Thursday 30 December 2010

water Activities


Anaconda launches it's online store

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Daily deals, and they're done dirt cheap


Daily deals, and they're done dirt cheap December 29, 2010 - Focusing on a single discount may trigger the next internet gold rush, writes Julian Lee.When Colin Fabig posted an offer of a half-price colonic irrigation session on the daily deals website he runs he never expected it to be such a hit.''But there were a lot of people out there who thought to themselves, 'I've heard of it and it is usually quite expensive, so I'm going to give it a go.''' And they did, in droves. Five hours after the deal was posted on Jumponit, 530 vouchers for the $49 session at the North Bondi clinic had been sold.
Daily deals, and they're done dirt cheap
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Groupon to enter Australia as daily deals sites explode


Groupon to enter Australia as daily deals sites explodeJulian LeeDecember 29, 2010 * Why daily deals is the next internet gold rushTHE world's largest daily deals website, Groupon, which Google tried to buy this month for $US6 billion, has confirmed it is entering the Australian market.The company is recruiting people to sign up to its email database before a launch next month into a market that is becoming crowded. The No. 2 player, Living Social, abandoned plans to start from scratch in Australia, opting instead for a joint venture with an existing company, Jumponit.
Groupon to enter Australia as daily deals sites explode
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Friday 24 December 2010

Online Sales Rose 15% This Holiday Season, Report Says - NYTimes.com


Online Sales Rose 15% This Holiday, Beating In-Store Growth, Report SaysBy TIMOTHY WILLIAMSPublished: December 23, 2010 * Recommend * Twitter * Sign In to E-Mail * Print * Reprints * ShareClose o Linkedin o Digg o Mixx o MySpace o Yahoo! Buzz o PermalinkoOnline sales increased more than 15 percent this holiday season, according to data released Thursday, the latest confirmation of the growing importance of Internet commerce during retail’s most lucrative time of the year.
Online Sales Rose 15% This Holiday Season, Report Says - NYTimes.com
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Wednesday 22 December 2010

Michael Pascoe | Myer's half-idea on the internet and GST | Bernie Brookes


Myer's half-idea on the internet and GST December 7, 2010 Saw the story about Myer CEO Bernie Brookes saying the department store chain is opening an online shop, shipping stuff out of a warehouse in China to avoid GST. Checked the date. Think it was April 1. I don't think Bernie was quite serious.
Michael Pascoe | Myer's half-idea on the internet and GST | Bernie Brookes
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Australian Government Won't Be `Stampeded' by Retailers Over Online Sales - Bloomberg


Australian Government Won't Be `Stampeded' by Retailers Over Online SalesBy Shani Raja - Dec 19, 2010 The Australian government won’t be “stampeded’ by retailers over the threat to businesses from goods sold by offshore websites, Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten said.
Australian Government Won't Be `Stampeded' by Retailers Over Online Sales - Bloomberg
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Saturday 18 December 2010

Aussies embrace online gift registry concept

It's one thing to create a gift registry for a wedding - but is a Christmas gift registry taking the concept just a little too far? Apparently not. Online retailer DealsDirect.com.au says 15,000 Australians have created an online wish list on their website - to help friends and family members select a gift that meets the mark.DealsDirect.com.au CEO, Michael Rosenbaum, says his company was not surprised by the overwhelming popularity of the gift registry.
Aussies embrace online gift registry concept > Inside Retailing > Articles page
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'Whistleblowing website' launched for retail sector


Australian Internet entrepreneur Ruslan Kogan's latest publicity stunt is a take-off of Wikileaks - for people who feel aggrieved by retail experiences. TradeLeaks.com, is described as "a whistleblowing website that will make retail and trade open and transparent," says Kogan in a statement first thought was an out of season April Fool's joke."TradeLeaks is here to fix the bullshit in trade and commerce around the world," Kogan proclaimed.
'Whistleblowing website' launched for retail sector > Inside Retailing > Articles page
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Study Outlines Why Local Retailers Need an Online Presence


If you run a local retail business like a toy store, book store or even a shoe store, then a new study indicates that you need to start getting online.The study by market research firm The Leading Edge shows that almost one third of the 1500 online shoppers surveyed said the main reason they shopped from overseas websites was to buy goods not available locally. While 19% said they shopped offshore because it was cheaper and a similar number said they shopped internationally for a greater choice of products.Paypal commissioned the research to determine the biggest areas of growth and opportunity for retailers.
Study Outlines Why Local Retailers Need an Online Presence | ineedhits
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Drift to online US stores won't last - survey > Inside Retailing > Articles page


Australians apparent love affair with buying goods from overseas websites won't last according to a new study. Analysis of American Express' Australian Cardmember spending online shows that the strong Australian dollar is driving people to shop with US online retailers, but that it does not appear to be creating a long term habit.In the past year American Express Cardmember spending on American websites has increased and decreased in line with the strength of the dollar suggesting that Australian retailers should not be concerned about shoppers being driven offshore long term.
Drift to online US stores won't last - survey > Inside Retailing > Articles page
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The Future of Australian Retail [18/12/2010]


