The E-Commerce Arsenal

About the Author

Alexis D. Gutzman is a renowned Internet consultant and a prolific author specializing in e-commerce and web technologies. She has authored several influential books, including The HTML Bible, ColdFusion 4 for Dummies, and Frontpage 2000 Answers!. Gutzman is also a columnist for Internet.com's popular ECommerce Guide, where she serves as the "ECommerce Technology Advisor." Her deep understanding of internet technologies and practical insights make her a trusted voice in the field of e-commerce.

Main Idea

In The E-Commerce Arsenal: 12 Technologies You Need to Prevail in the Digital Arena, Alexis D. Gutzman explores the essential technologies that e-commerce businesses must leverage to succeed in the highly competitive digital marketplace. She argues that the right mix of personalization, marketing, and technological upgrades is crucial for attracting customers, simplifying the shopping experience, and offering superior customer service. By adopting these 12 "must-have" technologies, online retailers can enhance their performance and achieve long-term success.

Table of Contents

1. Place Your Website High in the Search Engines
2. Word-of-Mouth Marketing for the Digital Age
3. Partner with Aggregators
4. Use Targeted Electronic Direct Mail
5. Be Prepared to Connect with Consumers on the Go
6. Make Your Site Personal
7. Install Search Tools to Help Buyers Find What They Want
8. Adapt Your Site for Global Customers
9. Give Customers Real-Time Inventory Access
10. Content Management Systems: Keep All Information Current
11. Can We Talk? Real-Time Presales Chat and Other Online Customer Support
12. Multichannel Customer Support: Integrate Online and Offline Customer Service
13. The Importance of Alternate Payment Systems

Place Your Website High in the Search Engines

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a cornerstone of e-commerce success. Gutzman emphasizes the importance of appearing among the top search engine results to attract qualified buyers. She advises using selective keywords to improve relevancy and increase "link popularity" through internal linking. A strategy she suggests is the creation of "shadow" sites, designed specifically for search engines, rich in text and light on images.

"Increasing the 'link popularity' of your site is thus a good strategy for giving your site a higher ranking in these types of popularity-based search engines." – Alexis D. Gutzman

• Use more specific keywords, e.g., "Pentium III" instead of "computer."
• Develop shadow sites for better search engine indexing.
• Monitor and adjust your SEO strategy based on traffic and conversion data.

Word-of-Mouth Marketing for the Digital Age

Gutzman highlights the power of viral marketing, where electronic word-of-mouth can significantly boost customer acquisition. Offering incentives for referrals and establishing affiliate programs are effective ways to encourage word-of-mouth marketing. Affiliates drive traffic and generate sales, and while the cost is recurring, the exposure and customer acquisition benefits outweigh the downsides.