Online Retailers Tweak Marketing to Increase Sales
By JCK Online Staff -- JCK Online, 12/19/2006 1:20:00 PM
Merchants have been tweaking their marketing efforts to maximize sales, according to results of a recently released study.
The 2006 eHoliday Mood Study, conducted by BizRate Research for Shopzilla and Shop.org reveals that 41 percent of online merchants said last week that they have made changes to their online marketing efforts since their holiday marketing began this season, up from 36 percent who reported making changes as of Nov. 30.
These same merchants are not as keen to make changes to their offline marketing efforts, promotional efforts and site features this far into the season, as less than 15 percent of merchants reported making adjustments to any of these efforts.
“It is often easier, and more cost-effective, for retailers to make changes to their own websites instead of tweaking offline marketing efforts,” said Scott Silverman, executive director of Shop.org, a network for retailers online. “From expanding advertising efforts to increasing online promotions, many retailers have been making changes to their marketing plans all holiday season long.”
In addition, the survey found that shoppers are having a positive experience buying online this holiday season. More than two thirds (71.2%) of online shoppers surveyed said they have been “very satisfied” with their online buying experience so far this holiday season. And almost all (96.5%) online shoppers surveyed have been at least somewhat satisfied.
The eHoliday Mood Study, in its fifth year, is a holiday measurement tool based on data provided directly from online retailers in addition to consumer data. The Study, conducted by BizRate Research, a division of Shopzilla, for Shop.org, was designed to gauge consumer behavior and online retailers’ success during the winter holiday season. The poll of 2,246 online buyers (defined as anyone who has made an online purchase in the last twelve months) was conducted Dec. 11-13 and the poll of 67 online retailers, all members of Shop.org, was conducted Dec. 11-12.
