Ask Mr. D - E-CommerceWritten by Bill Daugherty
Dear Mr. D,I have owned a sporting goods store for past 15 years. A few months ago I decided to take plunge into world of ecommerce. Boy, what a difference between a brick and mortar store and a store on Internet. In my bricks and mortar store we get a few browsers, but most people that come in buy something. However, at my online store most visitors seem to just look and then leave without buying anything. I am obliviously going to need a lot more traffic to make my web site pay off. Do you have some advertising ideas that won't cost me a fortune? Signed, Need Visitors ________________________ Dear Need Visitors, Welcome to Internet. As you have learned, it takes a lot more visitors to a web store to produce a sale than it does to a brick & mortar establishment.
| | Don't Have a "Blue" Holiday Sales SeasonWritten by Gary Onks
Today's Wall Street Journal has a lengthy article about retailers expecting a "blue" holiday sales season of low sales. Unfortunately this is exactly what will happen to many of them. However, it will not be because of war, September 11, economic slowdown or indifferent shoppers, as so many analysts believe.The real reason for lackluster sales this holiday season will be due to companies staying focused on youth market instead of highly lucrative 50+ senior market. Most companies fail to see that this consumer segment comprises 39% of all goods and services purchased annually and that they control over 80% of financial assets in existence today. Seniors also have 26% more disposable or discretionary income than any other segment of consumers, and they control 44% of purchasing decisions made by all family members. Corporate America has been so enthralled by E-Commerce and Internet for past 3 years that they have paid very little attention to Age Wave that has begun. Hype and Flash have dominated business world focus with a heavy move on Out with Old and In with New. At best companies have put any marketing interest about seniors on back burner, even though they are aware that Baby Boomers are aging past 50 and times are changing.
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