You are getting your seasonal campaigns designed, your stock levels right and the Christmas rush is looming – maybe it’s time to STOP and re-check what you are doing online first.

If you have an ecommerce site then you’ll love these insights we heard from Google and the Australian Centre for Retail Studies at a NZRA online retailers seminar this month.

• There are more reasons than ever to be selling or at least showing, online.  Google expects at least a conservative 35% increase this year on last years search volume for Christmas purchases.

• Does your site have search? Does it work? Presenting unhelpful results is the same as one of your store staff pointing an enquiring customer to the wrong place to look for an item – rude, annoying and off putting.  According to the Australian Centre for Retail Studies, people who search within your site are your VIP’s – they are 3 times more likely to buy than browsers.

• Even if you have a bricks n mortar store, does your site have at least your best selling stock listed, with photos and descriptions?  78% of New Zealand and Australian shoppers use more than one channel to research, pre-purchase.

• When asked how they research their purchases before they buy, consumers were presented with a list of channels.  10 out of the 12 they ranked as top ways to research were online!

• Last minute applies to online too.  New Zealand shoppers use overseas shopping sites from October to early December for their Christmas shopping.   Then they hit the local sites with the peak coming mid-December.

• Google predicts their Google Maps use on mobile will overtake use on desktop by June 2011. Location-based marketing potential is soaring.  Google can already see that mobile search is peaking – before and after work , and at lunch time as consumers use their smart phone to locate information about the shopping they are about to do.

Do these ring true to you?

We know you are busy, but your comments are always welcomed….

To read our weekly blog posts for the most comprehensive posts on emarketing, and email marketing in New Zealand, click the JERICHO logo at the top of the post here, and pick through the menu on the right hand side, or use the Search box.  To follow us on Twitter got to http://twitter.com/roanne1 and choose Follow.