Alex Marks, of UK Marketing, Microsoft Digital Advertising Solutions offers advice on online retail
According to an IMRG report published last month, 15% of all retail spend in 2007 was online. The festive period proved one of the biggest drivers with several leading retailers such as Dixons and Marks & Spencer running online promotions on Christmas Day itself.
Nearly all retail sectors are experiencing strong online growth so it's only a small matter of time before this starts seriously impacting bricks and mortar. It's about time all retailers started to think about how they exploit the online world to best effect. To be honest, online retail is a success for many despite, not because of their approach.
As all shopkeepers know location is hugely important. Online should not just be about 'discoverability', something that good search marketing will support. But you must also ensure your shop has a prime location on the internet.
Most people's online behaviour is routine, so it is not as difficult as it sounds to ensure you have good visibility. 'Context Matters', our research report on online consumer behaviour shows that transactions represent 8% of all online activities and shopping is most likely to take place in the evening.
Try and think of large portals and community sites as retail parks. Of course they are much more than that but they do deliver huge audiences through their gates each day. Retailers are well-positioned to benefit from this online footfall.
And once your potential customer has entered the shop there are other things to consider. Such as how do I transfer the strategies of in-store merchandising to the web?
And just remember it's much easier for consumers to take their business elsewhere when your competition is a 'click' rather than a car journey away.
'Context Matters' is available to download on the website in the knowledge zone within the inspire section.