The Future of Australian RetailThe Government has today announced an inquiry into the future of Australian retail by the Productivity Commission, the release of new research into online shopping in Australia and a compliance campaign to crack down on people or businesses rorting the $1,000 low-value threshold.The Assistant Treasurer, Bill Shorten, today released the Terms of Reference for the Productivity Commission inquiry, which will report to the Government and industry in 2011 on the implications of globalisation on the Australian retail sector.
Press Release - The Future of Australian Retail [18/12/2010]
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Wednesday 8 December 2010

Digital Ministry - Failed GroupOn deal may mark the start of Google's decline



Ten years ago, I was working for an industry-dominating technology giant when this happened to us: we tried to buy our way into a smokin' hot new web startup category way too late, only to be roughed-up and shown the door by a team of young punks a couple of years out of college. Why did this deal fail, and what could it mean for Google? It could mean the beginning of the decline.the decline of GoogleAll the tell-tale signs are there: Google, whose next-biggest acquisition was for online advertising powerhouse
Digital Ministry - Failed GroupOn deal may mark the start of Google's decline
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Friday 3 December 2010

The net still has its share of catches



The net still has its share of catchesDecember 1, 2010Fancy that...Nikki Yeaman and Roma Burke.Fancy that...Nikki Yeaman and Roma Burke. Photo: Tamara DeanA good computer, some business acumen and perhaps a spare room in the back of the house are some of the key ingredients you need to start an online business.Many businesses are finding they don't need a shopfront and have begun operating purely online. But don't assume that because you're not paying rent and utilities that an online business is without its costs.
The net still has its share of catches
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Sunday 28 November 2010

If you want to know what the web will look like in 2011, watch this video [10 Internet Trends for 2011] | Anthill Magazine



If you want to know what the web will look like in 2011, watch this video [10 Internet Trends for 2011]
If you want to know what the web will look like in 2011, watch this video [10 Internet Trends for 2011] | Anthill Magazine
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Can Westfield make a success of its new online mall? « eCommerce Report



Can Westfield make a success of its new online mall?Westfield’s online debut has been so long coming that that competitors, like eBay Australia, have been mocking the company in a current outdoor display advertising campaign (see it at Westfield, buy it online at eBay”).And its new online mall is hardly an innovative or indeed even a particularly attractive online destination.Moreover it has some unusual features that may even cause difficulties for those retailers participating.For example the terms and conditions make it clear that delivery arrangements are entirely the responsibility of the participating retailers.And that payments will be deducted from online shoppers credit-cards as soon as items are shipped.
Can Westfield make a success of its new online mall? « eCommerce Report
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Free delivery crushes BigBrownBox.com.au? « eCommerce Report



Free delivery crushes BigBrownBox.com.au?The recent massive growth in Australians shopping online hasn’t saved online appliances retailer BigBrownBox.com.au.Publicly listed Thorn Ltd (formerly known as Radio Rentals) has announced its investment in Big Brown Box will be exited by March 2011.
Free delivery crushes BigBrownBox.com.au? « eCommerce Report
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Friday 19 November 2010

Jump On It scores $5 million investment from LivingSocial, takes over local operations - Business news, business advice and information for Australian SMEs | SmartCompany

The local daily deals market continues to grow, with group-buying site Jump On It receiving $5 million in funding from global player LivingSocial.The development comes as the group buying scene in Australia becomes even more saturated, with a group of larger players including Jump On It, Cudo, Spreets and Scoopon all fighting it out for their share of the market.
Jump On It scores $5 million investment from LivingSocial, takes over local operations - Business news, business advice and information for Australian SMEs | SmartCompany
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Saturday 13 November 2010

Ten lessons for SMEs from Australia's web usage boom - Business news, business advice and information for Australian SMEs | SmartCompany



Small businesses can no longer ignore the signs pushing them towards operating online, with new figures from the Australian Media and Communications Authority showing even the most infrequent surfers are spending at least one hour a day, every day on the internet.
Ten lessons for SMEs from Australia's web usage boom - Business news, business advice and information for Australian SMEs | SmartCompany
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Monday 8 November 2010

Trends & Data - Internet Retailer



Trends & Data - Internet Retailer
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Case Profile: Appliances Online



While some products lend themselves particularly well to selling online, others such as refrigerators, washing machines and hot water systems are the last you think would be readily available to buy in a matter of clicks. Yet, Appliances Online manages to successfully retail appliances and white goods (with an average sale value of $900) to over 60,000 customers nationwide and keep its customers coming back for more!
Power Retail – Australia's News and Information Resource for the Online and Multichannel Retail Community » Archive » Case Profile: Appliances Online
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Sunday 31 October 2010

Australian group buying web sites comparative analysis report is published



Australian group buying web sites comparative analysis report is published
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Who is the biggest player on the hot group buying market in Australia? Comparative research. « Blog – Altima Interactive Australia



After the phenomenal success of GroupOn, new group buying (group purchasing) web sites had started to appear virtually every day. It is extremely hot trend and even in Australia we have many of them. One day I asked myself, who is the leader of this market? Who close deals more often, attract more consumers and get highest volume of the transaction? So when I got some spare time, I conducted a small research to answer this questions and find out more insights.
Who is the biggest player on the hot group buying market in Australia? Comparative research. « Blog – Altima Interactive Australia
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Sunday 24 October 2010

