Retail websites are satisfying customers as never before, eDigitalResearch’s latest eRetail Benchmarket Study. It found ecommerce sites are outperforming the rest of the online industry, and their users rate them highly thanks to constant improvements and updates.

In today’s guest comment, Paul Cook, chief executive of TagMan, considers the importance of how long it takes your site to load – and how the introduction of Google+ has brought the issue to the fore.

Online sales appeared to rally in August, according to the BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor for August. The study found ecommerce sales grew faster in August than July, and were 9.6% ahead of the same time last year.

Ed Stevenson, managing director EMEA & APAC at online advertising management platform Marin Software, looks at how search is moving beyond Google and into other areas such as Facebook

Each week in the run-up to our annual conference, Internet Retailing 2011, we talk to one of the key speakers at the event to give you a preview of their presentation. This week it’s the turn of Sam Peterson, SVP, technology and merchandising, at Overstock.com.

The public appetite for daily deals, made available through the group-buying power of the crowd, may have peaked this summer. The number of people visiting deals websites has fallen, according to Hitwise Intelligence research, while earlier analysis from Lightspeed Research found that many who have registered on the sites have yet to commit to buying a deal.

The high street is adapting in response to online retail. Here Guy Chiswick, managing director of Webloyalty, explores how online retailers can learn from the high street in return, especially when it comes to customer loyalty.

Jonathan Beeston, client services director, Europe, Efficient Frontier, takes a look at six ways retailers can make their online advertising more efficient.

The online money-off voucher is now an industry in itself, with millions of internet users visiting sites that can help them cut the cost of their shopping. The fast growth of the market has been highlighted by this week’s acquisition of VoucherCodes.co.uk by US company WhaleShark Media.

Billy Haining, head of the Cisco business unit at Intrinsic Technology, highlights some missed retail opportunities.

Multichannel shoppers are giving high street retailers reason for optimism, according to new analysis carried out for Experian. The research identified distinct categories and geographical hotspots for multichannel shoppers and includes tips for retailers on how to target them.

British businesses may be missing out on £850bn in sales because of poor customer service, says new research carried out for Best Buy UK.

Shopping baskets are being abandoned at ‘an alarming rate’ as shoppers look for the lowest prices, says Christian Koestler, president and chief executive of Lixto Inc, who considers what retailers can do about it.

Sluggish growth figures were published today, reflecting an economy that continues weak and where there has been a significant rise in the number of retailers, including multichannel traders, going into administration.

UK shoppers are taking their spending online, according to figures from IMRG and the Office for National Statistics, both published this week. The IMRG said consumers spent £31.5bn online in the first half of 2011, 19% more than they did at the same time last year, with June outpacing the six-month average. The ONS pointed to a near 25% rise in the volume of internet sales.

BT Fresca’s Justin Lord outlines the challenges to overcome – and pitfalls to be aware of – when planning an international expansion programme for your e-commerce operation. Just how do retailers best tap into latent demand for their products from overseas?

The vast majority of people now think shopping is easier and cheaper online, a survey has found. Shopping.com’s report also found that 15% had spent more than £1,000 on a single internet purchase.

The cost of advertising on Facebook is rising, and set to rise faster, as brands switch advertising budgets from print to social media. That’s something many retailers will be considering as they look at where to direct their spending.

Would your website cope if one of your products became an overnight retail phenomenon? Bob Dowson, director at website monitoring and load testing specialist, Site Confidence, considers how online merchants can plan for the unexpected.

Facebook Advertising, Best Practice for Retailers – June 9 2011
By Chloe Rigby
At a time when Facebook is becoming an increasingly important channel for retailers to communicate with their customers, there’s a growing imperative to find …