Posted by
Donna Remillard ·
0 Comments·
0 Links to this post
In a recent post I talked about the value of microsites beyond pure marketing campaigns. Merchants can leverage a microsite approach for a number of different on-line store types and we’ll be talking about a few them in an upcoming webinar here at Cactus.
Being top of mind lately, a colleague alerted me to an article announcing that Office Depot had just launched a new microsite Top30SmartGifts.com for the holidays. There are certainly plenty of examples of more and more merchants doing just that, but what was interesting about this one is that although they are promoting products on the...
October 28, 2009
·
Posted by
Caroline Zenss ·
1 Comment·
0 Links to this post
Have you ever wondered if your website reflects best practices? And is there such a thing as usability standards in e-commerce?
Google returns 3.66 million results for "e-commerce usability"; 4.46 million for "e-commerce best practices"; and 10.6 million for "e-commerce information architecture". There is clearly an impressive amount of information out there, but no straight answer.
When designing an e-commerce site for your consumers (because really, this is who it should be all about), keep in mind that their motivation to buy something from you is influe...
October 19, 2009
·
Posted by
Caroline Zenss ·
0 Comments·
0 Links to this post
If you are thinking about creating or renewing your e-commerce presence, what comes to your mind ? Features or user experience ? Robust e-commerce or nice branding ? If you are a business owner, a merchandiser or an IT guy/gal, you may pick technology. If you are UX person like me, you may think that creativity should always come first. Branding covers your company's logo, key messaging, imagery and graphics, even your domain names. They all convey the company's unique personality, e-commerce included.Establishing a strong brand for your online shoppers will ultimately drive sales (assuming t...
August 14, 2009
·
Posted by
Christine Rozak ·
0 Comments·
0 Links to this post
Most parents can relate to the Staples Back to School campaign jingle “It’s the most wonderful time of the year”. Until recently, most kids haven’t shared in their parent's enthusiasm for the Back to School season, and everything it implies. Many of us have experienced the reluctant feet dragging through the mall, or the constant bribery to ensure your kids go Back to School with at least the basics.
Now retailers are getting smarter, and engaging students directly in the Back to School shopping season. This season, savvy retailers are introducing social shopping in their on-line stores, in ...
May 13, 2009
·
Posted by
Caroline Zenss ·
0 Comments·
0 Links to this post
Content is probably the most commonly overlooked area in Web design, and more particularly in e-commerce. Even though consumers rate it as an important factor in their purchase decision, retailers don’t seem to know how to take advantage of content in their online presence. Inevitably, the lack of content will impact sales. In 2008, Lauren Freedman, President at E-Tailing Group pointed out that “79 % (of surveyed consumers) say they rarely or never purchase a product online without complete product information”.
Content is key to the experience on your site. It’s going to attract visitors...
Next >>