Online Marketing

Sephora has announced the launch an online social shopping community for Sephora customers.  Customers can use the service to talk about the products they're buying, discover trending products, and write product reviews to share with others.

The 2010 Mindset of a Multi-Channel Shopper Survey gives insight on how multi-channel retailers can refine their marketing, merchandising and promotions strategies to effectively reach holiday shoppers. 

In a post on its Facebook page, Wal-Mart launched the deals app Crowdsaver, which unlocks a discount once enough consumers opt in - much like the group deals phenomenon the start-up Groupon has made popular in recent months.

Groupon has scored another nationwide retailer with a deal on Monday featuring L'Oreal's natural cosmetic franchise, The Body Shop.

Zappos.com, a leading destination in online apparel and footwear sales, has announced the launch of Zappos’ first Mobile shopping application for the iPad. Within the first week of the launch, the Zappos Mobile app garnered nearly 10,000 downloads, putting the app in the Top Ten iPad apps at the Apple iTunes Store.

To help retailers compete with ever-shrinking marketing budgets, I've compiled a list of three crucial elements for online retail marketing campaigns to run successfully, with accurate tracking of the effectiveness of marketing dollars.

When integrated, search engine marketing (SEM) and online display advertising can deliver far greater results than the same campaigns planned in isolation.

Recognizing the need to stay current in the e-commerce market and better serve web-savvy shoppers, BedBathStore.com, an online retailer of bed and bath décor products (e.g., bedspreads, curtains, draperies, bed linens, pillows, bath accessories, etc.) decided to create online videos for its entire catalog of children’s products in September 2009.

Last month's Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition (IRCE) in Chicago had all the elements of a healthy trade show -- attendance was at record levels with over 10,000 paid attendees; the exhibit floor was packed with booths and customers; and the sessions were well attended. It seemed like everyone in the industry was at the show.

Kim Siefke, e-commerce manager, web design and development at Bealls, spoke at last month's retail Marketing Conference in Orlando, Fla. on how her company has used rich media to grow its online and cross-channel sales. Joining Siefke in presenting a session titled “How Rich Media Can Help Drive Cross-Channel Success” was Wayne Sadlowski, vice president of business development at Adobe Scene7, a provider of image server software.