May 24, 2012

Private Shopping Clubs: A Different Way of Selling on the Web

While most online stores operate by opening their virtual doors to just about everyone, there is a niche segment of ecommerce retailing that thrives on exclusivity. Invite-only stores or private shopping clubs require a person to be approved as a member before they can shop the items offered by the store.

Analyze Your Web Analytics

This entry is part 5 of 11 in the series Home Business End of the Year Review

Whether you are operating a Web business, or just using the Web as an online brochure for your brick and mortar business, it is important to look at the numbers behind your web site. The Web has become an integral medium for any business today that it is important to understand how your web site [...]

Small Business Tips: How to Sell More on the Web

I’ve created a slide presentation based on the article How To Sell More on the Web: 30 Tips To Increase Conversion Rates For An Ecommerce Site. With Christmas a few hours away and holiday shopping winding to a close, it is time to plan for next year’s holiday season. As you enjoy the festivities, review [...]

15 Basic Steps to Starting an Online Store

Many people wants to start their own online stores, whether clothing, gift basket or toy stores on the Web. Using a clothing store as an example, here are some basic steps to creating your online storefront: 1. Define your business. The very first step is to always know what it is you want to do. [...]

How Small Online Businesses Can Increase Conversion

In today’s business climate whether you have recently started or whether you have been in business for a while, you are very likely to have a website. If you think about it carefully, it does not matter if you are selling a product or service, your aim is to increase conversion rates and get more [...]

How can Shipping Costs Affect Your Business?

Someone asked me an interesting question about the impact of shipping costs to the bottomline. The asker has developed a product that is considerably better and resolves the problems of the main competitor’s product. This new entrant will also offer more with the product in terms of features and size. The competitor’s product is simplier [...]

Explore More Payment Options for Your Buyers

Much ado has been made about the comeback of layaway programs. KMart is even advertising heavily their layaway program, which allows customers to pay the item over an 8-week period During these tough economic times, take the cue from big retailers and explore more payment (even credit) alternatives for your customers. The goal is to [...]

How to Position Your Online Retail Business When the Economy is Down

I was just listening to the late night news, and they reported that the upcoming Holloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons may not be merry holiday seasons for retailers. As the financial markets crisis deepen, there are fears that people will not spend as much this year for gifts, holiday preparations and other items (worse, they [...]

10 Reasons Why Online Retail Entrepreneurs Succeed — and Fail

The book “How to Start a Home-Based Online Retail Business” by Jeremy Shepherd is one of my favorite startup guide for starting an ecommerce business. The author writes from the perspective of someone who will run the business from a small office tucked in the kitchen with the inventory located in a spare room or [...]

43 Website Features of Top Online Retailers

Ever wonder what sets big businesses apart from small businesses? Of course they have the resources, and with it they can get the best talents and top-of-the-line technology to outsell othe retailers and develop features that can only turn a small business green with envy. Take a look for example at online businesses. Beyond their [...]

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