BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - October 6, 2009) -
Aberdeen Group, a
Harte-Hanks Company (
NYSE:
HHS), announced today the
release of a new research report entitled
High
Definition Retail e-Commerce: Higher Customer
Conversions through Effective Online Merchandising,
which details the business benefits derived from
upgraded retail e-commerce performance and cost
optimization. As the recession is turning focus back
toward retail e-commerce efficiency, the report found
that 80% of top performing online retailers are
integrating product brands, categories and other
product subsets online.
According to Aberdeen data, as a means to provide a
seamless online shopping experience, the industry's top
performing retailers are focusing on key online
merchandising capabilities, such as integration of
products, brands, and other subsets, utilization of
catalog management solutions to control online product
offering data, and analysis of consumer site search
data for a more personalized shopping experience.
Given the continued growth of web-based e-commerce
despite a troubled economy, and given the potential
growth of companion selling channels such as social
media and mobile retailing, it seems logical that top
performing retailers are keen to get the fundamentals
of merchandising in order: promotions, pricing and
display.
"Top performing retailers have recognized that the 'if
you build it, they will come' theory behind e-commerce
is no longer valid. Customers expect relevant
promotions, accurate content displays and an overall
seamless shopping experience. These retailers are
re-examining the basic building blocks of a solid
selling experience in the form of accurate and relevant
merchandising," says Greg Belkin, chief author and
retail analyst, Aberdeen.
Aberdeen has found that 61% of online retailers are
making changes to their web commerce applications on an
incremental basis to justify the TCO behind the next
phase of technology improvements. To achieve this
objective, Aberdeen has found that these retailers are
utilizing consumer site search data for more accurate
and personalized shopping experience. This data helps
retailers address two major challenges: merchandising
and marketing management. On a merchandising basis,
customer analytics can provide strategic content
placement, specific cross-sell and up-sell data based
on previous purchases, and highly relevant, one-to-one
promotions. On a marketing basis, customers' analytics
can provide a window into which specific marketing
delivery tools (email, social selling, banners etc.)
are the most effective on a customer-by-customer basis.
"Online merchandising and marketing are inseparably
linked," says Greg Belkin, co-author and research
analyst, Aberdeen. "Online analytics make
personalization and segmentation strategies successful,
and provide the catalyst for effective selling both
before and during the shopping experience."
A complimentary copy of this report is made available
due in part by the following underwriters: Venda and
MyBuys. To obtain a complimentary copy of the report,
visit:
http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=6038.
For additional access to complimentary
Retail Research, please visit
http://research.aberdeen.com/index.php/-retail
About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company
Aberdeen provides fact-based research and market
intelligence that delivers demonstrable results.
Having queried more than 30,000 companies in the past
two years, Aberdeen is positioned to educate users to
action: driving market awareness, creating demand,
enabling sales, and delivering meaningful
return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor
to the global technology markets, corporations turn to
Aberdeen for insights that drive decisions.
As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of
putting content in context for the global direct and
targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's analytical and
independent view of the "customer optimization" process
of Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight -
Engagement - Interaction) extends the client value and
accentuates the strategic role Harte-Hanks brings to
the market. For additional information, visit
Aberdeen or call
(617) 723-7890, or to learn more about
Harte-Hanks,
call (800) 456-9748.
© 2009 Aberdeen Group, Inc., a Harte-Hanks Company
451 D Street, Suite 710
Boston, Massachusetts 02210-1928
Telephone: (617) 854-5200
Fax: (617) 723-7897
www.aberdeen.com
Contact Information: Media Contact:
Greg Belkin
Research Analyst, Aberdeen Harte-Hanks
(617) 854-5228
greg.belkin@aberdeen.com