   | News about digital retail commerce |  |
- MasterCard and Gilt City partner in local push
MasterCard has signed a partnership agreement with Gilt City under which Gilt City will offer local deals to cardholders. Consumers are looking for intangible experiences, says Cheryl Guerin, senior vice president of marketing at MasterCard, so the emphasis will be on unique local opportunities involving travel, dining and entertainment. ClickZ (7/30)      - Retailers use customer reviews for quality control
L.L. Bean, Wal-Mart Stores and Amazon use real-time feedback, in the form of consumer reviews, to monitor products. Wal-Mart and L.L. Bean reported removing products that are poorly reviewed until problems are fixed. However, the struggle lies in whether to rebrand the revamped product; renaming might mislead customers, but using the old name means facing outdated negative reviews. The Wall Street Journal (7/29) - 10 steps to increase online sales
Seventy percent of online shopping carts are eventually abandoned, according to a Newsday article. To avoid that statistic, make sure that your site flow is quick and easy, your pricing strategy is well planned, and you offer complete shipping information, including estimated arrival time and a range of shipping speeds. Inc. online (7/30)  | Could you get more ROI from CRM?
It's no secret that closer customer relationships generate more sales. But if you haven't introduced your associates to the power of advanced clienteling, you haven't even begun to realize your full profit potential! Learn how with our in-depth White Paper: Five Steps to a Better Class of Clienteling. Download your copy now! |
  | For years, companies have sought to connect the dots between social media marketing and real return-on-investment (ROI), with increased sales being the holy grail. This report shows you how some of today's biggest companies are accomplishing this. Download report |
 - EBay might create student program to let teens shop
EBay is considering developing a student program that would allow customers ages 13 to 17 to make purchases. "We continue to explore innovative ways to attract new customers to the world's largest online marketplace," spokeswoman Kari Ramirez said. "Developing a student-account program reflects our desire to introduce shoppers age 13 and up to eBay, with parental consent." E-Commerce Times (7/30) - Why consumers use Amazon for research
Thirty percent of consumers start their online purchase research with Amazon versus 13% who start with Google. However, the real range of Amazon's influence comes from its customer data. In order to stay competitive, create your own loyalty program, stay active in the local community, and stay sharp, writes T.J. McCue. Forbes (7/31) - EBay celebrates back-to-school season with Pinterest contest
EBay's back-to-school marketing encourages user interaction with the company on social media including Pinterest and Facebook. One Pinterest sweepstakes winner will get a dorm-room makeover via a $5,000 eBay shopping spree. The eBay Partner Network, an affiliate, is holding a back-to-school bonus promotion for fashion and electronics. EcommerceBytes (7/30)  | 10 Principles for Building an Effective Human Capital Plan
The Human Capital Plan is an important tool that organizations use to drive focused actions that can ensure goal achievement and business success. It allows organizations to assess, plan for, and respond proactively to its human capital challenges and needs. Download the white paper to learn more. |
- Get visual to improve consumer engagement, researchers say
Brands see a big increase in online consumer engagement when their digital content includes images and videos, according to a Performics study. Researchers found that 44% of people said they were more likely to engage with branded content that included images, while 37% were more likely to engage with content that featured video clips. ClickZ (7/25)  | Knowing your customer better comes with undeniable benefits. But challenges arise from behaviorally-targeted advertising with critical caveats on the management of personally identifiable information. Learn to balance profitable marketing, regulation and consumer trust in this FREE white papaer. |
 | Shop.org Spotlight |  |  | | - Do strong back-to-school sales signal an economic recovery?
NRF's latest survey shows the average household with K-12 students will spend $874 on back-to-school merchandise online. But does that mean consumers are ready to go out shopping with abandon again? NRF SVP Ellen Davis explains the two factors propelling growth in back-to-school spending this year, and why this 14% spending increase over last year isn't a surefire sign that the American economy is completely in the clear. Read more. Retail's BIG Blog (7/30) - 5 best practices in website optimization and safety
From back-to-school shopping to the winter holidays ahead, the second half of 2012 presents many opportunities for retailers to maximize online sales. But where does e-commerce security fit in to the overall customer experience? In a white paper on Shop.org, Nancy Levin, group marketing manager in McAfee's Web Security division, identifies five best practices that will help secure your virtual marketplace to increase consumer confidence and turn your online shoppers into buyers. Download the white paper.
| Editor's Note | | | | - SmartBrief exclusive from Guy Kawasaki
Shop.org SmartBrief is proud to share an exclusive chapter from best-selling author Guy Kawasaki's new book, "What the Plus! Google+ for the Rest of Us." In return for updating your SmartBrief profile, we will give you Chapter 6 of Kawasaki's book on Google+ –- "How To Share Posts" -– absolutely free. Learn more here. | SmartQuote | | | |  | The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be either good or evil."
--Hannah Arendt,
German-American political theorist  |
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Back-to-school shoppers will spend an average of $310 for electronics or computer related accessories online, compared to $217 offline. Source: 