Carsales.com buys online auction site OZtion - Business news, business advice and information for Australian SMEs | SmartCompany



Australia's second largest online auction site, OZtion, has been sold for the second time in just over two years, with online classifieds giant Carsales.com acquiring the business for $1.1 million.Carsales.com bought OZtion from Melbourne-based listed media company Jumbuck Entertainment, which is now concentrating on mobile entertainment products, specifically chat services.
Carsales.com buys online auction site OZtion - Business news, business advice and information for Australian SMEs | SmartCompany
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Friday 22 October 2010

WIPO shuts down 1saleaday.com.au - Software - Technology - News - iTnews.com.au



WIPO shuts down 1saleaday.com.auBy Negar Salek on Oct 22, 2010 9:57 AM (8 hours ago)Filed under Software Customers left in the lurch after trademark dispute.The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has stepped in to effectively force the shutdown of an Australian e-tailer, following a trademark dispute with a U.S. company of the same name.Complaints by US discount e-tailer 1SaleAday to WIPO have forced the operators of 1SaleADay.com.au to shut up shop, leaving customers in the lurch with unfulfilled orders.
WIPO shuts down 1saleaday.com.au - Software - Technology - News - iTnews.com.au
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Tuesday 14 September 2010

Six ways to spy on your online competitors (without getting caught) | Anthill Magazine

Forget donning that balaclava and rummaging through rubbish bins. These days the Internet makes sneaking around, gathering your competitive intelligence, super-easy to do. Fiona Mackenzie offers up some exceedingly simple insider secrets to get you started.
Six ways to spy on your online competitors (without getting caught) | Anthill Magazine
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Friday 10 September 2010

Australian consumer ecommerce market lagging - Marketing Magazine



Frost & Sullivan have identified the Australian consumer ecommerce market as being undeveloped and lagging both the US and UK markets by approximately three years.The market is expected to reach $12 billion for the 2010 calendar year. This figure excludes online services such as online ticketing and events, travel, music downloads and financial services. It equates to per capita expenditure of approximately $536 per year, which is slightly behind the US and UK markets.
Australian consumer ecommerce market lagging - Marketing Magazine
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Friday 27 August 2010

Ruslan Kogan hits back at Gerry Harvey with satirical advertisement | Anthill Magazine

There is something endearingly cheeky about Ruslan Kogan, the founder of online retail upstart Kogan Technologies.In June, we shared Kogan Technology’s very funny satirical advertisement for Minister Conroy’s ’spams and scams’ internet filter. This was not the first time we caught a glimpse of the young entrepreneur’s sense of humour. In March 2009, his company introduced Australian consumers to the chuckle-prompting KEVIN 37 Plasma Television set for $900.
Ruslan Kogan hits back at Gerry Harvey with satirical advertisement | Anthill Magazine
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Tuesday 20 July 2010

Not PCI Compliant? No Problem | Practical eCommerce



By Practical eCommerce's count, there are nearly 600 English-language shopping carts. These include hosted carts, licensed software carts and open-source carts. There are small ones with just a few clients, and large ones with tens of thousands of clients.But, as of July 14, only 40 of them were either PCI compliant (hosted solutions) or PA-DSS validated (licensed shopping carts). That date is important because the PCI Security Standards Council has long held that shopping carts, which are either "Payment Applications" or "Validated Service Providers" as defined by that organization, must affirmatively pass compliance standards by July 1, 2010. And it's easy to determine the carts that have been approved because there are two separate lists that contain them.
Not PCI Compliant? No Problem | Practical eCommerce
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eCommerce Cowboys, the ‘Yes’ Men. | magento commerce | Jack of All Trades

We don’t profess to be the world’s best eCommerce company. Probably far from it.But we have a lot of experience in online retail and development (10 years+) and we use that experience to help our clients in the best way possible.
eCommerce Cowboys, the ‘Yes’ Men. | magento commerce | Jack of All Trades
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Monday 19 July 2010

Online Retailer Presentation – Facebook / Twitter The Big Yawn — Bendalls

Internationally, ecommerce is a massive industry, for example in the UK alone it accounts for annual revenues of 48bn GBP and in the USA some $200BN USD with 90% of consumers thinking online shopping offers best value, 83% of consumers research a product for purchase online and 72% of them purchase as a result online.However when it comes to social media 51% of consumers find advertising on social networks annoying and half of advertisers branded pages on social networks attract less than 1000 friends, while the European average was 6,494.
Online Retailer Presentation – Facebook / Twitter The Big Yawn — Bendalls
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Wednesday 14 July 2010

Online retail to grow 40 percent by 2012 | Dynamic Business



Online retail is expected to grow by 40 percent by 2012 according to research released alongside the Online Retailer Expo and Conference in Sydney.Online retailThe ecommerce industry in Australia has seen rapid growth over the last year and is forecast to reach $33.8 billion by 2012 up from $AU24 billion last year.
Online retail to grow 40 percent by 2012 | Dynamic Business
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Aussie e-commerce expo kicks off: photos - Business - News



The Australian Online Retailer Expo 2010 got underway yesterday at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre. The exhibition runs to the end of the week and brings e-retailers, merchants, web developers and manufacturers together to showcase the booming Australian e-commerce offerings.
Aussie e-commerce expo kicks off: photos - Business - News
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Forrester: Online retailers lagging with social media marketing - twitter, Online Retailing in Australia 2010: Marketing, Merchandising and Customer Service, iPhone, Forrester, Facebook - ARN



Social marketing can yield lucrative business conversions, but online retailers are still in the early days of adoption, according to a Forrester report.The Online Retailing in Australia 2010: Marketing, Merchandising and Customer Service report claims that “on the whole, Australian online retailers are focused on the start and middle of the purchase journey. In other words they have emphasised acquisition and conversion over retention, favouring performance-based marketing in general and search marketing in particular. This is a natural starting point for any online retailer, as all must acquire customers before they can retain them.”
Forrester: Online retailers lagging with social media marketing - twitter, Online Retailing in Australia 2010: Marketing, Merchandising and Customer Service, iPhone, Forrester, Facebook - ARN
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Online retailers failing in customer retention



NEWS Online retailers failing in customer retention Australian online retailers risk losing customers by failing to invest in customer loyalty and retention, while the country’s biggest players are still yet to commit in the online space, new research from Forrester Research has found.The research company’s Online Retailing in Australia 2010: Marketing, Merchandising, And Customer Service, revealed a majority of local online retailers are focusing all their attention on acquiring new customers and making sales, but are not putting into place effective measures to retain them past the first purchase.However the research showed 34% of companies surveyed plan to offer customer ratings and reviews for the first time in the next year, with 35% launching their first online community to drive loyalty.
Online retailers failing in customer retention
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Photo & Imaging News: Ignore online and watch them leave

As we all watched more stores close in Australia's consumer electronics retailing industry last week, there was another spectacle happening elsewhere, setting the agenda for future retailing.
Photo & Imaging News: Ignore online and watch them leave
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Monday 12 July 2010

Appliances Online scoops Online Retailer Industry Awards | Dynamic Business

Appliances Online won a swag of awards last night at the inaugural Online Retailer Industry Awards (ORIAs) including the the highly coveted Best Pure Play Online Retailer award.Appliances OnlineThe winners of the event that recognises excellence in e-commerce retailing were announced last night at a gala dinner held at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre Parkside Ballroom alongside the Online Retail Conference and Exhibition.
Appliances Online scoops Online Retailer Industry Awards | Dynamic Business
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Ruslan Kogan: Young, rich and growing two businesses. Fast. | Dynamic Business

Melbourne’s Ruslan Kogan is not your typical businessman. He wears hoodies and trainers and retains a healthy dose of boyish charm. But don’t mistake this for naivety or immaturity because when it comes to business, he is smarter than most.
Ruslan Kogan: Young, rich and growing two businesses. Fast. | Dynamic Business
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Saturday 10 July 2010

Myzerr.com at Online Retailer Expo & Conference 2010 « myzerr blog

Online Retailer Expo & Conference 2010 is one of the world’s largest e-commerce and digital marketing events for retailers. It’s the ultimate marketplace and annual gathering for online retailing. This year, the event took place in Sydney from 6-9 July.While attending, Myzerr CEO Slade Sherman had the opportunity to chat with Mark Freidin, COO of InternetRetailing.com.au. Mark is also actively involved with Catch of the Day and Scoopon, discount and coupon sites offering Australia-based deals.
Myzerr.com at Online Retailer Expo & Conference 2010 « myzerr blog
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Saturday 12 June 2010

Aussie eBay gem trader in court



A back-up BMW, gymnasiums and solariums, and a "discerning taste" in home items and designer clothes were bonuses from his exotic profession.But there were serious flaws in the precious "clear and coloured" stones and diamonds he offered for sale on eBay and Trading Post online.
Aussie eBay gem trader in court
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Friday 11 June 2010

Industry Statistics - The big e-retailers are getting bigger - Internet Retailer



The 500 e-retailers in the Internet Retailer Top 500 Guide accounted for 93.7% of all web sales in 2009, Kurt Peters, editor-in-chief of Internet Retailer, said today at the Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition during a featured address.
Industry Statistics - The big e-retailers are getting bigger - Internet Retailer
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How do e-commerce websites work on the iPad?

Should etailers think about designing apps or special versions of their websites for the iPad, or will the existing websites do the job? Whether these sites need to adapt for the iPad or produce apps is debatable at the moment, since the number of users of the device is still small, but it may be something they will have to think about in future.
How do e-commerce websites work on the iPad? | Econsultancy
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Monday 24 May 2010

If the shoe fits: the precarious world of the online custom cobbler | Anthill Magazine


It’s not every day that a blokey developer quits his day job to sell custom-designed shoes online. In fact, such a move might seem like entrepreneurial madness, especially when you consider the sea of demanding Carrie Bradshaws such a business is likely to attract. Matthew da Silva talks to Mike Knapp, co-founder of Shoes of Prey, to see what made him quit Google and dip his toe into the foot business.
If the shoe fits: the precarious world of the online custom cobbler [WEBSITE OF THE WEEK] | Anthill Magazine
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Monday 17 May 2010

Big W Launches Online Discount Department Store | Online Shopping Australia


Australia's biggest offline discount department store, now has over 4,000 products available to buy online. The Big W online store launched this week, and they're offering the same low prices that you get in-store, on electronics, baby products, home & garden, fashion, toys, entertainment, and more.
Big W Launches Online Discount Department Store | Online Shopping Australia
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Monday 10 May 2010

AUSSIE ONLINE ADS WORST IN WORLD


online,advertsOnline ads in Australia are the worst in the world at keeping consumers’ engagement, measured in dwell time and dwell rate, according to new research from
AUSSIE ONLINE ADS WORST IN WORLD
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Big W online shop opens



Woolworths Ltd's discount department store Big W has launched its online store, allowing web-based shoppers to access to more than 4000 items from the outlet's range including 600 items that are not available in store.
Big W online shop opens
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BigW To Sell Discounted Apple & Sony Products Online - Smarthouse

BIG W is set to compete head on with Harvey Norman, JB Hi Fi and a host of online consumer electronic sites via a new online web site bigw.com.au that is set to sell discounted Sony TV's Apple iPods and over 600 other brands including Sanyo digital camera's and a range of IT products.
BigW To Sell Discounted Apple & Sony Products Online - Smarthouse
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Thursday 6 May 2010

Online to offline - Business news, business advice and information for Australian SMEs | SmartCompany

While these online retailing gurus including Naomi Simson of RedBalloon, Andrew Cooper of DStore and Tony Nash of Booktopia remain staunch-defenders of everything digital, they have began developing hybrid online-offline strategy to take their brands into new markets.
Online to offline - Business news, business advice and information for Australian SMEs | SmartCompany
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Tuesday 4 May 2010

Web20 Fishkin Search Landscape


A brilliant slide show by Rand Fishkin from SEOMOZ. There is an excellent Pie chart which reaffirms our noise about the importance of a web presence for all retailers. From data supplied by Comscore, 89% of consumers shop for information online, yet 7% of retail sales are performed online (see slide 19 of the presentation).

So, what is this telling us! Well it's a wake up call to Australian retailers... your potentail customers are doing their research online. They may not be buying online but if you are not there with an offering, you are not going to be visited by those customers doing their research online.

Internet Retailing is not only about seling online, this is where everyone seems to get it wrong, Internet Retailing is about engaging with customers so they can make an active decision to buy your product, be that by walsking into your sotre, or by buying it online.

Click on the link below!

Web20 Fishkin Search Landscape
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Tuesday 20 April 2010

Retail World Seminar - Workshop Taking Your Store Online – Retailer's Guide to Retailing Online


Despite the rhetoric to suggest otherwise, Australian consumers are spending their dollars in increasing amounts online and often to overseas benefactors – in simple terms this is a share of wallet opportunity cost for the Australian market.

Retailing Online is no longer an optional decision for Retailers – but there is a smart way to go about it. This workshop will address the importance of adopting Online Retail as part of a Multichannel Strategy, with three key tenants to success:

Taking your store online!
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36 SEO Myths That Won’t Die But Need To

36 SEO Myths That Won’t Die But Need To
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How Much Energy Does a Tweet Consume? | Fast Company

How Much Energy Does a Tweet Consume? | Fast Company
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Tuesday 6 April 2010

Australian Retail Giant to Capitalise on Kiwi Internet Trend | infonews.co.nz New Zealand's local news community


CatchoftheDay, Australia’s biggest online shopping site*, plans to capitalise on New Zealand’s taste for internet shopping, offering daily bargains on products ranging from tomato planters to LCD TV screens.

The website, which last year cleared more than one million dollars worth of stock in just one hour, is so popular with Australian shoppers that it now ranks ahead* of department stores Myer, Target, and Kmart with its unique one ‘deal’ per day business model.


Australian Retail Giant to Capitalise on Kiwi Internet Trend | infonews.co.nz New Zealand's local news community
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Friday 2 April 2010

What the Heck is Twitter?



Twitter is a fantastic tool to communicate personal and business messages to your audience. We haven't given much attention to social media on this blog as we pursue interesting topics for online retailers.

 Moving forward I hope to add this topic into the mix as I believe if utilised correctly, it can be a brilliant extension of a company's communication. Many people in business have heard of Twitter but still don't know what it is. This article briefly highlights what Twitter is, as well as a TED video presentation by Twitter's CEO which is well worth watching

What the Heck is Twitter?
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Thursday 1 April 2010

Wednesday 31 March 2010

Coal fuels much of the cloud, Greenpeace says | Green Tech - CNET News


Something to think about when choosing a host for your site. How green are they. Every time you load a web page or send an email, you are generating more greenhouse gas..

Read on
Coal fuels much of the cloud, Greenpeace says | Green Tech - CNET News
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Sunday 28 March 2010

Friday 26 March 2010

Facebook: Facts, Figures & Statistics For 2010 | Digital Buzz Blog

Facebook: Facts, Figures & Statistics For 2010 | Digital Buzz Blog
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My experiences of using the Google Analytics Intelligence feature to review SEO and Pay Per Click > Smart Insights Digital Marketing



Google Analytics Intelligence is a useful new feature introduced in the October 2009 Google Analytics update which looked helpful to combat the “information overload” from web analytics through alerts intended to “provide automatic alerts of significant changes in the data patterns of your site metrics and dimensions over daily, weekly and monthly periods”.While many blogs commented on the launch, I haven’t seen much since on how to use it in practice, so I wanted to write this tutorial to show it can be used in practice. I would like to know what others think / how they have used it
My experiences of using the Google Analytics Intelligence feature to review SEO and Pay Per Click > Smart Insights Digital Marketing
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Where Search and Social Media Collide: Real-Time Search and Twitter - Search Marketing News Blog - Search Engine Watch (SEW)


The Search world is all atwitter with talk of social media. Google has thrown its hat in the ring with Buzz. Multiple search engines are incorporating tweets and Facebook status updates into search results. Things are moving pretty fast, becoming real-time.

So where and when do search and social media collide? These days, it seems to be everywhere... and right now. One's first inclination might be to get the heck out of the way and see how it all shakes out. But can you really afford to? You'll miss all the fun, not to mention some of the opportunity.

Where Search and Social Media Collide: Real-Time Search and Twitter - Search Marketing News Blog - Search Engine Watch (SEW)
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Wednesday 24 March 2010

Google wins trademarks battle with Louis Vuitton - Business News, Business - The Independent


In another precedent setting result, the European Court of Justice has ruled in favour of Google in a seven year legal battle with Louis Vuitton
Google wins trademarks battle with Louis Vuitton - Business News, Business - The Independent
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Monday 22 March 2010

Wirefoot India's Internet Retail Vision 2010 Commenced Successfully


Wirefoot India Technology (pvt) limited drew a lot of applauds for organizing The IRV 2010 on the 28th of January at hotel The Grand in New Delhi. The event was focused at exploring the current Internet Retail scenario in India, its potential and the way ahead to exploit this potential in a manner positive to the country's retail industry.
Wirefoot India's Internet Retail Vision 2010 Commenced Successfully
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Digital marketing strategy and planning Word template > Smart Insights Digital Marketing


I would like to credit Dave Chaffey in the UK from Marketing Insights as it was his work that inspired me to jump into online marketing and Internet Retailing.

Dave offers a FREE internet marketing plan (click at the bottom of this post for more information) I used this SOSTAC plan from day one in working on my first ecommerce implementations. Funny that many of the things that Dave recommended were frowned upon by people I worked with, yet he has been correct in most of his assumptions as time has come to show.

Digital marketing strategy and planning Word template > Smart Insights Digital Marketing
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Friday 19 March 2010

DealsDirect taken down by malware in ads - Business news, business advice and information for Australian SMEs | SmartCompany

DealsDirect taken down by malware in ads - Business news, business advice and information for Australian SMEs | SmartCompany
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Online retailer's 'reseller only' claims rejected - Sales & Marketing - Your Business - News - CRN Australia


Online Retailers have earned a reputation as fobbers of warranty responsibility. Even DealsDirect recently had the wrath of the ACCC on its back. Mwave is the latest victim to fall foul of the ACCC in that MWave published a warranty policy that jlited the ACCC,  probably after receiving complaints form consumers, see extract below:

  • Mwave Australia makes no representation or express warranty with respect to the product except those stated in this document. Mwave disclaims all other warranties express or implied as to any product, including and without limitation, the implied warranties of merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose, and any implied warranties arising from statute, trade usage, course of dealing, or cause of performance. 
  • No warranty representations - any products, consumables and software - that have been opened are not entitled to a refund, return or exchange.
  • The customer is responsible for return shipping.
The Act grants consumers the ability to request a refund rather than replacement for a defective item, and the right to seek remedy from a retailer, without having to deal directly with the manufacturer.

"Consumers have the same rights online as if they were to walk into a store," ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel said.

The directors admit to being embarrased by this and have worked with the ACC to correct this

Read the full article from crn.com.au, click below:
Online retailer's 'reseller only' claims rejected by the ACCC


The ACCC provides a guide for consumers and business relating to warranties and refunds
Click here for more info
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Wednesday 17 March 2010

Unbounce | Self Serve Hosted Landing Pages for Marketers with A/B Testing

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For a limited time only sign up to build, publish and test landing pages for free

Unbounce | Self Serve Hosted Landing Pages for Marketers with A/B Testing

Internet Retailing » One in seven marketing emails don’t reach the inbox



Internet Retailing » One in seven marketing emails don’t reach the inbox
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mothercare - GAP only a few stores – don’t be fooled they will take your business on-line!


Watch out for those international retail brands moving into Australia. Once established they will leverage their international website presence utilising existing ecommerce technologies to sell into Australia

...Even major Australian babyware retailers such as TARGET should be watching the UK’s mothercare’s and the US GAP Australian store opening programme progress very carefully. Specialty retailers such as General Pants, Just Jeans, SUPRE, SUSSAN in particular should watch the GAP and Topshop Australian site locations and on-line tactics.Major Department such as David Jones and MYER watching NORDSTROM and Debenhams - the US NORDSTROM Website already links to Australia.
mothercare - GAP only a few stores – don’t be fooled they will take your business on-line!
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Websites



Fantastic Online Retail Article with an Australian flavour

Websites
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Buy, Sell or Donate your unwanted giftcard to charity



Cardlimbo.com.au, a place to buy and sell and swap  unwanted gift cards.
"Cardlimbo.com.au

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How not to use Twitter, by Rentokil | Blog | Econsultancy


Rentokil Uk, has ruffled some feathers by randomly following people on Twitter to boost their brand awareness. Trouble is people don't like being followed by a pest control company. AN interesting read on how to get Twitter wrong!
How not to use Twitter, by Rentokil | Blog | Econsultancy
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Tuesday 16 March 2010

RN Australia Talks - 16 March 2010 - E-retailing

While e-retailing is setting records overseas, particularly in the UK and the US, Australia is lagging far behind. Here, online makes up only three per cent of retail sales. So what are the barriers? Is e-retailing set to take off? Mark Freidin, founder of InternetRetailing.com.au and ecommerce consultant had the opportunity  to partake on ABC's Australia Talks about the state of online retail in Australia
RN Australia Talks - 16 March 2010 - E-retailing
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Thursday 11 March 2010

Wednesday 3 March 2010

Small Biz Doubles Social Media Adoption - eMarketer


Smaill businesses have adopted social media in an attempt to boost brand recognition and sales
Small Biz Doubles Social Media Adoption - eMarketer
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Tuesday 2 March 2010

On-line Retail Consultants on the march – watch your wallets!


On-line retailer meetings are being held to tell such a simple retail on-line story – make sure that you watch your wallets, don't overspend and don’t waste your time on retail Website 'features' that do not earn proven revenue.

On-line Retail Consultants on the march – watch your wallets!
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Sunday 28 February 2010

Internet Retailing » Poor online shopping experiences increase consumer stress by up to 50%



Results from a neurological study of consumers’ reactions to a poor online experience have found many suffer from web stress when trying to make an online purchase.
Internet Retailing » Poor online shopping experiences increase consumer stress by up to 50%
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Monday 22 February 2010

Australian Webinar: Leverage Your Customers to Drive Online Sales | Bazaarblog


Social Commerce Webinar : Leverage Your Customers to Drive Online Sales
with Steve Rhodes, Head of E-Commerce at Vodafone Hutchison, hosted by Bazaarvoice,  leader in Social Commerce solutions

The Web is becoming increasingly social, with networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and YouTube.

Customers are demanding social tools, but how do you incorporate social with business? How can you effectively drive sales using social media?

Enter Social Commerce — combining social interactions and community with a focus on increasing sales and driving measurable business results.

In this webinar, get a glimpse into the tools and strategies available to online retailers, and hear real-world results on how over 700 brands around the world are leveraging customer-created content such as Ratings & Reviews to increase sales, reduce returns, and make business sense of social.


Australian Webinar: Leverage Your Customers to Drive Online Sales | Bazaarblog
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Ultra-Secretive Bloom Box Fuel Cell Device is Revealed | Sustainability | Fast Company


Although not directly related to Internet Retailing, this article highlights the technologies of the future that could power server farms, businesses  or factories
Ultra-Secretive Bloom Box Fuel Cell Device is Revealed | Sustainability | Fast Company
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Digital Ministry - The State of the Australian Search Market


Australia has not harnessed the long term gains in investing in search engine optimisation (SEO) as opposed to quick investment in pay per click (PPC) . 

This article explores this phenomenon and explains the benefits of SEO

Digital Ministry - The State of the Australian Search Market
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Tuesday 16 February 2010

Smart Start - Useful Tools


Useful business tools for start ups, and some information on protecting you intelectual property (IP)

Click on the link below
Smart Start - Useful Tools
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Monday 15 February 2010

If at first you don't succeed try again - making it online


Some simple tips to follow for budding online retailers. This article covers the basics that are required to maintain motivation once you have decided to start selling online. Remember like most businesses, things take time, so always keep on striving forward.

Click on the link belwo to read more:
If at first you don't succeed try again - making it online
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Thursday 11 February 2010

Internet Retailing » Foresee identifies how social media impacts online shopping

At last, a concisely written and well researched approach and understanding of how retailers should  use Facebook to successfully engage with customers. Considering in Nov 2009, 46% of all internet usage was on Facebook in Australia 9 According to Nielsen research) , it would almost appear to be a no brainer, however not many businesses are embracing a quality Facebook page.

Click on the link below to read more!

Internet Retailing » Foresee identifies how social media impacts online shopping
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Internet Retailing » Foresee identifies how social media impacts online shopping

At last, a concisely written and well researched approach and understanding of how retailers should  use Facebook to successfully engage with customers. Considering in Nov 2009, 46% of all internet usage was on Facebook in Australia 9 According to Nielsen research) , it would almost appear to be a no brainer, however not many businesses are embracing a quality Facebook page.

Click on the link below to read more!

Internet Retailing » Foresee identifies how social media impacts online shopping
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Wednesday 10 February 2010

Asys Computers giving online retailing a bad name.



Many of us in the industry have by now read the myriad of posts on Whirlpool (click here to read them) about  asys.com.au  (not to be confused with Asus computers, the reputable notebook and PC hardware brand) and customers who have paid money to this online retailer to then never see their money or purchase ever again.
It was brought to our attention that there is now a Facebook page set up (probably by some prankster) purporting to be Tony Hofman (unless Tony is this brazen to set soemthing like this up) and it goes to show the viral  nature of the internet and what will happen when you upset people. Click on the link below!
Facebook | Tony Hofman
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Richard Uechtritz leaving JB HiFi – immaculate timing: classic entertainment retailing dying?




Richard Uechtritz leaving JB HiFi – immaculate timing: classic entertainment retailing dying?
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Monday 8 February 2010

6 Places that Flash Does Not Belong


The debate about the use of Flash will continue until the time comes (in my opinion) when Flash is embedded into browsers. As a plug in, Flash adds trhe complication of installation to the uninformed.

This great little piece highlights our belief too that e commerce and flash are not good partners. have a read, click on the link below

6 Places that Flash Does Not Belong
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Sunday 7 February 2010

Forrester Research Australian Online Retailing Study


Forrester Research is undertaking the first Australian Online Retailing Study. Click on the link below or visit the InternetRetailing.com.au website for more details on the study.
Forrester Research Online Retailing Study
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Saturday 6 February 2010

The Recommendation Engine Report from Peerius


An interesting link to a white paper on recommendation engines from amongst others, former Chief Scientist at Amazon .com

The article shows how recommendation engines:
  • draw customers' attention to products they're most likely to buy
  • build more profitable product ranges
  • maximise the value of search traffic by reducing bounce rates
  • provide valuable cross-sell opportunities to increase average order size
  • personalise the customer experience with highly targeted recommendations
  • offer just the right amount of choice to increase sales.
Click on the link below:
The Recommendation Engine Report from Peerius
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Twedemption Twitter Tool - Website Magazine - Website Magazine


Twedemption - A brilliant tool to assist in deleting multiple direct messages in Twitter (Twitter doesn't allow this). For $5.99 US a bargain
Click on the link below!
Twedemption Twitter Tool - Website Magazine - Website Magazine
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Are Businesses Drinking the Social Media Kool-Aid? - Website Magazine - Website Magazine


Not often we get to see an article comparing US and UK metrics. Thanks to Exact Target a US based company and Econsultancy a UK based company (now with offices in New York too), this is a rare opportunity to see what companies on both side of the pond plan to spend on digital marketing budgets - Blindly it appears.

Read the article, click on the link below
Are Businesses Drinking the Social Media Kool-Aid? - Website Magazine - Website Magazine



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Online Retail Transaction Performance Indices



Online Retail Transaction Performance Indices

Perhaps a good way for Australian Retailers to benchmark their own sites average response times is to compare these to the top rates US online stores.

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Tuesday 2 February 2010

Crusade against IE6 begins - Business news, business advice and information for Australian SMEs | SmartCompany

Crusade against IE6 begins - Business news, business advice and information for Australian SMEs | SmartCompany

The sooner we are all rid of Internet Explorer 6, the better off we will all be. How many times have worked with your team, tweaking a site to its absolute best, only to visit your client's office and freeze in horror when they launch IE6 to view your masterpiece!  Especially when you realise that you have checked all browsers except IE 6 because its been such a donkey for so long that you had relegated it to history!

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Thursday 28 January 2010

Internet poised to become bigger force in Retail : code name max

Internet poised to become bigger force in Retail : code name max
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Apple’s new iPad could shake up the e-book market | InternetRetailer.com - Daily News

Apple’s new iPad could shake up the e-book market | InternetRetailer.com - Daily News
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Another (Nasty) Paypal phishing scam

I received another ingenious phishing scheme. One of the best so far.  This one is really hard to assess whether its really from Paypal to the ill informed as it asks you to download a form, fill it in and hit a submit button. Sneaky!

Here is what it looks like:

Body of email message:

<

Dear PayPal Customer, During our regularly scheduled account maintenance and verification procedure we have detected a slight error in your PayPal online account. This might be due to the following reasons: 1. A recent change in your personal information (ie. change of address, email address) 2. An inability to accurately verify your selected option of payment due to an internal error within our systems. Please fill in all the details that are required to complete this verification process. To do this we have attached a form to this email. Please download the form and follow the instructions on your screen. NOTE: The form needs to be opened in a modern browser which has javascript enabled (ex: Internet Explorer 7, Firefox 3, Safari 3, Opera 9) Please understand that this is a security measure intended to help protect you and your account. We apologize for any inconvenience. If you choose to ignore our request, you leave us no choice but to temporary suspend your account. Sincerely, PayPal Account Review Department. Please do not reply to this e-mail. Mail sent to this address cannot be answered. For assistance, log in to your PayPal account and choose the "Help" link in the footer of any page. 




phishing