Tim Callan

February is here and that means Cupid is on everyone’s mind. Unlike other holidays for which consumers shop months in advance, the sudden two-week period leading up to Valentine’s Day causes a gift and flower frenzy. In fact, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), Valentine’s Day is the fourth largest spending holiday, following winter holidays,…

In addition to knowing how to improve your search engine optimization, every retailer must know which SEO practices to avoid. Some previously popular SEO practices carry such significant penalties that they can damage your site’s search ranking for weeks, months or even years. Yet many retailers with outdated SEO knowledge continue to practice them. Much…

Every website has it. That small box in the header with the picture of a magnifying glass to the right. We call it the search box, and it's kind of the unsung hero of your e-commerce site. And maybe it isn't the sexiest topic in the world, but it doesn't have to be because site search has a return on investment story that speaks for itself. Retailers typically report two or three times the amount of conversions for site search users.

Using compelling content, smart retailers like The Home Depot, e.l.f. Cosmetics, Kidrobot and REI are giving consumers unique and memorable shopping experiences that create powerful brand loyalty and convince them to buy. Here's how they do it:
 

Site search for retailers used to be just about products — i.e., making sure that when your customers come to your website and type in a product name, they see an appropriate list of items. Today's site search landscape is much more complex. Social media, video and learning-based content all need to be woven into search, along with brick-and-mortar inventory and product availability. In addition, it all needs to take into account the special search requirements of mobile users. While achieving an amazing site search experience requires careful attention, it's extremely valuable for driving more conversions and higher order values on your site. Here are five tips for making your site search as robust as possible:

There's tremendous value in analyzing customers holistically across channels as a critical part of a successful omnichannel strategy. The technology exists today to gather insights like these. For a comprehensive picture of the customer environment, retailers need these key pieces in place:

Online businesses must understand the kind of security measures and warning signs consumers increasingly look for on the web today. Here are six tips to help you see things through their eyes and plan your own security strategy accordingly: