Developing loyal customers isn’t always expensive or difficult for businesses with small marketing budgets. It may sound cliché, but when it comes to boosting customer loyalty, it’s the little things that count the most. Small yet thoughtful actions can have a big impact on how customers perceive your brand and store. During my time as an ecommerce operator, I found …

Posted by CAROLYN KMET on: http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/3927-Online-Coupons-Pros-and-Cons Using coupon codes to entice online consumers is a long-running debate. The pros are: easy to implement, easy to track, and consistent increase in conversion. The cons are: uncontrollable distribution, tendency to drive non-loyal discount shoppers, and reduction of average order value. Many companies that I’ve worked with avoid coupon codes, saying that the return …

Loyal, repeat shoppers convert easily, spend more, cost less to service, and help spread the word about good online shopping experiences. Earning long-term customers can significantly improve an ecommerce business. Loyal shoppers demonstrate conversion rates 5-to-9 times greater than first-time buyers, according to data from Marketing Metrics, eConsultancy, and Adobe. In the U.S., repeat shoppers, who represented just 8 percent …

One of Twitter’s most effective applications for business is its use as a customer service channel. People are already complaining publicly on Twitter, so responding via Twitter shows your disgruntled customer – and the world – how helpful you are. So why don’t businesses take advantage of responding to complaints and negative reviews on their own product pages? 4 years …

Customers are the bloodline of any business. For ecommerce businesses, it’s particularly important to focus on creating recurring, loyal customers. This centers on understanding customer sales and shopping data, and using that information to develop profitable, automated email campaigns. What Are Key Metrics? Key metrics help you understand how customers interact with your brand. By integrating your marketing plan with …

With all the focus on social media, it seems that email marketing is almost an afterthought for many companies. Email may not be trendy, but it’s cheap, easy to measure, and easy to target. It’s a good place to do testing, it keeps your brand visible, and at the end of the day it delivers results. Why Email Marketing for …

Repost of http://blog.trustpilot.com/purchasing-decisions/ If you are selling products – online or in a physical store, you’re probably aware of the huge change in how people are making purchasing decisions today. Consumers use price comparison sites, get product recommendations on social media, and consult product reviews or company reviews. The power afforded to consumers is higher than ever before, and your …