Is Free Shipping a Must for Online Retailers?

Posted on July 4, 2013 by bermanevansretail
As we reported before, free shipping is highly desirable by shoppers. Here’s further evidence of this.
Consider this commentary by Erin Lynch, writing for MultiChannelMerchant.com: “Free shipping was once the goldmine for online retailers and what set you apart from your competitors. But as more and more retailers offer the service, is it now just something the shopper expects? In this infographic from Monetate, you will see how free shipping is now the new normal and how by having it can mean an increase of at least 30% in sales. In fact, studies have found that if you’re not offering free shipping, it could also boost your shopping cart abandonment rate.”

 

 

Posted in Part 2: Ownership, Strategy Mix, Online, Nontraditional, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 5: Managing a Retail Business, Part 6: Merchandise Management and Pricing, Part 7: Communicating with the Customer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Macy’s Keeps Striving to be Seamless

Posted on July 3, 2013 by bermanevansretail
As Macy’s expands its online presence, the company is also enhancing its ability to ship directly from stores to consumers so that the shopping experience is “seamless.”
According to Erin Lynch, reporting for MultiChannelMerchant.com: “In what Macy’s is calling a continual effort to connect with the ever changing consumer, CEO Terry Lundgren announced plans to see a total of 500 stores double as fulfillment centers by the end of 2013. A little over a year ago, the retailer announced plans to see 292 fulfillment stores by November 2012.” As Lundgren noted: “We operate in an increasingly omnichannel world where consumers gravitate seamlessly between stores, desktops, and mobile devices. They shop whenever, wherever and however they prefer.”
Click on the image to read more.

 

 

Posted in Part 1: Overview/Planning, Part 2: Ownership, Strategy Mix, Online, Nontraditional, Part 3: Targeting Customers and Gathering Information, Part 4: Store Location Planning, Part 5: Managing a Retail Business, Part 6: Merchandise Management and Pricing, Part 7: Communicating with the Customer, Part 8: Putting It All Together | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Importance of Small Business in Retailing

Posted on July 2, 2013 by bermanevansretail
As we know, there are millions of small retailers around the world — and they are a key component of their economies.
Take a look at some of the characteristics of small businesses in the United States.

 

Courtesy of: Retails BIG Blog

 

Posted in Part 1: Overview/Planning, Part 2: Ownership, Strategy Mix, Online, Nontraditional, Part 4: Store Location Planning, Part 5: Managing a Retail Business | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment