Logicblock's Blog

5 Useful Mobile Apps for Online Sellers

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:10:00 GMT

There are a ton of great software programs that aid you with your online selling career. However, you're not always at your computer, and you probably find yourself staring at your phone more than anything. Luckily, there are a ton of apps that are just as (if not more) useful than the ones on your laptop or desktop. Here are 5 we really love!

1. Hootsuite
Online sellers are all about social media, and you need something that works with Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms you post on. Hootsuite has a really nifty mobile app that allows you to do almost everything you normally do on your laptop, including look at social media stat reports (who’s clicking? What post was retweeted the most?). It’s also great for adding and removing people from special lists if you meet new people when you’re out and about and want to keep tabs on them through social networks.

2. Dropbox
You need your files around all the time, but don’t want to keep a bunch of doubles and backups on your phone. Dropbox lets you transfer files you store on their server between any computer you happen to be on, including your smartphone! Even better, you can set up folders for others to view so you can share files between team members.

3. Toodledo
No, it’s not what you say to all the antique store owners you meet while scouring for product for resale online. Toodledo is an app that helps keep your day in order. It’s easy to get caught up while you’re running about having meetings, packing shipments and catching up on other tasks. How do you make sure you get everything done in the day and in a timely manner? Instead of throwing everything on a notepad, use Toodledo to organize your day by order of importance.

4. ShopSavvy
While you're looking for new products to sell it's sometimes tough to tell if the price you’re looking at is what you would get for it on the 'net. Download ShopSavvy to get a better idea of what the product may get you when you put it on your own store. Simply scan the barcode and instantly get a summary of the prices around town.

5. Jump Desktop
Sometimes nothing but your home computer will do, especially if you forgot a file and it isn’t in Dropbox. In this case you need Jump Desktop. It’s computer access from your mobile phone without all the hassle of crazy network issues. You can get Jump Desktop up and running your home computer in a matter of minutes, meaning you could go from cancelling a meeting to securing a product chain in no time flat.
There are plenty more business savvy smartphone apps out there, and more being created everyday. Do you have a go-to smartphone app for your ecommerce business?

An eCommerce Seller’s Tax Time Checklist

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 17:52:00 GMT

We're almost through the looking glass! That's right, tax time is almost all done and done. But have you finished up everything you were supposed to? Did you get every piece of paperwork filled out and signed?

Perhaps you're one of the few (who are we kidding, the many) who waits to the very last second to file your taxes. Either way, better check out our tax time checklist to double check before April 17^th flies by!

Personal Info

No matter what you’re filing and in what capacity, you’ll need this basic info to get you started.

Social Security Number
Birth Date
Dependent Information, including SSNs

Income

Of course the other most common type of info is income info. The only variation comes with the type of income you received, as this can change the form you get. Have you logged all these forms correctly?

W2 income forms
1099 freelance/independent seller forms
Unemployment compensation
Social security benefits
Alimony
Other income like sale of property or rental property income

Adjustments

Your adjustments can drastically change the amount of income that’s ultimately taxed. Sometimes they can make the difference between owing more and getting some money in the bank. However, they only work if you remember to include them!

Student loan interest
Educator expenses, which can include books, supplies, or even computer equipment
Health insurance payments if you’re self-employed
Moving expenses
Alimony paid

Deductions

Although the standard deduction is better for the majority of filers, itemized deductions sometimes makes more sense. If you are itemizing, you want to get every last one possible in order to get the most out of your taxes.

Receipts, receipts, receipts – business expenses add up like crazy, so any shortage can cost you!
Costs of goods sold
Online fees including PayPal and listing fees
Advertising costs
Postage and shipping
Office expenses
Charitable deductions
Mortgage interest
Continued education costs
Child care costs (like day care)

Bank Info

Now for one of the most important things to remember: info for the IRS to send you your money! They can send you a check, but it can take weeks. Giving your bank account info can mean a direct deposit within a week to even a few days. An easy decision if there ever was onae!

Full name on account
Bank account number
Routing number

All Done! Right?

Almost! Make sure you keep all your info handy until you get confirmation your returns have been filed, both with federal and state. Even then, you’ll want to keep your paperwork around for approximately seven years…just in case.

Also, if you want to check on the status of your return, you’ll need a few things.

Amount of refund
SSN
Filing status (single, married filing jointly, etc.)

Checking your status will show you if your return has been accepted as well as a rough estimate of how long it will take to get your refund. Happy taxing!

How to Find and Evaluate an Accountant

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:11:00 GMT

Finances, especially taxes, can be a huge pain in the rear end of any business owner. As you grow and expand, they just get exponentially more complicated, especially when other employees, benefits, self-employment tax and the other vagaries of growing a business come into play. For an ecommerce company, it can be an even bigger problem, as you have unique issues and concerns to worry about.

So you decide to hire an accountant in order to really concentrate on the stuff that matters to you: finding product, talking to customers, discovering new ways to sell. But where do you find someone who’s both reliable and knowledgeable?

Luckily, there are several places you can go, and you don’t even have to leave the Internet!

Facebook & More

Wait, you can find accountants on Facebook? Well, maybe not directly (unless you love gambling), but someone in your friends list knows somebody in the industry. If not, they have a friend of a friend who they can recommend. It’s not just Facebook, either; hop on Twitter and ask around.

If you really feel like spending some time, log on to LinkedIn and start searching. No doubt someone in your connections has a recommendation for you, or may even be an accountant themselves and you just forgot!

Companies

Believe it or not, a few companies and organizations out there actively want to help you find an accountant. Even better, one will not only do that, they can assist you in many other ways to get your feet off the ground.

The latter is SCORE, an organization that tries to assist small businesses in their goals. Depending on your needs, it’s either free or super cheap, and they have everything from employee recs to friendly advice to mentors who walk you through difficult steps.

If you’d rather get a direct recommendation without all the extra stuff, you can try out Teaspiller. The service is totally free and links you with an accountant suited directly to your needs. You can search by location, specialty (taxes, day to day expenses), or even by credentials.

Searching Yourself

There are more than likely several businesses nearby that have accountants on hand for you to hire. These businesses also most likely have websites for you to see what all they offer. Search around with terms like “Your city” +”accountant” to get an idea what’s around. You may be surprised at what you find, and you can go visit them in their office.

Of course, this is really going in blind. And while most accountants are on the up and up, we’ve all heard the horror stories of companies getting hosed or taken to the cleaners. (Check out this year’s list of Common Tax Scams from the IRS.) Just be careful out there, especially around tax time!

Should You Be Charging Sales Tax?

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 16:43:00 GMT

Taxes are a funny thing. Not your taxes that are soon due to the IRS, but things like sales tax. Sellers have struggled with these numbers for years, as they hardly seem consistent and irritate their customers. Some states even have different sales tax depending on which area of the state you're in.

If you sell online, sales tax used to be a non-issue. But even ecommerce pros have to worry about it now as there are measures in some states to make online sellers charge. So even virtual shopkeepers have to worry about sales tax – it’s inescapable!

So how do you know if you need to start charging? Let’s take a look.

Are You a Business?

The most important thing to consider when deciding whether to charge sales tax is whether your business is actually a business. Confused? You may sell things or offer services, but if you’re not set up as a business in a legal sense, you may not have to charge sales tax. On the flip side, you may consider what you do a hobby, but legally you’re a business and must take sales tax into account.

Have you filled out all the proper paperwork? Perhaps you filed to become an LLC or sole proprietor? Do you have a separate business name from your legal name – for example, Bob Smith owning Bob’s Knick-Knacks? If you haven’t filed all these papers, one or two things is going on: you don’t need to pay sales tax, or you’re operating illegally!

If you’re unsure whether you need to file, check with your local government office. They can not only tell you if you need to file but also what paperwork you need.

If you’re an online business, for right now you’ll have to worry about the state in which you operate. This may change, though, as states like California and New York have tried to push through legislation that would make online sellers have to pay. If this is your main avenue of money, try to keep up with recent developments.

Rules and Regulations

If you offer any sort of service, you probably don’t have to worry about sales tax, as it’s generally for items. However, some areas and states DO require you to charge for services. Again, every state is different, which makes the whole affair such a pain.

For items, you should include sales tax information for your customers’ benefit – it’s just good practice. However, some states actually require you to include this info so as not to confuse people. This is whether you sell at a store, a booth at a fair, or walking around on the sidewalks of the city.

All it takes is a little placard stating “sales tax of 6% added to all purchases” and you’re covered. Don’t let anyone walk away angry and confuse – not only do some states not collect sales tax, some countries have eradicated completely.

Are you in the wholesale business? Then your sales tax laws are even stranger. Luckily, it works a bit in your favor. Just like you buy wholesale items to sell them at a reduced price, your sales tax charges could be lower. Again, a quick check with your local government office should tell you what the specific rules are.

5 Ideas for Your Email Marketing Messages

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:47:00 GMT

So you’ve gotten your email list going. Now what to do? Email your customers and fans, of course! But eventually you may run out of things to say, especially if you’ve been at it a while. But if you plan ahead you’ll no doubt have an endless supply of interesting things to send to your fans.

Sometimes, though, it’s tough to come up with ideas in a pinch. To help you along, we’ve put together five ideas guaranteed to not only keep people around but bring in even more clicks.

1. Giveaway

We hate to say it, but people love getting stuff for free! And even if there’s just a slight chance they’ll win a prize they will be happy to spend a few seconds signing up for an email newsletter or visiting a dedicated landing page. You can’t give stuff away all the time, though, so make sure you have some solid follow-ups. But while the promotion goes on you can certainly milk it for all it’s worth with teasers and related news.

2. Company News

Though not for everyone, company news can make a good subject for email updates. Obviously not everything that goes on behind closed doors is newsworthy or should be shared, but people do like to know things are running smoothly.

Has someone moved up or a beloved member stepped down? Consider sending the news out in your next message. This is especially true if it could potentially affect the company in some way one day down the line.

3. Product Updates and Innovations

Have you discovered a brand new way for your product to be used – or better yet, has a customer reached a similar conclusion? Now’s the perfect time to share it with your email group! Product innovations like this keep your company looking fresh even when you haven’t released anything new in months. Plus, if there’s an update to your product (either an improvement or fix) be sure to mention it.

4. Surveys

The thing people like almost as much as getting stuff for free is handing out their opinions. Give them a chance to do so by sending surveys and/or polls in your emails. They can be about anything from updates to the website to the state of affairs in Syria. Make sure it fits with your audience, though, and remember to send them the results!

5. Showcase Other Products

Here’s a nutty idea: help sell some other company’s stuff! If it sounds preposterous, then consider what the real point of your email list is. If it’s just to sell more product you may be approaching it the wrong way.

Email marketing is more about keeping your customers updated and happy. And part of this happiness is learning ways to make their lives easier. When that happens they’ll remember who helped them be happier, including companies like yours. Just don’t recommend anything unscrupulous!

Holiday Shopper Madness – And We Don’t Mean Christmas!

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:38:00 GMT

It’s almost that time! Time to stock up all your best stuff and put your best foot forward; the holidays are just around the corner and you want to get all the sales you can get!

Wait, what? Didn’t we just finish the Christmas craziness? December isn’t for another ten months!

Yes, while the winter holidays are some of the best times for a business owner, November and December don’t have a monopoly when it comes to holidays. There are several throughout the year, many of which are perfectly fine when it comes to marketing your shop.

Choosing a Holiday

No matter what you sell, there’s bound to be a holiday or two that’s perfect for grabbing the attention of shoppers looking for a good deal. Though it may not seem like it at the time, with a little finesse you can take advantage of the rush on goods.

Valentine’s Day is a great example, as it’s already a consumer heavy holiday. Come the week before the big pink ‘n red extravaganza everything suddenly becomes “for your sweetheart.” Sometimes it seems like it barely matters what it is – just tell your customers it’ll make the perfect Valentine’s Day and you’re golden!

But Valentine’s isn’t the only holiday between now and the end of the year, and it’s certainly not necessarily the best choice for your company. There’s also Easter, perfect for springtime items – they don’t even have to be Easter related, just the right color palette!

We’ve also got President’s Day, Fourth of July, heck even Arbor Day has its merits. There’s no shortage of fun days to use as a means to promote your business.

Arbor Day?

Yes, Arbor Day! It sounds ridiculous, I know. But traditions have to start somewhere, and there’s absolutely no reason why your company can’t start one.

Take the lovely tradition of the engagement ring. It has ties to centuries ago, but wasn’t a big deal until the turn of the 20^th century. How did it start? Diamond and jewelry companies were experiencing a slump and thought it would work as a way to boost sales. Now, it’s something almost everyone does when they want to get hitched.

You may not have something in your store at the moment that would be perfect for Arbor Day. But maybe the other day you saw some cool little trinkets shaped like trees you think would work as a yard decoration? Now all you have to do is get out there and promote them, perhaps to environmentalist groups.

Assuming you must wait until the end of the year for holiday sales is a defeatist attitude. There’s always some way to convince people they need what you have – it just takes a little work and the right holiday!

What’s the Deal With the 1099K?

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:37:00 GMT

There’s a rumor around the world of ecommerce, and it’s a particularly scary one. Seems there’s a new tax form around town, and it’s running around scaring all the locals. Women gasp in terror and men wet their pantaloons at the mere mention of the thing.

Children just scratch their head – but what do they know about truly scary things like taxes?

What is this terrifying monstrosity called? It goes by many names. Sometimes it’s known as the 1099K, other times they call it the PayPal 1099; some who have already experienced it call it “that thing that ruined my life.” This tax form is nasty, and it’s here to stay!

The Truth

Like a late night horror movie that jolts your nerves at midnight but falls apart like tissue paper come first daylight, the reality of the 1099K is much more boring than it seems. Seems people freak out when they hear the words “new tax form” and assume the worst…not that we blame them, of course!

The new tax form isn’t just for everybody. There are a few criteria you must meet before you get the 1099K in the mail. Otherwise, it’s just business as usual. To get the 1099K, you must:

Use a payment processor like PayPal or Amazon to receive payments online
Have made 200 or more online through PayPal/Amazon/etc.
Have made over $20,000 with those 200 transactions

If you don’t fit these three stipulations, then you won’t be getting the new tax form. If you do, not all is lost!

Showing Good Form

So why is the IRS messing with a good thing and creating brand new documents for you to stress over? Well, for one, they’re technically not new – the legislation that created the new form 1099K actually passed way back in 2008. Seems a lot of ecom sellers weren’t paying their way when it came to taxes, as there was no reliable way to report funds made.

So in 2008, a housing development bill was passed through. Attached to this bill was the 1099K – a way for the IRS to track how much sellers were making through major sites like Amazon and PayPal. They hope that this will offset the “tax gap” that was growing since ecommerce was becoming such a big deal.

So what’s on this thing? Well, like a W2, it shows just how much you made over the last year. That’s really it – you have to figure out how much to take out in deductions and expenses for your business yourself. It’s pretty much a form to tell you exactly what you already know!

So when you get the 1099K in the mail, don’t freak out. Just use it as a tool to get your taxes done in a timely manner so you can spend more time doing what you do best – selling!

Holiday and Yearly Selling Recap for Ecommerce 2012

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:40:00 GMT

When it came to the business world, most of the talk in 2011 was all about how doomed we all were. Every week there were stories of how the economy was down and nobody was hiring and how much work it would take to get things back to normal.

Ecommerce sellers, however, either didn’t hear this news or chose to ignore it altogether. Their year, especially towards the end during the holidays, was better than ever. While brick and mortar shops struggled, online retailers grew and were able to hire new employees.

Holidays

The big season for ecommerce was naturally the holidays. While big numbers were predicted, some felt the empty pockets of shoppers would hurt the bottom line of many stores. But that was ultimately proven incorrect as ecommerce had a stellar holiday season.

In fact, looking at the numbers, you’d be forgiven if you felt like there was no economic slump at all. On Black Friday alone, ecommerce retailers made over $816 million, a rise of 26% from 2010. Cyber Monday, swiftly becoming the biggest day of the year for ecommerce sellers, experienced a 22% increase to just over $1.25 billion!

Even Thanksgiving Day saw a big change, with online shoppers spending over $475 million to bring the totals up by 18%. Clearly there was a big shift in holiday spending – easy to speculate on, but no solid answers exactly what caused it. One big possibility? People are just plain tired of fighting holiday crowds and would rather stay home or in the office and shop in comfort.

The Lead-Up

Towards the beginning of 2011, it was projected that US ecommerce would be a $279 billion a year venture by 2015. Part of that growth was 2011 itself, which included ecommerce making just under $200 billion.

And that’s just the United States! Online commerce throughout the world is expected by JP Morgan to reach over $960 billion by 2013. That’s a lot of dough, and may be totally independent of the economic status of the rest of the world. It’s almost like ecommerce is independent of the economy, and it’s worrying to think where we’d be if online selling wasn’t as big as it is.

This also includes the job market. Not only were online sellers bringing on new talent last year, 2012 looks to be even brighter. The more these online shops grow, the more employees they’ll need in web development, customer service, shipping, and other areas.

And these jobs aren’t just coming from online only sellers. The bigger ecommerce gets, the more the larger retailers like Wal-Mart and Target will have to put into that sector. This is especially true when the holidays come back around – holiday hiring will probably go up the crazier ecommerce selling in winter gets!

Last Minute Holiday Questions You are Likely to Encounter

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:18:00 GMT

As the holiday shopping season wraps up and you get ready for the New Year, you're going to encounter certain questions from harried and panicked customers. Everyone will be worried about the status of their order, and it's your job to keep them from going off the deep end! Let’s take a look at some common last minute questions you'll get and what to do about them.

Shipping

Of course another big point of contention with holiday shoppers is shipping. Namely, they want to know if the stuff they ordered for their friends and family will be there on time! Now hopefully your company has put up explicit times for people to order your products so customers get it on time. Some extra vigilant stores have reminders that pop up on the shopping cart page…just in case.

But even in cases like these, stores still get many calls from irate customers wondering where their stuff is. It’s not that customers can’t read, or are particularly combative; merely that they are stressed, tired, and just want to make sure everything is going to be okay under the tree this weekend.

Installation/Implementation

These series of questions will no doubt start around the time of Christmas but carry through the beginnings of 2012. If your store sells anything that requires installation or implementation (like software), then you’re going to field questions from folks who got it as a gift.

Each team member on staff must know the product inside and out, backwards and forwards. Of course if the product in question is your company’s specialty, that’s probably a given. But just in case, have a quick meeting to clear up any questions anyone might have.

Gift Services

Everybody likes getting stuff for free or receiving help. It’s arguably even more appreciated during the holidays. That’s why many stores offer freebies and services to assist their worn-out customers during this time.

For example, Amazon is offering gift wrapping for a fee, and Audible has set up a special page for Gift Memberships you can send to loved ones. The easier you can make peoples’ lives, the more likely they are going to shop with you after the holidays are over. Make sure everything is in place and ready to go when the phone calls come!

Holiday Hours

If you have any kind of physical presence, one of the most common questions you’re likely to encounter is about your holiday hours. This will be especially true if it’s not evident on your website or any marketing materials. If things go wrong, your customers want to know they can reach you, and stores often have varying hours. They’ll simply want a heads up, especially when close to the actual date.

Make sure everyone on your team knows exactly what the holiday hours are going into these final days. Print out a handy sheet for every team member to keep nearby for reference. This is especially important if the hours are different each day leading up to Christmas.

5 Ways to Make Your eCommerce Website Super Customer Support Friendly for the Holidays

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:08:00 GMT

You may have spent all your time building up your website for the holidays, but you may have neglected one part of it – your customer service! Your store can have all the best products in the world but if people have problems ordering and can’t reach you, you’re toast. To help you improve customer service, follow these five tips.

1. FAQ

We know how much you love talking to people, especially your customers. But, and I hate to break it to you, they don’t necessarily want to talk to you. It’s nothing against you personally, but they’d rather shop, buy, and leave.

Which is why having a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section on your website is such a good idea. Customers who have minor issues that regularly occur can find common solutions without having to call you up or send an email. Then they can shop, buy, and leave!

2. Contact Info

Quick, without looking, tell us where the contact info on your website is. Do you remember? How much is there? Is it up to date?

One of the biggest mistakes you can make on a website is to hide (either accidentally or otherwise) your contact info. If people have a problem and can’t reach you, they will quickly go somewhere else, no ifs, ands, or buts. This also goes if they get a wrong number or a bounced email – they’ll be out like a dud holiday light!

