  | News about digital retail commerce |  |
- Members-only approach pays off for Gilt Groupe
Since its launch as an online outlet for end-of-season flash-fashion sales in late 2007, Gilt Groupe has grown from 10 employees to 600 and booked revenue of more than $400 million last year, all without advertising. Instead, the company uses word-of-mouth and a members-only approach that gives it an air of exclusivity. For merchants, the model is "a great way for luxury brands to move merchandise in a way that doesn't detract from their brand image," said Shop.org interim director Joan Broughton. TheStreet.com (3/31)        | Drive sales by adding mobile to your retail communications and marketing campaigns using SMS. Common Short Code (CSC) based text messaging campaigns deliver great results. Download this whitepaper to see how SMS is helping retailers disseminate calls-to-action quickly and to a wider base of population, driving traffic and increasing revenue. | - Are more online merchants moving toward free-shipping models?
L.L. Bean's decision to offer free shipping on most orders came after repeated requests from online shoppers, at least some of whom often change their minds about making purchases when they see the shipping costs on their computer screens, the company said. Some companies offer opportunities for free shipping with hybrid models such as Amazon Prime, while others mark up the fees to recoup some other costs. Some online merchants see free shipping as a way to set themselves apart from rivals while others say consumers have come to expect the perk, says Shop.org's Larry Joseloff. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)/Bucks blog (3/30) - EU proposal could cost online retailers billions annually
IMRG said online retailers could face costs of €10 billion annually due to proposed changes to the European Union's Consumer Rights Directive. The changes would apply to product returns. "These new amendments from the EU are some of the most disastrous for the online industry yet," said IMRG CEO James Roper. "As well as being unnecessary they would inevitably lead to significant price increases being forced on to hard-pressed consumers, pushing up prices across all retail channels and disadvantaging SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) to the point where many would be forced to cease trading online." Reuters (3/30)  | Akamai - The Right Partner with the Right Solution
Are you failing to to satisfy user expectations for an outstanding online shopping experience? Do you need to accelerate your dynamic content? Do you strive to be a retailer that pushes the envelope with site technology and offerings? Learn why the Akamai Dynamic Site Accelerator is the right solution for those issues and more. |
 - Online wedding registries open up vast new gift options
U.S. consumers spend about $15 billion annually to buy wedding gifts from online registries, which until recently have been largely tied to specific merchants. Now, a new generation of sites pioneered by MyRegistry.com lets couples populate their wish lists with whatever catches their fancy, and new mobile applications mean engaged couples can scan products at brick-and-mortar stores to add to the list. Slate (3/30)  | Companies in the News |  | | | - Esquire partners with J.C. Penney on style site for men
Esquire magazine has signed on to provide the editorial content for Clad.com, a forthcoming men's style and e-commerce fashion site owned by J.C. Penney. Clad will be targeted at 24-54-year-old men whose clothing budgets average about $3,300 annually, almost double what the average man spends on new apparel each year. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (3/31) - Mr Porter proves popular with men around the globe
The mix of for-sale designer fashions and editorial content on Net-a-Porter's male-oriented spinoff, Mr Porter, has apparently struck a chord with men around the globe. Since its launch about five weeks ago, the site has received orders from customers in 77 countries, sold 1,000 pairs of shoes and landed a big spender whose purchases to date total almost $35,000. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (3/31) - AuctionBytes debuts a tool to report e-commerce tech glitches
AuctionBytes launched Ecommerce EKG, a tool to help online merchants track technical glitches and fix them more quickly. The tool allows sellers to search for peers who are encountering similar tech issues with sites including Amazon, eBay and Etsy, as well as post problems. Site administrators will receive an e-mail from Ecommerce EKG after a certain number of complaints are lodged. AuctionBytes (3/30) - Investor sues, calls eBay's $2.4B offer for GSI "bargain price"
GSI Commerce shareholder Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority filed a lawsuit against the company and eBay, saying the auction website's $2.4 billion buyout offer is too low. The deal calls for GSI to sell 70% of online retailers Rue La La and ShopRunner, as well as divest its business for licensed sports merchandise. EBay would then sell the assets to a company created by GSI CEO Michael Rubin. Bloomberg (3/30)
| Legislative & Regulatory | | | | | Shop.org Spotlight | | | |  | - How to successfully execute a multichannel makeover
In today's retail environment, a multichannel brand must be all things to all people -- physical, online, mobile and social. Hear what executives from two retail companies learned as they tackled multichannel brand changes that included in-store, Web and catalog redesigns, and investment in new marketing and commerce channels. During an April 12 Shop.org webinar, executives from Talbots and Big M (Mandee and Annie sez) will share mobile marketing tactics that drive traffic, what makeovers mean for customer services, and the moments of truth they experienced during the process. Learn more. |
- Shop.org's Online Marketing Month returns for second year
May is Online Marketing Month at Shop.org and includes weekly webinars, retailer networking dinners and two half-day workshops in New York City and San Francisco. Online marketers are encouraged to participate during the month to glean tips, best practices and strategies around four key areas: research, affiliates, mobile and SEO/e-mail. Learn more.
| SmartQuote | | | |  | You are never strong enough that you don't need help."
--Cesar Chavez,
Mexican-American labor leader and civil rights activist,
quoted for his birthday, March 31, 1927  |
| | This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.com
| | | Advertise | | Senior Account Director: Dena Malouf (202) 407-7837 | | | | | | | | | | Recent Shop.org SmartBrief Issues: - Wednesday, March 30, 2011
- Tuesday, March 29, 2011
- Monday, March 28, 2011
- Friday, March 25, 2011
- Thursday, March 24, 2011
| | | Lead Editor: Megan Conniff
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005 | | | | | | © 1999-2011 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information |
|
Retailers generally pay between 30% and 40% of their net income in income taxes. Source: 
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please comment thoughtfully CPG Brokers, your best resource to optimize your in store self exposure and maximize sku distribution.