3. Shipping Info

Shoppers do not want to sit around a few days before Christmas wondering if their packages are going to arrive on time. They’re stressed out enough as it is – between accommodating Uncle Bob’s two dogs, cooking enough dinner for 15 guests, and emptying their wallets helping Santa, they don’t have time for your shenanigans.

That’s why you should really consider putting up all shipping info on your website. Have very clear, defined dates as to when they can expect packages from your store. Don’t leave any room for complaints – tell them if they order any later than, say, December 16th, they won’t get the package on time to place it under the tree.

4. Issues Forum

It’s definitely important to have an email address for people to send problems and complaints to. However, there may be an even better solution – a dedicated forum for site issues. This way, after the problem is resolved, others can read it and instantly know what to do to fix their problem. A forum is a terrific addendum to a FAQ in this way. You may also be happily surprised to see your regular customers chiming in to help new folks make purchasing decisions.

5. Links to Social Media

Not everyone likes to use email or the phone. Some of your customers may prefer to speak with you via social media like Facebook or Twitter. Certain companies have started to use these platforms to greatly improve customer service, and your shop should be no different.

Have clearly defined links on your website to your social media sites so those who prefer them can easily hop over. There, they can tweet or post about a particular issue they’re having or ask a question about your shop. Just make sure to keep up with it and answer them in a timely fashion!

According to a survey commissioned by Ebates.com, next to great prices and deals, convenience is the second most important factor to online shoppers. You’ve already got the deals, now offer the convenience and you’re sure to rake up the sales this holiday season!

It's the Holidays, Time for Your Business to... Relax?

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 13:14:00 GMT

You've no doubt been bombarded with countless blog posts about how you need to get your business and/or website in order before it's too late. "You're bleeding money!" they all scream, insisting that you stop reading right then and immediately tend to your dying business.

But let's take a moment and look at the big picture. Is your company really about to go under if you don't add a dedicated "Christmas" section to your website? If you don't offer free shipping, will you really be out on the street in a matter of weeks?

Probably not.

So at Logicblock, we'd like to talk about something you should really be doing this holiday season – relaxing! Not resting on your laurels by any means, but getting all worked up might actually cause more problems than it fixes.

Black Friday Myth

You know that old saying that the term "Black Friday" came from the fact retailers only make a real profit on that day, therefore they are "in the black?" Naturally, that's a myth, as stores would never be able to stay open if that was true.

Like that "fact," there are many other things stated that have become common in our culture that simply may not be real. We’re not going to pretend that there isn't money to be made during the holidays, as online sales on Black Friday this year were the biggest in history.

But historically, the Saturday before Christmas is the biggest moneymaker for retailers. That doesn't really impact online retailers, as orders would never reach customers in time. So throughout the rest of the season, people will order from you or they won't. If you can get their order to them quickly and promise a good rate, you’ll be fine.

So I Shouldn't Sell?

No, let's not get crazy! You definitely need to put yourself out there and make some dough while it's flying around. If your website or store needs work, by all means put the work in to get it going.

What we're saying is if you spend all your time thinking about how to fix your store, you'll forget to do other things in your life. This can include the other aspects of your business, like accounting or hiring new people, or even your family during the holidays!

Eventually, this will come back to harm your store, no matter how much you make over the next couple weeks. If your business and personal life is in disarray because you're so stressed out from the holidays, how can you effectively run your store the rest of the year?

So take a minute and relax. Enjoy whichever winter holiday you celebrate - heck, celebrate them all if you have time! If you need to, put in the work required to get your store up and running, then stop stressing, drink some eggnog, and have a little fun before the new year hits!

Analysis of 2011 Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 20:02:00 GMT

The numbers are slowly coming in, and it looks like the "biggest shopping weekend of the year" is bigger and better than ever! Starting earlier this year on Thanksgiving Day, more items were sold to more people for more dough, giving brick and mortar owners as well as ecommerce sellers many reasons to smile this holiday season.

In honor of Logicblock's customers and everyone else out there who put in all the work to make the big bucks over the weekend, we thought we’d take a look at some of the numbers and what they mean for you…and the future.

The Numbers

It was yet another record breaking shopping extravaganza this year as shoppers took to the streets and their computers to find great deals. According to CNN, the Black Friday weekend brought in over $52.4 billion, up 16% from 2010’s sales. A record 226 million shoppers handed over their hard earned paychecks, also up from last year.

Most importantly to online sellers, ecommerce was a big part of these sales. According to online data compiler comScore, eretail sales total over $12.5 billion for the season thus far. Black Friday alone saw $816 million, a 26% increase from 2010, making it the heaviest online spending day in history.

Some were concerned brick and mortar stores opening earlier this year would be a detriment to online sales, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. In fact, according to the higher numbers, it may have helped, as there was a backlash to stores opening so early. Combine that with the fact websites are available 24/7 and there’s no need to leave the warm house, and digital shopping looks better and better.

The Future

Another big winner this year? Websites that pointed out all the great sales to find on Black Friday and Cyber Monday! According again to comScore, these “deal compilers” experienced surges from 50% to even 130% and up. One site, bfads.net, almost broke the 4,000 unique visitors a day mark. This shows the Black Friday and holiday shopping mania doesn’t just benefit those selling cheap TVs and tshirts.

When it comes to the holidays, it’s all about how much energy you put into your online store or site. Clearly the owners of these deal compilers know that it’s easy to get lost when looking for deals, so they capitalized by putting up those sites. They put in effort the rest of the year and it paid off with extremely high traffic during the weekend.

Other websites have relied on coupons and discounts to drive traffic. For the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales weekend, around 80% of online retailers offered some sort of incentive. These discounts even caught the attention of Time Magazine, who gave a breakdown of some of their favorites. Some stores even had 50%-60% off the entire store!

The lesson here is when it comes to grabbing shoppers for the holidays it may just take a little discount or incentive to get them in. But folks are gravitating that way anyway, so take advantage – make your store as available and accessible as possible, and watch the sales roll in!

Tips for Selling Commodities at Christmas

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:45:00 GMT

The holidays are just around the corner, and every boy and girl is looking for that fun and exciting product under their tree! But as you look around your online shop, you realize your products aren’t exactly what you would call exciting: office supplies!

Now, not all is lost. People NEED office supplies, it’s just that they don’t know they make great Christmas gifts. It’s true, they do! But how do you convince people of this fact and move your product this season? Since the traditional models probably won’t work, let’s look at some fun alternatives.

Why is bundling such a good idea? Because it serves multiple purposes. For one, a customer may see the bundle and realize they need at least one of those things. If you were selling it alone, said customer would probably head to Office Depot. Because the bundle is such a good deal, though, they end up grabbing it from your store instead.

Another reason why the bundle works so well is because it provides your customers an instant idea for presents. More than likely they’ll know a college student or small business owner who needs what you’re selling. And while it’s fun to get toys and movies, it’s always nice to know someone’s also looking out for your livelihood.

Redecorate
This is a good piece of advice for any ecommerce shop entering the holiday season, but it’s arguably more important for a shop that may go unnoticed otherwise. A simple redecoration for your store’s website can not only bring in the customers, it can lead them straight to the products you want to move off your virtual shelves.

One of the best practices to adopt is the “Christmas page” that links straight from the main page. All you need is a simple graphic pointing the way. Make it as holiday-themed or bright as you want, just make sure people can see it when they enter the website. If you’re offering any deals, like 25% off of so-and-so, include it on the graphic for more incentive.

Deals
Speaking of deals, nothing gets holiday shoppers in a tizzy like a good coupon or other discount! More and more ecommerce stores are offering free shipping during the final weeks of the shopping season. Get the jump on the game by offering it right after Thanksgiving – or even just after Halloween, if you’re daring!

Alternatively, you can add coupons to your office supply products. Suddenly, a boring box of notepads becomes an exciting buy. Try combining the bundling idea with a good coupon and you should have no problems bringing in the shoppers this winter!

Bundling
If your products aren’t fascinating by themselves, then putting a bunch of them together could drum up some interest. For instance, in the above “office supply” example, you can create a “small biz owner bundle” that includes office software, printer paper, and folders. Or, you can make a “college kid bundle” with pencils, notebooks, and Blue Books.

What are some other ways you can think of to get shoppers excited about not-so-exciting products?

Your November Holiday Checklist

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:40:00 GMT

Like Barney on How I Met Your Mother says, "it’s time to suit up"!
Very soon, ecommerce shoppers will begin browsing around the Internet looking for great deals on presents. Naturally, you want your online store to be on the other end of those searches. But if you haven't properly suited up, you may not be ready to get any sales at all, and miss out on all the fun... and profit!

Go over this checklist and see if your online store is missing anything. Ignoring just one of these items may send potential sales away and make your holidays, well, not so merry.

Highlight Specials

One of the few problems with the ecommerce holiday boom is getting lost in the shuffle. With so many shops trying to grab over $1 billion dollars of sales on Cyber Monday alone, some shops just naturally won’t get noticed.

Don’t let this happen to you! Insuring sales sometimes only takes offering things like free shipping or big coupons. But if your customers can’t see them, they don’t exist! Make sure everyone who visits your website can find your specials – the best idea is to have them one of the first visuals that pops up when the site loads.

Grammar and Spelling

Not much turns people off like a bad description of a product. This includes crazy spelling and messy grammar! It may not seem like much to you, but a few errors can make a big difference to someone reading your website.

This is especially true if a grammar error changes the meaning of what you’ve written. YOU know you wanted your product to be described as “shiny, fashionable, and awesome,” but when your readers read that it’s “shiny fishable AWSURM” they may not get the same idea.

If grammar and spelling aren’t your strong suits, don’t fret. Make sure to plug your text into a word processing program to see where the mistakes lie. Of course, this won’t catch everything, so you may want to get a friend or freelancer to look everything over. Better to be safe than “sari!”

Research

Do you know what the big sellers are yet? Oh, you looked back in July for ideas? That was a good idea – but did you follow up? Things may have changed, and some big toy or other item may be just over the horizon. Heck, you may have a bunch of them in your warehouse. But if you didn’t know they were big seller potential, then the opportunity may be lost.

Always stay up on the current trends, up until the last minute. You may be super busy during the holidays, but you don’t want to find out in January you had a potential goldmine and forgot to open it to the public!

Now, it’s time to suit up!

Expert Predictions for Holiday Seasons 2011

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:33:00 GMT

It's only a few months away from "the most wonderful time of the year" and the ecommerce experts are keeping an eye on what's going to be the big hit of the season. In fact, the predictions started several months ago! This is good news for the average online merchant, as you may be able to discern a few nuggets of truth out of the info.

Before things get really geared up in the online seller's market, let's see what the buzz is so far. Knowing what's around the corner may give you a heads up on early sales as well as taking full advantage of the 2011 Cyber Monday.

Cyber Monday
For those who don't know, Cyber Monday is the online version of Black Friday. The name started off as sort of a joke on Black Friday, but now it's no laughing matter. Cyber Monday takes place the Monday after Black Friday, when most folks are back at work, at their computers, ready to shop for gifts they didn't score out at the malls on Black Friday.

Last year's Cyber Monday brought over $1 billion dollars, the first time it's hit that benchmark. That's a 16% increase from 2009, tied with 2008 as the third biggest increase from the previous year. And 2011 will be no different, especially since other countries have started to adopt the unofficial holiday. Last year, German ecommerce shoppers enjoyed Cyber Monday deals for the first time.

If sales increase as much as they did in 2010, then we can expect around $1.2 billion dollars in revenue this year. That is a lot of money to grab on November 28th! According to Shop.org (the organization that named Cyber Monday), there's more money to be made the rest of the season, but Cyber Monday is the big "kick-off." Make sure you take advantage.

Christmas Season
Cyber Monday isn't the only time you can expect to make a lot of dough. The rest of the Christmas season is predicted to show a rather large increase this year as well. According to Mercent, the digital marketing platform provider, sales through their portal have steadily increased throughout the year. Based on their second quarter findings, they predict sales will reach the $1.2 billion mark. And that's just through their platform!

Other figures show that sale percentages decreased between the holiday season and early 2011, which is to be expected. One of the most interesting findings is that Amazon took top spot for third party selling site. eBay and Amazon are constantly battling for top position, and it looks like Amazon might be the big winner this Christmas.

Overall, it's looking like a strong holiday season for ecommerce sellers. It may not be quite as large as Black Friday and "traditional" shopping, but ecommerce is quickly becoming the norm for a large percentage of Americans (and beyond – but that’s a topic for another blog post).